Heart's Refuge (Lucky Numbers)

by Cheryl Harper

  “We should wait until after the open house,” Jen said slowly as she inched the paper across the desk. “We said in the beginning we’d wait to see whether Paws for Love could build community support.”

  Rebecca wrinkled her nose. “Doesn’t the fact that you’ve been here past closing hours every day for a week indicate that it can? New volunteers. Two new students anxious to shadow Les. Discounts from local suppliers. Paws for Love is starting to gain ground.”

  “And this budget—” Sarah picked up Jen’s copy “—is all about building that support. Whatever glimmer you can see now, we can fan to a flame with the right kinds of events, publicity and the continued lucky streak.”

  Rebecca was nodding. Will’s lips were twitching. Stephanie glanced from Sarah to Jen and back like a tennis spectator. Only Jen narrowed her eyes in consideration.

  “Fine. We’ll start the next phase. But I want to do a short dog show tomorrow. We’ll put three or four on leashes, add cute bandannas, walk them out among these donors. I’ve got two more kids who’ll come and bring their families. Good for publicity and public opinion.” Jen shrugged. “And I can’t take them all home.”

  At this late stage, Sarah was certain she couldn’t handle one more event.

  But it was a great idea.

  So she shook Jen’s hand. “Done.”

  “And another idea I had...” Jen licked her lips and frowned at Rebecca, who blinked back at her, as if she’d never interrupt. “You should take family photos. When the dogs or cats are adopted, make a snapshot with the first names and the animal’s name. Then we could make a billboard or some kind of wall display showing the people who support Paws for Love.” She glanced down at the pleat she was pinching in her jeans. “Then, if someone comes in and they’re on the fence about the shelter or rescue animals or whatever, they’ll see somebody they know, and they can get a reference, a glowing endorsement.”

  Everyone was quiet as they considered her suggestion. Then they all turned to Sarah.

  As if it was her decision.

  “I love it. We’ll need to add a digital camera and figure out printing the photos...” Sarah jotted a note that she hoped she’d be able to read later. “Or what if there was a scrolling display. The pictures might get ragged, but a digital slideshow that could be updated quickly...” She trailed off as she tapped her lips, considering the cost. Then she waved off that big dream. “For now, printing photos. Someday, we’ll go high-tech.”

  Stephanie patted Jen on the back. Will offered her a closed fist. Watching them bump fists might have been the highlight of Sarah’s day.

  The blush on Jen’s cheeks was truly satisfying. She was so intimidating, and it turned out that bluster was her own shield.

  Finally, Jen cracked her knuckles. Rebecca winced at the sound. “I have other ideas. Those were the best two.”

  “The new managing director is going to love them,” Rebecca murmured.

  “Got an employment ad for us to review?” Jen straightened in her seat, ready to get the meeting back on track.

  “Yes.” Sarah handed out a second sheet of paper. “I hope I got everything you asked for. If not, let me know and I’ll make adjustments. If we’re going to advertise, I’d like to submit the ad this week.”

  Sarah tried to relax against the back of her chair as she watched the three of them study the advertisement. Will finished first. “Sounds like the ad for my secretary.”

  “Which worked wonderfully. That Alice is a pleasure to talk to.” Rebecca waved a hand. “Kind of sniffly, but very business savvy.”

  “Yeah, she’s got an allergy, but we’re working our way through it.” Will caught her stare. “It’s not easy to find someone who appreciates well-documented procedures. Add that to an affinity for cats and the field around Holly Heights gets impossibly narrow. Alice was happy to get the job, and eventually the allergy meds will start working. I hope.”

  “Couldn’t you leave the cat at home?” Rebecca asked as she made a note on the employment ad.

  Will and Jen shot Rebecca identical outraged looks.

  “Fine. I forgot who I was talking to. Pet-crazy-come-lately and his stepsister, Just-plain-crazy.” Rebecca shot the paper back across the desk. “Nothing major, a tweak.”

  Sarah nodded and stacked Will’s on top. “Jen? Stephanie? Anything to add?”

