Summer At The Shore

CHAPTER THREE

“JAY? HERE YOU ARE.”

Jay glanced over his shoulder to see Aubrey walking through the door. He was sitting in a chair in a storage room off the main hangar at the base trying to decide what to do with the fur-covered bundle in his arms. It had finally quit shivering but didn’t seem inclined to move from his lap.

“We have visitors and—” She’d been talking as she moved but now stopped in midsentence to gasp. “Is that a dog? It’s adorable! Where did it come from?” She continued toward him and the animal cuddled in a fuzzy pink baby blanket on his lap.

“We rescued her early this morning. A sailboat went down trying to cross the bar. Her owner didn’t make it. Can’t locate any family.” As if sensing she was the topic of conversation, the dog lifted her brown-and-white head. Wide brown eyes lit with curiosity as she sniffed Aubrey’s fingers.

Aubrey caressed one of her silky ears. “That is a heartbreaker. And you have her why? Did you call Holly?” Holly ran Paws for a Second Chance, the local no-kill shelter. She was their go-to person in the surprisingly often occurrences when they rescued animals.

“She kind of latched onto me for some reason. Maybe because I took care of her in the helo? I don’t know, but yeah, I called Holly. No answer. Left a message.” He sighed, feeling the weight of both the man’s death and the uncertain fate of the poor dog on his shoulders. “She’s going to need a trip to the vet first anyway. I haven’t had the heart to move her yet. Poor thing is exhausted and traumatized.”

He waited for Aubrey to rib him about calling a vet they knew when a different woman’s voice chimed in, “Well, it’s your lucky day, isn’t it? I literally brought you a vet.” A chuckle followed and then, “You must be Petty Officer Johnston? The young man the doctors credit with saving my life.”

He looked toward the doorway again, this time to find Nora Frasier standing there smiling. His pulse stuttered when he saw Mia by her side. Nora moved his way.

He returned her smile. “Yes, I am—the first part of that, anyway. Please, call me Jay. I’m glad to see you looking so well.” He started to stand, but she waved him off.

“No, no. Sit. You’ve got some precious cargo there. I’m feeling great, thanks to you.” She walked closer and reached out a hand.

He shook her hand and settled back into his seat because she had that kind of bossiness about her. “I don’t deserve the credit you’re giving me for saving your life, though. That was a team effort.”

“I already thanked Aubrey when she came by the hospital for a second visit. I was awake that time. My daughter tells me you stopped by and I slept through it?” At his nod, she went on, “We met the pilot and the copilot out there in the hangar. But they all say they couldn’t have done it without you.”

Jay grinned. He could see where Mia got her sparkle and vitality. He also remembered that she was a teacher, and he could see that about her as well. “That’s the way we work, ma’am. We’re a team. I couldn’t have done my job without them, either.”

“What’s wrong with the dog?” Mia asked, stepping around her mom and into his line of sight.

Their eyes met and Jay felt that same pull of attraction, even stronger this time if that was possible. Had she had enough time to get over the gratitude-attraction thing?

“Laceration on her back,” he answered.

“Oh, I see it.” She knelt beside the chair and crooned, “Hi, pretty lady. Rough day, huh?” She kept talking in the same soothing tone as she caressed the dog behind her ears. The dog let out a whimper, but not like she was in pain. More like she was in heaven.

“I’m gonna give her a second to trust me.”

“Yeah,” Jay commented drily as the dog licked her chin. “I’m thinking mission accomplished.”

Her low chuckle made him smile. Slowly, she worked her hands around to the wound. Jay liked the way she moved, gentle yet confident and practiced. It was cute the way her brow furrowed as she examined the injury. When her hands brushed against his, a current of awareness coursed through him. Funny that he’d had this thought a few days ago, of using a dog to get close to her again. He felt guilty about that now, because this poor pup’s life had just been upended in the worst possible way.

“It’s not too deep, but she could use a few stitches. You did an excellent job of cleaning it up.” Dipping down, she kissed the dog’s forehead. “Poor baby. I can only imagine what you’ve been through. That helicopter ride was probably bad enough, but losing your person is beyond tragic.”

She then pinned that warm look of concern on Jay. He felt his insides start to go soft and realized he was no better than the dog. This woman oozed compassion and obviously knew animals.

“Who did you say you were going to leave her with?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. “Holly Camp. She runs Paws for a Second Chance. It’s an animal adoption place.”

“Yes, I know Holly. She’s great.” She kept one hand on the dog as she talked. Small hands with slim fingers and trimmed nails, he noticed. Delicate-looking, like the rest of her. But he already knew from the rescue she was anything but. No one who demanded that their fellow airplane-wrecked passengers be rescued first was “delicate.” He’d watched her plunge into the ocean after Aubrey without even pausing, seen her concern for her mom and Captain Shear during the helicopter ride. Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t imagine that anyone who chose veterinary medicine as a career would be considered delicate.

