“Ding ding ding.”
“He’s here because I thought he would be good for you.”
“Does he have special skills in shaking clients down? No wait, let me guess—he’s an attack dog who’s been trained to take a literal bite out of our competition?”
“Har, har. That’s not it at all.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Then please enlighten me.”
“Conan has been trained as an emotional support dog—”
With another roll of my eyes, I countered, “That’s just a bullshit term people use to get special perks for their pooch, like getting them on an airplane.”
Isabel shook her head. “While some people abuse the label, Conan is not like that. He’s been specifically trained to aid combat veterans.”
Panic pricked its way up my spine. I now knew where the conversation was going, and I didn’t like it one fucking bit. Weak men needed emotional support dogs, and there was no way in hell I was weak. My fists clenched at my sides. “For your information, I’m not a basket case who needs a dog to keep him from spazzing out. Yeah, I saw some tough shit, and as such, I was experiencing some PTSD. It happens to every soldier who has been through combat,” I spat.
“No—that’s not it at all.”
Her expression softened, which only pissed me off more. “Look, I’m sorry I overreacted last night when you woke me up, but it doesn’t mean I’m some broken guy who needs a dog to put him back together. I just need a little more time to get acclimated to being back home.”
“You and I both know it’s more than that,” Isabel said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.
Fuck me. I shuddered at the intensity of emotion in her blue eyes. How was it possible for someone who was basically a stranger to see straight through to my soul? I thought I’d been doing a stand-up job faking it. After all, everyone else seemed convinced—but not Isabel. She knew the truth. How was that even possible?
“Let’s say just for a moment I entertain this insanity and get the dog—how do I know this isn’t part of an elaborate plan to get me labeled as unstable for the workplace?” In that moment, asshole Thorn appeared without me even having to try.
Sweeping her hands to her hips, Isabel countered, “If this was all just a ruse to get you kicked out of your job, wouldn’t I have done it before I told you I’d been sabotaging you?”
She had a point there. “Maybe.”
“Come on, Thorn. I need you to believe I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart, because that’s the truth. It’s for you and for him.”
“Him?”
“Conan’s a former shelter dog. This is a chance at a new life for him.”
Shifting my gaze, I eyed Conan. “What was a beautiful dog like him doing in a shelter?”
“His owner died, and when none of his relatives would take him, he was sent to the shelter.”
“That’s a fucking shame. He’s gotta be a purebred.”
“Yes, he is, but I’ve seen it so many times over the years at the rescue.”
“Rescue?”
She nodded. “I used to volunteer with Ruff Redemption. Obviously, I don’t have as much time to contribute nowadays, but I try to help out with their big fundraisers. They’re who I turned to last night when it dawned me on how I could try to redeem myself.”
Isabel the dog whisperer—this was an interesting development. I’m not really sure why it surprised me. She obviously had a huge heart, so I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn she did volunteer work; I just didn’t imagine her working with needy creatures with four legs rather than two.
“I never pegged you for a dog person.”
“Come on, I’m a country girl, remember? You don’t grow up on ten acres without at least three or four dogs running around, not to mention the chickens, goats, and the occasional piggy that went to market for our bacon, sausage, and pork chops.”
I laughed. “I would give money to see you back home and running around with chickens.”
“I would make sure you had a good pair of boots first—I’d hate for you to get chicken shit all over your nice shoes.”
“That’s kind of you.”
A heavy silence permeated the air around us. After a few painful moments, Isabel questioned,
“Why won’t you at least give him a chance?”
It was such a simple request, and I didn’t know why it seemed to be so difficult. After everything I’d been through, what could possibly be so hard about a dog? In reality, though, it went so much deeper than just welcoming a four-legged creature into my life.
I clenched my jaw as I worked to replace the wall of defense around me. “You just don’t get it. I’ve led men and women into battle. I’ve always been in charge and in complete control. To take him on would mean I’m no longer in control.” I gave an angry shake of my head. “It means I’m weak.”
“It doesn’t have to mean that at all.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
Isabel crossed her arms over her chest. “Have you ever stopped to think that this is bigger than just you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“As the president’s son, you’re in a unique position to be able to bring attention to a worthy cause. Think about all the service men and women who are suffering at the moment. Maybe they’re looking for someone to be a role model for them. If you can come home from combat and master the corporate world, maybe they can find the strength they need as well.”
“I can do all that without looking weak with the dog,” I countered.
“But maybe they’re wanting a dog or they already have one. You could show them that it isn’t a sign of weakness—that it’s a sign of healing.” She gave me a tentative smile. “You could still be a leader, just a different type.”
Fuck me. As much as I hated to admit it, Isabel was right on so many levels. I desperately needed something to pull me out of the darkness I’d felt since leaving the military. I also needed to deal with what I had experienced in combat. Maybe I could invest in a four-legged therapist, and in turn, I could get my head on straight while helping others at the same time.
Time ticked slowly by as Isabel and I stood in a sort of standoff. Finally, I exhaled a ragged breath. “You make a valid point to which I concede any further arguments,” I finally admitted.
