The Second Chance Hero (7 page)

He used meeting her as a reason to get his ass out of bed and ran five miles before even arriving at The Shanty in Northport. Getting sore and sweaty was just what he needed, because otherwise he was going to explode.

Ever since seeing Kim yesterday, he’d needed to blow off some steam. He’d dreamed about her last night and woke up wishing she was there in bed with him because, as his raging hard-on told him, he’d like nothing better than to make those dreams a reality.

The elbow he felt in his ribs made him look down at his sister. “Penny for your thoughts?” she asked.

Not a chance. His thoughts about Kim were way too dirty to share with anyone, especially his baby sister.

They’d traveled up and down Main Street and were almost back to where they started their walk by the harbor, and that’s when he heard it.

Barking.

Yelping.

More barking.

The town green couldn’t have been more picturesque, right down to the gazebo overlooking the water. The barking was coming from an adoption fair sponsored by a local rescue agency. Something clicked inside Owen. A dog. He needed a dog.

He tugged his sister’s sleeve. “Let’s go look.”

Mel looked up at him and smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” As they got closer, a dozen puppies and young dogs contained in small fenced-in areas playfully yipped and barked at the passing pedestrians. He had no idea what he was doing or what kind of dog he wanted, but he figured if the right dog was there, he’d know.

“They’re going to want to details about what you’ll do with the dog when you’re at work all day.”

Owen stopped and thought for a second. “I’ll take it with me.”

“Really? Can you do that?”

“I own a third of the company,” he said, smiling. “I can do what I want.” And he could. He’d never do anything to cause anyone harm, but he was sure there was some evidence someplace that having a dog in the workplace could be a good thing. It would be good for morale. And stress reduction.

They wandered around the pens and he saw more cute puppies than he could handle. Finally, Owen was approached by one of the organization’s volunteers. A petite blonde woman named Elena smiled and picked up one of the little fuzz balls for him to see. “This is Sheba. She’s a Golden-sheepdog mix. Very sweet—around four months old.”

Sheba was adorable. Very cute, but he could see all that gold fur sticking to his dark suits. He kept looking, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a little black flash. Turning, he saw it again. In one of the far pens there was a little black dog jumping straight up into the air. No lie, the dog was going vertical. He walked over and saw a pink collar around the puppy’s neck. She wasn’t very big, and she wasn’t what he would call pretty, but as she sat there, her long tail thumping against the grass, he knew. Turning to the volunteer, he motioned her over. “What can you tell me about this girl?” The puppy was looking from him to the volunteer and back again. Alert, aware—
smart.
She was waiting patiently, still wagging her tail, and damn it if the dog didn’t look like she was smiling.

The volunteer hooked a leash on the dog and lifted her out of the pen. Owen crouched down and the puppy wiggled right over to him. “This is Casey. She’s a lab mix. Based on her bounce we think she’s mixed with some kind of small terrier.”

“Hey, Casey. Hey, sweetie.” The dog’s ears were flat against her head and she was getting right in Owen’s face, giving him lots of kisses. Then she sat and flopped on her back. “She’s ten months old, spayed, has all her shots, and is housebroken.”

“Will she be big?”

“We’re thinking this could be as big as she gets. She’s about forty pounds. Loves to play catch. She’s very affectionate, as you can see.”

“What do you think, Casey? You want come to my house?”

Mel was standing behind him. “God, she’s got you wrapped around her paw already.”

“Totally.”

“Are you his wife?”

“No, sister,” Mel responded. “He’s not married.”

“Are you going to be available to take care of her, sir?” the woman asked.

“Yeah, I work from home time to time, but I can bring her with me to the office. Everyone will love her there.”

“Oh.” Elena looked skeptical. “That won’t be a problem?”

“Nah.” He nodded toward Mel. “I reminded my sister, I own the company. The dog is perfect.”

He filled out the paperwork and got a list of supplies. He tripled the requested donation and gave the volunteer his business card. “Please let the director of the rescue know, if she needs anything, please reach out to me. I’m happy to support the work.”