“Do we know her name?” Mia asked.

“Holly?” he asked, thinking that her eyes were like the blue of the ocean on a calm, sunny day.

“I think she means the dog,” Aubrey said with a chuckle. “You need some shut-eye there, big guy?”

He felt his lips twitch with a grin. No, what I need is for this blue-eyed woman who smells like flowers and makes me forget my own name to back off so I can think. “Yeah. Maybe. I’m beat,” he said. “No, no collar. She was wearing a bandanna. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like this dog is... It’s a miracle she even survived. We spotted the guy because the dog was swimming right next to him, or rather, swimming circles around him. She was in that choppy water for a long time and she’s so small, I can’t believe she didn’t drown.”

“Dogs have the most incredible will to live. You know how you hear that dogs are the most loyal creatures on the planet?”

Jay found himself nodding.

“We hear it and say it so much that I think it’s become a cliché. But last year I was finishing my residency in Colorado when this border collie was brought in. Half-starved, dehydrated—turns out, her sheepherding owner had suffered an aneurysm and died. From the condition the dog was in, my colleague and I determined that she had been waiting by his side for at least a week. Just sitting there and waiting for help to come along.”

He had no idea how to respond to that. He couldn’t relate; he’d never had a dog or a pet of any kind. He’d always been too focused on his own survival, and more to the point, his family’s survival.

She smoothed a hand over the dog’s cheek again, adding, “The dog lived through it. And the sheepherder’s daughter adopted her.” She added a grin, and Jay could tell the incident would stick with her forever. He knew what that felt like. He would never forget a single rescue, but there were certain ones, and sometimes certain people, that just grabbed your heart and never let go. He couldn’t help but think that Nora Frasier and her daughter were quickly earning a top spot on that list.

“Tell you what? How ’bout I take the dog to our vet practice and fix her up? She’ll need a checkup and a blood panel anyway before Holly can adopt her out. You can pick her up later?”

“Uh, sure, that would be great. Thank you.” He noticed she wasn’t wearing a ring. Of course, that wasn’t a sure sign in this day and age that she was single. Not that it mattered, he told himself; a relationship was not in the cards for him. Not until Josie finished nursing school and the kids were older, much older. Between his financial obligations, his time and the mental energy he expended trying to pseudo-parent from a distance, he simply couldn’t do it.

“You can stop by Pacific Cove Vet Clinic any time after about three. I should have her test results by then.”

“Oh, I have a meeting this afternoon. I wouldn’t be able to get there until this evening.”

“How about I bring her home with me after work then? You can pick her up at my house.”

“Any time is fine,” Nora chimed in. “It’s just Mia and me. She usually gets home from work about six or seven, depending on the day.”

“That sounds great. In the meantime, maybe we’ll be able to get a hold of some family.”

* * *

AT THE END of his shift, Jay stowed his gear, feeling the stress of the last twenty-four-hour shift working its way into him. It was always like this for him. He didn’t let himself feel tired until he had the time to be tired. That’s when the exhaustion slammed into him like a tidal wave.

“Hey, Johnston, congratulations! I hear you got yourself a new puppy.”

Removing his backpack from his locker, he shut the door and turned to find a smiling Lieutenant Commander Eli Pelletier standing behind him. Eli was a pilot and Aubrey’s fiancé. He’d also become a friend in the months since he’d been stationed here, as much of a friend as Jay allowed himself to have, anyway.

“Funny, Pelletier.” Jay took a moment to look him up and down before saying, “Wow, you look like you’ve reached a whole new level of fitness these days. Almost like you’ve been doing yoga.”

“That obvious, huh?” Eli chuckled. “Aubrey’s been talking, I see. Seriously, though, how’s the dog doing? Are you going to keep it?”

They’d had no luck tracking down any of the dog owner’s family. Holly had returned his call only to tell him that there was no room at the shelter right now, especially for an injured dog. Could Jay keep the dog or find someone who could until space was available? He wasn’t sure what he was going to do. “I want a dog about as badly as I do a root canal.”

“Uh, I don’t think veterinarians do root canals. At least not on people.”

Aubrey walked up to join her fiancé. “Besides, it would be much less painful to just ask her to dinner.”

Jay rolled his eyes. “Has anyone ever told you how pushy and annoying you can be?”

Eli laughed and raised his hand. “I do. I tell her.”

“Yes, of course. He does. As do my sisters. All the time. And I’m sorry,” she said, tipping her head one way and then the other. “Sort of. ’Cause isn’t this kinda like a sign? Holly not having room right now? You should seriously consider keeping that sweet dog. I think it would be good for you to have someone to think about, something to take care of, someone...”

