A Miracle for the Flirtatious K-9 Handler (Love in Sweet Bloom #10)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Emily Ortiz checked her watch for the third time, tapping her foot against the checkered tile of the Italian restaurant. Her date was now twenty minutes late.

“Traffic must be terrible,” she muttered, not quite convinced. Her rule about not dating deputies had kept her love life uncomplicated by the tangle of workplace dynamics, but it also cut the dating pool to a minuscule amount. The result: she had to dive into the world of online dating, which only seemed to continuously disappointment. Tonight was looking like it wasn’t going to be an exception. “Should I just leave already?” she grumbled to herself as she brushed her chestnut brown hair behind her ear.

Finally, a man burst through the door, panting and frazzled. He looked around as if searching for someone, and after a few seconds, his eyes settled on Emily. He rushed over with concern on his face. “Emily? I’m so sorry I’m late. My cat...um, he learned how to open the fridge. Made a colossal mess, and I had to clean up.”

She raised an eyebrow over one of her green eyes. This was not the guy from the profile picture—less ‘tall, dark, and handsome’ and more ‘short, anxious, and mismatched.’ Discrepancy aside, everyone deserved a chance. Or so she tried to tell herself.

The server approached their table with menus, casting a discerning glance at Emily’s date as he handed them over. “Welcome to Luigi’s. Can I start you off with some drinks?” he asked, his tone professional yet subtly cautious.

Emily nodded, ready to dive into the menu, but her date seemed preoccupied with adjusting his chair, oblivious to the server’s inquiry. Finally looking up, he ordered a soda before he turned his attention back to Emily while she ordered water. “Again, sorry about being late. My cat really is a handful.” His phone dinged, and he glanced at it, then let out an irritated sigh. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for a response, he took off and disappeared toward the restrooms.

The server leaned in, wearing an expression mixed with sympathy and discretion. He lowered his voice so only Emily could hear. “Ma’am, if I may—be cautious with this one. He’s been here several times...always with different companions. Claims diverse reasons for being late or distracted. Just thought you should know.”

Surprised by the unsolicited yet kind warning, Emily managed a small, grateful smile toward the server. “Thank you.”

Emily’s brow furrowed, processing the implication. The cat story was far-fetched, and now this tip-off from the server added another layer of doubt. Conflicting thoughts swirled in her head—should she cut this date short or see how it plays out? She decided to stay for now, though she was even more cautious than she was before.

“Sorry about that. It was a work call,” he quickly explained as he plopped back in his seat and took a swig of his freshly arrived soda.

“So,” she started casually, trying to probe further without seeming confrontational, “you come here often?”

Her date’s face flushed as he shrugged. “Oh, uh yeah, sometimes. It’s a nice place.”

Emily raised an eyebrow, sensing his discomfort but needing to know more. “I see. And I hear you always bring different people here.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding her gaze. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m just trying to find the right person.”

Emily’s heart sank as she realized he was probably using dating as a way to avoid commitment or any genuine connection. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed—after all, she had been looking forward to this date all week.

“Is that why you were late? Because you were with someone else before me?” she asked, unable to hide the edge in her voice.

Her date’s face fell, and he finally met her eyes. “No, no, it’s not like that. I just have a lot going on right now, and sometimes it’s hard to juggle everything.”

Emily softened slightly at his admission but still couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling in her gut. As a distraction, she concentrated on ordering her meal.

They had barely started on their appetizers when a brunette with angry eyes stormed up to their table, hands on her hips. “Roger, I knew you were cheating on me.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait—” Roger sputtered, but the woman cut him off with a raise of her hand.

“Save it. I followed you. Who is she?” The woman’s glare zeroed in on Emily.

“Look, I just met him,” Emily said quickly, her voice rising an octave in her distress. “Online dating, you know?”

“Online? Roger, you’re such a scumbag. We’ve been living together for six months now, and this is how you treat me.”

“Excuse me, but this seems to be a private matter.” Emily stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly. Her ex had been a badge-wearing liar, and that had been bad enough; this was a whole new level of disaster. She left money on the table and hurried away from the table, her cheeks burning as the couple’s bickering voices echoed in the quaint restaurant. She didn’t look back, not even when the murmur of the other diners’ curiosity echoed around her.

“Never again,” she whispered to herself, vowing to add ‘online matches’ right next to ‘deputies’ on her list of dating don’ts.

Once outside, she wrapped her arms around herself, fighting the embarrassment that threatened to reduce her to tears. “Is this my destiny?” she murmured, gazing up at the starlit sky as if it held the answer. “Am I meant to wade through an endless sea of Mr. Wrongs?”

Her feet moved with purpose now, navigating the familiar streets of Sweet Bloom until she pushed open the door to the Cozy Cup.

“Evening, Emily,” Ruth Schmidt called out, her white hair glowing under the warm lights of her quaint establishment. Her hands, though gnarled with age, were steady as she wiped the countertop in front of her.

“Hi, Ruth,” Emily replied, attempting a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Ruth set down the rag and peered over her glasses at Emily. “You look like you’ve had a run-in with a tornado. Come sit, dear.”

Emily settled onto a barstool at the counter, the familiar scent of roasted beans enveloping her like a comforting hug. Ruth poured her a cup of coffee without asking, sliding it across the counter with a knowing look.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?” Ruth asked gently.

“Can I just skip forward to the part of my life where everything makes sense?” Emily said, stirring creamer into her coffee absentmindedly. “I went on a date tonight, and let’s just say...it was an epic fail.”

“Ah,” Ruth nodded sagely. “The trials of the heart. But you know, every cloud has a silver lining, even if it’s hiding behind the storm.”

