Magical Weddings (40 page)

I would.
Lucky stepped around the poodle as it danced on its two back legs in front of Kya.

“Well then, let’s get you guys fed.” The two dogs followed her into the back and watched as she prepared their meals.

After Lucky and Pepper were all set, she fed the rest of the animals, then went into her office and turned on her computer. She did a search on communicating with dogs telepathically and was reading about it when Lyn arrived a few minutes later.

“Morning, boss.” She poked her head in Kya’s office.

“Hi! Everyone’s been fed.”

“Okay, then I’ll put the dogs out in their pens for a while.”

“Put Lucky and Pepper out too.”

Before heading into the back, she came into the office and stood behind Kya, peering over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

She spun her chair around to look at her friend. “You believe in the paranormal.”

Lyn raised her brows. “Yeah, so?

“What would you say if I told you that Lucky and I communicated like you and I do? Only I hear what he says in my head.”

Lyn sank into the chair next to her. “You mean through clairaudience or telepathy? When did that start?”

“Last night. Mark came over. Things were tense between us. He wasn’t thrilled to find a dog in my house, and I was still annoyed that he’d missed the appointment at the Chateau. That’s when I heard Lucky speak. At first I thought it was Mark, but it wasn’t, then I thought I must’ve been hearing things. However, I had a pretty long conversation with Lucky later where he told me things about his life that couldn’t have been a product of my imagination. I’ve heard of people who claim they can communicate with dogs, but I didn’t really believe it. Now, though, I don’t know… It must be true. But how does it happen? And why now to me with Lucky?”

“I don’t find it all that hard to believe. You saved his life—that’s given you two a really strong bond—and now he needs to protect you. I’ll bet he didn’t like Mark, did he?”

Kya shook her head. “No, he called him a jerk and said I’d be better off with someone like the guy I’d met earlier at the dog park.”

Lyn cocked a brow. “Ah-ha. So you met someone at the dog park?”

Kya pictured Devon’s handsome face and was embarrassed when she felt her cheeks get warm. “It was nothing. He’s nice. He has a golden retriever that Lucky has a crush on. That’s it. Nothing else to tell. Besides, what else could there be? I’m engaged. Remember?” She held up her ring finger and waved it at Lyn.

“Yeah, but you’re not married yet, so there’s nothing to stop you from meeting someone better suited. Someone who likes dogs maybe…”

“Stop. I love Mark. We might have our differences, but so what. Everyone does. And we’ve gotten off topic. We were talking about Lucky.”

Lyn smirked. “That’s right. Sorry if I have your best interests at heart. Regarding Lucky, I think it’s cool that you can communicate with him to that degree. I wouldn’t question the how or why of it. I’d just be thankful that it happened.”

Kya squeezed Lyn’s arm. “Thank you. That’s wonderful advice and just what I needed to hear.”

“Great, then I guess I’d better get to work, huh?”

“That’s what I pay you to do, not sit around counseling me, although I really do appreciate it,” she said with a laugh.

After Lyn left, Kya spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon going through invoices and ordering supplies.

She’d just taken a fifteen-minute break to check in with the wedding planner when Lyn reappeared in her office. “What’s up?”

“Mark’s here.”

Panic raced through her. Mark never came to the shelter…and to leave work in the middle of the day… Something was wrong. She thought back to last night and their conversation over dinner. Could that have something to do with his visit? They’d had disagreements in the past, all couples did, but he’d never showed up at Helping Hearts before. “Okay, thanks. I’ll be right out.”

When Lyn left, she took a hand mirror out of her purse and checked her makeup. She looked okay but needed some lipstick. After applying it, she tucked her hair behind her ears, straightened her blouse, then walked into the reception area with a phony smile plastered on her face.

Mark stood by the front door, looking very uncomfortable with Pepper jumping around his legs.

“Hi! This is a surprise.” She gave him a quick kiss and took hold of his hand. “We can talk in my office.”

“How about we grab a cup of coffee somewhere instead?” He let go of her hand and bent down to pick some dog hair off his pants.