Elena looked like she’d hit the adoption jackpot. Not only did Casey find a home, Owen planned on making sure the rescue had all the funding they needed.

He picked the little dog up and smiled at his sister, who, it appeared, was wiping a tear from her eye. Casey licked his chin and snuggled into him.

This little mutt was sure going to make things interesting.

He did what the rescue volunteer said and bought the dog a crate, but Casey lasted all of ten minutes in it when it was time to go to bed. Owen had to admit, she was a really good dog. She found a spot at the end of his king-size bed and stayed there all night. He’d brought her to his parent’s condo for dinner and his mother and father really took to her, although his Mom couldn’t resist getting in a dig about needing a human grandchild.

As he got ready for work that morning, Casey walked around his room, moving between the bed, the floor, and then outside on the deck. The ride to the office took about forty minutes, and again, the dog just went with the flow. He wished he could get some of his employees to be so adaptable.

Pulling into the Reliance campus, Owen marveled at the expansive building. When he left for his last tour, they were just starting the interior work on the converted shipyard. The shell was there, but there was no landscaping, no personality. Both he and Nate questioned Jason’s idea to move the company base from New York City to the coastal Long Island village, but he had to admit the place was impressive.

Owen saw the reserved parking sign—in a camo pattern—that said
Reserved for the CIO.
He smiled and finally admitted to himself how much he missed the work and the people who made this place more than a business. Being in the corps was in his blood, and when he’d left, to help his friends with the start-up, he didn’t know how he’d adjust. But once they got into things, when the program started selling, when the business really started to grow, Owen loved it. Parking, he took Casey’s leash and walked down the path that went between the harbor and the building, past the basketball court and the day-care playground, and entered Reliance.

Looking around the reception area, the place was still quiet, but he saw a familiar face at the desk. Carol Lusardi was an old friend of his parents who had been Reliance’s receptionist since they opened a real office five years ago. She’d taken the job when her husband passed away and she didn’t want to be stuck home alone.

“It’s about damn time you showed up here, you rotten kid.”

Coming from behind the desk, she captured Owen in a fierce hug. “Thank God you’re home safe. Tell me you’re done with it.”

“Almost.” He looked down and Casey was sitting. Waiting her turn.

“Who is this?” Carol bent down and scratched behind Casey’s ears. “New mascot?”

“Yeah. I figured I needed to do something to make the place homey. It’s my first time at the new office.”

She grinned. “That’s right! Do you know where your office is?”

Owen looked around the spacious lobby, surveying the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out to the water. There were corridors coming from each side, and he didn’t know which one to choose. “That would be no. Do all the rooms have views like this one?”

“Not all, but most. Wait until you see yours.”

“You’ve got me a little nervous.”

Again Carol laughed, lightening his discomfort. And there was plenty of that to go around. This company was one-third his, he helped build it from nothing, but he didn’t know anything that was going on, and hated feeling so out of the loop. He didn’t even know where his office was. A big problem in his book.

“Come on.” She motioned him to follow her and then looked at the dog. “You too, puppy.”

***

By midday it was like he’d never left. His office was part of a suite that included Jason’s and Nate’s offices, the conference room, a kitchen, and a central area where their assistants had desks. Casey made friends, traveling from desk to desk and office to office. She was pretty well behaved considering it was her first day, too.

His assistant, Marla, had gone to a local pet store and bought bowls, dog food, dog treats, toys, and a big bed for the pup, while Owen took in his new space.

Carol was right to warn him.

The room was huge, with a private bathroom, a bar, a sitting area with large leather club chairs, and a desk that should have its own zip code. Meg had decorated it tastefully, as always, with muted tones and perfectly coordinated everything. Nothing too ornate or girly. What touched him was that she’d had a half-dozen photos of him, Jason, and Nate framed and scattered around on shelves and tables. She never failed to recognize the importance of their friendship.

“Did you really get a dog?”

He looked up from the departmental quarterly reports he was reviewing to see Harper standing in his doorway. She made him think of Kim, who he’d been able to get his mind off of a little, as he helped Casey settle in. Of course now that he had thought about her, he remembered her scent and the softness of her skin, and his body responded like the traitorous bastard it was.

