Lakeside Redemption

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...”

“Listen, Sully, I’m the last person qualified to give you parenting advice. I’m probably the world’s worst mom, but I’m so thankful for my parents and my brother, Ian. They deserve all the credit for Griffin being such a great kid. But, the way I see it, you’re trying too hard to prove you’re some kind of superdad.”

“I’m all they have.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Let’s face it, we all need help every now and then. The way you handled Melly Moon was great. You proved to be a hero to your daughter.”

“You were the one who saved the day with your mad sewing skills.”

“My point is you’re doing what matters. Focus on the big stuff. Who cares about a wet bed? Sheets can be washed. Give the girls what they need most—your unconditional love.”

“That’s a given. Thanks, Zoe. There’s coffee in the kitchen. Help yourself to some. I need to get the girls dressed.”

They headed in different directions—Sully followed Ella’s giggles down the hall while Zoe went to the kitchen.

She searched the cupboards for two mugs and filled them with coffee. She pulled out three bowls and set them on the round table under the window. She found two boxes of cereal and grabbed milk and apple juice from the fridge. Cups, napkins and spoons completed the table settings.

Once Sully and the girls had some breakfast and were a little more relaxed after this morning’s calamity, then they could focus on working out the best training plan for Riley.

Excitement brewed, but she couldn’t quite determine if it was for finally using her dog-training skills or for the amount of time she’d be spending with Sully and the girls.

She’d have to work hard to keep an emotional distance. After all, she couldn’t risk her heart over something that could never be.

She couldn’t mix business and pleasure, especially with this family. Sully deserved someone who could give him a shining future, not one with a clouded past.

* * *

How could two little girls make such a mess?

He needed to do better at keeping things together.

Caleb stepped over stuffed animals, a coloring book and several scattered crayons to grab Ava’s wet pajamas off the girls’ bedroom floor.

After they’d moved to Shelby Lake, Caleb had called his sister, Sarah, for help in setting up the girls’ bedroom. He didn’t even want to think about his credit card bill next month.

Sarah had selected white twin beds with matching purple-and-green comforters and curtains. Flower-shaped throw rugs lay in front of matching white dressers with mirrors.

Apparently she felt the girls needed every stuffed animal the toy store had in stock. Not to mention the dollhouse in the corner of the room. A basket of books sat between two fairy-princess beanbag chairs under the window.

A new room for a fresh start.

Giggling in the bathroom pulled him out of his thoughts. He dropped the wet clothes on the pile of dirty towels in the girls’ hamper in the closet, and then strode down the hall.

Within two minutes, he had both girls dressed, hair brushed in some semblance of order and shooed them out of the room so he could empty the tub.

Once the bathroom looked less like a wrecking zone, he headed for the kitchen. He found the girls huddled together on the couch in the living room with Ella aiming the remote at the TV as she sang along with Dora the Explorer in Spanish.

Caleb reached for the remote and flicked off the cartoon. He held out his hands to them. “Come on, girls. Let’s find you some breakfast.”

He didn’t realize how much he had missed the little touches of domesticity until he walked into the kitchen holding the girls’ hands and found the table already set.

That was one thing he never took for granted while he was married. He always made sure he let Val know how much he appreciated what she did for him.

“You didn’t have to do this.” He looked at Zoe, leaning against the kitchen counter, coffee mug in one hand and the newspaper folded open in the other.

She smiled at him over the edge of her mug. “I wanted to. You had your hands full, and I figured I could be a little useful. Hope you don’t mind that I went through your cupboards.”

He waved away her concern. “Doesn’t bother me one bit.” In fact, it warmed him a little to think she was comfortable enough with him and his home to do that. But she wasn’t here to be their housekeeper.

No, in fact, he needed to get a better handle on this parenting thing because he was determined to give his daughters the stability they needed.

He buckled the girls into their booster seats and motioned for Zoe to sit in one of the empty chairs. Once she did, he sat across from her and folded his hands. “Girls, let’s say our prayers before we eat.”

