situations, so he’ll need some downtime playing and just being a dog.”
Nick’s eyes widened and he felt like his head was going to explode as she rattled off what Harley needed.
Jamie stood and walked to her desk, where she picked up a piece of paper, stuck it on a clipboard, then handed it and a pen to Nick.
“I’ll need your phone number and home address. I’ve got a list of vets and some emergency clinics. I’m sure one will be close to where you live.”
Nick filled out the form and handed the clipboard back to her. “You’re painting a pretty dark picture.”
“Having a service dog is a big responsibility. He takes his job seriously and will become very attached to you. Giving him the attention he needs might cut into your personal time.”
“Ha…No problem there. Harley will have more of a social life at the dog park than I do.”
Jamie looked out the window at the dogs in their runs. She spoke wistfully, almost as if she’d forgotten Nick was there. “They’ll keep you busy during the day, but they don’t do much for long, lonely nights.”
Nick wasn’t the most sensitive man on earth, but even he could see that she’d tapped into a darkness that she usually kept tucked away. He wished he had a magic secret he could share that would take her pain away. But he had plenty of haunting memories of his own…his ex-wife, his time in the military, and cases gone horribly wrong. He’d tried all the usual ways to self-medicate. Sometimes they worked; more often they didn’t. He suspected Jamie had too…with similar results. “The nights are better when you’re not alone,” he commented.
“Sounds like the voice of experience.” She turned her attention back to him. “Why aren’t you taking your own advice?”
“I tried marriage, and that didn’t work out. I’m not great with relationships.”
“Probably just as well, considering your occupation. Fewer widows that way.”
“I’m careful.”
“Yeah, so was my husband. Right up until the moment a guy stepped up behind him and shot him in the head.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she roughly brushed them away.
Nick remembered the incident. It had been a random case of a guy out to kill a cop, and apparently Jamie’s husband had been the unlucky man in uniform the gunman encountered. Nick had been in the area on a case and arrived on Sixth Street shortly after the call went out. Her husband had been lying on the street, next to his patrol car. He hadn’t drawn his gun or called for help. It had apparently been a completely unexpected attack in a busy area of Austin that was usually relatively safe. There had been plenty of witnesses, but the guy had never been caught. Nick, along with several thousand other cops and related agencies, had gone to Jamie’s husband’s funeral. He hadn’t paid much attention to the widow then. He’d been to too many funerals, and he’d learned to steel his heart to get through them. From her reaction, it was clear her own wound was still raw, so he didn’t think that now was the time for him to discuss any of this with her.
She stood, and Nick knew the interview was over. He followed her out of the kennel. At the bottom of her porch steps, she stopped and gave him a generic smile. Nick knew he wasn’t traditionally handsome, but he had a rugged masculinity that most women found charming. Jamie, however, showed absolutely no sign of being the least bit attracted to him. Nick was more disappointed than hurt. She was hot, lonely, and would make a pleasant diversion. Clearly that wasn’t going to happen.
“I’ve got a long list of supplies that I need to get for Harley. Can I call you later if I have any questions?”
“Of course you can. I’ll always be Harley’s mom. You know how it is.”
“I wish you hadn’t said that.” Nick shook his head. “Now you’ve ruined the fantasy.”
Jamie laughed but didn’t take the bait.
“And on that note…I better run. Same time
Nick’s eyes widened and he felt like his head was going to explode as she rattled off what Harley needed.
Jamie stood and walked to her desk, where she picked up a piece of paper, stuck it on a clipboard, then handed it and a pen to Nick.
“I’ll need your phone number and home address. I’ve got a list of vets and some emergency clinics. I’m sure one will be close to where you live.”
Nick filled out the form and handed the clipboard back to her. “You’re painting a pretty dark picture.”
“Having a service dog is a big responsibility. He takes his job seriously and will become very attached to you. Giving him the attention he needs might cut into your personal time.”
“Ha…No problem there. Harley will have more of a social life at the dog park than I do.”
Jamie looked out the window at the dogs in their runs. She spoke wistfully, almost as if she’d forgotten Nick was there. “They’ll keep you busy during the day, but they don’t do much for long, lonely nights.”
Nick wasn’t the most sensitive man on earth, but even he could see that she’d tapped into a darkness that she usually kept tucked away. He wished he had a magic secret he could share that would take her pain away. But he had plenty of haunting memories of his own…his ex-wife, his time in the military, and cases gone horribly wrong. He’d tried all the usual ways to self-medicate. Sometimes they worked; more often they didn’t. He suspected Jamie had too…with similar results. “The nights are better when you’re not alone,” he commented.
“Sounds like the voice of experience.” She turned her attention back to him. “Why aren’t you taking your own advice?”
“I tried marriage, and that didn’t work out. I’m not great with relationships.”
“Probably just as well, considering your occupation. Fewer widows that way.”
“I’m careful.”
“Yeah, so was my husband. Right up until the moment a guy stepped up behind him and shot him in the head.” Her eyes filled with tears, and she roughly brushed them away.
Nick remembered the incident. It had been a random case of a guy out to kill a cop, and apparently Jamie’s husband had been the unlucky man in uniform the gunman encountered. Nick had been in the area on a case and arrived on Sixth Street shortly after the call went out. Her husband had been lying on the street, next to his patrol car. He hadn’t drawn his gun or called for help. It had apparently been a completely unexpected attack in a busy area of Austin that was usually relatively safe. There had been plenty of witnesses, but the guy had never been caught. Nick, along with several thousand other cops and related agencies, had gone to Jamie’s husband’s funeral. He hadn’t paid much attention to the widow then. He’d been to too many funerals, and he’d learned to steel his heart to get through them. From her reaction, it was clear her own wound was still raw, so he didn’t think that now was the time for him to discuss any of this with her.
She stood, and Nick knew the interview was over. He followed her out of the kennel. At the bottom of her porch steps, she stopped and gave him a generic smile. Nick knew he wasn’t traditionally handsome, but he had a rugged masculinity that most women found charming. Jamie, however, showed absolutely no sign of being the least bit attracted to him. Nick was more disappointed than hurt. She was hot, lonely, and would make a pleasant diversion. Clearly that wasn’t going to happen.
“I’ve got a long list of supplies that I need to get for Harley. Can I call you later if I have any questions?”
“Of course you can. I’ll always be Harley’s mom. You know how it is.”
“I wish you hadn’t said that.” Nick shook his head. “Now you’ve ruined the fantasy.”
Jamie laughed but didn’t take the bait.
“And on that note…I better run. Same time
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