Without the least bit of hesitation, Rover trotted over to Mark.
“Worthless mutt,” Mark said, glaring down at the dog. “I hope you realize what you’ve put Jo Marie through.”
Rover lifted one foot, offering Mark his paw as if to apologize.
“Jo Marie might forgive you for running off, but I’m not that easy. Now get in the truck.” He opened the passenger door, and Rover reluctantly walked toward the vehicle. Mark lifted him inside and closed the door.
“He seems like a special dog,” Amanda said.
“Spoiled rotten is what he is,” Mark muttered, frowning.
“My mom would say he’s much loved,” Amanda corrected.
“Whatever. All I can tell you is that I’ve spent a large portion of my day searching for this mutt when I had better things to do.”
“But you’re happy he’s been found, right?” Travis said.
“Oh yes, sorry, I forgot.” Mark reached into his rear pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here’s your reward.”
“No need,” Travis said, as he held up his hand in a stopping motion.
“It would be more accurate to say Rover found us,” Amanda explained.
Mark looked from Travis to Amanda and then back again. “I was sincere about the reward.”
Again, Travis held up his hand. “I appreciate the offer, but it isn’t necessary.”
Mark shrugged. “Your choice. Thank you both.”
“You’re welcome,” Amanda told him.
With that, Mark climbed into his truck and drove off. Amanda watched him go and wondered if she’d have a chance to see Rover again. It was good to know that this special dog had someone who loved him.
“I better get home,” Amanda said, sorry that their time together was at an end.
“Yeah, me, too,” Travis chimed in. “Thanks for the help. I’m pretty sure I’ve got the hang of it.”
“Do you want to meet tomorrow?” she asked, hoping he’d agree.
“Do we have to study?” Travis asked, holding her look. “I’m done searching for your X. He’s gone, and I don’t know Y.”
Amanda laughed. “Meet for a latte, then? Same time, same place.”
“Sounds good to me,” he said.
They each took off in separate directions. Amanda had a warm, hopeful feeling that she’d be seeing a lot more of Travis in the coming weeks, and that suited her just fine.
Jo Marie made busywork around the inn. It was either do something to keep her hands and her mind occupied or slowly, surely, go insane fretting about Rover. She tried not to think of where he might be or why he’d left her.
Anytime she left the house without him, he gave her a look that suggested that he was afraid she was about to abandon him. He’d stare at her with those dark eyes of his, and it was all she could do not to apologize. Almost always, she paused to assure him she’d be back.
Rover hadn’t afforded her the same courtesy, however. Instead, he’d simply disappeared, and from all evidence, he’d done so voluntarily. Dusting shelves, Jo Marie took time to carefully remove each knickknack and wipe down each shelf.
Someone knocked, but before she could get to the door, it opened. Even before she turned the corner, Jo Marie heard Rover’s bark. It was just one bark, as if to announce he was back.
“Rover,” she cried, dropping the dust rag.
He raced around the corner, skidding on the hardwood floor in his eagerness to reach her. Jo Marie fell to her knees, and Rover practically launched himself into her arms. He was licking her face and then yelping before he stretched his neck toward the ceiling and released a howl.
It wasn’t until she saw Mark’s boots that she realized he was the one who’d brought Rover home.
“You found him.” Her heart softened with gratitude.
“Not me,” he said, hands buried deep in his jeans pockets. “A couple of teenagers. They said he basically found them. They were at Java Joint.”
“What in the name of heaven was he doing there?”
“How would I know?” Mark countered with a question of his own.
“I walked all along the waterfront,” she said, sitting back on her haunches, Rover in her lap. “I looked all over that area and there was no sign of him anywhere.”
“Does it matter? He’s home now.”
Mark was right. She nodded. “Home, and that’s where he belongs. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“No need. It was those kids who found him.”
“I’d like to give them a reward.”
“I tried. They weren’t interested. Nice kids.”
