And now for something completely different. Gone to the Dogs is a faith-based, small town sweet romance, serialized here in approximately 12 parts. I asked if you would like to read it, and the votes were unanimously in favor, so here it is. If you didn’t vote and you’re not interested, you can update your subscription settings here to keep it out of your inbox.
And if you’d rather read it in print or ebook form, you can get the book right here.
Coming in at the middle? Click here for a list of all the chapters.
Reagan Dunn’s life has gone to the dogs -- literally. Still recovering from a broken marriage that turned her life upside down, she searches for a new life on the road as a travelling pet sitter. When she takes a job in the little Oklahoma town of Redbud, the best she hopes for is a hot shower and a couple of nights sleeping in a real bed -- until she meets Josh, who is not only incredibly handsome, but also everything her ex-husband turned out not to be: kind, hard-working and loyal. Trouble is, he’s also taken.
Chapter Twenty-One
Reagan floated through the week. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so light. Much of the weight she’d been carrying for so long lifted the moment Josh had taken her into his arms. For the first time in a very long time, she had felt truly loved. His kiss had said everything for him, tender and brief, but so full of passion and promise.
And it was only the first. With both of them busy helping Lydia prepare for the pet carnival, Reagan volunteering at the shelter and Josh overseeing setup at the park, they didn’t see each other much during the day. But evenings were a different story. Every night she joined the family for dinner, and afterward she and Josh would go for a walk. After the first few days, Zeke was doing well enough to tag along. Some nights, Josh walked her to her door, where they might spend an hour just kissing goodnight, until they both headed to their separate beds to crash, exhausted from the day’s work. Other nights, they wound up on the deck where they stayed up talking until the small hours, and then groggily met over coffee the next morning before Josh drove them into town.
Whatever had been holding her back was long gone. Reagan was head-over-heels, and it felt like walking on air. With only one more day to go until the fair, nothing in this world could bring her down.
It was an all-hands-on-deck day at the park as they scrambled to put the finishing touches on everything. The town council had granted permission to set up a temporary off-leash play area for the dogs. For the first time all week, Reagan got to work with Josh as she joined his crew to help erect the fencing. The work was too sweaty and laborious to allow much chance for flirting, but she got to see up close and personal what he was like as a leader under pressure. It turned out he was as gracious, patient, and laid back as ever. An easy camaraderie existed between him and his crew, which reassured her he wasn’t on his best behavior for her sake.
By lunch time, they had all the posts driven into the ground and were ready to attach the fencing. Josh came over to her, stripping off his work gloves. “Hungry?”
As if on cue, her stomach growled. “Famished, actually.”
He nodded. “I’d love to take you to lunch, just you and me, but I need to feed all these guys.” He waved toward his crew, busy unrolling fencing panels behind him.
“I can go pick something up if you guys need to keep working.”
He flashed her a grin. Even covered in dirt and sweat, it made him look so handsome she had to hold herself back from throwing her arms around him and kissing him on the spot. “That’d be awesome.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, then handed her his credit card. “There’s a barbecue place at the opposite end of Main Street. The Pig Pit.”
“I’ve seen it.”
He turned to peer at his crew. “I’m thinking a couple pounds of brisket and a few pints of baked beans ought to be enough to feed these guys.” He turned back to her. “And if you see anything else that looks good, get whatever you want.”
“Brisket and beans sounds good to me.”
He fished out his keys and handed them to her. “Take my truck. You sure you’re okay by yourself? It’ll be a lot of food to juggle.”
“I can handle it.”
He nodded distractedly, his attention pulled toward a couple of guys who were having trouble unrolling the fencing. “Thanks.” She turned to go, but he grabbed her hand. “But c’mere first.”
“I’m all sweaty,” she said as he pulled her close and settled his hands on her waist.
“So am I. It looks good on you.” He dipped his head and covered her smile with his lips. She returned his kiss, her insides warming up to match her hot and sweaty exterior. “Been itching to do that all morning,” he murmured as they came up for air.
Cheers and catcalls broke out behind them as the work crew egged them on. Reagan shook her head, laughing. “Do you always have a cheering section following you around?”
“Lord, I hope not.” He turned to his crew. “Buzz off! Back to work.” He was grinning when he turned back to Reagan. “Can’t fault them for being happy for us.”
“They might not be if we don’t get them fed,” she said, pulling away. “Be back soon.”
“All right.” He reluctantly released her. “Be safe.”
Grinning from ear to ear, she found his truck and then found the restaurant. She was still smiling by the time they filled her order and she carried it back to the truck. Loading the bags into the back of the cab, her smile abruptly disappeared at the sound of a voice behind her.
“You’re a hard woman to track down.”
Her stomach clenched and her heart took off like it had heard a starter pistol. She spun around and stared in open-mouthed shock. No, she hadn’t imagined it. There he stood, with his deceptively angelic face. His hair had grown out since last she’d seen him. It flopped down over his eyes, but it didn’t hide his look of smug triumph.
She closed her mouth and licked her lips. “What are you doing here, Spencer?”
He spread his hands as though it should have been obvious. “Looking for my wife.”
“Keep looking.” Reagan shut the truck door. “You won’t find her here.”
“I beg to differ.”
She backed up against the truck and folded her arms. As she did, she recognized the defensive posture she always took with him, and that made her angrier than anything else. She put her hands on her hips and stood up straight. “The last time I checked, you don’t have a wife. You divorced me.”
