Chapter 2
Risa pulled up in front of her farmhouse and swore. Sitting on the front steps was Fiona Sinclair, her best friend in the whole world, sipping a glass of wine with Risa’s cat on her lap and the pups at her feet. After Jax had left with Bella, Risa had cleaned all the equipment and sterilized the room. Then she wrote up her report while everything was fresh in her mind, minus her suspicions about the dog’s mental state. And she’d forgotten about Fiona and their plans.
They had met the first day of first grade. Fee had been the only one not to make fun of Risa’s English accent. Risa had been tall, gangly, and shy, while Fee had always been a bit smaller than the others kids. She’d also been a bit fiercer, and they’d made a perfect team.
She hung her head as she slipped out of the SUV. “Fee, I’m so sorry—”
Fiona held up a hand. “Was it a work emergency?”
“Dog with a fractured hip.”
“Aw, poor baby. Say no more. Here, you probably need this as much as I do.” She held her near-empty wine glass out to Risa.
Risa took the glass and sat down on the steps next to her friend. The cool, crisp white wine slid down her throat and burned her empty stomach. She handed the glass back and took a minute to greet her cat, Morpheus, and her two dogs, Athena and Eir, while studying the prominent stress lines on Fee’s face.
“Rough day?” Risa asked.
“Salvador strikes again.”
Given Fiona’s ex-husband’s track record, Risa didn’t bother asking what happened this time. It didn’t matter. Her role was clear. “Where’s the body? I’ve got the perfect spot to bury him.”
Fiona laughed and laid her head on Risa’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t laugh. You’re probably more than half serious.”
“I’ll have you know I’m one-hundred-percent serious. The guy’s a wanker and doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as that sweet, beautiful boy he helped create. That was his one-and-only good deed in life. Now that he’s accomplished his mission on the planet, he can exit this plane of existence.”
Fiona held up the empty wineglass. “You drank all my wine, you lush. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because Dylan—and, by extension, me—won’t have to deal with Salvador for a while.”
Risa sat up with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm. “Is he getting sent to the Sandbox? Or the frozen tundra of Siberia? Both are incredibly too good for him, but it’s a start.”
“For a woman who would give up her own life to save any four-legged creature, you’ve got a surprising mean streak.” Fiona stood, still holding Morpheus. “Did you hear your Mommy, Morph buddy? I know, I’m shocked too, but I like it. Not sure what that says about me.”
“You’ve got incredible taste in friends?” Risa suggested.
“And horrible taste in men.” Fee set down the cat and automatically went into a Mountain Pose. She breathed deeply and twisted to the side. “He’s someone else’s problem now. He blew off his week with Dylan because this was the only week he could take his honeymoon.”
“Your ex got married and didn’t tell you ahead of time?”
“Nope.” She twisted the other way, exhaling. “Not sure if he thought I’d show up and stop the wedding, or what. If it wasn’t for the crushed look on my baby’s face, I’d be dragging you out to celebrate.”
Risa got the hint; Fee was ready for their yoga workout, but first she needed to change out of her work clothes. She headed inside, followed by the dogs, cat, and her friend. “Where is Dylan?”
“With my parents.”
Stripping off her scrubs, Risa paused. “Then what’s stopping us from going out? This deserves at least a nice dinner and maybe some chocolate lava cake.” She smiled at the thought.
Fee snapped her waistband. “Uh… yoga pants. Plus, you look exhausted. So how about we call for pizza, and while we wait, do some yoga. You can tell me about your day and why you came home looking all frowny.”
So much for lava cake. But Risa agreed and finished changing. First she called in the pizza order, then kicked the four-legged children out to play, or else Eir would be sticking her nose in Risa’s face the minute she went into Downward Dog.
As Fiona led her through the now-familiar poses, Risa tried to clear her mind like instructed. It was so easy for her friend. She was a pro and had discovered yoga before they hit their teens. For Risa, it was a time for her mind to go into overdrive.
Risa’s brain kept circling around to her last patient, and even more so around her human. Striking hazel eyes, hair that was neither blond nor brown but somewhere in between, and a smile that did funny things to her insides. Add all that to a man who cared deeply for his dog, and you had a near perfect package.