“Yes, I did. She’s awesome. I believe she’s learning to use the copy machine right about now.”

“You are too funny. What are you going to do with her if you have to go away again?”

“My parents and my sister said they’d help out. And that’s if I even have to go. I’m out, completely, at the end of December.” He’d only told Jason and Nate that his separation had been approved.

“Seriously?” Harper sat in the chair facing his desk.

“Yeah. I’m done.”

Harper made a face. He wasn’t sure what the face meant, but she’d never been able to hide her emotions.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing. Well . . . I heard you asked Kim to dinner.”

“Not really. She told me not to bother. I didn’t pursue it.”

Harper stared at him, hard, and then leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “You like her.”

He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “I wouldn’t have wanted to ask her out if I didn’t.”

“Yeah, but it’s more than that. You really like her.”

Owen looked around, lifted the papers on his desk, opened a couple of drawers and closed them.

“What are you doing?” Her grin ticked the corner of her mouth.

“I’m looking for my homework. We’ve obviously gone back to middle school and I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“Smart-ass. Look, I’m just watching out for her.”

“Have I done anything to indicate she needs protecting?” Owen was thinking about all kinds of things Harper could protect her from, but that was just his dirty mind working overtime.

“No. For what it’s worth, I think she likes you, too, but she’s gone through a lot.”

“I’m aware. She told me some of it.” He didn’t let on that he knew the story firsthand. If anyone was going to know his role, and what he knew, he’d tell Kim first.

“What do you know?”

This was really rubbing him the wrong way. He didn’t like talking about Kim with Harper. He knew why his friend was being protective—Owen came from a world that caused Kim a lot of pain—but that didn’t mean Owen was going to give up Kim’s secrets. Harper shouldn’t, either.

“You know what? That’s between me and Kim. What she went through is personal and I’m sure you know way more than I do, but it’s not for me to talk about.”

Yeah, that was Major Kent talking. Every once in a while, his officer training took over and he didn’t care about Harper’s value to the company. He was her boss, he didn’t think the conversation was okay, and he had no problem letting her know. “I think we’re done here,” he added for good measure.

The pure shock on Harper’s face told him she had no comeback. That was a rare occurrence, and he wished he could have enjoyed it more, but the satisfaction of leaving Harper speechless was shadowed by his concern for Kim.

“All right, then.” She stood, straightened her skirt, and smoothed her hair. “I’d better get back to my office. Kim is bringing Anna in so I can have lunch with her.”

Thank God he had a good poker face. Just knowing Kim was going to be in the building made his heart twitch.

Harper was almost to the door of his office when she turned and tipped her head to the side. “You should really check out the gym we put in. It’s got everything.”

“I heard. I’ll go later.” He returned to his papers, pretty much ending the conversation. He hadn’t realized how pissed he was.

He heard a yap from outside his office and Casey ran toward Harper, who gasped when she saw her. It was love at first sight. “Okay, she’s cute as hell.” The dog sat, but not still. Her tail was thumping and she was scooting around on her butt. “Hello, baby girl,” Harper cooed. “How are you?”

“Everyone loves her.”

When the dog had received sufficient attention and flopped on her bed in the corner, Harper directed her attention back to Owen.

She snapped her fingers. “Now I remember why I came down here. You distracted me,” Harper said flatly, remembering she was pissed. “I thought you might be able to help.”

“What is it?”

He leaned back in his chair and motioned for Harper to sit down, which annoyed her even more.

“There have been some issues with the veterans we’ve hired. We’re up to almost thirty now, and as a rule, they’ve been great additions to their respective departments. You know that HR tries to be proactive with regard to mental health issues, stress reduction, substance abuse, and even some of the financial and family problems. The vets, however, have issues and benefits unique to them.”

“Right. There’s a problem?”

“Helen, the social worker who’s handled this kind of thing in the past, is a little overwhelmed. It’s not that she doesn’t want to help, she doesn’t have the contacts she needs to provide the services our employees require.”