They bowed their heads, and Caleb gave thanks for the food. Under his breath, he thanked God for reconnecting him with Zoe again. He didn’t know what God’s plan was for the two of them, but he didn’t believe seeing her again was a coincidence. He’d go with it until God steered him in a different direction.

Caleb poured cereal and milk into the girls’ bowls. He pushed his bowl out of the way and reached for his coffee mug. After the first couple of sips, he started to feel almost human again. Almost.

Caleb leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.

Ella tapped his arm with her spoon. “Daddy, no elbows on the table.”

“You’re right, sweetie. I forgot.” Caleb smiled at her as he pulled his elbows down and rested his forearms on the table.

“It’s okay. Everybody makes mistakes.”

And he’d made more than his fair share of them. He smoothed a hand over Ella’s drying hair and shifted his attention to Zoe.

She watched them with a mix of sadness and wistfulness. What was she thinking?

Even in the short time they’ve been reacquainted, Caleb could see she wasn’t the same girl he’d known at school. The woman sitting across from him carried heavy burdens. Her eyes used to sparkle with laughter and a touch of mischief. Now they had been dulled with pain and brokenness.

He wanted to see her filled with joy once again, not return to a past life they’d once shared. No, those days were over. But perhaps this could be a new season of fresh starts for both of them.

She reached for Ava’s napkin and wiped the milk dripping off her chin. “I can stay for another hour if you’d like to get a start on Riley’s training.”

He glanced at his watch to see their designated hour was almost up. She was right—the morning hadn’t gone as expected. “Yes, that would be great. But only if you’re sure.”

She smiled. “It’s not a problem as long as I’m not messing up your plans.” At the shake of his head, she continued, “I’d like you to have some basics in place before I leave. Let me just grab my bag so we can go over paperwork and a couple different training plans.” She pushed back her chair and stood. “Mind if we talk in the living room? That way I can see how the girls interact with Riley and his reactions to his surroundings.”

“No, that’s just fine.”

As she walked past him to retrieve her bag, he caught a whiff of her perfume, a sweet fragrance that reawakened emotions he thought were forever locked behind a door marked Do Not Enter.

Maybe not.

Ella drained her juice and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Daddy, may I get down? I’m all done.”

He glanced at Ava. “Are you ready to get down, too, Aves?”

She nodded and smiled, but didn’t say a word.

She’d talk. In her time.

He slid out their chairs and helped them down. “Let’s go into the living room so Daddy can talk to Miss Zoe, okay?”

They headed for the living room to find that Zoe had laid a couple of folders on the coffee table and sat back against the cushion to wait for them. Her long fingers stroked Riley’s fur as he curled in her lap.

As he settled beside her and flung an arm over the back of the couch, Riley stirred. His ears perked. He bounded off Zoe’s lap and jumped on Caleb’s chest.

Caleb turned his face away from Riley’s rough tongue and moved the pup into a better position on his lap.

Zoe reached for the folders and handed one to him. “I’m sure Leona gave you some of this material already when you met with her, but I included it in the packet so it would be together in one place. I’m kind of OCD like that.”

“No worries. Despite the chaos you walked into this morning, I’m an organized person, too.”

“No wonder we get along well.” The smile that spread across her face warmed his insides faster than the coffee he’d downed a few minutes ago.

Zoe reviewed the papers in the packet—Leona’s advertising brochure for dog-training options, a more detailed letter explaining policies and practices, and then an in-home behavior-training program. “At any time, if you’re dissatisfied with Riley’s progress or my training, contact Leona and she will refund your money. All of her programs offer a money-back guarantee. Any questions?”

“Would it be possible to do trainings several times a week instead of spreading them out over the next six or eight weeks?”

“I’m sure we can work something out. Once you sign the release form, we can get started this morning with some basics.”

Caleb leaned forward, upsetting Riley’s comfortable sleeping spot. Once the dog bounced off his lap, Calebreached for the Canine Companions pen and scribbled his signature where Zoe had marked an X. Just knowing they were heading in the right direction helped him to lean into hope—something he hadn’t done in a while.