Jo Marie looked down at her precious pet. “You won’t be running away again,” she insisted. “Understood?”
Rover held her look and seemed to be thoroughly chastised.
“I suppose you’re going to want me to install one of those invisible fences?” Mark made it sound as if she were about to burden him with yet another project.
“I’d rather you saw to my rose garden first. If Rover takes off again, we can discuss the invisible fence.”
“Why wait? Do you want to go through another day like this one?”
“No.” That was for sure.
“What makes you think he won’t decide to disappear a second time?”
Jo Marie wasn’t sure, but she suddenly had a sneaking suspicion that Rover had been on an undertaking of his own. Once he’d completed his mission, he would have returned of his own accord. Naturally, that was only speculation on her part.
“Thank you, Mark.”
He shrugged as if bringing Rover back to her was just a little thing. She’d misjudged the handyman. True, he hadn’t been able to handle her emotional breakdown, but he’d done what he could. Unable to deal with her feelings, he’d taken action.
“What can I do to thank you?” she asked. With anyone else, that might be a leading question. Not Mark.
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t object to a few more of those peanut-butter cookies you baked this morning.”
Ah, she should have known. “You can take the entire batch home with you.” He deserved every one of those cookies.
His eyes widened appreciatively. “The whole batch? I guess I could take them off your hands.”
How like him to make it sound as if he was doing her a favor. “Great.” She climbed up from the floor and went into the kitchen and loaded up the cookies into sealed bags. As she worked, she heard Mark talking to Rover.
“I hope you know you’re nothing but a damn nuisance.”
“Mark,” she warned
“I was talking to the dog.”
“I know. You might consider Rover a nuisance, but I don’t.”
“Maybe you should.”
“Do you want these cookies or not?” she threatened as she joined him in the front parlor room.
He went silent as his gaze rested on the filled plastic bags. He seemed to be debating his answer before he finally murmured, “Like I said, I’ll take them off your hands.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Mark left as soon as she handed over the cookies, and Rover, who appeared exhausted, curled up and went to sleep on the rug in front of the refrigerator. It was one of his favorite spots for napping.
Jo Marie poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at her small desk, reaching for the phone to call the library to let Grace know her news. After a few minutes, Grace came on the line, her voice anxious.
“Jo Marie, did you find Rover?”
“Mark Taylor did.”
“Oh, thank heaven. I couldn’t stop thinking about you all afternoon. I know how I’d feel if Beau turned up missing.”
“Rover is home, napping. I can’t imagine what made him take off like that. He’s never done anything like this before. But I think …” She hesitated, wishing now she hadn’t said anything.
“Think what?” Grace pressed.
“That Rover had a task in mind, someone he wanted to meet. Does that sound a little crazy?”
&n
bsp; “Not at all. Animals have highly developed intuition. Look at the way the two of you bonded, almost from the instant you saw him.”
Jo Marie had gone to the shelter at Grace’s suggestion and had assumed she wanted a large dog, a protector. Instead she’d come home with Rover, this pint-sized canine who’d chosen her.
“I promised to let both you and Olivia know if Rover was located, so I better give her a call.”
As soon as she hung up, Jo Marie contacted the family court judge. Olivia answered on the first ring.
“Rover is home.”
“That’s wonderful,” Olivia said, and sounded genuinely pleased.
“I can’t thank you enough for all your help.”
“No problem, Jo Marie. We all know how important our pets are to each one of us.”
Remembering what Olivia had said about friendship, Jo Marie said, “If you have time this afternoon, come over with Grace for a glass of wine to celebrate.”
“You’re on. I’ll give Grace a call, and we’ll meet at the inn. I’ll bring the wine.”
“Perfect. I’ll set out a few munchies.”
By the time Olivia and Grace arrived, Jo Marie had a platter set up with cheese and crackers and a bowl of nuts. The three gathered in the parlor by the fireplace. A gentle fire flickered from the grate as gray thunderclouds once again darkened the early-evening sky.