“Near” being the key word.
“Yo, earth to Risa.” Fiona waved her hand in front of her face. “Hello, pizza’s here.”
“Has it been an hour already?” Risa asked as she went to pay for the pizza and let the crew back in.
“Yep. I have to say, I’m impressed. I’ve never seen you so in tune and lost in meditation before.” At the look that must have passed on Risa’s face, Fiona narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger. “You weren’t meditating, were you?”
“I tried. It’s not my fault my brain won’t settle down.”
Fiona slid two slices of loaded pizza onto her plate and headed for the recliner. “At least your body is healthy. As for your mind, I give up.”
“It’s my last patient, Bella. She’s a military working dog.”
“The one with the broken hip.”
“Yep, but that will heal on its own in a couple of weeks. I’m more worried about her mental state. She seemed despondent. When Jax carried her in to the exam room, she just laid there. Most dogs show some kind of stress, or try to get closer to their humans or… something, but it was like she had given up on life.”
“Did this Jax say anything about her behavior?”
“He didn’t want to tell me, but finally said she’d been non-responsive to commands recently. They were playing Frisbee, which is how she got hurt. It could be that she’s experiencing burnout. It happens.”
“I thought Doc What’s His Name handles the military dogs.” Fiona had finished off her two slices of pizza and had gone back for more. Risa had no idea where she put the food, as there wasn’t an ounce of fat on the woman.
“Normally he does, but he’s on holiday right now. Jax asked me not to report my suspicions just yet, and I agreed, but I’m going to keep a close eye on her.”
“What else did Jax ask you?”
Risa looked up from her plate. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“Who is this Jax guy? Usually when you talk about work it’s Fido’s dad or Fido’s mom. I’ve never heard you call them by their name, much less their first name, especially since you started at the base clinic. It’s almost as if the people are simply accessories to the animals, and you really don’t see them.”
“Bollocks!” Risa tossed her paper plate down on the table next to the couch and stared at her best friend. What a horrible thing to say. Yes, it was true that she preferred animals to most people, but animals loved unconditionally and didn’t play mind games. Still it didn’t mean she ignored those around her. “That’s not true.”
“Did he ask you out?” Fiona asked.
“No. Why would he?”
“You honestly don’t see it, do you?” Fiona sat down next to her and gave her a one-arm hug. “You’re intelligent, fun, beautiful, and have one of the most compassionate hearts I know.”
“Doesn’t matter. He’s active duty. I would have said no.” It was a steadfast rule of hers; one she didn’t plan to break.
“Not all men are like Salvador and move you far from home, cheat, and then leave you stranded.”
“They all leave eventually.” Risa felt tears burn as old injuries resurfaced. “My feet are happily planted here in Connecticut, near you and Dylan and Mum and Dad, who need me. Plus, Dr. Lagasse is talking about moving to Florida, and that means I’d be in the running to be head vet.”
Fiona clapped with excitement, her eyes lighting up. “That’s huge. When will you know for sure?”
She shrugged. “He and his wife are on an extended holiday right now, road-tripping through the Sunshine State. Hopefully when he returns in a couple of weeks, he’ll have made up his mind, which means I don’t have time for a relationship. I need to be on my toes and proving I can handle the role.”
“Puh-lease. Everyone has time for love. You just have to be open and receptive to the idea.”
Risa looked her friend dead in the eye. “Oh, really? When was the last time you went on a date?”
Her friend squirmed and broke eye contact. Seems the pot didn’t like the kettle calling her out. Too bad, because it’s what friends were for—keeping it real.
“Totally different scenario. I’m a single mom. Guys don’t line up to date me.”
Risa snorted with laughter. “And you think they do for a woman who smells like a dog and is covered in fur? Guess again. Besides, we don’t need no stinking men. We’ve got each other.”
Fiona dropped her head onto the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. “Don’t take this wrong. I love you and everything, but there are things I could use a man for. Like… reaching the dishes on the top shelf, changing light bulbs, and to give Raphael a break once in a while.”
Risa covered her face and laughed. “I don’t want to hear about your battery-operated friend.” She got up and let the pups out again, then stood by the door watching them play in the yard. “At least you have one.”