  Stephanie tilted her head to the side. “I’ve never hired someone, but I have this feeling we’ll know her when we see her.”

  Sarah waited for a second to see if there was anything helpful to follow that response and turned to Jen.

  Jen’s lips tightened into a flat line as she shook her head.

  “All right, before you go, I was hoping you could review this résumé.” She carefully placed the résumé she’d worked and reworked in front of them. Then she folded her hands. “It’s mine. I’d like to be considered for the new full-time position of shelter managing director, complete with a seat on the board, the new combined salary I’ve already budgeted and an assistant manager who will work part-time and help to oversee the volunteers I plan to pack this place with.”

  “Art? You majored in art?” Jen grunted. “That says so much about you, none of which makes me want to hire you.”

  “I started and finished in four years,” she said. “And I’ve got plenty of fund-raising experience. No one can say I haven’t done good work here. Yes, I needed your help, but I’ve accomplished a great deal in a short time.”

  When no one spoke up in her defense, she stood to pace in a small circle. “Hard work. Good ideas. Commitment to the mission of the shelter. I have all those.”

  “A solid reputation. Goodwill in the community. The ability to influence the decision makers in Holly Heights.” Rebecca sighed. “You don’t have any of those. Not anymore.”

  That was impossible to refute. And the fact that Rebecca was the one bringing it up instead of her harshest critic was depressing.

  “Fine. I’ll run the ad. Promise me you’ll give me one more interview before you fill the spot.” Sarah wasn’t sure what she could do, but one thing she’d learned with all the ups and downs lately was that time could change things.

  Good or bad, in three months or six months, everything could be different.

  “Would you keep your job at the diner?” Jen rubbed her forehead. “And take this on, too?”

  Sarah weighed her options while she tried to guess which answer would be the most persuasive. Then she slapped one hand on her thigh. “I don’t know. Honestly, to pay the bills, I need both jobs. The lunch shift would make it easy enough to help with the morning and afternoon feedings and playtime. If we hired a part-time volunteer coordinator,” she said as she held up one finger, “something we’ve already talked about and budgeted for, he or she could make sure the volunteers have direction anytime I’m out.”

  Will gave her a small nod. “As one of Sarah’s former employers, I have to say she’s resourceful, determined and dependable. If you tell her to improve the visibility of Paws for Love, that’s what she’ll do. I have no doubt. My suggestion is to give her the job, subject to a six-month probationary period.”

  Sarah clenched both hands into tight fists. Mainly to keep from pumping them in the air. Having his support, even his presence firmly in her corner, made it easier to pretend she knew exactly how this would work out.

  No matter what the decision, she could depend on Will’s help. She would work hard to stand on her own, but having his faith made it easier.

  “Put her in charge of the budget for the whole place? That’s a lot of trust.” Rebecca’s tone hurt, but Sarah understood that they had to be careful. Putting someone who made the wrong decisions in charge could hurt the shelter beyond repair.

  Unfortunately, most of the town would suspect her of bad behavior no matter how squeaky clean she lived for the rest of her life.

  “It would save us the cost of posting the ad. And the time. And get her suitcase out of this office,” Jen grumbled. “Th
ere’s no way to get around how easily she’s changed our opinion, either. The first day we walked in here, I wouldn’t have put her out if she was on fire.”

  Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and reminded herself she knew exactly where that hostility came from.

  “And now?” Stephanie drawled. “Please tell me you’d go for the fire extinguisher.”

  Jen pursed her lips. “If it was close, within arm’s reach, say. Anything farther than that, I’m not willing to promise.” Her lips were twitching. “Let’s give her the job. I like watching her work hard.”

  Rebecca stood and offered her a hand. “Six months. We’ll draw up a contract. Effective immediately.”

  “Thank you.” Sarah shook her hand and had to bite back the steady stream of grateful gibberish boiling inside. Since she’d hit rock bottom and climbed out of the pit in six weeks, she was pretty sure she could climb the mountaintop in six months.