Emily sighed, tracing the rim of her cup. “It’s just...sometimes, I wonder if there’s anyone out there for me. Someone who’s not going to show up late, lie, or bring along unexpected guests.” Her laugh was hollow, void of actual humor.

“Emily, my dear,” Ruth began, her voice soft yet firm, “you are a young woman full of kindness, strength, and beauty. Your heart is big enough to give love another chance, no matter how many times it gets bruised.”

“Easy for you to say,” Emily half-joked, but she couldn’t help feeling a little comforted by Ruth’s words.

“Remember, love often comes when we least expect it,” Ruth continued, patting Emily’s hand. “And it might just surprise you in the form of someone you never imagined.”

It was well known around town how Emily’s ex did her wrong, so if Ruth had faith that after what he did, Emily could still find her happily ever after, she needed to hold on to that.

“Thanks, Ruth. I hope you’re right,” Emily said, forcing a small, grateful smile as she took a sip of her coffee. It was rich and strong—just what she needed to face the uncertainty of her romantic future.

After finishing her cup of coffee, she headed home and read her Bible before bed. She knew spending a little time in the Word would make her feel better about her situation. After all, what Jesus went through was far worse than any disaster of a blind date.

“Have a good night,” Ruth told her with a warm smile and a nod. “And I’ll be praying for you.”

As Emily stepped out of the coffee shop, the evening air was chilly and carried the faint scent of the Christmas tree that was at the center of the park in the middle of the town circle. She exhaled, trying to purge the remnants of the disastrous date from her system. As she turned around, she walked smack into a solid chest.

“Whoa there,” said a voice, deep and warm as a summer night.

Her gaze traveled upward to meet a pair of kind brown eyes framed by thick lashes. A lock of tousled brown hair fell across his forehead. The man steadied her with gentle hands, his touch light but confident.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you,” Emily stammered, her cheeks flushing with heat that had nothing to do with embarrassment as she stepped back and bit her lip.

“No harm done,” he smiled, revealing a dimple in his left cheek that poked out through his short-trimmed beard. There was an effortless charm about him that made her heart skip a beat. “Are you all right?” His concern seemed genuine, and for a moment, Emily found herself lost in those chocolate pools.

“Y-Yes, thank you for asking.” She straightened up, brushing away invisible dust from her clothes while continuing to check him out. He was average height with a trim build, like he made a habit of taking care of his body.

Then, as if on cue, the other shoe dropped. “I’m Paul Evans, by the way, the new K-9 handler for the sheriff's department. I just got into town over the weekend.”

The walls around her heart shot up. Of course, the new handsome guy in town wore a badge. If she had any luck at all, it would be bad luck. “Oh,” she murmured, the word barely more than a whisper. “I guess that means we’re going to be co-workers then.” When he titled his head, and looked at her with a puzzled look on his face, she added, “I’m Emily Ortiz, the head dispatcher for the sheriff’s department.”

“Nice to meet you, Emily.” He extended his hand, and she hesitated before taking it. His grip was firm, sending a current of electricity through her.

“Likewise,” she managed, pulling her hand back as if scorched her. “Good working relationship...that’s important. I guess I will see you on Monday—at the office with all the rest of our co-workers.”

“Absolutely.” His voice was smooth, with just a hint of regret. “So, gorgeous, where’s the best spot to grab a cup of coffee around here?”

She scrunched up her face with irritation. What was his deal? Didn’t she just clarify that she wanted to keep things professional? With an irritated huff, she lifted her hand and pointed to the sign above them. “Not sure if you need glasses, but the Cozy Cup is right here.”

Without even a glance up—which made her suspect that he knew all along where to get coffee—he stated with a roguish grin, “Ah, I assure you, I’m not usually this brainless. Guess that’s what happens when a pretty girl bumps into me; all my common sense gets knocked right out of me.”

Emily knew better than to fall for that. He wasn’t the first flirtatious guy with a badge that hit on her. “Well, I better get going,” she told him, sidestepping him in a hasty departure.

“Wait, can I—” She heard him call out from behind her, but she was already moving away, leaving him with his words hanging in the air.

Emily hurried down the street, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. She’d been instantly drawn to Paul. No denying that. But he was off-limits—another deputy, another potential heartache. She chastised herself for the attraction, for the flutter in her stomach when he smiled. She wasn’t going to be stupid enough to fall for that again.

“Talk about rotten luck,” she muttered, her pulse finally slowing to a normal pace as the frigid evening air brushed against her skin, offering a brief respite from the turmoil within her. She quickened her pace, determined to put distance between herself and thoughts of Paul. She could only hope Monday wouldn’t bring more surprises.

Before she knew it, she turned the corner and headed toward her small, cozy apartment on Elm Street, hoping to find solace in the familiarity of her own space. As she climbed the stairs to her front door, the echo of Paul’s voice lingered in her mind. She leaned against the door, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

Once inside, the dimly lit room welcomed her like an old friend. She kicked off her shoes, sinking onto her cushy leather couch.

Emily replayed the moments with Paul in her mind, the way his eyes had searched hers, the warmth of his touch lingering on her skin. She knew she should push any thoughts of him away to guard her heart against potential pain. Yet, against all reason, she couldn’t shake the attraction she felt for him.

With a heavy sigh, Emily sent up a fervent prayer to God. Her heart felt heavy with worry as she asked for His help with Paul. She could feel the weight of her words lifting from her chest and making room for peace. As she opened her eyes, she felt at ease for the first time that night, trusting that God had heard her plea and would guide her in the right direction.