Kya glanced over at Lyn seated at the front desk, who was trying hard to keep busy. “Lucky’s in the pen out back playing with the terrier that came in this morning. I’ll be back soon.”

“No problem. We’ll be fine here.”

“Thanks.” Kya pushed open the front door and Mark followed her out to the parking lot. They walked in silence. This might be worse than she’d first thought. What in the world could be going on with him? Guess she’d find out soon enough.

She slid onto the passenger seat of his Volvo, then watched as he walked around the front of the car and climbed in the driver’s seat.

Their silence continued for a while as they drove, until Mark said, “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“It sure is.” She glanced at his profile out of the corner of her eye. Something was very wrong if they were talking about the weather. Her heart thundered against her chest. Could he be having second thoughts about their marriage?

She was glad when he pulled the car into the parking lot of Coffee and More, because the suspense was killing her. If he was going to break off their engagement, she wanted to know now and not prolong the suspense.

They found a corner table by the window. Mark went to get their coffees.

When he came back, he sat across from her, resting his elbows on the table. He leaned in and looked directly into her eyes. “I’m crazy about you.”

She sucked in a gulp of air as she waited for the
but
that would come next.

“Last night really got me thinking. We’ve been getting on each other’s nerves lately.”

Oh no. There it was. He no longer wanted to marry her. “That’s to be expected, don’t you think? I mean with the wedding plans and all, that would put a strain on anyone’s nerves.”

He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. “I agree one hundred percent. And that’s why when the producers announced that they wanted us to shoot the rest of the documentary in Costa Rica, I thought it was a fantastic idea.”

Kya’s eyes grew wide as she stared at him and tried to absorb what he was telling her. “So what does that mean for us?”

“It means it’ll give us a little breather.” He stroked the top of her hand with his thumb. “So what do think?”

She blinked quickly, momentarily at a loss for words. “Do I have a say in this?”

He looked at her with amazement. “Well, what do you want to say? It’s my job. I have to go. Besides, I think it’ll be good for our relationship. You know what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

“And you’ll be back in time for the wedding?”

He flashed her a brilliant smile. “Of course, babe. Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t miss my own wedding.”

“When do you leave?”

“Tonight.” He flipped over his wrist to look at his watch. “And I better get going. I’ve got a ton of things to do yet.”

She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, feeling like she’d just been kicked in the chest. “Okay. Guess I’ll take the rest of my coffee back to the shelter with me.”

“Thanks for understanding.” He pushed back his chair to stand, then walked around the table and kissed her on the cheek. “Ready?”

“Yep.” She popped the lid back on her coffee and followed him out of the shop and to the car.

There was no doubt he was in a hurry and preoccupied with his upcoming trip, so she didn’t even try to make conversation on the way back to the shelter. When he pulled into the parking lot, she undid her seat belt and was ready to bolt out of the car as he pulled up to the front door.

“I’ll see you in about two weeks,” she said, fighting back tears.

“I’ll call when I can. We’ve already been warned that the reception is spotty at best.”

He leaned over the center console to kiss her. She wouldn’t call it passionless, but there was none of the fire in his kiss that she would have expected, seeing as they’d be apart for so long. But things could’ve been worse. He could’ve called off the wedding, as she’d thought he might do.

“I love you,” she whispered against his cheek.

“Love you too.”

After she got out of the car and walked around its hood, she realized she’d forgotten her coffee. She waved to Mark, but he was already on his way and didn’t see her. Oh well, she didn’t really need the caffeine anyway.

When she entered Helping Hearts, Lyn was talking to a couple of part-time volunteers, so Kya went straight into her office. A few minutes later, there was a knock at her door.

“Mind if I come in?” Before Kya could answer, Lyn plopped down in a chair next to her desk. “What happened? What did Mark do now?”

Kya shook her head, still in shock. “Mark’s going to Central America. He’s leaving tonight.”

“That’s sudden.”

“Yeah.”

Lyn put her arm over her shoulders. “You know, this might be a good thing. It’ll give you two a much-needed break. Things have been tough for a while.”

She sighed. “That’s exactly what he said.”

