A Miracle for the Flirtatious K-9 Handler (Love in Sweet Bloom #10)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Paul tightened the leash on Maddox, his German shepherd partner, as they walked into the Sweet Bloom Sheriff’s Department. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and the hum of busy chatter filled the air, signaling his new beginning in the small town.

“Ah, there’s our new K-9 handler,” Sheriff Matthew Hart said, his voice booming across the room. His dark brown hair and blue eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement at the sight of Paul and Maddox. “Welcome to Sweet Bloom.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Hart,” Paul replied with a nod, feeling the weight of expectation settle on his shoulders. He glanced down at Maddox, who wagged his tail in anticipation. They were here to prove themselves, and he was determined not to let anything stand in their way.

“Let me introduce you to the team,” Sheriff Hart said, leading them over to a group of men in tan uniforms with gold star badges on their chests. “You’ll be working closely with these fine folks.”

“This is Deputy Strand, our senior deputy,” the sheriff said, gesturing to a black-haired man at the center of the group who simply nodded in his direction. “And next to him on the left is Deputy Phillips, who will work closely with you on search and rescue.”

“Nice to meet you,” said a brown-haired man, who looked to be about the same age as Paul, with an extended hand.

“Same to you,” Paul replied, taking his hand and shaking it.

“And this is Deputy Horton, our newest member,” Sheriff Hart finished, gesturing to a young man on the other side of the senior deputy.

“Hey, I’ve heard about you two,” Horton exclaimed, looking between Paul and Maddox. “Word is you’re quite the dynamic duo back at Disaster City Search and Rescue and the police department in New Orleans. And, uh, we also heard about your little reputation with the ladies,” he added with a smirk.

Paul felt his cheeks flush, which only made the other deputies chuckle. This wasn’t the impression he wanted to make on his first day. He was going to be running their entire search and rescue division, and he needed them to respect him.

“Don’t mind our rookie. Deputy Horton rambles on about things that don’t concern him,” Sheriff Hart stated in a stern tone as he gave a disapproving look to the young man next to him.

Paul cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to hold on to his partner’s leash. “I’m here to do my job with Maddox. Nothing else.”

“Of course we know that,” Sheriff Hart said, seeming to sense Paul’s discomfort.

“We’re all glad to have you two on board,” Phillips confirmed with a friendly smile. “With your expertise and Maddox’s keen senses, we’ll be unstoppable.”

“Speaking of which,” Strand finally spoke up, “how did you two get paired up? It’s not every day you see a guy so in tune with his canine partner.”

“My police department back in New Orleans had a great pairing process, and Disaster City Search and Rescue only strengthened our bond through their rigorous training,” Paul explained, his focus shifting to Maddox as the dog sat attentively by his side. “It took time, but after a while, it was like we were always destined to be partners. Couldn’t have asked for a better teammate, right, boy?” he added, scratching Maddox behind the ears. The dog’s tail wagged furiously in agreement.

“Sounds like you two are going to be a great asset to our team,” Sheriff Hart said, clapping Paul on the back. “Next up, I need to introduce you to our administration team.”

As Sheriff Hart led Paul and Maddox toward the administrative offices, they passed a bulletin board cluttered with community announcements and thank-you notes from town residents. It gave Paul a deeper sense of the close-knit community he had stepped into—a stark contrast to the bustle of his previous city life.

Paul noticed a woman sitting behind the front desk. She had a confident smile and held a stack of files in her arms. Her black hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and she wore glasses that seemed to accentuate her focused gaze.

“This is Laura Wade, our office manager,” Sheriff Hart introduced as they approached. Laura extended her hand toward Paul, her smile warm and friendly.

“Welcome to Sweet Bloom, Paul. And this must be Maddox,” Laura said, directing a gentle smile at the German shepherd. “We’ve all been quite excited about having a K-9 team to start our new unit. I imagine you’ll need some time to get settled?”

“Yes, thank you,” Paul replied, appreciating her straightforwardness.

Laura nodded understandingly and handed him a packet of papers. “Here’s some information on our procedures and protocols. I’ve also included your schedule for the next week and a map of our most frequent patrol areas. And if you need anything else, just let me know.” She gave him another smile, but this time, there was something behind it that made him wonder if she was open to going on a date. He just might have to pursue that down the road.

Sheriff Hart gestured for her to move on. “All right, Laura, that’s all for now.” Then, turning his attention back to Paul, he said, “I have one more place to take you before you settle into your new office.”

The sheriff guided him down a hallway and entered a dimly lit radio room, where Emily Ortiz leaned over her console, expertly scanning multiple screens and adjusting dials. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, revealing her delicate features and determined green eyes.

“Emily,” Paul said, entering the room with Maddox at his side. “It’s good to see you again.”

Emily looked up, her expression a mixture of surprise and caution as she recognized Paul. “Paul, right? From outside the Cozy Cup last night?” She didn’t fully rise from her seat, but her posture shifted subtly to a more guarded one.

“Yes,” Paul confirmed with a nod, feeling Maddox’s presence as the dog sat quietly beside him. “I’m surprised that you even remember my name as quickly as you hurried off.”