Jo Marie raised her glass of wine for a toast. “To those of us who are lost and then found,” she said. The Rose Harbor Inn and Cedar Cove had become that for her. After losing Paul, she’d been lost, and she’d found a safe harbor here in this welcoming community.
They each tasted the wine. It was an excellent merlot.
“To friendship,” Jo Marie added.
“To friendship,” Olivia and Grace echoed.
“We’ll have to do this again,” Jo Marie suggested. “Perhaps in a few weeks we’ll be able to sit on the porch and look out over the rose garden and gazebo.”
“It’s sure to be beautiful,” Olivia added.
“Rose Harbor in bloom,” Grace whispered. “I can hardly wait.”
BALLANTINE BOOKS BY DEBBIE MACOMBER
Rose Harbor in Bloom
Starting Now
Angels at the Table
The Inn at Rose Harbor
For a complete list of books by Debbie Macomber, visit her website at www.debbiemacomber.com.
About the Author
DEBBIE MACOMBER, the author of Starting Now, The Inn at Rose Harbor, Angels at the Table, A Turn in the Road, 1105 Yakima Street, Hannah’s List, and Twenty Wishes, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Seven of her novels have hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, with three debuting at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly lists. In 2009 and 2010, her Mrs. Miracle and Call Me Mrs. Miracle were Hallmark Channel’s top-watched movies for the year. Debbie Macomber has more than 170 million copies of her books in print worldwide.
www.debbiemacomber.com
Spend more time with your favorite characters from Cedar Cove
and meet a whole new set of guests checking
in to the beloved Rose Harbor Inn
in Debbie Macomber’s heartwarming novel
Rose Harbor in Bloom
Coming soon from Ballantine Books
Read on for a special preview!
Chapter 1
Rose Harbor was in bloom. Purple rhododendrons and red azaleas dotted the property. I stood on the porch, leaning against the thick white post, and looked over the property for my bed-and-breakfast. The Inn at Rose Harbor was beautifully scripted on the wooden sign and was prominently displayed in the front of the yard along with my name, Jo Marie Rose, as proprietor.
I never planned on owning or operating a bed-and-breakfast. But then I never expected to be a widow in my thirties, either. If I’d learned anything in this road called life it’s that it often takes unexpected turns, rerouting us from the very path that had once seemed so right. My friends advised me against purchasing the inn. They felt the move was too drastic: it meant more than just moving and leaving my job; it would mean an entire life change. Many thought I should wait at least a year after losing Paul. But my friends were wrong. I’d found peace at the inn, and somewhat to my surprise, a certain contentment.
Until I purchased the inn, I’d lived in a condo in the heart of downtown Seattle. Because of my job and other responsibilities, I hadn’t had pets, well, other than as a youngster. But shortly after I moved to Cedar Cove I got Rover. In only a few short months, I’d grown especially fond of him; he’d become my shadow, my constant companion.
Rover was a rescue dog I’d gotten through Grace Harding, the Cedar Cove librarian. Grace volunteered at the local animal shelter, and she’d recommended I adopt a dog. I thought I wanted a German shepherd. Instead I’d come home with this indiscriminate mixed-breed short-haired mutt. The shelter had dubbed him Rover because it was clear he’d been on his own, roaming about for a good long time.
My musings were interrupted by mutterings from the area where I planned to plant a rose garden and eventually add a gazebo. The sound came from Mark Taylor, the handyman I’d hired to construct the sign that stood in the front yard.
Mark was an interesting character. I’d given him plenty of work, but I had yet to figure out if he considered me a friend. He acted like my friend most of the time, but then every so often he turned into a grumpy, unlikable, cantankerous, unreasonable … the list went on.
“What’s up?” I called out.
“Nothing,” he barked back.
Apparently, the ill-tempered monster had returned.
