order, that’s for certain,” she said.
Proving her point, Rey turned his attention away from Jake, and promptly trotted to a nearby scrub of beach grass, where he relieved himself. “My assistant, Caroline, calls him my substitute child because I cater to him so much,” she remarked.
“She might have a point,” Jake replied.
Adjusting her glasses as camouflage, she took a look at her companion. He was sipping his coffee, his green eyes focused on the frolicking dachshund. Again, she was struck by the fatigue and sadness hovering around him. Even standing here with her and Reynaldo, he looked alone. Alone and far away.
“I’d wanted a pet forever.” She hoped that sharing might draw him out. “When I was a kid, we couldn’t have a pet—my dad had breathing issues—so as soon as I got a place of my own I headed straight for the pound. Believe it or not.” She chuckled. “I’d planned on getting a retriever.”
“And instead you got the tube of terror.”
“Tube of terror?”
“Couldn’t think of a T word that means annoying,” he replied with a shrug.
Zoe laughed. “Reynaldo, tube of terror. Suits him.”
Jake’s mouth quirked upward, the closest he’d come to a smile since she met him. Seeing it brought more warmth than the rising sun. “So, from retriever to dachshund. How’d that happen?”
“Couldn’t help myself. Every time I walked past the cage, he would whimper and look at me with his sad brown eyes. Then the woman at the shelter told me he’d been found abandoned and left tied up behind a drugstore. Soon as I heard that, I was hooked. I’ve always been a sucker for a good sob story.”
“Either that or Reynaldo is a master manipulator.”
“You might be right.” She was a sucker for those, too. “Anyway, I couldn’t stand the idea of the little guy not having a home.”
“I’m surprised you were so keen on outing the bats then. Seeing as how you’ve blocked them from their nests.”
“That’s different. That was self-preservation. Although…” She frowned. “I didn’t think about the fact I was rendering them homeless. Do you think they sell bat houses at the hardware store?”
His head tilted like a questioning puppy, Jake studied her. “You really would buy one, wouldn’t you?”
“I booted them from their nest. Shouldn’t I help to fix their problem?”
“Do you always feel compelled to solve problems?”
“Sure,” Zoe replied, undoing and fixing her ponytail again. She was painfully aware of his eyes sweeping her length, his evaluation spreading through her limbs like honey. She shrugged, affecting nonchalance. “See a problem, try to help. Advice columnist, remember?”
“I remember.” He took a long drink from his coffee, silence swirling around him like the ocean breeze. “What if you can’t help?”
Was he talking about himself? They sure weren’ttalking about bats anymore. There was such resignation in his voice as he spoke, it hurt.
“Not every problem can be fixed,” he continued.
“I don’t believe that,” she countered. “Every problem can be fixed, with time.”
“Well, that’s why you’re the advice columnist and I’m not.” Before she could reply, he started walking toward the street. Whatever crack he’d allowed in his armor was sealed once more. “I’ll go check your roof to see if any bats got left behind last night. Good luck getting that dog back on a leash.”
“If I can’t, I’ll simply wave a doggy biscuit. Never underestimate the lure of food.”
He shot her another half smile, and went on his way.
How long she stood watching the waves, Zoe didn’t know. Could have been an hour or a few minutes. The inner peace she’d hoped to find never materialized. She felt off-kilter. Out of sorts. More so than before, if possible. The sadness that laced Jake’s voice continued to hang in the air, thick and unrepentant.
What was it about the man that his presence surrounded her even after his departure?
Proving her point, Rey turned his attention away from Jake, and promptly trotted to a nearby scrub of beach grass, where he relieved himself. “My assistant, Caroline, calls him my substitute child because I cater to him so much,” she remarked.
“She might have a point,” Jake replied.
Adjusting her glasses as camouflage, she took a look at her companion. He was sipping his coffee, his green eyes focused on the frolicking dachshund. Again, she was struck by the fatigue and sadness hovering around him. Even standing here with her and Reynaldo, he looked alone. Alone and far away.
“I’d wanted a pet forever.” She hoped that sharing might draw him out. “When I was a kid, we couldn’t have a pet—my dad had breathing issues—so as soon as I got a place of my own I headed straight for the pound. Believe it or not.” She chuckled. “I’d planned on getting a retriever.”
“And instead you got the tube of terror.”
“Tube of terror?”
“Couldn’t think of a T word that means annoying,” he replied with a shrug.
Zoe laughed. “Reynaldo, tube of terror. Suits him.”
Jake’s mouth quirked upward, the closest he’d come to a smile since she met him. Seeing it brought more warmth than the rising sun. “So, from retriever to dachshund. How’d that happen?”
“Couldn’t help myself. Every time I walked past the cage, he would whimper and look at me with his sad brown eyes. Then the woman at the shelter told me he’d been found abandoned and left tied up behind a drugstore. Soon as I heard that, I was hooked. I’ve always been a sucker for a good sob story.”
“Either that or Reynaldo is a master manipulator.”
“You might be right.” She was a sucker for those, too. “Anyway, I couldn’t stand the idea of the little guy not having a home.”
“I’m surprised you were so keen on outing the bats then. Seeing as how you’ve blocked them from their nests.”
“That’s different. That was self-preservation. Although…” She frowned. “I didn’t think about the fact I was rendering them homeless. Do you think they sell bat houses at the hardware store?”
His head tilted like a questioning puppy, Jake studied her. “You really would buy one, wouldn’t you?”
“I booted them from their nest. Shouldn’t I help to fix their problem?”
“Do you always feel compelled to solve problems?”
“Sure,” Zoe replied, undoing and fixing her ponytail again. She was painfully aware of his eyes sweeping her length, his evaluation spreading through her limbs like honey. She shrugged, affecting nonchalance. “See a problem, try to help. Advice columnist, remember?”
“I remember.” He took a long drink from his coffee, silence swirling around him like the ocean breeze. “What if you can’t help?”
Was he talking about himself? They sure weren’ttalking about bats anymore. There was such resignation in his voice as he spoke, it hurt.
“Not every problem can be fixed,” he continued.
“I don’t believe that,” she countered. “Every problem can be fixed, with time.”
“Well, that’s why you’re the advice columnist and I’m not.” Before she could reply, he started walking toward the street. Whatever crack he’d allowed in his armor was sealed once more. “I’ll go check your roof to see if any bats got left behind last night. Good luck getting that dog back on a leash.”
“If I can’t, I’ll simply wave a doggy biscuit. Never underestimate the lure of food.”
He shot her another half smile, and went on his way.
How long she stood watching the waves, Zoe didn’t know. Could have been an hour or a few minutes. The inner peace she’d hoped to find never materialized. She felt off-kilter. Out of sorts. More so than before, if possible. The sadness that laced Jake’s voice continued to hang in the air, thick and unrepentant.
What was it about the man that his presence surrounded her even after his departure?
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