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

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The sweet aroma of freshly baked pies and brewed coffee wafted through the air as Emily nervously glanced at the table next to her where Paul Evans was sitting. The flirtatious K-9 handler was seated there among their coworkers, his brown hair catching the soft sunlight filtering through the window. She had been surprised to see him at church earlier that morning.

“Hey Em, what was Pastor Mike’s sermon about today?” Randy asked, pulling her attention back to their conversation. Her twin brother had missed church because of his EMT shift running late, and he eagerly awaited her update.

“Uh, it was about the importance of faith and trust in God, even in difficult times,” Emily replied, trying to focus on recapping the sermon while stealing another glance at Paul, who was deep in conversation with Deputy Phillips and his girlfriend, Christie.

“Sounds like a great message,” Randy said thoughtfully, taking a bite of his club sandwich. “Wish I could’ve been there.”

“Me too,” Emily responded sincerely, thinking of how much she enjoyed her time spent with her brother. His presence would have been a welcome distraction from the unexpected arrival of Paul at church.

As they continued talking, Emily couldn’t help but notice how often her eyes darted toward Paul’s table. It was unsettling, this sudden awareness of him, and she struggled to maintain a normal conversation with Randy.

“Emily?” Randy waved a hand in front of her face, bringing her back to reality. “You okay? You seem a bit distracted today.”

“Sorry, just got a lot on my mind, I guess,” she replied, forcing a smile and hoping her brother wouldn’t press further.

Emily absentmindedly stirred her coffee as she tried to focus on Evan’s words, but her gaze kept drifting toward Paul. The cough of her brother finally drew her attention back to her brother.

“Hey, what’s going on with you?” Randy asked, his eyebrows raised in concern. “You’ve been staring at that table since we got here.”

Emily’s cheeks flushed a light pink. “Oh, um, well, there’s a new guy at work,” she said, trying to sound casual. “He’s the one sitting with Deputy Phillips and Christie. He’s the new K-9 handler, actually.”

“Really? What’s his name?” Randy asked, curiosity piqued, as he glanced over at Paul.

“Paul Evans,” Emily replied, her voice barely above a whisper, hoping he wouldn’t overhear their conversation. She took a sip of her coffee, avoiding her brother’s probing gaze.

“Seems like he’s pretty interested in you, too,” Randy observed with a teasing grin. “Caught him glancing over here more than once.”

“Must be your imagination,” Emily deflected, feeling a surge of panic. She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “Anyway, how’s your dating life going? Met anyone interesting lately?”

Randy chuckled, recognizing his sister’s attempt to change the subject. “Nice try, Em. But seriously, why would the new guy be so interested in you?”

“Maybe because we can’t stand each other. All we do is get on one another’s nerves,” Emily mumbled, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “If I didn’t work with him, I wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”

“Is that so?” her brother challenged. “Or maybe he likes what he sees,” Randy countered, winking playfully.

“I hardly doubt that,” she grumbled.

“C’mon, sis, I know you’re not exactly open to dating someone from work after what happened with Charlie, but maybe this guy’s different.”

“That’s enough, Randy,” Emily snapped, her patience wearing thin with her twin. She didn’t want to admit that she was already drawn to Paul despite her reservations about dating another man in uniform. “Let’s just enjoy our breakfast, okay?”

“Okay, whatever you say,” Randy conceded by raising his hands in surrender. “I won’t press any further. But just remember, not everyone’s like your ex, and sometimes you have to take a chance on something new.”

Emily nodded silently, taking a deep breath as she tried to shake off her lingering thoughts of Paul. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the simple pleasure of lunch with her brother, but she couldn’t deny that Evan’s words had struck a chord within her.

Emily’s fingers tapped nervously on her coffee cup as she and Randy finished up their meal. She glanced at the clock on the wall, relieved to see that it was almost time to meet her friends at the community center.

“All right, I should probably get going,” she announced, pushing her plate away and sliding out of the booth as she dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I promised Cora and the others I’d help with the care packages for the veterans.”

“Sounds like a noble cause,” Randy agreed, standing up as well. He pulled Emily into a hug, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Stay out of trouble, okay?”

“Always,” Emily replied with a forced smile, waving goodbye to her brother as she left the diner.

The community center was bustling with activity as Emily entered, the sounds of laughter and chatter filling the space. She smiled as she made her way through the crowd, recognizing familiar faces from the neighborhood and her church. It felt good to be doing something meaningful for the veterans.

“Hey, Emily,” Cora called out, waving her over to a table where a small group of women was gathered. “Glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Emily replied, giving Cora a hug before taking a seat at the table.

