Great. She looked down at the tiny dog in her hands and he looked back at her and licked her arm.
“Well, well,” she muttered. “I guess we’re stuck with each other.”
The puppy looked up at her, and Joan had to agree with her son. He was adorable.
Just then he peed, as if he’d been holding it far too long. The warm liquid ran down the front of her silk blouse.
As she looked in horror at what he had done, Phil Harrison’s truck turned the corner and pulled up to the front of the house.
Chapter 12
Joan rushed into her bedroom and quickly shucked off her wet blouse and wiped herself down with a washcloth. The puppy sat obediently at her feet as she shuffled through the hangers in her closet, seeking another top. After considering several, she chose a long-sleeved cotton pullover.
Phil had the lawn mower out of his truck and paused when she came onto the front porch. “I see you’re ready to get to work.”
He grinned. “Johnny-on-the-spot is what I like to tell my customers.”
“I appreciate it. Listen, I…hope you don’t mind, but I baked you something. I wanted to thank you for all your help the other day with Maggie and her father. I don’t know what I was thinking, involving you the way I did.” Even now she marveled at how Phil hadn’t hesitated to step into what might have been a delicate situation with Roy Herbert. His insight into Roy’s behavior spoke of a deep compassion and understanding. His wife was a lucky woman.
“It’s fine, Joan. I was happy I was there to lend a helping hand.”
She’d looked for a way to show her appreciation and felt a bit shy about mentioning it. “It’s not much, but both Maggie and I wanted to let you know how much we appreciated what you did. I hope you like banana bread.”
His eyes widened with appreciation. “How’d you know that’s my favorite?”
“I didn’t,” she said, hiding a smile. “It just so happened I had several ripe bananas and I thought, you know, that I shouldn’t let them go to waste.”
“It’s been a good long while since I had homemade banana bread. Thank you.”
“When you’re finished, I’ll cut you a slice. Would you like a cup of coffee to go with it?”
His eyes brightened. “That sounds great.”
Almost against her will, Joan noticed how lean and muscular Phil was. As she had before, she noted he was deeply tanned from his work outdoors. In fact, by all outward appearances, he seemed quite ordinary-looking, and yet despite their brief acquaintance, she viewed him in a completely different light. She returned to the house and cut off a slice from the loaf and wrapped up what remained.
When the sound of the mower died down, Joan stepped onto the porch with a plate and a fresh cup of coffee. He hadn’t mentioned how he liked his brew, so she left it black. Seeing her lawn mowed, she was surprised at what a vast improvement it made. “The yard looks great.”
“All it needed was a little TLC,” Phil said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he headed up the steps.
Joan handed him the slice of banana bread and the coffee. “I hope you like your java black.”
“I do,” he said between bites of the banana bread. “Have there been any more threats from the HOA folks?”
“There shouldn’t be. I’ll let them know I’ve hired you, and that should satisfy their concerns.”
“Good.” He said the lone word with a nod.
The puppy cried from behind the screen door, and Joan collected him, still unsure what she was going to do with this dog. “Look what my son brought me this afternoon.”
Phil’s smile widened as he set aside the empty plate and the coffee cup. He took the pup from her hands and held him at eye level as he looked him over. “What a cute little fellow. Do you have a name for him yet?”
“No…I haven’t even started to think about that. If you have any suggestions, I’m open to them.”
Phil thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No need to rush into it. He’ll show his personality soon enough. When the time is right, you’ll figure out one that’s perfect for him.” He passed and then added, “Amanda had a dog when she was little. Oh, how she loved that silly dog. He followed her everywhere. She named him Cocoa.” His eyes became sad. “Cocoa died shortly before she left for college. Losing him nearly broke Amanda’s heart.”
“I’m sorry.” Joan felt bad for bringing up unhappy memories.
“That loss was a good life lesson for us both. A painful one for sure.”
Feeling bad for him, she paid attention to the puppy and changed the subject. “Until he shows me his personality, I’ll call him No Name.”
Phil chuckled. “No Name,” he repeated, and appeared to find that amusing. He waited a moment and then said, “It’s time I headed out.”
Joan hadn’t wanted this dog, had never considered getting a pet. Having No Name thrust upon her was a shock, and yet she found herself warming to the idea.
Phil handed the puppy back to her. “Thanks for the banana bread.”
“Oh, wait, I have the loaf ready for you.” With the puppy still in her arms, she returned to the house and collected the loaf, handing it to him.
“Thanks.” The warmth in his eyes revealed his appreciation. “The two of us are going to enjoy this immensely. I’ll be back later in the week. Can we discuss the flower beds then? I know you want to work on those, but I have a few ideas I’d like to pass along, if you’d like.”
“That sounds wonderful. Later in the week would be great.”
Again, he hesitated. “Before I go, I wanted to check to see if everything was okay with Maggie.”
“It’s working out well. I’ve never had a boarder before, and the truth is I had a few qualms about taking one on. Once I heard the circumstances surrounding her home life, I felt the need to act quickly. I’m grateful I did. Maggie’s a delight.”
“From what little I’ve seen of her, I agree.”
“Maggie’s decided she wants to check in on her father now and again to be sure he’s getting along okay without her.”
“That alone says a lot about Maggie, doesn’t it?”
“It does. I didn’t mean to detain you, but I wanted to thank you again for your help.”
“Like I said, no problem.”
Phil left her then, and she watched him go.
As his truck disappeared around the corner, it came to Joan that she was moving forward. A few baby steps at a time. When Jared was alive, she had purpose, working together with her husband, day to day. Her routine was set. She knew who she was and was comfortable in the work she’d been given. For the first time she could feel that again.
The puppy whined, and, thinking he might need to do his business, she placed him on the freshly mowed lawn, where he smelled the grass and hopped—yes, hopped—like he was walking on hot coals, causing her to laugh. He raced back to her and stretched up, using her leg for balance.
Joan returned to the house and poured herself a cup of coffee, which she took to the front porch, taking No Name with her. With the sun on her face warming her, Joan sat on one of the Adirondack chairs Jared had purchased the year before his death.