Chapter 11
11
I f it weren’t for the free parking in front, I never would have discovered this cute little coffee place. It’s my favorite spot now to stop on Saturday mornings before the farmer’s market . ~ Gretchen
C al woke up a few days later feeling like he’d been run over by a truck.
If someone buffed his throat with sandpaper, it couldn’t feel any worse, which wasn’t ideal for a day when he’d scheduled meetings with two clients. Worse yet, he’d hoped to meet one of the clients at Coffee Loft. He’d been so swamped with work this week that he hadn’t had a chance to visit.
Ginger’s interview had only heightened his preoccupation with seeing her more. His daydreams were marked by scrolling images of her smile dimpling her cheeks; breezes sweeping her hair from her face; and how she’d press a hand against her chest sometimes when she laughed, like the happiness might bubble out of her body if she laughed too hard or too long. He was dying to see her again, but it wouldn’t happen today. Not with whatever plagued him.
He sat up on the edge of his bed, grimacing. A ray of sunshine streaking in through a crack in the blinds made him wince. His head throbbed. The only comfort at the moment was the warm body nestled against his back. Ridley was the perfect snuggler. Once he started snoring, Cal knew he wouldn’t move for the rest of the night. But now, he jumped down from the bed, stretched his hind legs one at a time, then sat and looked at Cal like, what’s taking you so long ?
“Sorry, Rid. Not feeling my chipper self today.”
Ridley whined, walked a circle, and disappeared into the hallway. In the other room, bells jingled.
He smiled. Ridley had learned quickly how to let him know it was time to be let outside. The makeshift string of bells rang again as Cal dragged himself off the bed to open the door. Ridley loped across the brick patio. The shaded, fenced-in yard had been a major selling point when he bought the house, knowing his dogs would love to run.
After rummaging through the pantry then deciding to forgo breakfast for the time being, he padded outside in his bare feet. Settling into one of the patio chairs while Ridley continued his morning investigation around the yard, he checked his messages.
One of his clients had asked to reschedule. Good .
There was also a message from the shelter director, Charleen. Call me ASAP please , it read. Urgency was never a good sign when it came from Charleen .
“What’s up?” he asked when Charleen answered the phone a few seconds later.
“Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Listen, I have a special case for you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I got a call last night from a friend who knows of someone in desperate need of rehoming a dog.”
“Go on.”
“The dog is a thirteen-year-old Maltipoo. Her owner passed away. No one in the family can take this dog, so my friend reached out to see if we could help.”
He hated cases like this because they truly wrenched his heart. Charleen knew this, which is why she always called Cal first.
“What’s her temperament like?”
“‘Sweet’ is all my friend said. But she absolutely cannot stay in a kennel environment.”
“No, I figured that, not at that age. Does she get along well with other dogs?”
“That I’m not sure of,” Charleen said.
“I guess we’ll see, then, won’t we?”
“So you’ll take her?”
Cal laughed. “Don’t pretend you thought I wouldn’t.”
Charleen let out a sigh of relief. “You’re a good man, Cal.”
H is symptoms worsened as the day wore on. As soon as the body aches hit shortly after he finished the Zoom call with the client, Cal eased himself onto the couch and pulled a throw across his body.
When he jolted awake, the sunlight in the room had shifted. Was it still the afternoon?
Someone rapped on the door. No doubt it was what had awoken him.
The realization that it was probably Charleen with his new friend hit him as he unfolded himself from the couch. His head heavy with sickness, he shuffled Ridley into the kitchen and put up a gate to cordon him off. Then he hurried to the door.
“Cal, I’m sorry to pop in, but?”
Ginger’s tentative smile drooped when she saw him. He hadn’t peered into a mirror since he stumbled out of bed that morning. It was safe to say he deserved the shocked look. But he was even more surprised to see her.
His erratic pulse skipped a few extra beats. He really needed to sit down. “I’m surprised to… I didn’t know you were…”
Ginger took a step back. “I know. I’m sorry for not calling first. You haven’t come in, so I thought I’d stop by and bring you this.”
He hadn’t noticed the coffee in her hand until she thrust it forward.
“Thank you.” He took it, realizing he hadn’t had any coffee yet today. He hadn’t eaten anything, either. “I’ve been busy. Now sick.” He pointed to his hair as if a bad case of bedhead was his most obvious symptom.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I definitely should have called.”
“It’s all right. I’ve just been sleeping all day.” He leaned against the doorframe because he suddenly felt out of breath. The first sip of coffee was tasteless, but it soothed his throat. “I’d invite you in, but…”
Ginger’s expression turned sympathetic. “Don’t worry about it. It’s completely understandable that you’re not up for visiting.” She flashed a smile. “Besides, we have the gala to look forward to. Gotta get better in time for that.”
He felt so crummy, he couldn’t even muster up the excitement of seeing Ginger at his doorstep for the first time. It’d surely hit him later. But how did she know where I live ?
Behind her, a blue car pulled into Cal’s driveway. Ginger turned to look and stood rooted in place as Charleen got out, opened her hatch, and pulled out a portable dog carrier. She turned back to him with her brows raised.
“Company?” she asked.
“A new and hopefully very temporary foster.”
Charleen slowed as she stepped onto the porch.
“Cal, you don’t look like you’re up for this,” Charleen said with a look of concern.
His head swam, but it was nothing compared to what this poor dog was going through.
“I’ll be fine. What’s her name?” He squatted to see inside the carrier. Two shining, dark eyes and a mass of white hair were all that was visible.
“Meet Peaches. I have her other things in the car,” Charleen said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder. “Sorry, but I need to run. There are two intakes coming in within the next hour.”