“We’re just getting started on organizing the care packages,” Cora explained, gesturing to the piles of items on the table. “We have toiletries, snacks, and some small gifts.”

Emily nodded in understanding, already rolling up her sleeves to join in the work. She picked up a pack of toothpaste and added it to a pile next to her. “So, how many boxes are we aiming for?”

“We have enough supplies for 50 boxes,” Cora replied with a smile. “I’m hoping we can fill and wrap them all today with this amazing team.”

Emily looked around at the group of dedicated volunteers and couldn’t help but feel proud to be part of such a caring community. She chatted and laughed with them as they worked together, each one bringing their own unique contributions to the assembly line.

“Isn’t this just so much fun?” Natalie gushed, her eyes twinkling with excitement as they worked alongside each other. “Nothing feels better than giving back to those who’ve served our country.”

“Absolutely,” Emily agreed, distractedly wrapping a package in red and green paper. Her mind kept circling back to her conversation with Evan about Paul. No matter how hard she tried to push him out of her thoughts, he persisted in haunting her mind like a pesky fly. She could almost hear his voice echoing through her head, taunting and teasing her with every passing thought. It was as if he had planted himself firmly in her brain, refusing to budge no matter how much she wished it were so. She longed for the peace and quiet that came before she knew him, but it seemed that he had taken up permanent residence in her mind, and there was no escaping him.

“Hey, look who decided to join us,” another volunteer exclaimed, drawing Emily’s attention back to the present. To her dismay, she saw Sheriff Matthew Hart, Deputy Mark Phillips, and Paul walking into the room, their families in tow.

“Great,” she thought, her heart sinking. “Just when I thought I wouldn’t have to see him for a while.”

Paul caught her eye the moment he entered, and Emily felt her stomach twist into a knot as he gave her a knowing smirk. There was a smile on his face, the kind that seemed genuinely happy to be part of whatever was happening around him. He waved to a few people before heading in her direction.

“Hey, Emily,” Paul greeted as he neared, that relentless smile still in place. “I didn’t know you were helping here today.”

“Yeah, just trying to do my part,” she replied, forcing a polite smile, hoping her nervousness didn’t show too much as her pulse quickened. She fiercely folded another piece of wrapping paper around a box, crinkling the edges in her haste. Her fingers trembled slightly, betraying her calm facade.

“It’s really great that you’re here,” Paul said earnestly, looking around at all the activity with appreciation. “It means a lot to the guys who served.”

Emily nodded, unsure of what to say next. The air felt suddenly thick with tension, at least from her side.

Paul took a seat next to her and reached out to help her. “Need a hand?” he offered, his voice teasing yet sincere.

“No, thank you,” Emily replied curtly, avoiding his gaze by diligently focusing on the package in front of her. But it was too late; her concentration had wavered, and she could feel every inch of space he occupied.

“Really?” Paul leaned in closer, examining her haphazard wrapping job with mock scrutiny. “Because it looks like you’re wrestling with that paper rather than wrapping with it.”

Emily forced a laugh, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. She grabbed for the tape dispenser but instead knocked over a cup of hot cocoa sitting precariously close to the edge of the table. Time seemed to slow as the cocoa tipped into a disastrous arc toward Paul.

“Oh no,” she gasped as the liquid splattered across Paul’s trousers and onto the floor.

Paul jumped back, a mix of surprise and amusement lighting up his features. “Spilling hot cocoa, huh? That’s one way to make a guy stay warm.”

Emily’s heart sank even further into despair under layers of embarrassment and irritation. She muttered hurried apologies while grabbing napkins to help dab at the mess. Her mind raced—why did these awkward situations always involve him?

He brushed off her attempts to clean up with a chuckle. “It’s fine, really. I needed a new pair of pants anyway,” he joked lightly, trying to ease the tension Emily felt suffocating her.

Paul must have noticed her discomfort and decided it was best not to tease her further about the incident. With an observant glance, he changed topics. “This event is quite something, isn’t it? Must take a lot of coordination to pull off every year.”

Trying to regain some sense of normalcy and be eager to divert their conversation away from her personal disaster, Emily nodded eagerly. “Yeah, everyone comes together for this—it’s a day that means a great deal to all of us.”

As they all worked side by side, packing boxes and sharing stories about their lives, Emily couldn’t help but steal glances at Paul from time to time. Despite her misgivings, she found herself drawn to the determined gleam in his eyes and the easy way he interacted with those around him. She watched him laugh and joke with little Riley Hart when she came bounding up to show off a crookedly wrapped gift she’d managed all on her own. There was an undeniably gentle side to him that tugged at Emily’s resolve.