He nodded, actually looking sorrowful. “I know. I also know what a sin that was. Against God, and against you. I want to make things right.”
“You can do that by leaving.”
His eyes narrowed. He tilted his head back, as though scrutinizing her. “I heard you’re already seeing someone else.”
“Already? Coming from the guy who moved on to someone else’s bed while we were still married?” The accusation didn’t appear to faze him. As he continued to peer at her, the full impact of what he’d said sunk in. “Heard from whom?”
He shrugged. “A helpful little birdie who told me where I could find you.”
Somehow, Reagan’s stomach clenched even tighter. “Deirdre.” I have a secret weapon, she’d said. Reagan shook her head. She’d underestimated the woman. This was a low to which she couldn’t have imagined anyone could sink.
“You’re real good at making friends.” Spencer grinned. “That woman gave me quite an earful. Of course, she gave me hope, too.” His face turned serious, even remorseful. “I thought, just maybe, you’d have an easier time forgiving me, seeing as how you broke up a marriage.”
Laughter burst out of Reagan, surprising her and Spencer both. “Deirdre and Josh weren’t married.”
“They were going to be until you got between them.”
Reagan could only shake her head. She knew it was a waste of breath to refute his accusation. She folded her arms, more from incredulity this time than defensiveness, and peered at Spencer the same way he’d peered at her.
“Let me guess. Bethany dumped you.”
He seemed almost to flinch, but he quickly ducked his head to cover it. He rubbed the back of his head. “Let’s just say I’ve seen the error of my ways.” He looked back up at her, his expression earnest. “I’ve missed you.”
“In other words, Bethany wouldn’t put up with your abusive bull and you miss having someone you can manipulate and control.”
He managed to look even more remorseful. “I can see why you’d think that. I know there were times I could have treated you better. Should have. And I’m sorry.” He put a hand on his chest. “Truly.”
His sincerity tugged at her, but only a tiny bit, and not for long. She’d seen him apologize before, coming across every bit as sincere then as now, while knowing it was all a manipulative act.
She closed her eyes and rubbed the middle of her forehead to relieve a spot of pressure forming there. “What do you want, Spencer?”
“I’ve been praying that you’d be able to forgive me.”
She looked at him with a sigh. “I have forgiven you. I can’t absolve you. Only God can do that. But I want nothing from you. What you did to me is between you and the Lord.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you feel that way.” He took a step closer. She tried to back away and bumped into the truck. “I want you back, Reagan. Come home with me. Please.”
She stared at him, not believing her own ears. Not just the words, but the tone with which he delivered them. He sounded much more commanding than pleading. The ‘please’ he’d tacked on at the end sounded like an afterthought.
“No, Spencer. We’re done. You need to leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Then you’re going to be standing there a long time.” She turned around and grasped the handle of the truck’s door, but he came up behind her and put his hand on hers. “Let go of me!” she shouted, turning and shoving him away.
He held up his hands in surrender. “Take it easy. I just want to talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. We’re through.”
“In the Lord’s eyes, we’re still married.”
“No, we’re not. You broke our marriage covenant. You divorced me. You are the adulterer. I don’t owe you anything. I’m free.” She moved toward him until he backed away, then she turned and yanked open the truck door. “And I intend to stay that way,” she called over her shoulder as she climbed in.
“This isn’t over,” he called back before she could shut the door. He said something else, but the roar of the truck engine drowned it out as she backed out of her parking spot.
She didn’t drive directly back to the park. She took a meandering route to make it harder for Spencer to follow, and to give herself time to calm down. Once she made it back, she sat in the parking lot, turning the encounter over in her mind and trying to steady her shaking hands, until Josh spotted her and came to meet her.
“Hey,” he said, taking her by the waist and helping her down.
She leaned against him and laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. “Hey back.”
“Everything okay?”
She debated what to tell him. Now didn’t seem like the best time and place for the whole truth. “Yeah,” she said, not sounding entirely convincing, even to herself. She forced a smile. “I had a close encounter. It shook me up a little.” Before he could ask her to elaborate, she pulled away and opened the back door. “We’d better get this food handed out before it gets cold.”
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Something clearly troubled Reagan as she pulled the bags out of the cab and handed them to Josh. What had left her so shaken? Did she not trust him enough to tell him? It hurt to think so, but if that was the case, prying it out of her wouldn’t earn her trust. That was something that would take time. Time, and treating her the way she deserved to be treated.
Trust also went both ways. If she wasn’t ready to tell him what had happened, he needed to trust that she had her reasons and give her space to work it out. He could let it go for the time being. If he needed to know about it, she would tell him when she was ready.
Or so he hoped.
He smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips. Turning toward his crew, he called, “Soups on!”
They soon lost themselves in food and conversation and then got back to work. They kept at it until sundown, finishing the fence and then moving on to other projects. By the time they had everything finished, Reagan was back to her smiling, laughing self.
They stood arm in arm, admiring their handiwork. Lydia and Sam, who’d arrived home that afternoon and came straight to the park to pitch in, stood next to them, taking it all in. They had erected multiple booths for games and activities and built a dance floor around the gazebo, which was prepped and ready for the bands that would play there throughout the day. The dog park they’d built had separate areas for large and small dogs, and of course, the walking trail led to the big parking lot, where an assortment of food trucks would arrive in the morning.
The centerpiece for the whole thing was the adoption booth. An enormous banner over the tables read, “Meet your new best friend!” In the morning, they would bring the pets over from the shelter and stack their kennels behind the tables. Another small, fenced area nearby would allow prospective adopters to interact with the dogs.