“The key to Riley’s training is going to be consistency. Training a puppy is similar to caring for your daughters—you want to stay positive, remain patient and praise him for doing well. When you came into Canine Companions, you seemed frustrated.”

That was an understatement.

Caleb rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I guess you could say that.”

“Don’t worry. By the time we’re finished, Riley will be the best-behaved pup in town.”

With the girls in tow and Riley nipping at his heels, he gave Zoe a tour of the house and backyard. She suggested he move Riley’s crate into his bedroom to give the little guy some extra security.

Out in the yard, the morning temperatures were climbing already. As the girls chased each other, Zoe showed him how to take the lead when they snapped the leash onto Riley.

Back in the house, she demonstrated how to stay consistent with crate training. She helped Ella and Ava give Riley a treat. Each time Riley did as instructed, she praised him with words and affectionate touches, then offered him a small treat.

By the time their hour was up, Caleb felt more confident about the pup not destroying everything in the house. But he was reluctant to walk Zoe to the door.

She handed him a piece of paper. “Here’s a list of things that will help you with training. If you give Riley toys to chew on, he’ll leave your personal belongings alone. Try to remember he’s like a toddler and needs gentle guidance and instruction to help learn positive behaviors.”

He glanced at the sheet, then looked at her. “You’re a natural at this, Zoe.”

She dropped her gaze to her feet and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I love animals, especially dogs. Always have. They’re forgiving and eager to please. I get them, and they get me.”

“I can see why. Thanks, Zoe. For everything.”

She placed a hand on his forearm and squeezed. “My pleasure, Sully. I’m really looking forward to this.”

“Me, too.” He curled his fingers over his arm where her hand had been to lock in the feel of her tender touch against his skin.

Maybe, by working together, they’d have an opportunity to revive the past connection they’d once shared. Maybe he could be the one to fill her eyes with joy once again. Would she give a broken has-been like him a chance?

He’d let things move at a natural pace. He wouldn’t rush her into anything she didn’t want, but he wasn’t about to lose her friendship again.

Chapter Four

With the sunshine warming her face and Harper by her side as they walked to Ian and Agnes’s house, Zoe refused to let anything spoil the rest of her day.

She guided Harper up the front steps to the cottage Ian had bought for his wife, Agnes, a little over a year ago as a wedding gift. Best friends for more than twenty years, the two of them had finally wised up to what everyone else had known for a long time—they belonged together.

Now they had everything they’d always wanted.

Would she ever find her dreams?

Ones that didn’t include Sully or his adorable daughters?

After she’d left his place, she had returned to Canine Companions. Leona approved her training arrangements with him and filed his paperwork. She did take a minute to caution Zoe about maintaining a professional distance. Zoe assured her she had nothing to worry about. Sully had his hands full with his daughters right now. The last thing he needed was a relationship with a convicted felon.

A shout sounded from behind the cottage. Zoe led Harper to the fenced-in backyard overlooking the lake.

Gray smoke plumed from the grill on the edge of the patio while the scent of barbecue drifted with the afternoon breeze. A picnic table had been covered with a blue gingham tablecloth while a canning jar filled with wildflowers anchored it down.

The one who attracted her attention was the nine-year-old boy dressed in an Iron Man T-shirt and black basketball shorts, with scruffy golden-brown hair that looked like it needed to be cut and green eyes with gold flecks like her own.

Her son, Griffin—the only decent thing she’d ever done in her life.

But she’d failed him, too.

Mom, Agnes and Griffin stood off to the side while Ian hefted a horseshoe in his hand, then pitched it. Metal clanked against metal as the shoe rung around the stake. He leaned back and let out a shout of joy, then high-fived Dad.

Dad walked to the opposite stake and gathered their horseshoes, then stepped off to the side while Mom, Agnes and Griffin lined up to throw their shoes.

Why did she always feel like an unwanted guest at her own family dinners?

Probably because she hadn’t felt like a family member in such a long time. Sometimes the James family expectations had her retreating inside her shell, wanting to be more of a guest than an actual participant. That way, her parents’ disappointment in her actions wouldn’t hurt so much.

