Perfect Partners Read online

  “You didn’t answer my question, by the way.” John interrupted her train of thought. When she looked at him, her face must’ve revealed she’d forgotten the question entirely. He jutted his chin forward. “You and Nicole. Everything good?”

  She took a long sip of her drink. “Things are fine. The same.” She hoped her easy tone reassured him. “She asked me to go by her place the other day to let a service guy in. Her gas meter needed to be read.” She reached down to pet Duncan, who’d settled into a lazy sprawl by her side. “I don’t know why she doesn’t put that house on the market already.”

  “I heard a rumor she might be coming back up north.”

  The thought piqued her interest, but not because she sought to rekindle their romance. The gossip was intriguing but sort of annoying at the same time. Why was she getting all Nicole’s info secondhand from John?

  “I thought maybe”—he paused stumbling over his words—“you two might be getting back together.” He blushed a little, having obviously misread her silence.

  Sara was moved by the effort he was making, even if it was way off the mark. “No.” She smiled sincerely so he would know it was all good. “That ship has sailed,” she said, focusing her attention on Duncan so he wouldn’t see hesitation in her face. “It’s fine, though. We’re better off as friends.” She wondered at the truth of her own statement. When Duncan rolled on his side, she rubbed his belly. “What I need is a dog,” she said, showering the pup with affection. “Isn’t that right, Dunc?”

  “I hate to be the one to tell you this,” John said, interrupting the love session with phony chagrin. “What you need is a girlfriend.”

  Sara couldn’t contain her laughter. “Where is this coming from?” she asked, marveling at the direction their conversation had taken.

  “I’m only half kidding,” he said through his own broad smile. Getting a touch serious he added, “Look, Sara. I worry about you.” He scratched his five o’clock shadow. “I can’t help it.” He rearranged his barbecue tools for the umpteenth time. “Can you blame me? I mean, you’ve been single a while now. And, Christ, you moved an hour and a half away from civilization. Up to the boonies in Shandaken or whatever it’s called.”

  “Phoenicia. And it’s thoroughly civilized. Also, quaint and beautiful,” she added, still beaming at his obvious concern. “Honestly, lately”—she swirled the last few sips at the bottom of her beer—“I practically live in the dorms these days anyway.” She wondered if that bolstered her argument or his.

  “The point I’m trying to make here”—John blew right past her comment—“is you need to get out there. Go on…apps.” He fisted his hand repeatedly as though grasping for the right terminology. “Or whatever they’re called. Find a match,” he finished, throwing air quotes around the word.

  Sara wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. “Are you drunk?” she asked through hysterics.

  “Shut up, you.” He pointed the long neck of his beer bottle at her in a fake kind of scolding. “I’m not drunk.” He shuffled back and forth. “I’m a dad and I’m your friend.”

  Sara pointed one finger straight into the air. “Also, technically, my boss.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “Which makes this conversation super weird and possibly reportable,” she added in good fun.

  “Stop it, I’m being serious.” He put his drink down and looked right at her. “If your mother was alive she’d be saying the same things. Nudging you, I mean.”

  Sara huffed out a small thoughtful laugh, idly wondering if he was right.

  “Hey. I’m being a parent. We nudge, we nag. It’s kind of our job.” He tapped the grill with the flat end of the tongs. “When we see our kids stuck in a rut, we push them. Like it or not, you’re part of this family, kid.”

  They weren’t huggers, but Sara couldn’t help being moved by his sentiment. She met his eyes and gave him a heartfelt smile, hoping it conveyed a fraction of the gratitude she felt at his concern. “I’ll take it under advisement.”

  “That’s all I ask.”

  Thankfully Rose broke up the heavy moment by passing through the sliders with a tray of marinated skewers in need of grilling. Sara jumped up to pitch in and gave her a hearty hello. The remainder of the night was light and fun, filled with good food and great people, old stories and tons of laughs. But when she zipped along the highway to her home in rural New York, one conversation echoed in her mind.