“This is amazing,” said Reagan. “You guys do this every year?”
“Twice a year,” said Lydia. “We do a fall festival, too. I’d love to make it a quarterly event, but it’s all so much work.”
“So I’ve seen.”
Josh reached over and punched his sister lightly on the arm. “Great job, Sis. You’ve pulled it off again.”
She beamed at him, her pride showing, but said demurely, “I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”
Exhausted but filled with the satisfaction of accomplishment, they made their way home, where Ellie had dinner on the table for them. By the time they finished, Josh had all but forgotten about something upsetting Reagan. He only remembered because she fell quiet on the walk back to her RV.
“Everything okay?” They strolled toward the barn slowly, drawing out their time together. Zeke dashed around in front of them, zigzagging back and forth in sheer joy. Sam had looked him over and given him a clean bill of health, officially declaring no more need for the cone of misery.
Reagan made a non-committal noise, neither yes nor no.
Josh squeezed her hand. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.” He stopped walking. She kept going, but he kept hold of her hand and gently tugged her back to him. She turned to face him and he took hold of both her hands, inclining his head to peer into her eyes. “You can always tell me when something’s bothering you.” He smiled slightly and added, “Even if it’s me.”
She returned his smile. “It’s not you.”
“Phew!” He made a show of wiping his brow, which got a giggle out of her. But then he turned serious. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
She sighed. “It’s not like I don’t. I’m not trying to keep anything from you. It’s just... I just wish it would go away.” A vague sense of dread arose in him as she added, “I wish he would go away.”
“He? He who?”
She blew out a long breath. “Spencer. He’s in town. He found me at the barbecue place.”
The feeling of dread intensified. “Spencer? Your ex?”
She nodded.
Dread gave way to intense feelings of possessiveness and protective anger. “What did he want?”
“He asked me to forgive him.”
Josh relaxed a little. That was a reasonable thing to ask of your ex-wife, he supposed, especially if you were as big a jerk to her as this Spencer character had been. Tracking her halfway across the country to ask in person, on the other hand, seemed more than a bit extreme. “Did you?”
“Yeah. I mean, I’ve been working on it for a long time. It’s a process. But I told him I did.”
Josh nodded, but he could tell from the way she nibbled on her bottom lip that she was holding something back. “Was that all he wanted?”
She shook her head, more in disbelief than anything. “He said he wanted me back.”
There was that possessive and protective feeling again. It made him want to cling to her and growl viciously, like Zeke when he thinks someone wants to take away his chew toy. He had to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing hold of her like a caveman staking his claim.
His face must have betrayed his feelings. “Don’t worry,” said Reagan, reaching for him instead. “It’ll never happen. Even if we weren’t...”
Her voice trailed off, as though she wasn’t sure of the right word to call this thing between them.
“Together?” he supplied, and she smiled.
“Yes. Even if we weren’t together, there would be no chance of me ever going back to him, or to that life.”
He drew her into a hug. “I’m glad to hear it.” He buried his face in her hair. She smelled like shampoo and dried sweat, a perfect blend of earthy and feminine that had a visceral appeal for his male flesh and inspired reckless urges. Urges on which he desperately hoped he would one day be able to follow through.
He sighed a little, and it carried a small growl of frustration as he released her, knowing full well today was not that day. They started walking again. As his hand found hers and grabbed it, he asked, “How did he find you?”
This time, she stopped walking. When he turned back, the look she gave him said it all. He took a deep breath and then closed his eyes and blew it out. “Deirdre.”
“I guess Spencer was her secret weapon.”
For a moment, all he could do was stand there and shake his head. “Unbelievable,” he said at last.
“She told him I broke the two of you up.”
“Of course she did. I told her that wasn’t the reason, but she refused to believe it.” He marveled at how quickly she had gone from the woman he thought he wanted to be with for life to a vicious enemy he didn’t even recognize.
“I can’t really blame her,” said Reagan. “It’s not like we wasted any time acting on our feelings.”
“At the time, I couldn’t think of a single good reason to wait.” He sighed again, raking his hand through his hair. “But maybe we should have. Or I should have. But what’s done is done.”
“I’m sure Spencer’s not the only one she told.”
He frowned at the worried look on her face. “So what if she did? Nobody who matters will believe her.”
“But what if they do?” Her voice held an anxious note that tugged at his heart and made him want to protect her more than ever. He remembered what she’d told him about how people in her hometown had reacted after Spencer left her. How her ex had twisted the story and turned them all against her. People she’d known and gone to church with her entire life.
“They won’t.” He smiled in a way that he hoped was reassuring. “You saw for yourself that half this town consists of the Baker clan. I’m pretty sure none of them liked her much, anyway. They never once cheered when they saw me with her.”
As much as he hated to remind her he’d ever been intimate with Deirdre, even if it never went beyond kissing and cuddling, it got the desired effect. She smiled and relaxed a little. “Well, that’s encouraging.”
“I’m telling you, everyone here loves you.”
“It’s mutual,” she said. “Even though I can’t imagine why they would.”
He leaned down and whispered, “That probably has something to do with it.”
He put an arm around her, and they started walking again, finally making it to her door. Once there, a thought occurred to him. “Deirdre probably told him where you’re staying. Maybe you shouldn’t stay out here alone tonight.”
Her face fell. “I didn’t think of that.”
“Why don’t you get some things together and come back to the house with me? You can stay in Lydia’s room.”
