Cait agreed.
Jack shrugged. “Besides, we don’t know when he ate last and this is an old-time remedy for a puppy or dog with an upset stomach. It’s not just easy to digest. The flavor encourages the dog to eat.”
“You sound like you’ve done this before.”
He chuckled and handed her the meat to unwrap and then a plate. “Our first beagle, Jake, used to eat things he wasn’t supposed to.”
She placed the slice of meat and gravy in the microwave to warm up. “Like?”
“Shoes, sticks, floor tile, birdseed—”
She turned the water off and added the rice. “Your dog ate all of those things?”
“And more.”
The microwave beeped and he pulled the turkey out. Jamie’s little nose twitched and he licked his lips in anticipation as Jack added the warmed-up meat to the rice. “When he was going through the chewing phase, we had to make sure we put away everything that wasn’t nailed down to keep Jake from chewing it.” She looked as if she didn’t believe him, until he added, “That’s when he started on the chair rungs and table legs.”
Her laughter filling his kitchen eased a hole in his life he hadn’t recognized existed. It reminded him of growing up in this house; there had been a lot of laughter. Thinking of the years he’d spent away from home across the sea, when there had been no laughter, had him wondering if there could be again. His gut clenched. He hadn’t even told his parents the full extent of what happened in Iraq.
“Seriously?”
When he didn’t answer right away, she poked him in the shoulder.
“Hmmm…what?”
“I asked if you’re serious.”
“Absolutely. That dog used to drive my mom nuts with his chewing. Who knew a dog would chew the back of a chair?”
Jamie chose that moment to speak. His rough little barks, followed by Caitlin’s laughter seeped into his heavily guarded soul. “I guess somebody’s hungry,” she observed.
“Here.” He handed the dog off to her.
Mixing the meat and rice with a dash of cold water, he put a few healthy-sized scoops in the Transformers bowl, tested the temperature with his fingertip, and set it on the floor next to the water. “Chow down, buddy.”
That was all of the invitation Jamie needed. He wriggled until Cait put him on the floor. He scampered over to his dinner and ate with all the gusto in his little puppy heart.
“His sides are getting bigger,” Caitlin sounded worried.
Jack shook his head. “That’s why you have to be so careful how much you feed a puppy. They’ll just keep eating until they barf.”
She wrinkled her nose and stared down at Jamie. “Did we give him too much?”
“I don’t think so, but let’s try to keep him calm for the next little bit to make sure his dinner stays in his stomach.”
When Jack’s cell phone and house line rang simultaneously, he went straight into combat-ready mode. He answered the cell first. “Gannon.”
Reacting to the worry in the sheriff’s dispatcher’s voice, he wondered why it hadn’t been the sheriff calling him instead of his dispatcher. “Don’t move her, elevate her feet to get her pressure regulated, and keep her comfortable. Does Mitch know?”
“He’s on his way back from Newark, had some police business over there.”
“Tell him not to worry. I’m on my way.”
When he disconnected, Caitlin had the dog in her arms and worry in her eyes. “Who’s hurt?”
“Honey B. passed out at her shop. According to Cindy, Honey B.’s been fighting a virus…she’s supposed to be my ten o’clock appointment tomorrow.”
“What can I do to help?”
Her immediate offer to help resonated deep within him. He always felt the same need to pitch in wherever he could—something else they had in common.
“Could you stick around and keep an eye on Jamie while I’m gone?”
“Yes. I’ll call my dad and let him know I’ll be late.”
“Good.”
Giving in to need, he pressed a swift kiss to her brow before patting the top of Jamie’s head. “I’ll keep you posted.”
***
“Well,” she said, watching the screen door close. “I guess it’s just you and me.” Looking down into eyes the color of her favorite chocolate bar, she wondered if she knew what she was getting into. Nuzzling his face, she sighed. “I’ve got to call Pop.”
Hitting speed dial, she braced herself when he answered. “Hey, Pop…it’s me, Cait.”
“I was getting ready to call Doc Gannon.”
She fought to control the nervous laughter. “Funny thing about that, Pop. I’m over at his house right now.”