  John was right. It had been too long. She needed to get back out into the dating world—she’d given herself the exact same lecture just the other day. But even as she considered it abstractly, the image of one person raced to the forefront of her mind.

  At first, Sara pictured her in the environment she saw her in daily: the training field, the classroom, even the cafeteria. But then the daydream took on a life of its own, moving them seamlessly to her on-campus quarters, her lovely house in the quiet woods. There was no denying who she wanted.

  As the suburban streetlights faded in the distance, the sounds of traffic giving way to crickets chirping in the trees, she welcomed the fantasy. Because that’s all it was. She wasn’t going to allow herself to act on it. Not in real life. One of these days she’d buckle down, create a profile, Tinder away. But for now, she indulged herself a small departure from reality, letting Izzy Marquez occupy her mind as she walked through the front door of her house, changed out of her clothes, and slipped under the covers, the solace of sleep pleasantly eluding her for hours.

  Chapter Seven

  Izzy was already pouring her second cup of coffee when she saw her phone light up on the kitchen island a few feet away. She looked at Chase, who perked up at the sound of the notification.

  “Saturday morning. That’s going to be Elena.” She gave him her full attention when she spoke. “We talk a lot. And you’re going to meet her tomorrow. Isn’t that exciting?” Maybe it was weird that she was explaining this level of detail to Chase, but it was only his second day in her house and she wanted him to know he belonged here. That meant knowing about her sister and her family and being part of their weekly gatherings.

  Chase’s mouth dropped open into his familiar smile as though he understood at least the sentiment of her words. “You’re going to love her.” She petted his head sweetly as she walked toward her cell. “And she is going to go crazy for you. They all are.” Izzy smiled to herself because she knew it was the truth. Her eyes still on Chase, she reached for her phone, ready to snap a pic of his gorgeous face to send to her sis, but froze when she saw it was Sara’s name illuminating her screen, not Elena’s.

  Before she even opened the text, a second message came through. Izzy thumbed out her passcode in anticipation.

  Good morning. Sara had punctuated the greeting with a smiley face before asking, Is it too early?

  There were more bubbles, but Izzy raced to respond. She didn’t want a third message to come without Sara knowing she was fully awake and available. Not at all, she typed. I’m already on my second cup of coffee. Was that stupid? She hit Send before she could overthink it.

  How did Chase do? Sara asked.

  Of course. Sara was checking in on Chase since last night was his first away from the kennel, his first night in his new home. If there was a part of her that was bummed the message wasn’t strictly personal in nature, it was overshadowed by how much Sara clearly loved her dogs. Even though the check-in was on Chase’s behalf, Izzy melted just the same.

  He did great.

  She thought about the night as a whole. Chase had been eager to explore his new digs, and he seemed happy enough with her modest house, although she wondered how she would even know if he wasn’t. I think, she added, owning her slight fear. How would I know? She hit Send before realizing that depending on how it was interpreted, her last statement could come off rude. She tried again. Sorry. I mean, are there signs I should be looking out for, to know if he’s sad or depressed or something?

  LOL, no. There was a short pause before another
message popped. Chase is a great dog. I’m sure he’s fine. And trust me, you would know if there was an issue.

  Whew!

  There was silence for almost a minute and Izzy wondered if their exchange was done, but then more bubbles appeared.

  Tell me about the night.

  Izzy felt her heart rate speed up and she wondered if Sara was following up with all her classmates to this degree. God, she hoped that wasn’t the case. Izzy wanted it to be just her. It was foolish and ridiculous and surely missing the point of the program, but every time Sara Wright looked in her direction, she felt a charge through her whole body. She ached to get to know her better. She longed for her undivided attention. And, for the moment at least, she had it.

  We got home around four. Chase was great in the car. He didn’t seem to mind the drive one bit. I picked the music, though. She dropped in the laughing emoji.

  Good. It’s important to let him know who’s in charge. Sara answered with a wink of her own and Izzy smiled, seeing she was lighthearted enough to play along.

