Page 55 of Her Christmas Wish
Leigh wasn’t out, anywhere he could see, but Sage was. Sitting on her porch with a glass of what looked like tea.
She waved. Instead of waving back, he veered straight toward her cottage. “You got any more of that?” he asked, climbing the steps without waiting for an invitation.
She stood. Heading toward the door, from which some child’s song was playing, being sung by what could only be cartoon characters. “Sure,” Sage said, adding, “It’s sweetened.”
Telling. Not asking if that was okay.
Because she knew that he was a sucker for sweet tea. Though...he’d never told her why. All part of the putting his best foot forward with her.
She thought she knew him so well...down to his addiction to a particular kind of tea.
The past kept creeping in on them. Wrapping them in some kind of personal and very cozy blanket.
And so, as soon as they were both seated again, sipping tea, he told her something she didn’t know. Throwing off the blanket—in his mind at least. “My grandmother always had sweet tea in the house. No matter how bad things got, how bad a fight she and my mom might have had, or how much pain she was in, she always went for the tea. It was like the panacea for anything bad. Icing on the cake we didn’t have. She’d said it was because it was so cheap. Tea bags, a gallon jug, sugar and water. When the sun was shining bright, she’d always make extra, to account for rainy days...”
“I saw a jug brewing out on Scott’s porch earlier in the week,” Sage said softly. In a tone he knew. Had used to think it was just for him. He didn’t look at her.
Couldn’t chance that she’d be looking back.
Nor risk a conversation that veered toward her wanting to know why he’d never mentioned the tea thing to her before.
A consequence he’d failed to consider before he’d started his soliloquy.
“He drank most of it,” Gray said, with an eye roll. And then started right in with his reason for being there. “I was thinking about starting a class here on the beach, residents only, to teach water rescue to any of the dogs who might be candidates to learn. And whose owners would like to join in.”
First steps toward a possible, more permanent, place for him on Ocean Breeze. Baby steps.
His grandmother used to say that baby steps still completed the journey. She’d been a very wise woman. Something he’d been too young and unaware to appreciate at the time.
“I didn’t realize you knew how to train service dogs.” A benefit he hadn’t foreseen. Space between them. Built by the more than ten years they’d spent apart.
And...interest, rather than any negative reaction to him establishing himself, in any way, on her beach.
Encouraged by how easy his chat with Sage was going, Gray told her about his work with service dogs over the years, starting with having had one as a patient shortly after he’d opened his first clinic. And outlining some of the things he’d done since. Making certain to list his credentials in there, his service training certification, so that she’d know that he was legitimate.
Just as he’d do with any residents who chose to enroll in his free class, if he were to actually offer it. Which was how he ended his long-winded explanation.
By stating the free to Ocean Breeze residents part.
“I’m talking about water rescue dogs, here, not water search dogs,” he clarified as it finally dawned on him that Sage seemed genuinely interested in what he had to offer. “Water search dogs are trained to smell human remains. That’s not this. Water rescue dogs learn to swim out to a human in distress and by various means, get that person back to their handler, whether the handler is on shore or in a boat.”
“Like if Leigh got washed in by a wave...”
He nodded. Didn’t share that he’d had the thought several times since his scare with Morgan. Watching the little girl on the beach. But he did say, “Or adult residents who might get a cramp or hit by a surfboard,” and then added, “It will also help if any of the Ocean Breeze dog brigade get swept away. The dog will instinctively know to get to its handler. And other dogs could help. Assuming we train them to go after each other.”
“When do you propose starting?”
He glanced at her, saw the genuine interest in her gaze, saw a friend, and spent the next half hour working out details with her. She’d present the idea to all her neighbors personally. Would be in charge of paperwork and signing off on liabilities. The class would be held on Saturday mornings. And would run for as long as there was interest.
Neither of them mentioned that Gray’s time on the beach was limited.
Nor did he introduce the idea of him sticking around. Buying a place.
Assuming at least one resident was interested, there was going to be a class.
He and Sage were heading it up as friends.
They were taking a baby step.