  “If we’re done with that, I want to talk about tomorrow.” Rebecca clapped her hands. “Five dozen cookies. Are you sure that’s enough?”

  Sarah blinked slowly and tried to imagine baking five dozen cookies on her own. To Rebecca, it seemed as easy as could be. “Since I only know of two people planning to attend, we may have extras, but I’ll need to eat at least a dozen on my own if this flops.”

  “Then I better get home.” Rebecca waved as she opened the door. “Get some sleep. You look tired.”

  Sarah tilted her head as she tried to figure out what to say to that.

  “We’ll go help Shelly.” Jen shook her head, one hand clamped on Stephanie’s arm to halt her escape. “And we’ll be ready to serve tomorrow. I already bought bandannas for the dogs. Hope’s is pink. And if you can get more than two people to show up, you’re going to be impressed at the way the three of us can work a room. Stephanie taught us everything she knows.” Then she pointed at the back of the office. “Move the suitcase.” Having delivered her final admonishment, Jen left the room.

  Sarah’s only consolation was the knowledge that washing the roomful of cats would leave her doused and worn-out.

  Relieved to have tackled the largest hurdle for the day, Sarah leaned against the desk. Will was watching from the office doorway. “Thank you for encouraging me.”

  “I didn’t do a thing,” Will said. “You did that all on your own.”

  “That smile of yours speaks volumes. And I needed every word today.” Sarah rubbed a hand over her forehead. “As tired as I am.”

  “Neither one of us are all that smooth, are we? Want me to give Jen a noogie? She hates those and she’s little. I could still take her.”

  “No need. She’s going to be washing cats. We’re even.”

  They both fought smiles for half a second, but laughing with him was satisfying.

  “Unless you get out of here quick, I’ll find a job for you, too.” She squeezed his biceps. “Heavy lifting. Or washing dogs. One or the other.”

  Will checked his naked wrist. “Is it that late already? I have to...go, do something.” He motioned with a thumb over his shoulder.

  She should let him go. She was just getting her feet under her. Until she was steady, he deserved space.

  But she needed his help again.

  “I missed you.” Sarah stepped forward to rest against him, content with the fantasy that he was hers and would give her all the support she needed. After a second, his hands landed on her back to move up and down slowly.

  “Your moods change like the weather around here. One minute you’re sunny, then you cloud up and rain.” Will pressed his chin into the crook of her shoulder. “I think I missed you, too. Why didn’t anyone ever warn me how addicting an exciting woman could be?”

  “Probably for the same reason no one ever told me how nice it is to have a guy who’ll loan you a computer instead of the keys to his ‘weekend’ apartment. We wouldn’t have believed them.”

  Will nodded. “I’m afraid you’re right. But now we know better. You ought to know... There’s gossip around town. About the two of us.”

  Sarah studied his face. From his tone, he believed this news to be very serious. “Well, sure. I’m a popular target.” And used to being talked about. Being connected to Will would improve her standing, so she was ready to laugh it off.

  Then she understood the problem.

  “Oh. Are you losing clients?” Sarah crossed her arms in front of her, afraid of the answer. Spending time with Will was worth a little gossip to her, but the success of his business, Chloe’s security, raised the stakes for him.

  Will rubbed his forehead. “Not yet, but...”

  He might. She wanted to set people straight with choice words and her best sneer, but she couldn’t ignore the worry that this was who she’d always be in Holly Heights. Trouble. For any friend or...more.

  How could she stay here?

  “I should have told Doug Grant what I thought about his gossip.” Will grimaced. “I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

  Sarah rubbed at the ache in the center of her chest as she tried to ignore the disappointment. “If you need to pull back from the shelter, I get it, Will.” And she wanted to cry at the thought.

  She could be strong this time.

  “That’s just it. I don’t want to.” His eyes were locked on hers. “I’ve missed being here. I don’t want more space.”

  Sarah had to look away to catch her breath.

  “But finding the right thing to say to people like Doug and Cece Grant isn’t easy.” Will ran his hand down her arm to tangle his fingers with hers. “I might need your help.”