Dad glanced up and saw Zoe standing by the gate. He nodded at her, then whispered in Mom’s ear. Mom turned and smiled, then beckoned her into the fence. “Zoe, come join us.”

Spying her, Griffin raced for the gate. He flung it open and hurled himself against her waist. “Mom! You made it.”

Zoe wrapped her arms around him. “Of course. How could I resist Aunt Agnes’s barbecue and dinner with my favorite guy?”

Griffin released her and smiled wide, showing a small gap between his top front teeth. He was growing too quickly, and she was missing most of it.

“So I come in second after the barbecue?”

“Priorities, dude. Priorities.” She ruffled his hair and made a mental note to call for an appointment to get it chopped before school started next week.

“Yeah, whatever. Wanna throw some shoes with us? You can be on Grandpa’s team.”

Dad would love that.

Harper barked and circled around Griffin’s legs. He dropped to the ground and buried his face in the dog’s black coat. “Hey, girl.”

He released Harper’s harness to allow her to run in the yard and handed it to Zoe. She wrapped the leash and harness and dropped them in the bag that held Harper’s food and dishes. She followed Griffin back to the horseshoe pit.

She hugged Mom and Agnes, then waved to Dad and Ian.

“How was work, honey?” Mom slid an arm around her waist.

“Good, Mom. Thanks.”

Agnes glanced at her watch, then handed her horseshoes to Zoe. “Throw for me. I need to get dinner on the table. I hope y’all are hungry. We have ribs and all the fixin’s.”

“Sounds great.”

Dad stood behind Griffin and covered his grandson’s small hand with his larger one. Together they swung their arms a couple of times to gauge the rhythm of the motion. Then Dad stepped back and nodded to Griffin.

Griff scrunched up his eyebrows and bit the corner of his lip as he stepped forward and focused on the opposite stake. He swung his arm back, then pitched the horseshoe.

It clanked around the iron stake, then thumped to the ground.

Griffin thrust both fists in the air. “Yeah!” He turned to her. “Did you see that, Mom? I did it.”

“You sure did, but then I had no doubt you could do it.”

Dad gathered the horseshoes, then ambled over to Griffin. “Way to go, bubba. You scored the winning point.”

“Yes!” He punched the air over his head a few more times to celebrate his victory.

A whistle pierced the air. Agnes stood on the patio and waved everyone toward her. “Time to eat. Let’s wash up, y’all.”

Griffin jumped to his feet and patted his thigh. “Let’s go, Harper.”

Harper barked in agreement, then raced Griffin to the house.

Once everyone had washed up, they formed a circle on the patio and grabbed hands for prayer. Zoe found herself between Griffin and Dad. As she held on to her son’s hand, which was almost as big as her own, she placed hers in Dad’s.

His warm, calloused fingers closed around hers. For a moment, she pretended all was right in the world, and she was Daddy’s little girl once again.

How many times had he reached out a hand to help her when she had fallen? How many times had he caressed her hair with those hands? How many times had he taught her how to do something, like he did with Griffin?

She missed his terms of endearment, the closeness they once shared. When she was released from prison, Dad claimed to have forgiven her—he’d even worked hard to help Mom and Ian get Agape House opened when a series of setbacks had threatened it. But did he truly forgive her—in his heart where it mattered most?

She’d hurt him deeply, and it would take time for those wounds to heal. She couldn’t erase the past, but she’d do her best not to repeat it. She’d earn back his pride and prove that she was worthy of loving.

And maybe that started with accepting Sully’s offer to help his daughters learn how to manage their new dog.

As soon as Ian concluded the prayer, Dad gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then released it.

“Wake up, Mom.” Griffin jerked on her arm, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Sorry, honey. Just deep in thought.”

“Yeah, I saw. How about getting deep in those ribs on the table?”

“Sounds good to me. Lead the way.”

She followed Griffin and sat at the opposite end of the picnic table from Dad. She glanced down the table to find him watching her, but the moment she caught his eye, he looked away. Folding her hands in her lap, she stared at the pattern on the tablecloth.