“Well, I have a penchant for details. I suppose it’s what makes me good at my job,” she replied matter-of-factly.

Sheriff Hart chuckled, “Emily is our top dispatcher. She’s got the whole town in her hands from this little room.”

Emily rolled her eyes playfully at Sheriff Hart’s embellishment but smiled nonetheless. “I just try to keep things running smoothly,” she said humbly. Her gaze then shifted back to Paul and Maddox. “I hope you’re ready to be in charge of all our search and rescue calls around here.”

“You have a lot of them?” Paul questioned dryly, knowing Sweet Bloom had less than ten thousand people in it.

“Enough to hire you,” she retorted with a frown. “Then again, maybe Sheriff Hart should rethink that.”

“Now, now, we’re all on the same team here,” the sheriff gently reminded them both.

“Of course, Sheriff. Maddox and I are ready for whatever Sweet Bloom throws our way.”

“That’s good to hear,” Emily noted, her fingers pausing above her keyboard. “Sweet Bloom can be quiet, but when it gets rough, it gets really rough, and there are rumors of another snowstorm coming this Christmas.”

“We both know a little dusting isn’t anything to worry about,” Sheriff Hart reminded her.

“A dusting like the one that stranded you with Dr. Morison at the resort two years ago?” Emily challenged sarcastically with a quirk of her eyebrow.

“Touché, Emily,” the sheriff deferred with a nod of his head.

“Well, we’re here to help lighten the load,” Paul offered with a grin. “Just let me know where I need to start.”

“Appreciated,” Sheriff Hart acknowledged with his own smile. “I’ll let you guys get acquainted. Emily can fill you in on anything you need to know about our operations here.” With that, he left the room, leaving Paul standing somewhat awkwardly with Maddox by his side.

There was a brief silence as Paul watched Emily work—it was clear she was deeply focused and proficient at managing multiple tasks simultaneously.

“So,” Paul started tentatively after a moment, trying to break the ice further. “I’m not just here for the badge and uniform perks. I take my job seriously.”

Emily glanced over at him, perhaps reassessing or searching for sincerity in his statement. After a moment, her lips curved into a small, careful smile. “Good, because counting on each other keeps this place together,” she said softly yet firmly.

“Listen, I know this might seem out of the blue,” He hesitated, trying to find the right words. He should be concentrating on his career, he reminded himself, but the memory of their chance meeting lingered in his mind, making it difficult to concentrate. He couldn’t deny the attraction that had sparked between them. “Would you like to grab dinner sometime?” he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

Emily looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You mean, like a date?”

“Uh, yeah. Just a casual thing, nothing serious.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Paul, you seem like a nice guy, but I don’t date guys with badges. Been there, done that, and it didn’t end well.”

“Really? What happened?” he asked, genuinely intrigued by her response.

“Sorry, but that’s not something I want to get into,” she replied, her gaze fixed on the monitors once more. “Besides, focus on your new job, not on dating.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of letting off a little steam? It might do you some good,” Paul pointed out. He was about to press his point further when the radio crackled to life.

“This is Echo Canyon Ranger Station requesting assistance. We have a report of a missing hiker, last seen halfway on the main trail six hours ago. Search and rescue needed immediately.”

“Looks like it’s show time,” Emily said, her tone all business as she dispatched the coordinates to Deputy Phillips and explained that Deputy Evans and Maddox would be joining him. “I know you were only planning on paperwork today, but it seems our missing hiker has other plans for you.”

“Like I said, we’re willing and able to help,” Paul replied, his focus shifting back to Maddox and the task at hand.

As he left the room with his K-9 partner, he couldn’t help but glance back at Emily one last time, wondering what secrets she was hiding and if he would ever get the chance to uncover them.

Paul grabbed his gear bag and headed to the parking lot.

“Quite the first day, huh?” Deputy Phillips asked, his hazel eyes glinting with humor as Paul opened the back door for Maddox and then climbed into the passenger seat of the patrol SUV.

“Guess so,” Paul replied, grinning as Maddox poked his head between them, prompting him to reach back and pat his partner’s head. “But I like it that way. The bigger the call, the better.”

“Careful what you wish for, Evans,” Phillips teased, his brown eyes sparkling with newfound happiness. It was rumored around the office that the formerly grumpy deputy had a steady girlfriend now, which seemed to have softened him considerably. “Ready to roll?” he asked, adjusting his belt as he turned on the engine.

“Let’s do this,” Paul confirmed with a nod.

As they sped down the winding road toward the Echo Canyon Trailhead, Paul’s mind couldn’t help but wander back to Emily. Her steadfast determination not to date a man with a badge had ignited his curiosity, and he longed to unravel her story. But for now, he needed to keep his focus on the urgent task at hand—finding the lost hiker before it was too late. The trees whizzed by in a blur of green and brown hues as if urging them forward toward their destination. Despite the urgency of their mission, Paul couldn’t shake off the lingering thought of Emily and what secrets she held behind her steel exterior. As they neared the trailhead, he made a mental note to ask her about it later, determined to uncover the mystery that intrigued him so much.

