by Lisa Jordan
“Thanks.” He lowered himself slowly onto the cushion. A grimace tightened his face.
She wanted to lend a hand, but Sully came across as the kind of guy who wanted help only when he asked for it.
Leona returned and handed a cup of coffee to him. “Here you go, Mr. Sullivan. I’ll leave you two alone while I check on the kids.”
“Kids?”
“My four-legged ones, of course.”
“Yes, of course. And please call me Caleb.”
Leona winked at Zoe, then scurried out of the room, closing the door behind her, taking Zoe’s courage with her.
She didn’t want to tell her story again, but if she wanted to work with his daughters, he needed to know the truth.
He set his coffee on the side table and leaned forward. “So Leona said you wanted to talk to me?”
“Yes.” Zoe stood, hugged her arms to her waist and walked to the window that overlooked the dog play yard. Travis had taken the dogs out to splash around in the plastic kiddie pool.
She loved watching the pups cavorting with freedom. Closing her eyes, she breathed a prayer for her missing courage. Turning back to Sully, she opened her eyes and faced him. “Before you hire me, there’s something you need to know.”
Sully frowned. “What’s up?”
Her heart picked up speed, and she wiped her damp palms on her jeans again. Then she shoved her trembling fingers into her front pockets. Tears filled her eyes as her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m the one who killed Kyle.”
* * *
Caleb shot to his feet. Surely he didn’t hear her correctly? “What did you say?”
Her eyes pleaded with him as she shook her head. “Please don’t make me say it again.”
So there was nothing wrong with his hearing.
But he couldn’t believe it. Wouldn’t believe it. The Zoe he knew and loved at one time wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Her words ricocheted through his thoughts, slicing through what he thought was his bulletproof sizing up of the woman from his past.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Would you care to explain? I thought Kyle had been killed by a drunk driver.”
She dashed a trembling hand across her mouth and tugged on the hem of her shirt. “Maybe you should sit.”
With the weight of her words pressing him down, he slumped against the back of the couch and stared at her.
Zoe sat on the edge of the chair across from him. She bore little resemblance to the lighthearted girl from college. Right now she appeared weighted down with a burden too heavy for anyone to carry.
She cupped her knees and straightened her arms. Exhaling loudly, she raised her chin, trapping his gaze. “I partied a lot in high school.”
He never did get into the drinking scene, even with his buddies on the force. Then after what he went through with Val... “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t mention this years ago. Did you drink in college?”
“No. A friend of mine almost died at a party during my senior year. A group of us ended up getting arrested for underage drinking. After they bailed me out, my parents gave me a choice—get my act together and make something of my future, or they were going to send me away to some sort of reform school. I chose Plan A.”
He never would have pegged Zoe as a party girl, but he knew all about appearances being deceiving.
His bones seemed to have melted under his skin, leaving him feeling weary and way older than his thirty-two years. He scrubbed a hand over his face, then looked at her. “What happened to Kyle?”
“On the night of my twenty-third birthday, Kyle and I went out with friends for a few drinks. I didn’t want to. I hadn’t slept well the night before, and I had worked all day. I was afraid if I started drinking, I’d end up down that same path, but Kyle insisted. That first drink tasted so good, and the second one went down even easier. Kyle kept pounding back shots and ended up wasted. I got into an argument with my brother on the phone about when we’d be back. He had been watching our son—”
Sully held up a hand. “Whoa. Slow down. You have a kid?”
Her eyes widened. “You didn’t know?”
He shook his head. How would he?
Scarlet crept across her cheeks. “Yeah, I got pregnant my junior year of college. I left Bartlett to take care of Griffin. He’s nine. And he’s absolutely perfect. Nothing like his mother.”
“So you and Kyle ended up getting married?”
The blush deepened. Zoe dropped her eyes to her lap and shook her head. “Kyle wanted to wait. Anyway, we left the club. Kyle was in no condition to drive. I truly thought I was okay. Otherwise I never would have gotten behind the wheel.”
How many times had he heard that during his years on the force? Why didn’t people get it? Even after one drink, they shouldn’t drive.
“We were a block from my parents’ house when a guy ran a red light and crashed into us. I hit my head and blacked out. I woke up in the hospital and learned Kyle was dead.”
“You didn’t know you were responsible?”
She shook her head. “I was unconscious and couldn’t give consent for the blood alcohol test, but the officer on the scene suspected alcohol was involved. He subpoenaed my clinical blood test that the hospital had administered.” She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and swallowed. “My blood alcohol content came back over the legal limit. I didn’t cause the accident, but the prosecution argued my reflexes were diminished. Kyle’s parents had a lot of money and could afford the best attorneys. They tried to use my past offenses against me.”
“Your juvenile records can’t be used against you.”
“The judge ordered their remarks to be stricken from the records, but they succeeded in swaying the jury’s opinion. I was found guilty of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence. I served four years at VWCI.”
Vanderfield Women’s Correctional Institute.
Caleb leaned an elbow on the arm of the couch and pressed his fist against his lips as he processed Zoe’s words.
