by Deb Kastner
“Or even later.”
“Especially later.”
“Well, like I said, I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“I appreciate that.”
“You know, when you first suggested using Pudgy as a service dog, I have to admit I had my doubts. Dalmatians wouldn’t be my first choice in a breed, or even my fifth. But Pudgy has really taken to it. He totally gets that it’s his job to take care of Gwenny.”
“They’re inseparable,” Ashley said with a soft smile. “He’s been sleeping on her bed since the day he came home with us. He’s real snuggle- bug.”
“You don’t call him that, though, right? Snuggle Bug isn’t a nickname?” One side of his lips kicked up in that sexy half smile that zipped through Ashley--Every. Single. Time.
“I may have—in the beginning. It’s only Pudgy now. I promise.” Then she grinned and cleared her throat. “Mostly.”
His eyes gleamed with amusement. “Good. Although you really do have a penchant for creative, interesting nicknames.”
“I liked Poopa-loompa the best,” said Ruth, entering the kitchen behind Luke. “Now—what do we need to do to make the necessary modifications for Pudgy to be able to help Gwenny get through her day?”
With Ruth and her clipboard in hand, the three of them walked around the house making notes on various modifications.
To Ashley’s relief, most of the suggestions were simple and cost efficient, like tying a rope around the refrigerator handle so Pudgy could open the door and fetch Gwenny a soda or a bottle of water. Luke suggested the same type of thing for the front-loading washing machine and dryer. The thought that they could train Pudgy to change the laundry over and take out clean, dry clothes and put them in a basket thoroughly floored Ashley.
Now, if only they could teach Pudgy to fold them and put them away…
They had already been working on having Pudgy pick up dropped items such as keys or Gwenny’s cell phone. Soon they’d be visiting the mall to work on other commands and see how he did with major distractions.
“He can help Gwenny take out the trash,” Luke suggested, gesturing toward the kitchen trash can. “And then she and Pudgy will have a chore to do.”
“How does that work, exactly?” Ashley asked, stunned at the very thought of it.
“Gwenny will tie up the top of the bag, and then together with Pudgy, they’ll tip the can over. Pudgy can take it from there, carrying it out and placing it in the big bin in the garage.”
“He can’t open the door by himself,” Ashley pointed out.
“Not yet, he can’t. But after we put in automatic doors, all he’ll have to do is jump up and push the button with his paws. He can help Gwenny in and out in the same way.”
Ashley nodded, but the Ka-ching of dollar signs was floating around in her mind. The familiar feeling of stress settled heavily onto her shoulders.
“All at no cost to you,” Ruth assured her. “We’ve already found a company willing to donate the hardware and the service time, so there will be no charges.”
“Already?” Ashley repeated. She shook her head, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “You’ve done too much for us. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
Ruth put a hand on her son’s shoulder. “You may not realize it, but you already have made up for anything we could have done for you. Having you and Gwenny in our lives has given both of us great joy. We’re happy to call you friends.”
Ashley tried to swallow around the lump in her throat. It took her a moment to speak.
“Likewise.”
Chapter Nine
Luke completely agreed with his mother, although he would never have said the words out loud. He looked forward to every opportunity to be with Ashley and Gwenny, and the depth of their relationship was beginning to scare him.
He’d been in this situation before—falling in love with a woman and her child. That’s why he was trying so hard this time around to stay firmly in friendship territory with Ashley.
Which was what made the current situation so frightening. Despite his best efforts, he was falling for Ashley—and Gwenny. He was starting to see how he could fit into their lives, and them into his. In a permanent way.
As a family.
But he couldn’t go through that again. He didn’t think his heart could stand it if Ashley rejected him.
Still, he couldn’t help but want to give his everything to Ashley, Gwenny and Pudgy. Since he had the wherewithal to help, he would. He could and would do no less.
It only slightly bothered him that his mom was so very much on board with all of this. Luke had her heart to guard, as well, because he hadn’t been the only one hurt when Ben had suddenly been yanked from their lives. His mother hadn’t talked about it as much, but he’d known how badly she’d been hurt.
Ashley and Gwenny were different, he reminded himself for the millionth time that morning. They weren’t Charlene and Ben. These weren’t the same circumstances and never would be.
“Ashley,” said Ruth, who was resting both hands on Gwenny’s shoulders, “why don’t you go out and show Luke your back yard? I’m sure there will be a few minor modifications necessary so Gwenny and Pudgy can play, isn’t that right, Luke?”
The gleam in his mother’s eye worried him more than a little bit. He knew his mother too well to believe this was a simple request, but he agreed and allowed Ashley to lead the way out the back door and onto a nice little deck Along with a wooden deck was a glass table with a large umbrella and three wire-rimmed chairs. The fourth chair was a fold-out, and Luke wondered if Ashley liked to sunbathe.
He swallowed hard and turned away. Thoughts of Ashley in a bikini was definitely not going to help him keep his mind where it belonged—on helping Gwenny.
“I can see where this would be a problem,” he said, gesturing to the steps that led from the deck to the grassy lawn.
“She used to love playing out here,” Ashley said, a catch in her voice. “She’d spend hours on her trampoline.”