“Hey, I told you I’d take you shopping, since you’re too chicken to walk into an adult novelty store by yourself.”
“Thanks, but I’m still going to pass.”
“You know they have online stores—”
“Just shoot me now.” She caught Fiona’s giant smile, shook her head, and signaled for Fee to follow her outside. “Can we please change the subject?”
“Fine. You don’t want to talk about the hot guy—and yes, I know he was hot, or you wouldn’t have noticed him. I don’t have a love life to talk about. Dylan is fabulous.” She leaned against the rabbit cage as Risa checked their water and refilled their food dishes. “What did you mean by take care of your parents? Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”
Risa took out Buggsy first and cuddled him. “No, healthy and happy. Mum’s thrilled that school is gearing back up. She does love molding college minds, and Dad got a promotion not long ago, but they’re getting up there. Pretty soon they’re going to retire, and what if something happens to one of them?”
“Nothing is going to happen to them. They’re still young.”
“Dad doesn’t know how to do more than make a fried egg sandwich, and Mum can’t balance the checkbook to save her life.”
She buried her nose in Buggsy’s fur before putting him back and lifting out Lolita. Thinking about her parents in their golden years unsettled her. If they got ill, how would she take care of them? Her place was too small, and they didn’t have the acreage for her animals at her childhood home.
Plus, they drove her utterly mad after five minutes.
“I think he knows more than he lets on, and your mom can use computer software that will figure out all the details for her, so stop worrying.” Fee’s tone, along with the eye-roll, pursed lips, and bored sighed, told her it was time to change the subject.
“Hey, did I tell you I’m going to adopt a mini?”
“A mini-what?”
“Horse.” Risa put Lolita back in her pen and secured the top to make sure her babies were safe from any wild predators. “Maybe Dylan would like to give me a hand on the weekends once I bring her home. It’s a great introduction for him.”
“Oh, like in that commercial where all the other horses shunned the poor little guy, so the woman put in a doggy door and the horse could come into the house?”
“Right, except I’m going to build her a barn.”
“Can you ride them? They’re kind of small.”
“Hence the word ‘mini.’ So no.”
“Then what on earth are you going to do with it?”
Risa sighed loudly. She loved Fee, who was a great friend, but totally didn’t get her love of animals. “I’m going to train her to be a service animal like I did with the dogs, and if that doesn’t work, she’ll be a companion for the next horse I adopt.”
Fee laughed and shook her head. “Adopt away. The more animals you have, the less likely you’ll fall for some sweet-talking sailor and leave me.”
“No worries there. You know I have a strict no-dating-military-guys rule.” Which was almost a shame, because Jax had been nearly perfect—tall, good-looking with a quiet, commanding presence, those mesmerizing hazel eyes, and a devotion to his dog. What more could a woman want?
Not much, if only that woman wasn’t Risa.
* * * *
Risa had just rounded the corner after leaving Bella in her kennel when she collided and tripped over a bag of dog food. The floor rose up. She reached out and grabbed ahold of the desk and… Oh dear Lord, Jackson’s pants.
More precisely, the area below the waist and way above the knees.
Quickly as if her hand were on fire—or groping his privates—she let go. She went down and would have face planted if Jax hadn’t grabbed her elbow and helped her up.
Way to start the day.
“Good morning, Doc. Were you looking for me?” His southern drawl was like melted caramel over ice cream—sweet and smooth.
He had a towel wrapped around his neck and wore a green T-shirt and military working pants. Droplets of water trickled down his face from his damp hair, and he smelled like… wet dog. Or maybe that was the dogs? She stepped closer and took a quick whiff of pure male and clean soap.
“How’s my girl this morning?” Jax’s greenish-blue eyes twinkled with flecks of gold and brown.
His girl. She liked the sound of that, even though she shouldn’t. And what a strange thing for him to say since they’d just met. Clearly he could tell she wasn’t married, with the bare ring finger, but maybe she had...oh. It took a moment for the warm fuzzies fogging her brain to clear and realize he was talking about Bella.
“Good. She’s good.” She needed her focus on work and not on Jax’s impressive biceps. “Quiet. Do you know if she’s had her morning pain medication?”