Months ago I’d asked Mark to dig up a large portion of the yard for a rose garden. He’d told me this project would be low on his priority list. He seemed to work on it when the mood struck him, which unfortunately wasn’t often, but still I thought a month or two would be adequate in between the other projects he’d done for me. To be fair to Mark, though, it’d been a harsh winter. Still, my expectations hadn’t been met. I’d wanted the rosebushes planted by now. I’d so hoped to have the garden in full bloom in time for the open house I planned to host for the Cedar Cove Chamber of Commerce. The problem, or at least one of them, was the fact that Mark was a perfectionist. He must have taken a week simply to measure the yard. String and chalk markings crisscrossed from one end of the freshly mowed lawn to the other. Yes, Mark had insisted on mowing it first before he measured.
Normally, I’m not this impatient, but enough was enough. Mark was a skilled handyman. I had yet to find anything he couldn’t do. He was an all-purpose kind of guy, and most of the time I felt lucky to have him around. It seemed as time progressed I found more and more small jobs that required his attention.
New to this business and not so handy myself, I needed someone I could rely on to make minor repairs. As a result, the plans for the rose garden had basically been ignored until the very last minute. At the rate Mark worked, I’d resigned myself to the fact that it wasn’t possible for it to be ready before Sunday afternoon.
I watched as he straightened and wiped his forearm across his brow. Looking up, he seemed to notice I was still watching him from the porch. “You going to complain again?” he demanded.
“I didn’t say a word.” Reading his mood, I forced myself to bite my tongue before I said something to set him off. All Mark needed was one derogatory word from me as an excuse to leave for the day.
“You didn’t need to say anything,” Mark grumbled. “I can read frowns, too.”
Rover raised his head at Mark’s less-than-happy tone and then looked back at me as though he expected me to return the verbal volley. I couldn’t help being disappointed, and it would have been easy to follow through with a few well-chosen words. Instead, I smiled ever so sweetly, determined to hold my tongue. All I could say was that it was a good thing Mark charged by the job and not by the hour.
“Just say what’s on your mind,” he insisted.
“I thought I??
?d told you I wanted the rose garden planted before I held the open house,” I said, doing my level best not to show my frustration.
“You might have mentioned this earlier, then,” he snapped.
“I did.”
“Clearly it slipped my mind.”
“Well, don’t get your dander up.” It wasn’t worth fighting about at this late date. The invitations were mailed, and the event, ready or not, was scheduled for this very weekend. It would be nothing short of a miracle if Mark finished before then. No need to get upset about it now.
Actually, I was as much at fault for this delay as Mark. Often before he ever started work, I’d invite him in for coffee. I’d discovered that he was as interesting as he was prickly. Perhaps most surprising of all was that he’d become one of my closest friends in Cedar Cove, so naturally I wanted to find out what I could about him. The problem was he wasn’t much of a talker. I’d learned more about him while playing Scrabble than in conversation. He was smart and competitive, and he had a huge vocabulary.
Even now, after five months, he avoided questions and never talked about anything personal. I didn’t know if he’d ever been married or if he had family in the area. Despite all our conversations, most of what I knew about him I’d deduced on my own. He lived alone. He didn’t like talking on the phone, and he had a sweet tooth. He tended to be a perfectionist, and he took his own sweet time on a project. That was the sum total of everything I’d learned about a man I saw on average four or five times a week. He seemed to enjoy our chats, but I wasn’t fooled. It wasn’t my wit and charm that interested him—it was the cookies that often accompanied our visits. If I hadn’t been so curious about him he probably would have gone straight to work. Well, from this point forward I would be too busy for what I called our coffee break.
Grumbling under his breath, Mark returned to digging up the grass and stacking squares of it around the edges of the cleared space. He cut away each section as if he was serving up precise portions of wedding cake.
Despite my frustration with the delay and his persnickety ways, I continued to lean against the porch column and watch him work. The day was bright and sunny. I wasn’t about to let all that sunshine go to waste. Window washing, especially the outside ones, was one of my least favorite tasks, but it needed to be done. I figured there was no time like the present.