“Where is it? I don’t see a trampoline.”
“No. I got rid of it before she returned home from the Physical Rehabilitation hospital after her accident. I was so angry I wanted to throw it into a Dumpster, but in the end good sense won out and I gave it away to charity.”
“Gwenny could still have a good time out here playing ball with Pudgy. You said she plays basketball. We could put up a hoop for her, as well. We just need to get a ramp built for her so she can get down into the yard.”
“I’ve been meaning to do it. It’s just that it always seems like there’s something else that needs to be done more urgently whenever I get paid.”
“I’ll put it on the list.”
“I can’t keep letting you buy everything for me,” she protested.
“I don’t see why not,” he said practically. “I’m a single man with a high-paying job and no mortgage. It seems to me this is a great use of my money and my time.”
“But I feel so bad. There’s no way I can repay you.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
He gently took her shoulders and bent his head down so their eyes locked. He could feel her breathing increase as her shoulders rose and fell, and he wondered if her heart was pounding as fast as his was. “I really, really want to do this for you and Gwenny. Both of you ladies mean a lot to me. And I don’t have to tell you what a special girl Gwenny is.”
“That’s true,” she said, her voice coming out in a hoarse whisper.
“And anyway, I can make this ramp project a handyman weekend. That way I don’t have to pay for a carpenter, and I can just do it myself.”
She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
“What?”
“Truth?” she asked, her lips curling into a slight grin.
“Yes, I want the truth. Always,” he assured her.
“I was just picturing you with a carpenter’s belt on, working on the ramp. It was a—nice thought.”
&n
bsp; He burst into laughter and patted his stomach. “Maybe you’ll get really lucky and it’ll be warm out. You never know when you’ll catch a glimpse of my six-pack.”
He was kidding, of course. He was in decent shape, but a six-pack would be pushing it. He wasn’t a gym rat. A few push-ups and sit-ups every morning was the extent of his workout program.
But it made Ashley blush. And she was so incredibly beautiful when she blushed, especially when it was accompanied by one of her rare smiles like now.
He vowed then and there to make that happen more often.
Chapter Ten
They wandered around the back yard for a few more minutes, not so much to make notes on future adjustments as to enjoy the garden Ashley and Gwenny had planted. She and Gwenny both enjoyed digging in the dirt and making things grow. Their garden was one thing they could both still do together, and they were proud of the progress they’d made.
When they’d started, there wasn’t much more than the occasional lilac bush and a rose or two. Now the entire outline of the backyard bloomed with color.
“My carnations pale in comparison,” Luke said, blowing a low, impressed whistle. “This is amazing.”
“Thank you. Gwenny and I are super proud of it.”
“You should be.”
“Mommy,” shouted Gwenny from the sliding glass back door. “Can you and Dr. Luke come in here a second?”
Ashley and Luke caught each other’s curious gazes. Ashley’s mom-sense went on high-alert. There was something funny—odd funny, not ha-ha funny—about the sound of Gwenny’s voice.
Something was definitely up.
She thought Luke might be able to sense it, as well. He slid an arm around her as they took the steps up to the deck. She wondered if he could feel the tension in her shoulders.
“What’s up?” she asked when she stepped inside, but she needn’t have bothered.
What was up was clear from her first glance at the dining room table.
“What is this?” Luke asked…which was the better question.
The table was covered in a white tablecloth and—evidently with Ruth’s help—the fine china had been pulled from the highest cupboard and carefully placed on the table. Silverware buffed to a shine was all in its correct spots—which was impressive in itself. Two silver candlesticks had been equally shined and stood in the middle of the table, the candles lit and flickering in the relative darkness, seeing as the living room light had been turned off.
With a dish towel folded over her arm, Gwenny beamed excitedly. “Welcome to Gwenny’s Restaurant,” she squealed.
“Um—okay,” Ashley said, thoroughly bemused.
What was this?
“Ma’am? Sir? If you’ll please be seated, we can begin with the first course.”
Whatever was happening, Ruth was definitely in on it, because she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen with two plates of fresh salad in her hand. Hot breadsticks were already on the table, along with a tub of butter and a balsamic vinegar salad dressing.
Luke’s eyes gleamed in the candlelight as he pulled out a chair and helped Ashley into it, in true gentleman form.
Now, why was Ashley not surprised? Luke was the old-fashioned type who still considered it a privilege to hold open a door for a woman, without making her feel slighted for having done so.
“This was Gwenny’s idea,” Ruth told them as she served the salads. “I’m just here to help with the execution. She’s done a lovely job, hasn’t she?”
“I’m sure you had nothing to do with it,” Luke said to his mother, rolling his eyes. Then he turned to Ashley. “My mother wants to pretend like the planning of today’s surprise event has nothing whatsoever to do with her. I can guarantee you she is as much a culprit as this little girl right here.”
His hand snaked out and he tickled Gwenny behind the ear, making her giggle hysterically.
“You guys have to pretend this is a fancy restaurant,” Gwenny insisted.
“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Ashley said. It certainly looks like a fancy restaurant.”
“And the food smells good, too,” Luke added.
“It ought to,” Ruth said with a chuckle. “It wasn’t cheap.”