  Seriously, though, when we got home I took him through the house first. Just showed him the rooms, explained the setup. Then we went for a walk through the neighborhood. I also took him around the yard but didn’t let him roam free yet.

  Probably a good move.

  We dipped into the woods behind my house for a bit because I knew he was dying to see what was going on there. I wanted him to be comfortable with his surroundings, plus I wanted him to get a good workout in. Then we played for a bit. Both outside and in the house. I figured I should tire him out, so he’d sleep. I knew the excitement of something new would rev him up, so I tried to burn some of that off. I thought a good night’s sleep might be important for setting good habits. She threw in the shrug emoji because she really had no idea if she’d done anything right at all.

  Smart. Sara’s answer was one word. But it was a good word, right?

  Yeah? she typed back.

  You have great instincts.

  I have a great teacher. She almost hit Send but thought better of it. It was the truth, but she deleted it anyway. It was too forward and she knew her intention was flirtatious. She needed to get ahold of herself. Taking a deep breath, she replaced the sentence with a bland and professional Thank you. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful.

  So now, the real question. Did YOU get any sleep?

  Izzy laughed out loud and Chase tilted his head at her. “She’s got me figured out, buddy,” she said as she typed her response.

  LOL. I was up a lot at first. I was worried about him! She hoped her emotion came through as concern, not paranoia. Once I realized he was off in dreamland, I fell out too.

  Did he stay with you in your room?

  Izzy walked over to the area just outside her bedroom where there was a small nook that was bordered by her linen closet on one side, her bedroom wall on the other. She’d always found it to be the oddest layout because there were six or seven feet of dead space. But once she brought Chase home, she realized it was the perfect spot to turn into a cozy corner for him. Close enough to her, but still a space of his own. She snapped a picture of his bed and cropped it so a few of his toys were in the frame. She posted the pic onto their text thread with the caption: I set this small area up for him just outside my bedroom.

  Aww. That looks comfy.

  He seemed happy there.

  Perfect.

  I didn’t know if there was a right or wrong place for him to sleep. Like, with me in my room or out in the living room, etc. I actually had no clue, lol. I should have texted you.

  You did great. And there’s no right or wrong answer. You have to do what feels right for you and for him.

  Izzy knew it was pathetic but she was enjoying the back and forth and she didn’t want it to end. She tried hard to come up with something to say but blanked. Thankfully Sara was still typing.

  For what it’s worth, I think it’s good Chase has his own little sleep spot.

  Oh, yeah?

  You know, you two will spend a lot of time together. Working, training. More than if he was simply your pet. It’s good to have some boundaries. You gave him a place where he can decompress. And I’m sure there are times where you might appreciate some privacy too. She capped it off with the winking emoji.

  Izzy almost dropped her phone. Was she reading too far into the words, or did Sara just make reference to her love life? Maybe she was overanalyzing.

  Sara’s next text: What do you have planned for today?

  Sara was obviously more coherent than she was. At least this was an easy one.

  More of the same. A small hike, get my boy acquainted with the neighborhood. Play. Nothing crazy. You?

  Some yard work. Errands. Research.

  Research, as in work? Sure, she was fishing to keep the conversation going, but she was also genuinely curious. On a weekend? she added, hoping to keep it light.

  Ha! Yes. But I love my job, so it never feels like work. There was a pause, more bubbles. I’ll do my chores today and then tonight I’ll light a fire, put on some music, maybe have a glass of wine. It won’t be so bad.

  It actually sounds lovely. Was that too much? Screw it, she sent it anyway.

  Sara answered with the smiley face that was kind of blushing, and Izzy wondered if she was.

  I should let you get back to your day. I’m glad you had a good first night. Give that pup a kiss for me.