Reagan shook her head. “If he finds out I stayed in the house, he’ll assume the worst.”
“So? Nobody in this town will believe him, either. And even if they doubt us, nobody will question my mother’s word.”
She smiled, but still demured. “I don’t want to give anyone more reason to doubt than we already have.”
Josh shook his head in frustration. “I don’t like the idea of you being out here alone. Not with him who knows where, planning who knows what.”
“I doubt he’ll try anything here. Besides, I’ve got more bear spray. And I can text you if I see or hear anything suspicious.”
He nodded reluctantly, then looked down at Zeke, who lay obediently at their feet. “Why don’t you keep Zeke tonight?”
She looked skeptically at the dog, then back at Josh. “Will it make you feel better?”
“Yes.”
She gave him a wry smile. “Okay, then.” She turned around and opened the door. “Come on up, buddy.”
“Come on, Zeke!” Josh waved the dog into the RV. He got to his feet and bounded up, but turned and let out a high-pitched whine when Josh didn’t follow. Josh ruffled his scruff. “Lucky boy. You get to stay with Reagan tonight.” He pointed to a spot on the floor. “Go lay down.”
Zeke whined again, but went to obey, turning around in the spot Josh had pointed to before plopping down with a groan of protest.
“Don’t worry. I’ll see you in the morning.” Josh shut him inside and turned back to Reagan. “He shouldn’t give you any trouble.”
“I know. He’s a good boy.” Despite the added safety measure of having Zeke guard her through the night, she looked worried. “What if Spencer shows up at the fair tomorrow?”
“He’ll have to go through me to get to you.”
“You can’t be with me every moment of the day.”
“Maybe not. But I can make sure someone will be.” He took her hand and pulled her closer. She melted against him as he enfolded her in his arms. “We’ve all got your back. You don’t need to worry. You’re safe.”
“You know,” she said as she lay her head against his chest, “I actually feel safe. I don’t just mean my physical safety.” She raised her head and looked up at him. “You make me feel like it’s safe to be me.”
His heart swelled. He was hard pressed to think of a better compliment. He cupped her face in both his hands and gazed into her eyes. “I wouldn’t ever want you to be anyone else.”
Closing his eyes, he moved toward her. She met him halfway, their lips coming together eagerly, hungrily, this one concession to their mutual desire doing its best to satisfy. But it didn’t. He craved more of her, like his lungs craved air. In his mind’s eye, he saw himself scooping her off her feet, climbing into the RV with her and carrying her to her bed, where he would let his body show her all the feeling that words and kisses were inadequate to express. Lord, I need her, his mind pleaded.
An answer came back like a splash of cold water. Whether divinely inspired or his own good sense kicking in, he couldn’t say for sure. Either way, the voice he heard sounded a lot like his dad. She needs a man with patience and self-control.
Abruptly, he broke off the kiss and took her by the shoulders, gently pushing her back until there was a bit of space between them. “I—” He bit off his words. He’d almost said, “I love you.” And he did. There was no doubt about that. But this thing between them was still so new, and she so fragile. He didn’t want to frighten her by raising the stakes too soon.
Nor was his heart ready to risk not hearing it back.
“I should go,” he said instead.
She looked disappointed, but she nodded. “That’s probably for the best.” She smiled up at him, as if to tell him it was okay. Or maybe that she was fighting the same internal battle.
Still holding her by the shoulders, he leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she said, and turned to climb into the RV. She had to push past Zeke, who was trying to get out, not happy about being shut inside by himself. By the time they got him to settle down and accept his situation for the night, she was laughing again.
“Good night again,” she said as Josh backed out. He wanted that to be his cue to stop and kiss her once more, but he thought better of it. With a wave, he shut her safely inside, and then, after a look around the barn to make sure nothing was amiss, he headed back to the house.
As he went, he was sure about one thing. If he had a say in it, his days of walking away from her at the end of the night were numbered. And tomorrow night, he would take a step toward making sure of it.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The day dawned gray and threatening, with sinister clouds hanging low on the horizon. Reagan had awakened to a tornado watch alert, which made her want to find the nearest deep hole to hide in. But everyone else went about their business, unconcerned. Welcome to Oklahoma, they said with a laugh. They were far more worried about Lydia’s event getting shut down by rain than they were about death by twister.
Josh’s crew needed his truck for a landscaping project they were working on that morning, so after breakfast, he unhooked Big Winnie’s utilities. Reagan drove them both to the park, bright and early. They rode in companionable silence as they waited for their coffee to kick in.
Reagan glanced over at the passenger seat, where Josh seemed lost in thought. What was he thinking about? Her own thoughts were an incoherent jumble. When she tried to sort them, they led her back to the night before. To how close she’d come to inviting Josh to stay the night with her.
She’d wanted to. Badly. And there had been an urgency in his kisses that had made clear his desire to stay. But even laying aside their mutual convictions, her motives had been all wrong. Yes, she wanted him. She loved him. It was getting easier to admit that to herself, even if she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud just yet. But more than anything, she had wanted to extend the feeling of safety that his presence provided, to wrap herself up in it, to bury herself in physical union with him, hoping to forget all about Spencer.
If there ever would be a first time for her and Josh, she didn’t want it tainted by the specter of her ex-husband, let alone by sin. She was grateful Josh had found the strength to stop and say goodnight. If it had been up to her, she wasn’t sure she would have.