As she allowed herself this minor concession—to simply observe Paul without judgment or defense—a silent acknowledgment settled within her: perhaps there was more to Paul Evans than just being another badge at work. But whether that realization would change anything for Emily remained tucked away behind her carefully maintained walls.

“Can you pass me some of those socks?” Paul asked, his voice calm.

“Sure,” Emily replied, trying to keep her voice light as she handed him a bundle. Their fingers brushed against each other, and an unexpected jolt of electricity surged through her. She quickly pulled back her hand, her heart pounding.

“Are you okay?” Paul asked, concern evident in his brown eyes.

“Uh, yeah,” Emily stammered, casting a desperate glance around the room. She spotted Cora at the other end of the line and made a snap decision. “Cora, could you switch places with me? I think I’d be better at packing the toiletries.”

“Of course,” Cora agreed, giving Emily a puzzled look as they switched spots.

“Thanks,” Emily muttered, avoiding eye contact with Paul. She busied herself with arranging toothbrushes and soaps on the other end of the line, doing her best to push him out of her thoughts.

“Everything okay over here?” Natalie asked, sidling up to Emily with a knowing grin.

“Fine,” Emily replied curtly, not wanting to discuss her feelings about Paul with her friend. “Just focusing on the task at hand.”

“Uh-huh,” Natalie responded skeptically, clearly unconvinced.

As the afternoon wore on, Emily avoided any interaction with Paul, even going so far as to volunteer for clean-up duty just to put some distance between them. The chemistry that had sparked between them was difficult to ignore, but she couldn’t let herself get caught up in it.

“Lord, help me stay focused on what’s important,” Emily prayed silently, taking a deep breath. “I don’t need another heartache.”

Despite her efforts to push him out of her thoughts, Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something different from Paul. Maybe it was his quiet determination or the way he seemed genuinely invested in helping others. Whatever it was, she knew she needed to tread carefully because she knew better than anyone; a guy wasn’t always what he seemed.

Just as Emily thought she was regaining control of her emotions, a sudden commotion at the far end of the hall snapped her attention away from her internal turmoil. A loud crash echoed through the room, followed by a chorus of gasps and shouts. Without thinking, Emily ran toward the source of the noise, her heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and concern.

As she arrived, she found a stack of folding tables that had collapsed, scattering supplies everywhere. Paul was already there, helping a frightened Riley pull herself up from the mess. His calm demeanor and gentle reassurances to the little girl only heightened Emily’s conflicted feelings.

“You’re all right, Riley. It’s just a little spill, nothing to worry about,” Paul said soothingly, brushing off the dust from her curly blonde hair.

Riley nodded, clinging to Paul’s leg, her blue eyes wide with residual shock.

Emily stepped in, her dispatcher instincts taking over. “Is everyone okay? Does anyone need first aid?” She scanned the area, ensuring there were no injuries.

A few people were shaken but unharmed. Linda rushed over with a first aid kit just in case, her eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of injury.

Deputy Phillips and Sheriff Hart joined them, organizing efforts to clean up the mess and set up the tables again. The incident had caused a temporary disruption, but thanks to quick action and teamwork, things were soon back on track.

As they worked together, Paul glanced over at Emily. “Thanks for jumping in so quickly. You really know how to handle these situations.”

Emily shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant even as her stomach fluttered at his praise. “It’s part of the job,” she replied. “But it was how great you were with Riley that surprised me.”

“I’ve always been great with kids. Kind of had to be since I grew up in a group home after my parents died when I was eleven,” he admitted.

“Oh my, I’m sorry to hear you went through that.”

“It’s okay. I know that sometimes one path ends, so we can go down another. I’m happy where I’m at.”

As they continued working side by side, Emily found herself increasingly aware of Paul’s presence. The way he moved with purpose was interesting to watch. It was hard not to admire him—and harder still not to feel drawn to him despite her reservations.

“Great work today,” Paul said as they prepared to leave.

“Yeah, it turned out well,” she responded, forcing a smile.

“Have a good night, Emily.”

“You too, Paul,” she responded as she watched him exit the building.

As they parted ways, Emily’s heart swelled with the realization that Paul was chipping away at the walls she had built to protect herself. The only problem with that was if she didn’t watch out, she was going to be left exposed and vulnerable, something she never wanted to have happen again. Silently, she sent up a prayer, asking God to make sure she had the wisdom to handle whatever came next. She knew she couldn’t afford to make another mistake, not when it came to her heart.