  Izzy wanted more, but knew she had to let it go. Ok, bye! She fired off the message, playing it cool. Turning to Chase, she channeled her optimism. “I don’t know about you, pal, but she texted us first thing on a Saturday morning. I’m going to take that as a sign we were on her mind. And I, for one, am hella excited about that. Should we celebrate with a walk?”

  Chase hopped to his feet, ever ready for action.

  “That’s my boy.” Izzy smiled right at him as she downed her coffee and grabbed the leash.

  ***

  Izzy spent the rest of the weekend half wondering what Sara was doing and resisting the urge to contact her. She made it all the way through dessert at her parents’ Sunday evening, when she was about to send a pic of Chase looking unbelievably sweet as he sat perfectly behaved at her side. Before she could compose a message, a new text from Sara came through. Thankfully her nephew had everyone’s attention and no one commented on the huge smile that she knew spread across her face. The message was a link to an article on training tips and techniques, with the tag Thought you might find this interesting.

  Izzy responded right away. I’m at my parents’ but will definitely check it out when I get home. Thank you! She sent the shot of Chase for good measure.

  That face. Sara followed with a heart emoji and Izzy used all her willpower to remind herself it was about Chase. See you both tomorrow. Sara’s final text left no room for banter, so Izzy just smiled, already counting down the hours in her mind.

  ***

  “Teams one, three, and five, you’re with Agent Hayes. Two, four, six, and seven, with me,” Agent Gilmartin called out, glancing at a Post-it for reference. “Eight through ten, you guys are with Dixon. The rest of you get Sara.”

  Izzy felt her spirit sink, the same as it had each time the daily assignments were called out. By the middle of week three Izzy knew the routine. Mornings were filled with agility exercises, obedience, and skills training. The afternoons were devoted to developing techniques specific to K-9 as the cops and agents practiced their new roles through classroom instruction and practical exercises. Training was more intense but it was also more rewarding, not to mention loads of fun.

  Izzy and Chase were inseparable, and as the human half of team seven, Izzy’s only complaint was that she rarely got the chance to work directly with Sara. While the staff juggled the groups around to work with each other and different trainers, it seemed her assignment never sent her in Sara’s direction.

  Maybe it was for the best, she reasoned to herself, although when she broke the thought down, i
t made little sense to her. Why would she be denied the opportunity to work with the best instructor on staff? At times she wondered if her separation was by design. But that didn’t resonate either. In fact, she had an open line of communication with Sara. Their texts the previous weekend proved it. But wait, was that the reason? Did Sara feel she was too social and was pulling away?

  Izzy pushed the negative thoughts right from her mind, focusing instead on getting into the zone as she walked over to station one. Dubbed baggage claim by her classmates, this was the area where canines and their handlers learned the proper methods to search all kinds of bags. Luggage, backpacks, purses, and briefcases were set up in varying arrays: alone in the field, coupled together with other household items, shrink-wrapped simulating a cargo delivery. The dogs didn’t need to learn how to smell, of course, but there was an art to knowing where to sniff: along the seams of a suitcase, underneath a pallet where the vapors that are heavier than air settled.

  Chase was the master. He never missed, and Izzy was beginning to learn the feel of his body, the subtle tension in his muscles, the delicate tweak of his ears the moment before he would sit down, using a passive alert to indicate the presence of bomb-making materials. Each success garnered massive praise from Izzy and some well-earned time with his favorite toy, an eight-inch jute tug as tough and strong as he was.

  Every single day at the facility Izzy’s confidence grew exponentially. She was self-assured and calm, and despite her initial fears of not belonging, she found herself every bit as qualified as her classmates. And she picked up on something special right away. Like the dogs, the handlers had a certain motivation, a drive which almost felt like a calling. There was no competition among them, just united desire to learn from each other so they might all succeed. And while the group members couldn’t be more different in some ways—coming from different parts of the country and representing various agencies—they had a natural synergy. Already Izzy knew she’d made true friends in Mark, Jen, and Ryan. The four of them were something of a clique, trading tips and pointers during breaks and telling war stories every day at lunch in the campus cafeteria.