The clouds parted by the time they arrived at the park, the storm system bypassing Redbud and keeping to the north. Morning sunlight bathed the leaves on the trees, which had exploded overnight, turning everything lush and green. Still, a storm cloud named Spencer Dunn hung on, darkening her mood.
“You okay?” Josh asked after she parked Winnie and killed the engine.
She looked over and offered a shrug and a smile, both of them weak. “I guess I’m a little anxious.”
“No need to be.” He reached over and took her hand. “I’ll stick close. It’ll be okay.”
Her smile gained strength. He squeezed her hand and released it before turning to Zeke, who lay behind the console between the seats. “Ready for some fun, Buddy?”
Zeke’s tail hammered the floor in response.
“Okay, then.” Josh opened his door and climbed down. “Come on! Let’s go!”
Reagan’s smile widened to a grin as the dog scrambled to his feet and leapt over the console to the empty seat, and then from the seat to the ground. By the time she got out and went around the RV to join them, he was spinning in circles and barking excitedly, making it hard for Josh to attach his leash.
Together, they wrestled it onto him, and then stopped at the food truck to say hello to Jefferson and grab more coffee and a treat for Zeke before heading into the park. Other food trucks had arrived and were getting ready to open for business, filling the lot with mouthwatering smells that made Reagan wish they hadn’t already eaten breakfast.
They made their way to the adoption booth, where they had both volunteered to work that morning. Lydia was supervising and directing other volunteers and shelter employees as they stacked dog crates, the dogs inside clearly eager to get out. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said as they walked up. “You want to take some of these guys for a walk? They could get in a romp in the play area before the crowd shows up.”
“I don’t know,” said Josh. “Playing with puppers doesn’t sound like a fun job. You’ll have to twist my arm.”
“How about I twist your face?”
Josh squinted at her. “What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know.” Lydia waved him off, clearly harried. “Just go walk the dogs.”
Laughing at their sibling shenanigans, Reagan took the leashes Lydia thrust toward them and started hooking up the dogs. Soon they had them all leashed and out of their crates, leading them toward the brand new dog park.
By the time they returned, another group of dogs had arrived, and so had the guests. The size of the crowd, both people and their dogs, amazed Reagan, considering Redbud was such a small town. “It’s not just Redbud,” Josh explained. “People come from all the surrounding communities. The town council loves these events because of all the tourist money they bring in. Plus the town gets a cut of the ticket sales.”
Reagan dictated some voice notes into her phone and made Josh repeat what he’d said into the recorder so she could quote him. They had a while before their shift at the booth, so they wandered around together while she snapped photos.
But it wasn’t all work. They stopped off at a selfie booth erected against a backdrop of redbud trees in all their pink and purple glory. They got a handful of silly photos before landing on her second favorite, which captured both her and Josh smiling at the camera while she leaned back against him, wrapped in his arms. Wonder of wonders, even Zeke looked more or less in the camera’s direction and held still long enough not to be a blur.
But her favorite showed her turned around in Josh’s arms, the two of them locked in an embrace while Zeke looked up at them adoringly with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. It gladdened her heart and also made her a little dizzy to think they were already at the point of documenting their relationship.
By the time they returned to their booth, the festival was in full swing. A band was setting up at the gazebo and doing a sound check, and all the activity booths had lines in front of them. So did the adoption booth, where several people lined up to see the dogs in the crates. One couple had taken the goldendoodle to the visitation area. Lydia watched them, looking hopeful and pleased as punch.
She glanced toward Reagan and Josh as they walked up, then turned toward them. Her face lit up with excitement. “Oh good, you’re back. I need a favor.”
“We’re here to serve,” said Josh.
“We had a last-minute drop off this morning, and we need someone to walk her in the dog parade at noon. Reagan, are you up for it?”
“Sure. Of course.”
“Great! Wait here. I’ll go get her.” She glanced at Josh and winked before going over to the stack of crates. Reagan looked at Josh, who returned her puzzled look. She turned back toward Lydia and caught her breath at the sight of the white ball of fluff she was gathering out of a crate.
No. It can’t be.
But it was. The little Bichon wiggled frantically at the sight of Reagan, so Lydia set her down. She ran straight over and sprang as Reagan dropped to her knees to catch her. “Bibi!” she cried as the little dog assaulted her with kisses. She looked up at Lydia, who stood there grinning from ear to ear, in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
Josh knelt beside them and reached out to pet her. “I don’t believe it, either. Hey there, Beebs! I thought I’d never get to see you again.”
Even Zeke got in on the action, coming over to greet his best friend. Bibi jumped up to put her paws on his chest while he licked her face, both of their tails wagging with joy.
Reagan sat back on her heels and wiped her face, which was covered in dog spit and happy tears. She tore her gaze away from Bibi and looked up at Lydia. “How?”
Lydia’s smile twisted into an irritated grimace as she folded her arms. “Deirdre surrendered her while we were here setting up. She said she’s moving to Nashville and her new career will keep her too busy to take care of a dog.” Lydia smiled wickedly. “She had one request, as if she can dictate who gets to keep a dog she discards like last year’s fashion.”
“Let me guess.” Josh got to his feet and leveled a look at her. “Don’t give her to Reagan.”
Lydia tapped a finger on the end of her nose. “Except that’s the nice version.” Her smile softened as she looked down at Reagan. “But she’s yours, if you want her.”
Reagan didn’t have words. She could only gather Bibi into her arms and hug her close.
“I take it that’s a yes.” She waved them off. “We don’t need you guys just yet. Go have fun with your new fur baby. We’ll do the paperwork later.”