“She hasn’t. I wanted to wait about an hour after she ate so she wouldn’t be too groggy to take care of her business. I gave her the last dose eight hours ago.”
Risa glanced at her watch. That meant Bella would have been medicated at eleven p.m.. Plenty of time for the effects to wear off. “Is it possible that whomever was on duty already gave it to her, before you got here this morning?”
He shook his head. “No one has gone near my girl, except me.”
“But what about last night when you went home?”
“I haven’t left her side until ten minutes ago to wash up.”
Risa’s jaw dropped. “You spent the night here?”
“Slept on the cot over there.” He nodded to his right. “Or tried to. Bella whined a lot, like she was in pain. She would only go to sleep when I was with her.”
“You should have called me.”
“No point in both of us losing sleep.”
“She seems okay right now, but if you find a half-tablet isn’t managing her pain, you can give her the entire pill.” Risa stepped away to leave, then stopped. “I’ll be back to check on her this afternoon. If you want, I could stay with her tonight. That way your wife doesn’t get mad.”
Why the heck had she said that? It was none of her business if he was married. Plus, he was on her “not-happening” list. The last thing she needed was to fall for some guy who would just get transferred and break her heart.
“No worries, Doc. I’ve got no one pulling my strings and telling me when I need to be home. One of my best handlers will be watching Bella while I’m at work today, and then I’ll be back here after my shift. If anything happens, we’ll call.”
His gaze slid down and landed on her mouth. Risa fought every instinct in her not to lick her lips.
“Besides, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble with anyone at home, either.”
“That’s not a problem. I mean, Morpheus can be a little demanding, but he’s used to being left alone.”
Jax raised his eyebrows. “Your husband’s name is Morpheus? As in the Roman God of Dreams?”
“Cat, and yes, he thinks he’s a god.” She sucked in one corner of her lip to keep from smiling. “Although Athena and Eir keep him grounded.”
He grinned. “More cats or dogs?”
Here it is. If he was interested before, he won’t be now.all right
“Dogs. Athena is an Afghan hound and Eir is a Staffordshire terrier. There’s also Lolita and Buggsy… and I haven’t come up with a name for the mini-horse I’m adopting.”
His smile grew. “Sounds like you’ve got your hands full with two goddesses, a god, a couple of bunnies, and with more on the way.”
She smiled back. It was hard not to, with a man who loved dogs and knew mythology. She wondered what else Jackson Faraday hid behind those striking hazel eyes and panty-dropping smile. Yes, he was off-limits and this was work, but she also had an odd need to explain.
“I found Athena chained to a tree in the woods. She’d been left there to die with no food, water, or shelter. Whoever left her almost got their wish. Another animal had attacked her, but I found her in time, and she fought to survive. Eir had been left at a shelter and was going to be euthanized, and some jerk driving down the interstate threw Morph out the window.”
“What about the rabbits?”
“Neighbor got them for her son. Turns out he’s allergic not only to bunnies, but to their hay as well.”
“So you saved them.”
“It’s what I do. I’m a vet.”
“You’re more than that, Doc. You’re a hero.”
It wasn’t the response she’d been expecting and, coming from him—a man who signed on to defend his country with his life if needed—it humbled her. His words made her almost wish he wasn’t on her “not-happening” list.
* * * *
Jackson scanned his e-mail as he waited for Senior Chief Mike Dunning to finish reading the SITREP on Bella’s accident. He ran his hand through his freshly buzzed hair and blew out a breath of pure frustration. Still no word from NCIS.
It had been three months since he’d turned in the application and attended a prescreen interview with one of the local guys, which he’d thought had gone extremely well. Based on the lack of response, it appeared he was wrong. It was time for him to make a decision: Stay or go. With this being shore duty, if he stayed in, he’d be shipped off to the fleet or sent back to the sandbox.
Get out and then what?
He pulled up the local job listings. Not a lot of positions to select from. There were a couple of entry-level openings for police officers and campus security, along with one security investigator at a nearby casino.
Awesome choices. He shuddered at the thought of living paycheck to paycheck and eating instant noodles.