Jay grinned. “Other than myself, you mean?” Not even Aubrey knew that his reputation for being carefree and perpetually unattached was contrived. His life was anything but carefree, and his responsibilities were daunting, to say the least.

She pushed one shoulder up into a shrug. “I’m just saying.”

He fished his phone out of his backpack and, speaking of responsibility, saw that he’d received a text from Levi. He’d read it after he got out of here. Stuffing the phone into his pocket, he asked, “What do you suggest I do with the dog when I’m on duty?”

“There are dog-walking services you could hire that help with that. Or doggy day care. Sheila Roarke has one. She calls it a doggy spa. It’s nicer than my house.”

“I really don’t have time for a dog.” Either option would be an expense he could in no way afford. Not to mention the food, supplies, vet care and medicine. All funds that could go toward items the kids needed. Although the thought of those pet-related things filled him with a nice combination of anticipation and anxiety. He was looking forward to seeing Mia again, even if looking and talking was as far as it could go. “Besides, I’m sure this guy’s family is going to want his dog.”

“Davis said he doesn’t have any family. He tracked down someone at the marina who kind of knew him. Said the guy was a loner.”

“Even loners have family.” Look at me for example, he thought. To change the subject, he asked Aubrey, “Do you have the paperwork for the meeting?”

“Yep.” She held up a clipboard. Nothing like a clipboard and a meeting about volunteer work to steer Aubrey in a new direction. The woman was all about the organizing, not to mention her passion for community service.

They headed to the parking lot and climbed into their cars. The meeting was across the Columbia River in Washington, at the Coast Guard boat station, Cape Disappointment. The trip would take about a half hour, so he removed his phone and read the text from Levi: Mom is gone again. Josie told me to tell you. She needs to talk to you. She wants to know if you have time tomorrow?

A mix of irritation and concern settled over him. As if he needed another reminder as to why he couldn’t let himself get attached to a dog, much less its pretty doctor.

He tapped out a response: Hang in there, buddy. Tell her yes. I’m off duty tomorrow.

* * *

JAY WASN’T SURPRISED, but he was incredibly pleased that so many of their colleagues, including a huge number of Cape Disappointment personnel, had shown up for this Coast Guard community outreach meeting. Most people who signed up for military service were all about helping others. Their goal was to make it a little easier for them. He kept his remarks brief, letting the list of charities that he, Aubrey and two of their colleagues had compiled speak for him.

“As the incident earlier this spring illuminated, we all know it’s important to show the community that the Coast Guard cares, that we’re invested here in these little towns. I know a lot of you already volunteer at your church or your kids’ schools or with their sports teams. Some of you are involved in Aubrey’s swim lesson program and others at the hospital in Astoria and so on. So don’t feel obligated, and please don’t overextend your personal resources. This outreach is all about bringing willing volunteers to programs that need them. But not at the expense of your own family’s needs.” He went on for a few more minutes.

Jay’s motivation in cochairing this initiative was twofold. There’d been an incident earlier in the spring involving two boaters. After an altercation between them, the Coast Guard intervened. One man had been ticketed for excessive speed and boating under the influence. He’d raised a fuss with the local media and in the process, he’d attempted to make the Coast Guard look like high-handed bullies. The Coast Guard personnel involved had been vindicated, but the unfortunate episode had left people talking. This had prompted command to amp up their efforts at spreading goodwill throughout the community.

In his youth, Jay and his siblings had often been recipients of these types of charities. He was passionate and resolute about giving back. And because he knew it wasn’t easy to ask for help, Jay had discussed it with his superior and suggested this hands-on approach. He and his colleagues had gone out into the community, seeking and identifying the organizations that needed assistance and in what form.

The resulting list they’d compiled was long and included a wide variety of options: a group that built homes for the needy, the food bank, a women’s shelter, two homeless shelters, the library literacy program, hospice care and delivering food to the homebound were among the many organizations seeking volunteers. Their only requirements were that the need be local and the recipients be in “true” need.

“Any questions?”

A hand went up in the crowd. “Um, I see there’s a short description here, but I’m not sure what some of these places do exactly...?”

Jay had anticipated this question. “Next to every organization, there should be the name of whoever signed it up. See my name by the food bank? I can tell you all about it—who’s in charge, where the food goes, what specific needs they have. Any questions, just ask whoever has their name next to it.”

Another hand raised. “Does it matter what we sign up for? Is there like a scale based on need? Are there some organizations that need help more than others?”

He and Aubrey had discussed this and decided it was too subjective to rate them based on need. “Nope. Between Aubrey, Vance Davis, Terrence Oliver and me, we’ve vetted all these places. If they’re on the list, they need help. Please feel free to pick anything that interests you.”

Jay felt a welling of pride as he watched his colleagues eagerly signing up for the available spots. He mingled and answered questions, and nearly an hour after the meeting started, people began to filter out.