Helen was a lovely Danish lady of seventy-five who worked part-time making sure the company’s employees were tended to emotionally. Everyone was always so worried about physical fitness, they tended to forget about everything else. Owen, of all people, knew if your head wasn’t screwed on right, your body didn’t matter much. Still, even he hadn’t thought about the very specific problems that the veterans would have, and that Helen would be overwhelmed.

The issues were different. More and more vets came home, but those who returned often came with multiple physical or emotional issues. More than most health care professionals would be able to handle.

“We need to find a liaison, someone who can connect us with people through the VA. They have programs, but getting through the maze requires someone who knows the system.”

“That’s a good idea,” Harper said, making a note in her tablet. “I’ll see if there’s anything I can do, but in the meantime, we have to figure something out. One of our new hires, great guy, is a below-the- leg amputee. He has a new prosthetic he wants to work with and he’s having trouble getting therapy services.”

That didn’t sound right to Owen. He didn’t need to use the VA, and he wasn’t going to clog up the system when he could take care of himself, but the guys coming home were supposed to be priorities.

“Helen doesn’t know who to contact. She’s trying to act as an advocate, but she’s hitting a wall.”

“All right. Let me think about this and see what I can find out.”

Nothing made his blood boil more than when veterans needed help and couldn’t get it. He flexed the hand he’d injured a year ago, feeling the tension rise through his body. Pretty soon he’d have a rip-roarin’ good headache.

“Why don’t you go work out or something?” Harper suggested.

“Yeah, maybe.” It wasn’t a bad idea. It might help him work out the problem and get Kim out of his head. That was a win-win right there.

“It might help you blow off some steam.”

“I’ll go in a while. I have a few things to finish.”

“Now is a good time. It’s a nice day, so it’s probably quiet.”

“I get it, Harper. The gym. I’m a little busy.”

“No.” She slapped her hand on his desk. “You really need to check out the gym soon.” Harper looked at her watch. “Like in ten minutes.”

It took another second before Harper’s constant nudging made sense. Kim would be there soon and she worked out when she brought Anna to see Harper. While that would certainly lift his mood, she’d sent a pretty clear message that she wasn’t interested. Harper needed to back off.

“Look, I get what you’re trying to do, but I’m not going to force myself on Kim just because you think it’s okay. I do like her, but I also respect her wishes. Maybe, since you consider yourself such a good friend, you should do the same.”

“But . . .”

“That’s all.”

Harper stood there tapping her foot. “Excuse me? Was I just dismissed? Kim is my friend and I have every right to discuss . . .”

That was the last straw. Owen stood, placing both hands on his glass-topped desk, and leaned forward. “You are out of line. I suggest you drop the subject.”

Harper’s heel was tapping furiously and her face had turned an amazing shade of red. She finally spun around and left the office, pushing past Jason and Nate as she went.

“Whoa. What did you do to Harper? She looks upset.” Nate sat in the big leather chair by the window and immediately started tossing a baseball he’d found on the end table.

“I’m not going to coddle her like you two. She’s going to check her attitude at the door. I respect her ability and her ideas and I will never interfere with anything she has to say about this business. But she is not going to interfere in my personal life. Not at the office.”

“She’s butting into your personal life?” Nate asked.

“Yes. She thinks she has a right to tell me what to do about Kim. I hate to tell her this, I don’t need her help. It’s none of her business.”

“She’s used to speaking her mind, regardless of the subject.” Jason walked to the window and snagged the baseball from Nate.

“If it has to do with company operations, I’m all ears.” Owen watched the two of them. At this point Jason was playing keep-away with the baseball. “Is this what you two knuckleheads did while I was gone?”

Nate stood and grabbed the baseball when Jason misjudged. “No, but we did break the foul shot record,” Jason said.

Owen rolled his eyes.

Nate walked over and put the ball on Owen’s desk. “You might want to extract the stick that’s jammed up your ass, Major. Profits rose fifty-one percent when the new software released a few months ago.”

“Employee productivity also rose,” Jason added. “
And
we broke the foul shot record.”