Linda O. Johnston - Second Chance Soldier

They were all back outside now, including the two older dogs, who now cavorted as if showing off to one another and to the humans around them. If Amber tried to motion to them or give them a command she doubted they’d change their ways. But if Evan did... Well, not now, though.

“There.” Pointing, she drew closer to the end of the paved path away from the house. It traversed the middle of the rolling green hills within the ranch’s enclosing wooden fence, and along it were some of the other homes on the ranch property. Those were for staff, and some located in the other direction could be rented out to students as they came to learn training methods, although there were also hotels nearby, including the one next door.

Four houses stood in a row here, all compact, single-story structures also constructed with redwood-resembling exteriors. Her mother and she led Evan past the first three to the one at the far end, then Amber turned to look at him. He stared at the house with an expression that appeared both assessing and pleased. Good. That was another plus on his chart.

“This one will be yours.” She walked up to the front entry, a plain wooden door with a window at the top. Having already dug the key out of her pocket, she unlocked the door, pushing it open to let him enter first.

Instead, he gestured politely for her to go in, then her mother. They both did so along with the dogs, though Amber had hoped to see more of Evan’s reaction to the place. Not that the house was anything fancy, but she’d checked its condition when she’d started looking for a trainer and thought it was adequate. The house had been built for ranch hands and their families by a prior owner, but had been rarely used recently, since her dad had had few live-in assistants. He’d kept it up, though, and always believed in treating any employee well.

The door opened into the compact living room, where a fluffy brown sofa and matching chairs faced a small wall-mounted television. A hallway led from it to the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

“Bear, come.” Evan headed first to the kitchen doorway. That was sweet, Amber thought. He appeared to want his dog’s opinion. Evan peered in as Bear ran inside, then back out again, followed by Lola. By then, Evan had moved to look through the bedroom door. The furnishings in both rooms were as utilitarian as those in the living room—adequate, but not particularly decorative.

Well, if he didn’t like anything, he could always replace it for as long as he was here.

Which, Amber realized, she hoped would be a long time. Provided, of course, that his teaching skills were as good as she believed they were thanks to his demonstration.

“Very nice,” he said. The compliment added to Amber’s estimation of him. He was polite to the point of exaggeration.

He’d turned toward her mother, his craggy facial features lifting into a smile. Amber realized she liked his smiles, despite their rarity and how short-lived they were. She liked it even more when he aimed them at her, but she had the impression he felt more comfortable with Sonya.

That was okay. Amber also liked the idea of her mom getting more involved with the ranch and dog training. It might help her move on with her life a little faster.

“Do you think Bear likes it, too?” Amber asked.

“Oh, yeah. It’s compact enough that he should feel pretty comfortable sleeping near me.” He bent to pat his dog’s head as Bear looked up at him.

Lola, meanwhile, was now beside Amber, sitting on the hardwood floor of the living room as if given a command to do so. Amber couldn’t help bending down to pat the black Lab’s furry head, too, and followed with a quick, warm hug. Similarly, Lola slept in Amber’s bedroom of the main house and had done so since her return to the ranch, though Amber had tried encouraging the dog to sleep in her mother’s room.

But Lola’s staying out of that room appeared to be a sign of her grieving, since Sonya remained in the master bedroom of the house even now that her husband was dead.

Amber didn’t mention that, despite a wave of her own grief pulsating through her as it did so often.

When she looked up from Lola’s back, she noticed Evan watching her.

“Well,” she said cheerily, handing him the house key, “were you optimistic enough about this job to bring any belongings with you?”

“Yes,” he said, “I knew you’d hire me. How could you resist?” That must have been partly a joke, since Amber saw the slightest of grins appear on his face as he continued looking down toward Bear. “My stuff’s in my car. I’ll get it in a bit. But—”

He seemed to hesitate, then turned toward Sonya.

Her mother smiled, though her smiles these days were a lot more serious than when Amber’s dad was alive. “Anything we can do to help you get settled in here, Evan?”

“Not really, thanks. Although—”

What was causing his hesitation? Amber got right to the point. “What else would you like us to do?”

His gaze moved this time to land on her. He didn’t look away immediately, and in fact appeared to center his attention right on Amber.

A strange current of confusion and interest swept through her. Not good. A new employee was supposed to be just that: someone to perform the job he was hired for, and that was all.

But Amber found herself highly curious about Evan Colluro. Highly interested in him.

In more ways than one.

“I’d like some additional information about the Chance K-9 Ranch and how training has been conducted in the past. I looked it up on the internet but I’d like to know more before I start conducting classes. Could we all go out to dinner tonight to discuss it?”

A frisson of some kind of emotion tickled Amber, but she sloughed it off. It wasn’t like he was asking her on a date—even chaperoned by her mother.

But what was it about this man that strummed at her sensations so much?

In a completely businesslike tone she said, “Of course. Sounds like a good idea.”

Only then did she glance at her mom—and couldn’t read her expression. Sonya remained an attractive woman at her age, yet since her husband’s death her facial features had seemed to go slack a bit, and there were more lines—definitely not laugh lines—at the corners of eyes, which were brown, like Amber’s. Right now, her pink lips were drawn up on one side as if in wryness, or pain.

“Sorry, dear,” she said in a low voice. “I think it’s a good idea that the two of you get together and talk more before the class tomorrow, but I won’t be able to join you.”

“Really? Why not?” Amber prepared herself to convince her mom that this was simply a business get-together. She needed to ensure she wouldn’t be alone with Evan on this outing. Not that she’d ever consider it a date, but she also didn’t want her mother, or anyone in town who happened to see them together, to think it was.

She was floored a bit by her mother’s response. “I’ve agreed to join Nathan for dinner tonight.” She glanced toward Evan. “That’s our neighbor, who owns the resort next door.” She returned her attention to Amber. “He’s been so—so kind since we lost your father. It’s just a nice gesture on his part, not a date or anything like that. You know I’d never do such a thing. But, well, he invited me, and—”

“I understand, Mom,” Amber interrupted, lying somewhat but not wanting her mother to suffer any further because of anything she did or said. “It’s probably a good thing for us to go out with friends right now.” But was this, unlike her prospective dinner with Evan, actually a date with their next-door neighbor, Nathan Treggory? Unlikely, especially since her mom recognized how it could look and rejected the idea.