Cade needed to think. Needed to sort through his feelings. It wasn’t going to be easy to change the way he viewed relationships. As if his troubled mind had a will of its own, his thoughts zoomed to his mother. She’d come to the courthouse, and according to Harry, it wasn’t because of any connection with his father. It made him wonder if she had regrets over what had taken place between Cade and his father. If she had been looking to build a bridge back to his family, he wasn’t convinced it was a road he could travel.
The fight was technically between him and his father. But his mother had remained silent when he’d felt confident she’d stand by his side instead of turning a deaf ear to what he was saying. He’d been angry with her, furious that she hadn’t stood up for him when he needed someone to believe and understand that he wasn’t a clone of his father.
In retrospect, Cade could see that his mother had been trapped between the two most important men in her life. Maybe she’d had no choice but to remain silent. Now it was too late. Too much time had passed. Even if she had come looking to make peace, her efforts were wasted.
Arriving at the beach, Cade parked his truck, climbed out, and started walking. Time spent at the ocean had the power to calm him. It always had, which is one of the reasons he’d chosen to live in Oceanside.
The constant pounding of the surf, the pattern of it, the assurance that when one wave left, another would replace it, comforted him. That and the strong wind that buffeted against him, along with the cry of the seagulls as they drifted along, seemingly without effort, letting the wind take them where it would. To be so carefree, to have a life this simple, was beyond his imagination.
As his steps carried him to the water’s edge, he noticed children flying colorful kites and a woman sitting in the sand with a large dog at her side.
Only it wasn’t any woman.
It was Hope with Shadow.
Chapter 9
Shadow, on his first day away from the kennel, was tucked close against Hope’s side as they sat on the sandy beach. She’d grown close to this stray. A bit of the pain of being alone in the world dissipated as she ran her fingers through his dense fur. Shadow needed her and she needed Shadow. It was one of those incidents when she could ask who had rescued whom.
With the wind in their faces, completely content to sit side by side, they stared out at the rolling waves as the water splashed against the shore, leaving a thin zigzag line of foam.
For the first time since getting the heartbreaking news about Hunter, Hope was at peace. With patience, love, and persistent training, it was as if Shadow was a completely different dog. While he remained guarded and leery of people, he no longer snarled or acted aggressively whenever someone approached. Hope was proud of the work she’d done and the changes she’d made in his life. And he in hers.
She hadn’t mentioned Hunter to anyone, the pain debilitating even now, a year following his death. Working with Shadow had helped her deal with the loss of her twin. In some unexplainable way, this feral dog had eased the tight hold grief had wrapped around her heart. She was alone now, starting over, building her life from scratch. Only she wasn’t so much alone as when she’d first arrived in Oceanside. She had Shadow and he had her.
* * *
—
Willa was the first person Hope introduced her canine companion to once the adoption papers had been completed. He was now officially hers. Willa surprised Shadow with a special concoction she’d called a puppuccino. He’d loved it, slurping it down in quick fashion, to both Willa and Hope’s delight.
“I’m hearing good things about you,” Willa said, as she handed Hope her drink.
“Oh?” She brightened. After the incident with the flat tire, Hope had to wonder.
“A lot of the high-schoolers stop by after class, and I hear them chatter about what a good teacher you are. One recently mentioned she went to you after class to talk about troubles at home and how much she appreciated the advice you gave her.”
Hope figured that was probably Morgan, a junior girl. She hadn’t felt she’d given her advice that was anything special. What Morgan really needed was a listening ear, and Hope had provided that.
“Good to know,” Hope said, grateful for the positive feedback. “And thanks.”
“Any time,” Willa said, and turned her attention to the next customer.
Hope left and wandered down to the beach. Shadow walked steadily at her side, keeping close and alert.
As it often was at the beachfront, the wind was strong. Kids raced up and down the shoreline with their kites, the long tails flapping in the breeze. Couples strolled along the wet sand, savoring the sunshine.