“I think all of the places now have at least one Coast Guard volunteer,” Aubrey happily reported when everyone had departed. She frowned. “Except one.”

“Sign me up for that one. I was going to take whatever was left or whatever needed more bodies anyway.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, really. I don’t care what it is. I’ll do it.”

“Jay, you are awesome. Have I told you that lately?” Her smile was blinding. At that point, he should have known something was up. She bent over the clipboard again as she filled in a blank spot on the chart. “Perfect. I’ll get these names sent to our various organizations and we’ll get our volunteers set up.”

CHAPTER FOUR

MIA DROVE HOME, where Nora’s friend Annie met them. She’d offered to come over and sit with Nora so Mia could go to the clinic. Mia made sure her mom was comfortable, loaded her dog George into the car along with the rescue dog, and headed to work. After arriving at the clinic, she stitched the dog’s wound and gave her a thorough exam. She took a blood sample and sent it to the lab with a rush order. Finally, she got the two dogs settled in her private office and headed out to treat patients and handle the backlog waiting for her.

Two days of being out of the office had left Mia with a ton of work to catch up on. Luckily, Dr. Anthony had been available to cover for her. He’d managed to squeeze in the critical patients, but her noncritical cases and some surgeries had been rescheduled. She treated a dog with a yeast infection in his ears, a cat she’d tragically diagnosed with a bleeding tumor, and an adorable boxer puppy who’d torn off his dewclaw. She admitted a lethargic turtle while waiting on some tests, vaccinated a batch of kittens, and stitched up a laceration on a golden retriever who’d been attacked by a neighbor’s dog. At the owner’s request, she’d forwarded that medical report to the police.

A few hours later, she headed back to her office to check on the dog. Tail wagging, George stepped off the huge dog bed that took up one corner of her office, made a show of stretching his gigantic frame, and then trotted over to greet her. The sight of her giant mastiff-bloodhound mix never failed to make her heart swell with love. Currently ninety-two pounds of clumsy sweetness covered in brindle fur, Mia estimated he had another ten pounds to gain before he would be at his prime weight.

Her boy had suffered too much in his young life. He’d come with her from Colorado, where his rescuer had found him tied to a post in the middle of a muddy yard and brought him to the clinic where she’d been working as a resident. The collar around his neck was so tight it was cutting into the skin around it. He had no shelter. A bowl of food sat beside him but he couldn’t eat it because his mouth had been duct-taped shut. Normally able to keep it together even in the worst of cases, Mia lost it with George, allowing her tears to fall as she removed first the collar and then those layers of tape from his muzzle. The dog had whined in pain but never snapped. When she finished, he’d licked her hands and her cheek, and stolen her heart. They’d been together ever since.

Mia sat. George followed suit, placing his head on her lap and slobbering on her pants.

Scratching behind his ears and caressing the scarred skin of his neck, she said, “I love you, Georgie. You’re the best dog ever. How was your nap?”

He yawned and smacked his jaws.

“That’s great news, buddy. Sleep is important. Scientists are telling us it’s almost as important as nutrition when it comes to health and longevity. You can thank Grandma Nora for that bit of helpful trivia. Speaking of nutrition.” She removed two “cookies” from the canister on her desk and handed one over. He flopped beside her on the floor and began chomping. The rescued dog, who had been napping on the sofa, was now watching Mia with alert brown eyes. Mia wheeled her chair closer and offered her a cookie. Not interested. Mia’s stomach did a nervous twist. The dog had been uninterested in pretty much everything since Mia had taken her out of Jay’s arms. She was worried, although her initial exam had revealed her to be in good health.

She opened her email to see if the dog’s blood test results had come back. She scrolled down the list until she located the one from the lab. Clicking on it, she felt a niggle of apprehension as she analyzed the numbers. Turning again, she smiled at the dog, who, as if sensing the gravity of the situation, lifted her head and let out a whine. Mia stood, walked over and scooped her up.

“Congratulations, cutie, you are as healthy as can be. Mr. Rennick might have been a loner, but clearly, he loved his girl, huh?” The dog answered by nudging Mia’s chin with her muzzle. “Now we just need to find you a new home. What are the chances that handsome Coast Guard flight mechanic will take you in? He definitely likes you. I think you’d be great together.”

She looked up as a knock sounded on her door, followed by a “Hey, Mia? You got a second?”

“Sure, Ted. Come in.”

Her partner, mentor, friend and fellow veterinarian, Dr. Ted Anthony, walked into her office. Medium height and lean-muscled, Dr. Anthony was in his fifties but looked at least a decade younger. His head of wavy brown hair didn’t have a speck of gray, and Mia thought that helped his ageless cause as well. George met him with a lazy woof and a wet sniff of his kneecap, his signature greeting.