Problem was, he loved working in law enforcement and living in New England. They actually had four seasons, unlike the south, which had two—hot and hotter than Hades. Not to mention it was a good thousand miles away from his family. He loved them, but his mom and sister’s nagging drove him crazy. As for his dad… he missed him, most of the time.
He also liked to eat, and sleeping in the back of his pick-up didn’t sound appealing. Most of the jobs listed didn’t even come close to what he made now. Maybe it was time to expand his list, look into other federal agencies like Homeland Security or the National Security Agency?
Neither was what he really wanted, but then again, you didn’t always get what you wanted in life.
“You said the vet checked on Bella this morning?” Mike’s question brought Jax back to earth. “Did she think Bella would have any trouble with the leg once it heals?”
“Dr. Reynolds seemed to think she’d be fine in a couple of weeks. I just need to keep Bella quiet and off her leg as much as possible.” Jax scratched the back of his neck as he thought about how he’d manage.
“What you need to do is let her new handler take care of her so she can bond with him. I’ve heard reports that she’s not responding and has been lethargic lately.”
“Nah, she just didn’t feel like working. Probably the heat, and can’t say I blame her. It’s got to be about twelve thousand degrees out there today.”
Mike tapped the papers he was holding against his leg; his telltale sign of frustration. “Jax, the dog lives in a fully air-conditioned kennel, and during the winter they have central heat. Hell, they have it better than I do at home. I know you and Belladonna have been through a lot together, but I’m thinking if we sent her back to San Antonio, she’d do better.”
Jax pushed back from his desk and swallowed the response on the tip of his tongue. As much as he hated to admit it, Bella wasn’t legally his dog. She belonged to Uncle Sam, and the government could send her anywhere deemed necessary. Jax had no say in the matter.
But that didn’t mean he’d give up on her and walk away.
“Mike, as a favor to me, wait before you make a decision. The new doc seemed like she could help. I’ll talk to her and see what she recommends. If she thinks Bella would be better off in Texas, we’ll send her… after her hip heals. Deal?”
He’d made more deals in the last two days than he’d made in the last year, and all in the name of a giant furball who’d stolen his heart.
Senior Chief didn’t say anything.
Crap. Did I push my luck?
Mike looked down at the papers in his hands. “Okay, but I want you to let the new guy, Moore, take care of her. One way or the other, in three months you’ll be gone.”
“What about at night?” Jax knew he was testing his boss’s patience. “She can’t be left alone yet, and Moore’s got kids. It’s not fair to them to miss out on more time with their dad. I’ve got no one at home waiting for me.”
Chief Casey Thomas, his buddy and officemate, walked in. He took one look at them both and stopped. “Am I interrupting?”
“No,” they said in unison.
“So what’s the hot topic this morning?” He settled behind his own desk and stuck his CAC card into the computer.
“Bella broke her hip last night during training,” Jax replied.
“Explains why the pretty new vet was at the kennel. Now that’s one hot topic I wouldn’t mind delving deeper into.”
“Casey.” Senior Chief’s tone reminded them they were at work and not a bar.
“Can it, Case.” Jax’s stomach turned sour at the thought of Casey “Romeo” Thomas and Risa together. The guy had a different woman every week, and he thought of them as nothing more than a fun distraction.
“What? All I’m saying is she’s pretty and I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better. Not my fault your mind went straight to the gutter.” Casey sat back and smiled. “Of course, if you’ve already called dibs, I’ll stay clear.”
“Dibs? No.” Jax looked for guidance from Mike, who closed his eyes and shook his head. “What are you, twelve?”
“Just trying to respect a buddy, that’s all. Besides, unlike some people I know, I actually prefer the company of two-legged females.”
“I give up.” Mike turned toward the door to leave.
“Hey Senior, you never responded about the night shift with Bella.”
“Fine. You can take it, but as soon as she doesn’t need twenty-four-hour care, you turn her over to Moore and let him take the day shift. I need you in here overseeing things.” With a wave of his hand, Mike left, muttering something under his breath that sounded like “two more years of this bullshit.”
Neither Jax nor Casey said anything in response. They both got it: the frustration that came with the job, as well as the need to needle each other to let off stress. Not everyone saw it that way.