“Does that mean you want to meet him?” Isabel asked, a hopeful gleam burning in her blue eyes.
With slight hesitation, I replied, “Sure.”
A beaming smile broke out on her face. That smile I’d never seen before, and I wanted to know how to put it on her face regularly. Gorgeous. Turning from me, she said, “Come, Conan.”
At her command, Conan hopped down from her office chair and came hustling around the side of the desk. When Isabel instructed him to sit, he sat directly at my feet. Turning his head, he stared up at me expectantly. “Shake hands,” Isabel said.
When Conan held out his paw to me, a tiny sliver of the ice built up around my heart melted a little. Just like Isabel, I’d always been a dog person. When I was growing up, there was never a time when we didn’t have a dog in the house, and Satchel and Babe, my parents’ black labs, were already making a name for themselves at the White House. Mom was determined to follow in the late Barbara Bush’s footsteps by writing a book narrated by them.
I reached out my hand and took Conan’s paw in mine. “Hey, boy,” I murmured.
His eyes seemed especially kind as they sized me up. I wondered what he was thinking. Could he automatically tell some of the shit I’d been through? Did he have some doggy sixth sense about people who were broken in some way?
“What do you think?”
“As a dog lover, I wanted to give you an enthusiastic yes, but I’m torn.”
Isabel put on what I could only describe as her businesswoman face. “What are your reservations?” she questioned diplomatically.
“I’ve never had a dog of my own. When I was growing up, my parents to
ok care of our dogs. All I had to do was love on them or throw tennis balls for them. I have no fucking idea what they eat or what kind of care I’m supposed to give them.”
“Is that all? I can help you with that, not to mention Google will answer any dog-related questions you might have.”
Well, damn. Talk about feeling like an idiot. “Okay, that’s all well and good, but don’t you think I’m taking on a little too much? I mean, here I am just trying to get myself acclimated back to civilian life. What do I have to give him?”
Isabel smiled. “Even though you don’t see it, you have more to give him than you can possibly imagine.”
While I especially liked having her vote of confidence, I still wasn’t completely sold. At the moment, my life didn’t lend itself to taking care of anyone else. Let’s face it: I barely had my shit together as far as adjusting to my new circumstances, so how could I possibly be emotionally and physically present for another living creature? “Okay, but what do I do with him while I’m here at work? It’s not much of a life for him to stay in a kennel all day.”
“Duh, he’ll come to work with you.”
“And do what? Answer phone calls and make copies?”
“He’ll do the job he’s been trained to do: he’ll support you.”
“I already have Ty to do that,” I argued.
“Not in the same capacity.” She gave me a wry smile. “I highly doubt Ty would lie at your feet or lick your face after a hard day.”
“You never know. He just might if the money was right.” Although, if there was any licking involved, I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t want it to be Ty or Conan…
“While Ty is phenomenal in his ability to protect you from danger, Conan comes with a completely different skill set. He is able to detect when you’re about to have a panic attack or episode, thus lending emotional support.”
As I felt the walls of Isabel’s office closing in on me, I stared into Conan’s eyes. Like Isabel had stated, he appeared to already be in tune with my emotions. His head cocked to the side as he whimpered slightly and everything within him seemed to strain to come to my side, but since he hadn’t been commanded, he remained still.
“Where did he get his name?”
Isabel grinned. “I thought you might like the fact that he has an Irish name. It was actually the name his former owner gave him.”
“So, I’m correct in assuming it wasn’t a coincidence?”
“Let’s just say it was a happy coincidence that Conan was just graduating from the training program and also had an Irish name.”
“Conan Callahan has a nice ring to it.”
“Yes, it does.”
I drew in a deep breath before exhaling it slowly. “Okay, I guess I could take him for a trial run, see how things go.”
“That sounds reasonable. He’s pretty much set up for the rest of the day, but we could always make a quick run to the pet store during our lunch.”
“You want to have lunch with me?”
It shocked the hell out of me when pink tinged Isabel’s cheeks. After she’d admitted she’d found me attractive, I couldn’t help wondering if the embarrassment came from the fact that she had said too much. Was it possible she felt more for me than just friendship? I sure as hell hoped so.
After tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she replied, “Well, you know, a working lunch—for Conan.”
Ah, there it was—the letdown. I didn’t usually lose out to the furry guy, but this was apparently my lucky day. “Okay, a working lunch it is.”
After buying Conan a shitload of toys as well as food and a new bed, Isabel and I headed back to the office. The moment of truth came when we got off the elevator onto our floor. That was when the prying eyes apprised Conan at my side. Even if they didn’t know me or know about my service record, it took them only a moment to realize just exactly what the dog was. His vest that proclaimed “Service Animal: Do not pet” told them everything they needed to know.
I won’t lie, that first walk down the hallway was fucking tortuous. Several faces immediately lit up at the sight of a dog on the floor, and I could feel the conflict within them about wanting to pet and love on Conan, but it was the other looks that got to me. My skin burned underneath my suit with their curious stares. I knew it would be a long time before I got accustomed to the looks, and an even longer time before I got comfortable with them.