Cal hoisted the carrier over to the rocking chair where he could sit on the far end of the porch. He opened the latch and, luckily, he had both hands in front of the door, or she would have bolted and disappeared through the porch railings.
“Whoa,” Ginger cried. She’d been silently taking it all in until Peaches’ near-escape. “She’s a little white bullet.”
Charleen hauled two stuffed garbage bags, filled with enough dog paraphernalia to stock one of the national pet store chains, onto the porch.
“Here we go,” Charleen said, planting the bags at his feet. “I also have a big bag of her food. The family felt guilty?”
“?guilty enough to buy out all the PetsMore franchises in the Midwest?”
“It’s more like all of them west of the Mississippi,” Ginger added under her breath.
He and Charleen looked at her in unison, which made Cal realize his mistake.
“Ginger, this is Charleen, director of Hearts Fur Love. Charleen, my friend Ginger.”
“I’ve been a longtime customer at Coffee Loft, but it’s nice to formally meet you,” Charleen said. “Are you interested in fostering a dog?”
He pretended not to see Ginger blanch.
“I have a cat,” she said, invoking her ready-made excuse.
“That’s not a problem. Peaches grew up with cats. Adores them,” Charleen said. She looked at Cal. “The family kept the cats, but not poor Peaches. ”
“I’ll make her as comfortable as possible and do a meet-and-greet with Ridley as soon as I’m up for it.” He found a leash inside the bag and handed it to Charleen who clipped it onto the dog’s collar while he held Peaches in his arms.
“Thanks so much,” Charleen said, backing down the steps. “Please call with a report tonight if you have time. Ginger, nice to meet you.”
He and Ginger watched Charleen’s little car wheel out of the driveway and disappear at the end of the block. Ginger, who’d grown quiet when Charleen mentioned Peaches and her cat siblings, cleared her throat.
“I wouldn’t know the first thing to do with a dog.”
“Food, water, exercise, companionship. That’s all they need.”
“Don’t forget vet appointments and grooming.” She looked down at the garbage bags stuffed to the brim. “And apparently enough toys to warrant adding another room onto your house.”
He stood, intending to carry Peaches into the house and get her used to the sights and smells of Chez Donner. Ridley, no doubt, would go bonkers. But when he stood, he wobbled on his feet and unintentionally landed back in his seat with a heavy thud.
“Cal! What’s wrong?”
Ginger rushed to him, almost tripping over Peaches’ cage. Instead, she caught her knee on the little side table.
“ Oh !” She bent over double.
“Careful!” He extended his arm, but she was well past needing a steady hand. Clutching her knee, she cried out in pain…then landed in his lap .
OOOF!
Their eyes met briefly, then hers widened with horror. She popped up faster than a malware alert.
“I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?” Her complexion matched the fire engine squeaky toy peeking out the top of Peaches’ bag.
“I’m fine.” He laughed despite the drumbeat in his temples. She was as weightless as Peaches. Of course, she didn’t hurt him, but he wished he felt well enough to relish the moment.
“I should let you get back to doing what you were doing,” she said, rubbing her knee. She shook her head, still flustered. “I’m just in the way.”
On the contrary, he wished she were more in the way, his way.
“Thanks for the coffee. It’s good relief for the throat.”
That seemed to set her at ease. She took a big breath. “You’re welcome,” she said with a nod. “I also came by to let you know I submitted the application, too.”
“Great. When will you hear?”
“Two weeks.” She bounced on the balls of her feet.
“Have you thought about how you’ll use the money if you win.”
She chewed on her lip, thinking. “I’ve been mulling over the idea of a mobile truck for a while. I don’t want to necessarily commit to opening another brick and mortar location, so a truck feels right at this point.”
“There are plenty of coffee deserts around town.”
She nodded. “I’ve been doing my research.”
Of course, she had. He loved her get-up-and-go attitude .
Tugging on the leash, Peaches whined. She splayed her legs in front of her with her rump in the air.
He tipped his chin toward Peaches. “Look at that. She wants to play with you.”
“But…but I didn’t do anything.” Ginger looked skeptical. She even stepped toward the stairs.
“You must be a dog lover at heart. They can sense those things.”
“Maybe Peaches’ people-picker is off.” Ginger extended a hand toward the dog who promptly slathered it with kisses. “I’ve never had a dog, so that should be a warning to her.”
He struggled out of the chair. “I’d better get her inside.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? Can I pick up anything at the store?”
“I’ve got a whole medicine cabinet filled with stuff I never use. Best to just ride it out, whatever it is. But thank you.” Her concern and attentiveness touched him. Ginger’s forehead creased as Peaches wrapped the leash around his legs.
“Will Ridley mind her?” Ginger asked. She stared at Peaches, but he could tell her thoughts were far beyond the confines of his front porch.
“I have no idea.” He short-leashed the little dog until he could untangle himself. “Ridley tolerated Lola. Before her, Ridley hadn’t been vetted around other dogs. It’s always a gamble.”
“All relationships are, I suppose,” Ginger said under her breath, but loudly enough that he caught it. Still distracted, Ginger’s expression changed when Peaches approached again and sniffed her shoe. She bent down to ruffle the dog’s head. “Call if you need anything.”
“Thanks. I will.”
Cal scooped Peaches into his arms; he’d get the rest of her things later. He stood in the doorway, watching Ginger drive away.
She hadn’t only come to deliver a coffee. But with the chaos surrounding Peaches’ arrival and him not feeling well, he didn’t want to press her.
All relationships are a gamble, she’d said .
With the gala just a few weeks away, there wasn’t much time to see if their relationship would pay off.