“All right, we’re here,” Phillips announced, parking the vehicle and stepping out onto the gravel parking lot. “What’s the plan?”

Paul was surprised that the senior deputy was deferring to him, but then he remembered, this was what he was hired for. And most likely, this was a test to see what he was made of. “Okay, you take the east side of the trail,” Paul instructed, pointing toward the dense part of the wooded area. “I’ll go west with Maddox. We’ll cover more ground that way, and we can keep in contact via radio.”

“And with dispatch,” Phillips reminded Paul. “Emily will want us to check in with updates regularly.”

Paul nodded and tried to hide his frustration with himself. He should have remembered that part of the plan. "Got it."

“Sounds good,” Phillips agreed, pulling out a flashlight and slipping his first aid bag on his back. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Paul replied, feeling the weight of his new department’s trust in him. He knew this was his chance to prove himself and show them he belonged in Sweet Bloom.

“All right, Maddox,” he whispered, looking down at his faithful companion. “You ready, boy?”

Maddox barked once, wagging his tail with eagerness. Paul removed his leash and then gave his partner the signal that it was time for work. Together, they began their trek on the trail.

Paul’s heart raced as they searched, his thoughts alternating between concern for the missing hiker and the allure of Emily’s mysterious past. But with each step deeper into the wilderness, he felt a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that he would do whatever it took to save the young college kid trapped somewhere in the wilderness.

It took them about an hour to get to where the hiker was last seen. "Okay, Maddox, now it’s your turn," Paul told his partner, then gave him the command to search.

The German shepherd made quick work of scouring the area, then moved on to the next section. Maddox’s ears perked up, his head tilting as he caught a faint sound. Paul watched him closely, holding his breath in anticipation. After a few moments in the fresh area, Maddox barked, giving the signal that he found something.

The canine bounded forward, urging Paul along as they neared the edge of a ravine. Peering over the side, Paul spotted the young college kid sprawled on a small ledge, clearly terrified and in pain.

“Hey, down there,” Paul called out to the hiker. “Hang on. We’re coming for you.”

“Thank goodness,” the kid gasped, his voice shaking with relief. “I thought I was done for.”

“Phillips, this is Evans. I found the hiker about a half-mile from his last known location. He’s trapped on a ledge on the side of a ravine,” Paul announced on his radio. “I’m dropping a pin to my location.”

“Copy that,” Phillip’s voice crackled back, calm but urgent. “On my way.”

“Phillips, Evans, this is Head Dispatcher Ortiz. Be advised, the hiker has diabetes and could need additional assistance. We will have an ambulance standing by at the front of the trailhead.”

“Copy that, Dispatch,” Evans replied over his radio. Then, turning his attention back to his partner, he instructed, “All right, Maddox, stay.” Paul patted the dog’s head before carefully making his way down the slope. His heart pounded, but he couldn’t let fear get the best of him—the hiker’s life was in his hands.

“Hey, you’re gonna be okay,” Paul assured the college kid as he secured the rope around his waist and then anchored it around a tree. He made quick work of climbing down the side of the ravine until he reached the ledge. “I’m Deputy Evans with Sweet Bloom Search and Rescue, and up above is my K-9 partner, Maddox. We’ve got you.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up,” the kid stammered, tears welling in his eyes. “You don’t have any orange juice on you, do you?”

“For the diabetes?” Evans questioned.

The kid nodded. “My sugar is out of whack, and I can feel myself shaking.”

“Sorry, no orange juice, but I have some sugar cubes in my pack,” Paul told the young man, then made quick work of retrieving the sugar and giving it to him.

The kid popped the sugar cubes into his mouth, and within a few seconds, he started to relax. “Thanks, Deputy. I really needed that.”

“Glad it did the trick. Now we just need to focus on getting you out of here,” Paul said, securing the harness around the hiker as Phillips arrived with ropes and additional equipment.

“Ready?” Phillips called out over the side, tossing one end of the rope down the ravine.

“Ready,” Paul confirmed, hooking it to the harness. He nodded at Phillips, who hoisted the college kid up.

“Almost there,” Paul encouraged from below. “Just keep your eyes on Deputy Phillips at the top.”

Finally, the hiker reached the top of the ravine, and Paul followed right behind him.

Once they were both at the top, the kid was on his knees, crying. “Thank you,” he choked out, tears streaming down his cheeks. “All of you.”

“Hey, it’s what we do,” Paul said, grinning at Phillips as he patted Maddox on the head.

“Great job, Evans,” Phillips praised. “You really came through. I guess Sheriff Hart knew what he was doing when he hired you.”

“Thanks,” Paul replied, feeling a swell of pride as Maddox nuzzled against his leg. “Couldn’t have done it without this guy.”

At that moment, Paul knew he’d made the right choice coming to Sweet Bloom. This was his chance to be in charge of his own unit, something he’d wanted since he first became a K-9 officer. He was more determined than ever to prove himself to his new colleagues—and maybe even win over Emily Ortiz, one rescue at a time.