  Sarah stared down at their hands. The temptation to hop a plane to Tampa and leave her worries behind had just disappeared.

  She nodded.

  “If you have time for one more favor, I need some advice.” She stepped back, her knees weak. Telling Will about the envelope was a gamble. She knew what his answer would be: call the police. Turn it in. He wouldn’t take the easy way out, not even for a chance at a life of luxury.

  But for Sarah, it wasn’t so easy. For a step this big, she needed the support.

  She needed Will’s help.

  * * *

  WILL WATCHED SARAH scramble to answer the phone and nodded when she held up one finger. He had time to check on Chloe.

  And recover the feeling in his fingers. As soon as he’d said he didn’t want his space, they’d started to tingle. Probably because he’d been holding his breath.

  Her answer had been...unemotional. Deciphering it would take some time.

  Following the string of giggles coming from the storage room was easy. Believing his eyes when he got there was harder. Shelly and Jen were wrestling a big tomcat under a faucet while Chloe giggled at the long string of made-up curse words Jen was muttering.

  Yeah. No way did he want to be involved in that. Will eased away from the door as his own cell rang. Sarah trotted past and held up one finger before she stepped out into the play yard.

  Will retreated to Sarah’s empty office and perched on her dilapidated chair.

  “What’s up?”

  Answering the phone like that would send Olivia into lecture mode.

  That’s why he did it.

  “You know I hate it when you do that. Civilized people follow an established routine. Hello. How hard is it to say hello?” From the breathing and synthesized music, she was either running on a treadmill or doing aerobics in an elevator.

  “Who is this?” He waved at Chloe, who had squeaked up to the front counter for something.

  “Jerk. How is everything?” Beeps indicated she might be slowing down.

  “Great. Same as two days ago. And like I said then, I’m not bringing her back to Austin until next weekend. I know she needs new clothes, and I understand you want to buy them, but this is important. She needs to stay through the weekend.” Will clenched his teeth to stop the offer but it rolled right out. “I’ll meet you halfway after work one day next week. Okay?”

  “I had my doubts you
two would make it a week, much less the summer. I miss her. Charles bought enough steak to invite the whole city to the welcome-home dinner.”

  “Good for Charles. He can start cooking this weekend and it’ll all be ready by Wednesday.”

  Olivia muttered something under her breath. “Are you doing this to get back at me for something?”

  Since he’d been the chess piece caught between his mother and his father until he was old enough to remove himself from the game, he had no intention of playing with Chloe’s life like that. “No, but the animal shelter we’ve both been working with is having a big day tomorrow. She won’t want to miss it.”

  “And I guess Sarah needs all the help she can get,” Olivia said. How much had Chloe told her? “It’s definitely time you got a date, Will. I don’t love that Chloe seems to think Sarah and her aunt Jen are capable of saving every cat in the world, but...I’ll allow it. Let’s meet halfway on Sunday. Compromise. We’re supposed to do that.”

  He wanted to argue because he wanted every day he could get with Chloe.

  “We’re also supposed to discuss things like adopting cats, and you went ahead and did that without me.” Olivia usually reserved this tone to remind him of all the special events he missed because of work.

  He’d have been livid if she’d done something like agreeing to adopt a pet without letting him know. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  Olivia’s chuckle was a relief. “Yeah, yeah. Chloe tells me you’ve been leaving work early, taking her on cat shopping trips, researching cat carriers with her. She needs time with you. If it takes a cat, you go ahead and adopt twenty more.” Olivia cleared her throat. “Do not adopt twenty more, crazy cat man.”

  “Thanks for giving us this summer.” He and Olivia would argue, but only because they both loved Chloe.

  “We’re still a team, Will,” Olivia said.

  “All right. Where and when?” Shoving aside Sarah’s neat stacks, Will grabbed a pen to write everything down on his hand. “I’m going to miss her.”

  “Yeah, I know, and if you’d moved to Austin...” The silence stretched. Finally, she sighed. “Holly Heights is close. We can make this work. We’ll make sure she has the security we never had. We can do it.”