Nobody was using the small dog side of the park for the moment, so they took Zeke and Bibi there to play together. They found a nearby bench where they could sit and keep a close eye on the dogs. As Reagan leaned against Josh, his arm casually draped around her, a line of a song drifted through her mind. Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place. Those words never felt more true. She breathed a sigh of contentment and looked up at the sky. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I can’t believe Deirdre just up and abandoned her,” said Josh, shaking his head as he watched Bibi run circles around Zeke.
“I wouldn’t use the word abandoned. It’s not like she didn’t know Lydia would find her a good home.”
Josh made a skeptical noise in his throat. “You’re too kind, you know that?”
She laughed a little. “I wouldn’t say that, either. Deirdre’s not exactly my favorite person.”
“Yeah, but that right there is probably the worst thing I’ve heard you say about her.”
“Believe me, I’ve thought worse.”
He chuckled at that. Then he blew out a long sigh and rubbed a hand down his face. “I can’t believe it took me so long to see through her. Thank God for sending you into my life, or I might never have had the courage to face the truth. Not until after I’d made a huge mistake.”
Reagan wasn’t sure what to say. Before she could think of something, he went on.
“It’s like God looked down and saw that something wasn’t right with this picture, so he sent you to correct it.”
Reagan shook her head. “I’m not trying to take Deirdre’s place. I’d never want her life.”
“That’s not what I meant. I just mean... she didn’t belong. She never fit in here. Not in Redbud, not with my family... not with me or my life.”
She looked at him from beneath her lashes. “Are you saying I do?”
He smiled at her. “You fit like a glove. Or at least you sure seem to.” He reached over and moved a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail, tucking it behind her ear. “But I guess that’s for you to decide.”
A lump formed in Reagan’s throat. She forced her gaze back onto the dogs so he wouldn’t see how much his words affected her. Ever since her parents died, she’d yearned for a sense of belonging. Even before then, she’d always felt like a square peg, she and her mother the only people of Asian descent in a town and congregation made up mostly of whites and Chicanos. That had already made her something of a curiosity. Becoming an orphan made her even more so.
Not that she hadn’t had friends, but being naturally introverted meant she hadn’t had many. Of course, the church had been so kind in the way they’d rallied to take care of her after her parents’ accident, but she’d always detected a sense of pity and duty underlying their actions. It filled her with shame. She’d never wanted to be a burden. Not to anyone.
That was why she’d been so ready to marry Spencer. He and his family had offered her the belonging she so craved. She sighed, thinking back on how vulnerable she’d been. How naïve.
And now here was Josh, offering her that same sense of belonging she’d been searching for most of her life. She was still vulnerable, but she was much less naïve. A chord of uneasiness disrupted the serene notes of contentment she’d been feeling earlier. Suddenly, all of this seemed too good to be true. He seemed too good to be true. After all, she barely knew him. They’d known each other for all of two weeks.
She’d known Spencer all her life. They’d grown up together. And yet, she hadn’t really known him at all. Not until after the rings were exchanged, and the cracks began to form in the oh-so-charming mask he wore.
It had been the kind of charm calculated to sweep a well-churched teenage girl off her feet. Cocky enough to offer an exciting touch of bad-boy flair, angsty enough to make her think she was the one who could make it all better for him, and pious enough to convince her he was godly husband material. And he had showered her with attention, made her feel like the most beautiful, most special girl in the world.
Josh was charming, all right, but his was a different kind of charm. A bit more goofy, a lot more genuine and humble. He was funny without trying, sweet and considerate, without being overly solicitous. She could see his excellent character in the way he treated his family and his work crew. And in the patience he had shown with Deirdre. And, for that matter, with her.
And he was right. She fit. Somehow she just seemed to fit in here in Redbud. She’d clicked with his family, and with him, right from the beginning. In some ways, it felt like she’d known him forever. She didn’t know if she believed in soul mates, but something in his spirit called to hers. She felt tethered to him, anchored by him.
Maybe it was all too good to be true. Or maybe, just maybe, God had placed her exactly where she needed to be, and she should stop worrying and simply trust her Heavenly Father. After all, he’d gotten her this far.
“You okay?” Josh asked, pulling her out of her reverie. When she turned back to him, he looked concerned. “You seem distant. If it was anything I said—”
“I’m okay,” she assured him, smiling to prove it. “I just get lost in thought sometimes.”
He nodded, returning her smile. “I’ve noticed. I’d sure love to know what’s going on in there.” He tapped her temple.
She looked down at his free hand and took it in both of hers. “It’s just that I’m not really used to feeling this way.”
“What way?”
She considered him a moment, wondering how to explain. Then she leaned in and placed her lips on his. His arm tightened around her, pulling her closer as he caught her bottom lip between both of his. A thrill shot out from her center, all the way to her toes, which curled inside her ballet flats. She could be perfectly happy spending the entire rest of the day parked on that bench, kissing Josh. But she pushed away before the kiss could go any further and gave him a knowing smile. “Like that.”
A series of yips pulled their attention away from each other. They looked over to see a woman with a Yorkie standing by the entrance of the small dog area, staring at Zeke in consternation.
Josh released Reagan with a sigh. “I guess that’s our cue to head back.” He nodded to their dogs, who both lay stretched out in the sunshine, panting from their exertion. “But first we’d better find these two some water.”