Not only had he witnessed his wife destroying their lives with her choices, but he’d spent years arresting people suspected of driving under the influence. He heard their excuses, their pleas, and listened to their lawyers argue in court in their defense. They deserved to be held accountable for their actions.
And now Zoe had just told him she was like one of those people he’d arrested more times than he could remember.
His beautiful Zoe with the eyes that peered deep into his heart. His beautiful Zoe with the laugh that allowed him to fall in love with her over and over again.
His friend was dead because of her decision to get behind the wheel.
He simply couldn’t wrap his head around it.
No, not his beautiful Zoe.
He’d walked into Canine Companions hoping she could help him out with the wayward puppy probably eating his couch right now. He didn’t expect any of this.
He leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees and rubbed his hands together. “I’m not going to lie, Zoe, this has...thrown me for a loop. Man, I did not expect it in a million years.”
“I understand.” She stood and moved toward the door. “Thanks for coming in. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Hold up. I said it threw me for a loop. Sit back down. I’m not leaving just yet.”
Zoe hesitated. She glanced at the door. A look he could only describe as yearning crossed over her face. Did she wish she could throw it open and run from the room?
“You were great with Ella and Ava last weekend at the park. I know they’d enjoy learning from you.”
“But?”
He filled his lungs, then released the air in a long burst. “But the thing is, my ex-wife was an alcoholic who walked out on our marriage and our daughters to s
hack up with some guy she met on the internet.”
“I’m sorry, Sully. I understand. I do. I’d love the opportunity to work with you and your daughters, but I get your hesitation. If it makes a difference, I’ve spent the past year at Agape House—a transitional home for women released from prison started by my family. I’ve been given a second chance, and I’m not going to mess it up this time. A couple of weeks ago, I moved into my family’s cabin by the lake. I’m determined to prove I can get my act together.”
Though Zoe professed to be sober, how could he be sure she wouldn’t stray back into that old lifestyle?
However, they shared something in common—he, too, had lost everything and struggled daily with trying to earn back those pieces of his soul that had been chipped away and traded until redemption seemed like an almost unachievable hope.
Chapter Three
Could she really do this?
Zoe closed her eyes, took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Yes, she could. Time to stop questioning and start proving.
After Sully left Canine Companions, he called a couple of hours later, asking if Zoe was still interested in working with his family.
So here she was.
She released her air-filled lungs and rang the doorbell. Standing on the front porch of Caleb’s tan ranch with chocolate-colored shutters, she heard the sounds of a dog barking, and a child’s cry, then a man’s raised voice echoed through the storm door.
Her stomach twisted. What was she getting herself into?
If she could handle four years of prison, surely she could handle a dog and a couple of kids. After all, she had a kid of her own, right?
One she wasn’t currently raising...
The front door opened, jerking her out of her thoughts.
Sully stood in the doorway wearing a wet T-shirt and faded jeans, barefoot. His hair looked like it had been combed with a garden rake. Lines pinched his taut jaw.
Apparently not a good morning at the Sullivan household.
She swallowed the tangle of nerves twining around her windpipe and smiled. “Good morning.”
“That’s debatable. Come on in.”
She wouldn’t let his growl diffuse her enthusiasm, but she didn’t want to intrude, either. “If this is a bad time, I can come back later.”
Sully breathed deeply, then ran his hands through his hair. “No time like the present. Just don’t expect miracles.”
She stepped through the screen door he opened for her, then pulled her lips between her teeth to bite back the laugh gurgling in her throat.
Sully’s two daughters stood about four feet behind him, wearing oversize T-shirts. Their wet hair soaked the cotton fabric as puddles formed on the ceramic tile around their feet.
Riley barked from somewhere deeper in the house, then raced down the hall with something in his mouth. He rushed over to Sully, dropped it at his master’s feet, barked, then waited for expected praise over his trophy.
Sully scooped the toy off the floor, stared at it, then groaned. He thrust it behind his back and scrubbed his free hand over his face.
He glanced at Zoe. “We have a lot of work to do.”
For some reason, she didn’t think he was referring to only dog training. The man looked exhausted, and it was only nine in the morning.
They decided to schedule their appointments for mornings when the girls would be refreshed and wide-awake after breakfast. Then Sully could work for a couple of hours while they napped. Seemed ideal on paper.
“Daddy, are you holding Melly Moon?”
Sully’s shoulders sagged. Looking at his oldest daughter, he held out a headless doll. “I’m sorry, Ella. Riley found Melly Moon.”
Ella snatched the doll from him and crushed it to her chest. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over her rounded cheeks. “No, Daddy. Not my Melly.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Maybe we can fix it.”
“But she won’t be the same.”
Caleb Sullivan, the person she admired so much in college, who used to lock up criminals and preserve justice, looked about wiped out after a few hours with two young girls and a frisky pup.
Riley bounded back into the room and dropped something at Zoe’s feet. She picked it up to find an orange-haired chubby face adorned with glittery stars and moons smiling at her. The newly decapitated Melly Moon.