“So back to the pretty vet,” Casey said.
“Aren’t you seeing someone? Sherry? Brandy?”
“Not anymore. She dumped me last night to go back to her ex. So I’m free to pursue new interests, and the lady vet interests me very much.”
“If you spout off about how you prefer two-legged company over four, you won’t be scoring any points with Dr. Reynolds.”
“Know her that well already, do you?”
“Maybe…” Jax followed Casey’s frown to the doorway, where Kelly, their administrative assistant, stood with shiny eyes and pinched features. “Hey, Kels. What’s up?”
She gave a little sniffle and smiled. Probably had a summer cold, it was going around. She should be home in bed, but not their Kelly. She was there every day taking care of all of them and making sure they kept on track.
“Here are last night’s reports.” She gave Casey his first, then turned to Jax. “How’s the job search?”
“Slow going.” He took the reports and dropped them in his in-box. He didn’t know why she insisted on printing them out and bringing them to him every day. He could easily access them on the computer. “But there’s time.”
“If you need any help, just let me know. I could even come over and help you tonight after work. There’s this great site—”
“Thanks, Kelly. That’s nice of you to offer, but I’ve got to keep an eye on Bella tonight. Can’t take a chance that she’ll try to get up and move around with that busted hip.”
“Oh, no worries, and I’m sorry about your dog. Well, Bella. Not really your dog, but you know… I know how much she means to you. I’ll whip up some of my special dog treats and bring them down to the kennel for her.”
“Thanks; that’d be nice.”
She hedged away from the desk and stopped. “Jax, I’m sure Bella will be just fine. Dr. Lagasse is the best.”
“He is, but he’s on leave and the new veterinarian is treating Bella.”
“If she wasn’t any good, the doc wouldn’t have left her in charge. Right?” She didn’t wait for him to respond before she turned to the door, waving her fingers. “Okay, if you guys need anything, I’ll be downstairs. Florio is making a lunch run today to your favorite, Casey, if you want anything”
Casey grabbed his phone, presumably to text in his lunch order. “She’s got the total hots for you, dude. Told you, you shouldn’t have gone out with her.” He shook his head and focused on his computer.
“It was a group lunch, not a date, and if you care so much, why don’t you distract her with your charms.”
Casey laughed. “Are you crazy? That woman is like an octopus. I’d never be able to pry her off once she got a taste of me.”
“You really should work on your self-confidence problem, Case. One of these days some lady is going to serve you a good-size helping of humble pie. I just wish I could be around to witness you choke on it.”
“Ain’t going to happen, my friend. The ladies love me and can’t resist my charms.”
“Really? Then how do you explain your ex-wife?” Restless, Jax stood up and walked over to look out the window, all joking aside as he waited for Casey’s answer. He wasn’t trying to be a jerk. They had known each other for years. He didn’t understand what had happened. The last time Jax had seen Casey with his wife, they were all sunshine, roses, and crap.
Not that he had anything against relationships or marriage. It wasn’t for him. Simple fact, and he was fine with it. Picking bad life partners ran in his family. His parents proved it over and over and over again. Even his sister had picked a loser. It was like a DNA defect.
Once, a long time ago, Jax thought he’d escaped the curse and found the one.
What a joke—on him.
His ex, Keri, had had the engagement ring on for less than forty-eight hours when she’d transformed from a sweet, caring, compassionate woman to a monster. He’d been lucky to escape with all his equipment intact—barely.
Since then he steered clear of serious relationships, except with his four-legged girl.
When Casey didn’t answer the question after several moments, Jax repeated it. “What about your ex-wife?”
“Colette was a force of nature and too good for me.”
“Aren’t they all?” Jax mused, reaching for his ringing cell phone. “Faraday,” he barked. He listened to the man on the other end, then hung up and swore.
“What’s up?” Casey asked without looking up from computer.
“That was the detailer. I’ve got thirty days to make my final decision, and then he’s cutting my orders to Diego Garcia.”
Of all the places to send him, the middle of the damn Indian Ocean was the last place he had expected. It was the perfect motivator to get him to drop his papers and get out of the Navy.
“What did you do to piss him off?”
“Man, I wish I knew.”