When I finally stumbled into my office, I exhaled the agonized breath I’d been holding from what seemed like the moment I stepped out of the elevator. As Isabel chewed on her bottom lip, I could tell she was debating telling me she was proud of me or praising me for making my first public appearance with Conan.
It was Ty who spoke up instead of Isabel. He smacked his hand on my back before squeezing my shoulder. “Way to go, brother.”
I cocked a brow at him. “You approve?”
“That surprises you?”
“A little. I mean, you were in the Army and never needed a dog to help you cope.”
“Trust me, I needed help coping—I just didn’t go about it in a healthy way like you are.” He shook his head. “I also wasn’t an officer, nor did I have my life dictated for me. I left the Army of my own volition. You didn’t get that chance.”
Ty’s comment rendered me momentarily speechless. It wasn’t that I had expected him to give me some bullshit answer to stroke my ego, but I hadn’t expected such raw honesty. “Thank you,” I murmured.
“You’re welcome.” With a grin, Ty jerked his chin at Isabel. “Of course, I think all the thanks goes to her. She’s the one who came up with all of this.”
With a smirk, I replied, “Oh, I’m not sure how much thanks I actually owe her. This is all part of her redemption.”
Isabel’s eyes bulged as she began sputtering. “I-I d-don’t think it’s n-necessary to go into all that now, d-do you?”
I laughed at her coming so unhinged at just the suggestion of me revealing her dirty deeds. “No, I don’t think it is.”
The tension in Isabel’s body gradually receded. “Good. Well, if you don’t need me anymore, I’ll head back to my office to get some work done.”
“We’re good.”
After Isabel patted Conan’s head, she started out of my office.
“Isabel?”
“Yes?” she asked as she turned around.
There was so much I wanted to say in that moment, so much that needed to be said, but in the end, I just went with, “Thanks.”
She stared at me intently before replying, “You’re very welcome.”
Once Isabel left, Ty followed shortly after. Then it was just Conan and me. After I sat down in my desk chair, he eased down beside me. When I glanced down at him, I could’ve sworn he was smiling. I reached over and patted his head. “Good boy,” I murmured.
Chapter Sixteen: Thorn
As Conan and I fell into a steady routine together, it was hard to imagine a time when he wasn’t part of my life. Whatever worries I’d had about me acclimating to his presence or him acclimating to my life quickly dissipated. He meshed easily within my schedule, and I had to admit he was a pretty laidback dude who constantly went with the flow.
While he followed all of his commands to the letter, he wasn’t so fond of his kennel. On his second night with me, he burrowed into the covers of my bed and gave me the saddest dog face known to man. I immediately relented and let him sleep with me. Truth be told, I enjoyed having him beside me. Immediately, I noticed I had fewer nightmares, and my sleep was much more restful.
My morning run became our morning run, and on the days the weather didn’t cooperate, he would almost wistfully watch me on the treadmill. When I was at the office, he would lie by my desk or on the couch across from me. I started eating lunch at my desk so I could use the time to take breaks throughout the day to throw a ball around for Conan or take him for a short walk.
It didn’t take long for the media to get wind of my ownership of a support dog, and I’d been snappe
d by the paparazzi almost immediately. After our first night together, I’d called Dad to let him know I was getting an emotional support dog. He didn’t press me to do any PSAs or anything that might reflect well on his administration. Instead, he told me he was proud of my decision and said he looked forward to meeting Conan.
In the end, I took the initiative and phoned the head of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. What happened next was somewhat of a media blitz with both print and television interviews, and Conan turned out to be quite a ham for the cameras. Just like Isabel had predicted, the campaign did a hell of a lot of good for veterans suffering from PTSD, and I was immensely proud of the fact that I’d decided to step out of my comfort zone for the good of others.
One thing I hadn’t expected from getting Conan was how he would bring Isabel and me closer. Although he was neutered, Conan took to Isabel’s dog, Daenerys, like she was his long-lost soul mate. Suddenly, since our dogs were BFFs and hanging out together, so were we. I’d never realized all the dog-friendly places around the city until Isabel pointed them out to me.
With my eyes blurring and my stomach growling, I glanced down at Conan. “I think it’s time we break for some grub. What do you think?”
I laughed when he licked his chops in reply.
“I think I’ll go see if Isabel wants to grab something.” At the mention of Isabel, Conan’s ears picked up. “Sorry, bud, but Dani isn’t with her. She’s at doggy daycare, remember?” As I rose out of my chair, he gave me his depressed face. “How about I make it up to you with some table food?”
He wagged his tail as he hopped to his feet then we made our way out of my office and over to Isabel’s.
Cheryl looked up at me. “I’m sorry, Mr. Callahan, but she isn’t inside.”
“Do you know where I can find her?”
“Last I heard she was headed to the conference room.”
“Thanks, Cheryl.” I then changed direction to find Isabel. I couldn’t imagine what she was up to in the conference room.
When I opened the door, I froze midway into the room. Isabel was leaning over the conference table, which meant her delectable ass was on display through her tight skirt, but even better was the teasing glimpse of her black thigh-high stockings.