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They spent the rest of the day at the adoption booth. With Bibi curled contentedly in her lap, Reagan processed adoptions and donations while Josh and Lydia supervised meetings between the dogs and their prospective new families. But Josh never strayed far. She could tell by the way he kept scanning their surroundings that he kept a constant eye out for Spencer. So did she, when she remembered to. But as anxious as she had been about him turning up, the longer they went with no sign of him, the more she relaxed, and the more his showing up the day before felt like a bad dream.
The booth stayed busy. By the time dusk crept in, every last dog had been spoken for. Reagan felt amazing, knowing she’d helped so many dogs find their forever families. She could see why Lydia was so devoted to this cause.
Josh came over with Zeke in tow as she was handing over all her adoption forms to a regular volunteer. “Ready to grab something to eat?”
Her stomach wasn’t yet growling, but it was definitely starting to gnaw at her. “Sounds good to me.”
They grazed their way around the food truck lot. Tacos from one truck, barbecue wings from another, cajun shrimp and fried okra from yet a third. By the time they made it to Lydia’s truck to grab more treats for the pups, Reagan didn’t think she had any room left. But she magically discovered more room when they spotted a gelato truck.
Cones in hand, they meandered through the park, walking the dogs and burning off some of the million calories they’d just consumed. When they came to the gazebo, a country western band was in full swing, playing to a packed dance floor. They stood and watched the performance while they finished their dessert.
The band switched to a slow ballad. Reagan was licking melted chocolate off her fingers when Josh turned to her. “Would you like to dance?”
She looked at him in panic, then looked at the dance floor. It cleared out some, the more vigorous dancers taking the slow song as their cue for a break. Reagan wrinkled her nose and looked back at Josh. “I don’t know how.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
She shrugged a little, feeling slightly embarrassed. “The church I grew up in frowned on dancing.”
He nodded in understanding. “Well, I don’t want to lead you into temptation.”
“I didn’t say I agree with their stance. I just never learned how.”
He looked at her slyly, a twinkle in his eye. “I could teach you.”
Reagan’s heart fluttered at the thought. She used to dream about slow dancing with a cute boy. Somewhere in the process of growing up, that dream had died away. But suddenly she wanted nothing more than to sway back and forth in Josh’s arms to the slow rhythms of a romantic song.
Still, she hesitated, her practicality rearing its annoying head. “What about the dogs?”
“Here.” He took Bibi’s leash from her and led both dogs to a spot next to a bench. He got them to lie down and then tied their leashes to the bench’s leg. “Stay,” he told them, and then added, “Zeke, keep an eye on things.”
He returned to Reagan. “They’ll be fine.”
She looked over at them, not completely convinced, but they did indeed look fine. They were both worn out and happy to lie there and keep each other company for a while. Josh held out his hand to her, a question in his eyes. She answered by taking his hand and letting him lead her onto the floor.
“Put your hand on my shoulder,” he instructed, taking her other hand in his. He held her by the waist. “Don’t look at your feet. Look at my eyes. Just follow my lead.”
Reagan lifted her head to lock eyes with his, and suddenly all the other dancers fell away, along with her self-consciousness and doubt. Gazing into Josh’s eyes, her heart did its own dance as he moved them back and forth in time to the music. “See?” he said after a few minutes. “It’s not so hard. You’re a natural.”
She grinned. “As long as this is all there is to it.”
“I don’t know. I think you’re ready for some advanced moves.” Before she could protest, he let go of her waist and twirled her around, making her laugh before pulling her back to him, feeling slightly dizzy.
“Where did you learn how to dance?”
He shrugged. “School dances, mostly. And Lydia made me practice with her a lot. Of course, I never got to do this.” Shifting his arm around her waist, he pulled her closer, pressing his cheek to hers.
Reagan slid her arm around his shoulder and held on, closing her eyes and letting the music and the feeling of being held in Josh’s arms wash over her. It turned out that dancing with a boy you liked was everything she’d dreamed of, and more. It made her a little sad that it took her twenty-seven years to find out, but getting to dance her first dance with Josh filled her with gladness. She hoped to experience a lot more firsts with him.
She was so lost in their happy bubble that it startled her when the music suddenly sped up. Around them, people whooped and hollered and fell into lines, shuffling and kicking in a choreographed display that she could only guess how they knew. “Okay, I think this is a little too advanced.” She had to shout to be heard over the music and the voices of the crowd singing along.
“Yeah, me too.” Josh dipped his head to speak into her ear. “What do you say we get the dogs and go find a quiet spot?”
She nodded, relieved. He led her off the floor, dodging people who were running past them to get in on the line dance. By the time they reached Bibi and Zeke, they were both laughing.
Sensing their joyful mood, the dogs got to their feet, wiggling and wagging their tails and shifting back and forth on their paws. Josh untied them and Bibi hopped up into Reagan’s arms, painting her face with wet kisses. Cuddling the little dog close, she smiled at Josh, feeling like she might burst with happiness. She was completely in love, both with her new man and her new dog, and the prospect of a happy new life lay before her. Could this day get any more perfect?
She set Bibi down and took the hand Josh held out to her. They walked mostly in silence, making their way along the path until they came to the footbridge spanning the creek.
Beautiful felt like an understatement. Lights along the creek banks illuminated the redbuds from below, while twinkle lights filled their branches, giving it all the air of something out of a fairytale. How appropriate, thought Reagan, considering I feel like I’m living in one.