“I hate it when I have to agree with him. Look at it this way, you can finish your wedding preparations without aggravation. No more wondering if he’ll show up for an appointment.”

“You’re right. But I can’t help wondering what will happen down the road after we’re married. Will he just up and leave for months at a time?”

Lyn shrugged. “He might. He’s got that kind of job, you know.”

“I never really thought of that. I guess because I hadn’t been confronted with it until now.”

“Will you be able to live like that?”

Kya looked down at the floor, then back up at Lyn. “I don’t know. Guess I’ll find out, won’t I?”

“You will if you marry him.”

Kya got up and walked over to the door. “Come on. Let’s get some work done so we can get out of here on time tonight.”

****

Devon threw the ball for Daisy and watched her retrieve it. He hated to admit that he hoped she’d run back to him with George/Lucky in tow. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Kya all day. He’d even been in such a hurry to get to the park that he hadn’t bothered with dinner, figuring he’d eat last night’s leftovers later. It was ridiculous to want to see her again. Nothing would come of it. And he knew it was probably because she reminded him of Char. He also knew how unhealthy that was, so it was for the best that Daisy came galloping back alone.

He scooped up the ball that she dropped at his feet and set it on the bench beside him. “How about we give the game a rest?” He reached into his backpack and pulled out a book for himself and a bone for Daisy. “You can have this instead.” He handed it to her, and she happily lay down at his feet.

He’d read about two chapters before he looked up to find Lucky bounding their way. He drew in a sharp breath when he spotted Kya a few feet behind. He smiled and waved at her. Although she waved back, he could tell by her drooped shoulders that something was wrong.

“It’s nice to see you again.” He studied her face as she stood in front of him.

“Nice to see you too.”

“Please, have a seat.” He grabbed Daisy’s ball off the bench and stuffed it in his backpack so Kya could sit down.

“Thanks.” She sat next to him. “I thought I’d bring Lucky back again today and let him run around. He loves the park…and Daisy. Besides, I could use the fresh air myself.”

“Rough day at work?”

She raised her brows. “Is it that obvious?”

“Kind of, although I’d say you look more down in the dumps than tired.”

“Really? You can tell that by looking at me?”

Devon smiled. “You have a very expressive face.”

“That’s the first time anyone’s ever said that to me.”

He glanced down at her left hand to the diamond sparkling under the late-afternoon sun. “Not even your fiancé?”

“Especially not my fiancé. Mark’s not very observant when it comes to reading my feelings.”

“Char would’ve bitten my head off if I hadn’t known when she was upset with something.”

She looked at him with clear blue eyes the color of the sky. “Char’s your wife?”

“Was. She died a year ago.” Kya’s gaze shifted to his wedding band. “Do you think it’s weird that I still wear her ring?”

Her face softened. “Not at all. I think you must still be very much in love with her.”

“I am. I don’t think that’ll ever change.”

“To have that kind of love…”

The way she said that, almost wistfully, made him wonder what her relationship with her fiancé was like. Didn’t she have that with him? “We were very much in love, and it only grew as the years went on. You’ll see what I mean.”

She glanced down at her hand and twirled the ring around her finger. “I hope so.”

She looked so forlorn and in need of a friend that he didn’t overthink what he was about to do. “I haven’t had dinner yet and would love it if you’d join me.”

She studied his face, then looked back at her ring. “I, um…”

Devon hadn’t meant to make her feel uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you already have plans with Mark, is it? I just thought it would be nice not to eat alone for once.”

She glanced over at Lucky and Daisy romping around the park and then back over at him.

“There’s a cute little café on Market Street. We could eat outside and bring the dogs along with us.”

She hesitated a moment longer, then said, “Why not? That sounds nice, and I’m starving. Otherwise I’d be eating alone too. Mark’s going away on business.”

He flashed her a smile and slipped his backpack over his shoulder. “Let’s go, then.” He whistled for Daisy, and the two dogs came running. “Want to walk? It’s about two blocks,” he said.

“I’d love to.”

As they walked to the café, Kya told him about the shelter and how she’d known at a very young age that she wanted to do something with animals, despite her parents encouraging her to go into finance so she could work at the bank.