At that moment, Ella glanced at Zoe, then let out a wail. She jumped into Sully’s arms and buried her face in his chest, sobbing as if her heart were broken.
His other daughter stood rooted to the spot with a fearful look on her face.
The pitiful sight tugged at Zoe’s heart.
She examined the doll head and realized it was made of cloth. Riley had ripped it off at the seam. She dug through her purse to find her travel-size sewing kit, then stepped closer to Sully and Ella. Sitting cross-legged on the floor next to him, her knee brushed his, but she didn’t move, savoring the very brief contact.
She touched the sobbing child’s shoulder, then carefully slid the girl’s tangled hair behind her ear. “Ella, I can fix Melly Moon.”
Sniffling, Ella peeked out from behind Sully’s shoulder. “But it won’t be the same.”
“No, maybe not exactly the same, but I think you’ll still love Melly anyway, won’t you?”
She nodded.
Zoe held out her hand. “May I see Melly Moon?”
Ella tightened her grip on the headless doll and shook her head.
Sully shuffled his position and winced. “Let’s move into the living room.”
Still holding Ella, he reached for Ava’s hand. Zoe followed them into the living room and sat on the end of the leather couch opposite from Sully.
He lifted the hem of the oversize T-shirt Ella wore and wiped the traces of tears from her face. “Hey, Ella, remember when Ava cut her finger?
Ella nodded again. “There was a lot of blood, and she cried.”
“Yes, she did. It hurt a lot.” Caleb reached for Ava and pulled her gently to him. He opened his youngest daughter’s hand and rubbed his thumb across the tiny knuckles on her pointer finger. “The doctor put two small stitches in it. Her finger isn’t the way it was before because now it has a tiny scar, but her finger still works just as well. If Zoe sews Melly Moon’s head back on, you may be able to see where she stitched, but Melly Moon will be in one piece and almost as good as new.”
Ella considered that a moment, then handed the doll over to Zoe. She plopped onto Sully’s leg to watch.
Sully’s face twisted in pain as he readjusted both girls on his lap.
The man needed a shower, strong coffee and a nap...not necessarily in that order.
Zoe threaded her needle. With three pairs of expectant eyes watching her, she felt more nervous about this than training Riley. Dogs were her superpower. Sewing, on the other hand...
With small, even stitches, she secured Melly’s head to her body, knotted the thread, then bit off the excess. She gave the head a gentle tug. Pleased with its strength, she handed the doll to Ella. “Here you go, sweetie.”
Ella took the doll and inspected its neck. “I can’t see where you sewed.”
That was the point.
Sully nudged his daughter. “What do you say to Miss Zoe?”
Ella flew off Sully’s lap and flung her arms around Zoe’s neck, taking her by surprise. “Thank you, Miss Zoe. You saved Melly Moon. You’re the best.”
The girl’s words pricked the fragile shell around Zoe’s heart. It had been a long time since anyone had considered her the best at anything. The warmth of the little girl’s body pressing against Zoe’s chest seeped into her soul, fanning the flicker of a spark she thought had been snuffed out long ago.
Hope.
Careful not to poke the child with her
needle, Zoe wrapped her arms around Ella and hugged her close. “You’re welcome, sweetie.”
Ella pulled away from Zoe and hugged Melly while she twirled through the living room. “Look, Avie, isn’t Miss Zoe the best?”
Ava cast a shy glance in Zoe’s direction and gave her a small smile. Then she nodded.
Did Sully realize how blessed he was to have such sweet daughters?
The look of love he wore answered her question. He would never stop loving his daughters, no matter what they did.
A pang pinched her heart. She wasn’t going there.
Eyes up and feet forward. Her new mantra.
Sully pushed to his feet, not quite swallowing a groan, then held out a hand to her. She took it and stood, not wanting to release his warm, strong grip.
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing them. “You’re amazing. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“What a morning.”
“What happened?” Zoe returned the needle and thread to its case, then stowed everything back in her purse.
“What didn’t happen would be quicker to answer. Ava woke up with a wet bed. I was trying to give them a bath and keep Riley out of their room when you arrived. I’m sorry you walked into chaos.”
She placed a hand on his upper arm. “Sully, relax. It’s just fine.”
“Thanks. That’s cool of you to say. It means a lot. Let me get the girls some breakfast, then we can talk about training the monster if you’re still up to it.”
“I’m game if you are.”
“Yeah, after this morning, we need to do something fast.” He gathered a bundle of unfolded laundry off the couch and righted a beige throw pillow. “Have a seat and I’ll get them squared away. Then we can talk about how to proceed.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”
Zoe reached for his arm and tried not to think about the strength radiating from his muscular form. “Sully, stop being stubborn. You’re a great dad. But asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, you know.”
Sully stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. Instead of answering, he sat on the couch cushion, dropped the laundry at his feet and wrapped his hands around his head. “How do single parents do this, Zoe? How did you handle it with Griffin?” Then, as if realizing what he had just said, crimson rose above the collar of his shirt and colored his neck. “Sorry, I mean, before...”