They stopped midway across the bridge, over the middle of the creek, whose water babbled and splashed its way across the rocks below. In a million years, she couldn’t have come up with a more romantic spot. “I love it here,” she said with a happy sigh. She turned to Josh and stopped herself from blurting, “And I love you.” She pressed her lips tight to keep it in, even though everything in her wanted to shout it to everyone she knew.
He turned a hopeful look on her that almost crumbled her defenses enough to say it, anyway. “Does that mean you’ll stay?”
She nodded, realizing she hadn’t given a single thought to moving on from Redbud since Josh had first kissed her. “I’m ready to make a home here.” She kept from adding, “With you.”
Josh breathed out a sigh, as though he’d been holding his breath in anticipation of her answer. “I’m so glad.” He turned toward her and took both her hands in his. “There’s something I have to say to you, Reagan. I’ve been wanting to say it, but haven’t for fear that it’s too much, too soon. But I can’t keep it to myself anymore.”
His serious tone alarmed her a little, causing her heart to pound and her gut to twist into an anxious knot. “What is it?”
He stepped forward, invading her space in a way that electrified her and also eased her anxiety. “I think you know.” He released one of her hands and traced a finger down her cheek and across her jaw. Stopping at her chin, he hooked his finger beneath it and tilted her face up. “Oh, man, Reagan, I—”
“Well, isn’t this cozy?”
The voice hit her like a punch to the gut and left her just as breathless. She whirled around and stared in open-mouthed shock, unable to form words. Spencer had no such difficulty, though. His gaze shifted from Josh to Bibi, who barked at him from her spot near Reagan’s feet.
“I see you replaced Diggory as easily as you replaced me.”
His accusation stung as much as he meant it to. Diggory had meant the world to Reagan, and still did. Bibi could never replace him, and Spencer knew that. Before she could give him the satisfaction of a reply, Josh stepped forward, placing himself between her and Spencer.
“Can I help you?”
Spencer let out a derisive laugh. “You can help me by keeping your hands off my wife.”
“Ex-wife,” Josh corrected him.
Spencer tilted his head. “Is that what she told you?”
There it was. That little seed of doubt meant to make Josh question her integrity, their relationship, and everything he knew about her. And Spencer sounded so convincing as he planted it. Anger spurred Reagan forward and gave strength to her voice. “That’s what I am, Spencer. You divorced me.”
“What if I never filed the papers?”
She stared in stunned disbelief. Then a laugh erupted from her. “Don’t be ridiculous. I know you did.”
He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “Maybe I did. But I’ve regretted it every day since.”
“That may be,” said Josh, “but regret doesn’t make you her husband.”
“Maybe not in the eyes of the worldly law. But what about the eyes of God?” He turned a pleading look on Reagan. “Look, baby—”
“Don’t you call me baby.”
“Come on,” said Josh, settling a warm and reassuring hand against her back. “Let’s just go. We don’t need to stand here and listen to this.”
Spencer stepped toward them, but Zeke got in front of them and let out a low growl, driving Spencer back a few steps. “That’s quite a dog you’ve got there.”
Not paying Spencer any attention, Josh pulled on Zeke’s leash. “Come on, boy. Time to go.”
“I think you’re going to want to hear what I have to say,” Spencer called as they turned to walk away. “Unless you want to make a terrible mistake.”
Josh’s steps faltered, sending a frisson of fear through Reagan. It didn’t matter that everything coming out of Spencer’s mouth was a pack of lies if he convinced Josh it was true.
Spencer forged ahead. “I know I hurt you. I know I sinned. But I wasn’t myself. Reagan, baby, you have to admit that you weren’t exactly easy to live with.”
Unable to help herself, Reagan spun back toward him. “I’m the one who was hard to live with? You’re blaming your abuse and cheating on me?”
“Abusive? Baby, I didn’t know how else to help you, and you needed help. You were out of control.” Again, the audacity of his lies, the way he spun everything to make himself the victim, stunned her into silence. He took advantage of it and pressed on. “You still need help. That’s all I want. I just want to take you home and get you the help you need.” He turned to Josh. “Did she tell you how I tried and tried to get her to go to counseling?”
“That’s a lie!” Reagan looked at Josh, pleading. “He’s lying. It was the other way around.”
“Of course, she would say that,” said Spencer. “It’s been a long time since she’s been completely in touch with reality. I think it all started back when her parents died. Her anxiety and depression were understandable at first. Even seemed normal. But over the years...” He trailed off with a shake of his head.
Reagan looked at Josh, at the furrow of his brow, the way he worked his jaw. She’d seen that look before, on the faces of the church leaders back home as they heard more of Spencer’s lies. And they’d believed him. Did Josh believe him? Why shouldn’t he? It was only her word against Spencer’s.
Reagan’s breath grew shallow. Her chest felt like a vise, constricting and crushing her heart as it hammered painfully in her chest. Her mind clouded over with a swirl of panicked emotions, none of them good, as everything in her screamed at her to flee. She couldn’t do this. She had to get away. Without thinking—without really being capable of thought—she scooped up Bibi, turned and ran as fast as she could. Vaguely, she heard shouting and barking behind her, but it was all muffled by her own pulse thundering in her ears.
She ran until she reached her RV. Her breath coming in strained gasps, she juggled Bibi in one arm while she dug out her keys, then she unlocked it and climbed into the driver’s seat. She settled the dog in her lap and then backed the RV out of its parking space.
She picked a direction and drove, not knowing where she was going, not even completely aware of what she was doing. She just drove as fast and as far as she could away from Spencer and from the glorious new life that was falling to pieces behind her.
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