“We ordered in from Bella’s,” Gwenny explained.
Ashley’s mouth watered. Bella was their favorite upscale Italian restaurant, though she wasn’t often able to go since the prices were so high. “Please tell me spaghetti Bolognese is on the menu.”
“Of course, Mommy. I know what your favorite kind is. And Ruth said chicken alfredo is Dr. Luke’s favorite.”
“Indeed, it is,” Luke agreed, patting his stomach. “What about you, Gwenny? What’s your favorite from Bella’s?”
“Spaghetti and meatballs,” she said, licking her lips. “Bella’s makes these huge meatballs that are so yummy.”
“Mmm. I’ll have to try that sometime,” Luke said. “And what about Granny Ruth? Lasagna for her?”
“Yep,” Ruth said. “And let’s not forget the breadsticks. My stars, do they have good bread.”
Ashley had already reached for the bread basket and was buttering a stick. She was in full agreement that Bella’s had the best breadsticks in town.
This was turning into a wonderful surprise lunch—except…
A surge of panic zipped through Ashley as the realization hit.
In Gwenny’s mind, there could only be one reason for what was clearly supposed to be a romantic meal. A date. And that was because Gwenny thought Ashley and Dr. Luke should be—or were--a couple.
How was she going to tactfully explain to Gwenny that she and Dr. Luke were—and always would be—just friends? Especially when her own heart was telling her they were anything but?
And that she’d like to pursue that little part of her heart that suggested maybe they could be more.
Part of her wanted to bolt—
Except where would she run?
This was her house, after all.
And…there was the spaghetti Bolognese to think about. What sane woman would run in the face of spaghetti Bolognese?
No. She’d have to figure this puzzle out later. After she ate.
She actually enjoyed the meal with Luke, even if it did feel very much like a date. They kept the conversation light, which was easy to do when they knew they had two sets of ears eavesdropping. Several times during the meal, Ashley heard giggling from the kitchen and knew they’d been overheard after Luke cracked a joke about another restaurant he’d recently been to where the breadsticks had been so hard they could have been used as drumsticks.
After dinner, they were each served a slice of strawberry cheesecake. Ashley couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten quite so well.
She’d just started to relax when the music, which had been quiet elevator music in the background, was suddenly cranked up. A slow-beat ballad started and Gwenny and Ruth entered the room.
“Dance, Mommy,” Gwenny urged. “Dance with Dr. Luke.”
Ashley’s cheeks burned as she desperately tried to think of a way to get out of this fix. Her gaze met Luke’s. His face was likewise as red as a turnip.
Awkward.
Ashley didn’t want to dance. Not because she was with Luke, or even so much because she didn’t want to give Gwenny the wrong impression, although both of those were good reasons to get up and walk away from this situation.
No. The real problem was the fact that she could dance and Gwenny couldn’t. The last thing she wanted to do was dance in front of her daughter when Gwenny was stuck in a wheelchair—and yet it was Gwenny who was pleading for her to do just that.
Luke wiped his mouth with his white cloth napkin and tossed it onto the table before clearing his throat, standing and walking around the table toward Ashley.
Winking at Gwenny, he held out his hand to Ashley.
“Shall we?”
Seeing no way out of an impossible situation, Ashley shrugged and stood. The moment she stepped into Luke’s arms and
he wrapped one arm snuggly around her waist, she knew she was a goner.
She wanted to stay right where she was forever. She might be able to convince the whole world that she and Luke were just friends, but as she closed her eyes and laid her cheek on his broad shoulder and they swayed back and forth to the soft ballad, she finally acknowledged what her heart had been telling her all along.
Luke was much more than a friend. He was the kind of man every woman dreamed of.
Not only was he good looking on the outside, but he had a heart of gold. He was the type of man who would not only provide but protect her heart. When he gave his love, she would be able to trust it. After all, he loved animals and they loved him. You can’t fool a dog.
And as for seven-year-old little girls in wheelchairs…
The music suddenly switched to a fast, pounding beat, classic rock-and-roll at its best.
Ruth, who, along with Gwenny, had been peering at them from the kitchen doorway, now ran into the room and toward the speaker where her phone was hooked up.
“Oops,” she apologized. “Sorry. Wrong playlist.”
Ashley laughed. “You listen to classic rock?”
Ruth raised her eyebrows. “Honey, I grew up with classic rock. This granny can get down.”
Luke whooped and twirled Ashley around a couple of times, then dipped her.
And then he danced over to Gwenny and bowed. “May I have this dance, my beautiful princess?”
Gwenny giggled as he whirled her wheelchair around and around, dancing as he went. He might be an excellent slow dancer, but with rock-and-roll blaring through the speaker he was all elbows and knees, and it was hilarious to watch. Ashley soon found herself giggling, as well.
When the song was finally over, Luke dropped to the floor on his back, breathing heavily. “Whew, Gwenny. You and your mommy, you just plain tuckered me out.”
Chapter Eleven
Luke parked his truck at the mall and walked in, anxious to find Ashley and Gwenny and begin their latest adventure. He didn’t really like visiting malls, but in this case, he was looking forward to it.
