Home Is Where Your Bark Is

Chapter 21

Thanks to this year’s warmer-than-average winter, jogging with Seven on the sidewalks just before sunrise this week hadn’t proven to be a treacherous jaunt over packed snow or black ice. While Jake hoped the warm weather was here to stay, that wasn’t likely. Nine days into fostering, he was no closer to getting Seven in his new kennel. This meant taking Seven to work with him next week on his days in the office. It meant skipping the gym or leaving him unsupervised at home. Or forcing him in the kennel, something Jake wasn’t ready to do.

Last night, he’d caught Seven standing at the edge of the open kennel door, gazing at the rawhide inside, but he still wasn’t tempted to step in and grab it. Perhaps he believed if he did, the door would close behind him, trapping him inside. Jake figured even for dogs, some ghosts were harder to leave behind than others, and he wasn’t ready to force Seven to face this one.

With the luxury of an unscheduled Saturday morning stretching out before them, Jake loaded Seven into the rental and headed further north to Lakefront Trail. His jog with Seven the other morning had included a quarter-mile stretch near North Avenue Beach, and Jake had been eager to return after seeing how intrigued Seven had been by the water.

After unloading from the rental, Seven must’ve caught the scent of the lake on the breeze because he grew excited enough to start prancing in place. Even so, Jake started them out at a walk, giving Seven a chance to go to the bathroom and sniff around a bit.

Quick on the uptake as the dog was, it hadn’t taken long for him to pick up on the routine: walks were for sniffing and scent marking, while jogging was for just that—jogging. Once Seven had done his business and they’d backtracked to the nearest trash can, Jake took off at a slow jog on the paved trail that stretched out in both directions until it disappeared along bends in the lake. Craving green space that was considerably more abundant an hour and a half north of here in Racine, Jake headed north on the path away from the city rather than south toward it.

As Seven settled into the pace of the jog, his energy shifted to the calm and attentive focus of a working dog who was being given something to do, neither pulling against the leash nor—for the most part—attempting to stop and sniff at various spots along the trail.

Out here by the lake, the wind was sharp and cold, considerably colder than around the condo where the houses and trees offered a windbreak, and Jake’s throat burned, but he pushed through it until the sensation dulled.

“When it comes down to it, I guess you’ve been bred to work, huh?”

At the sound of Jake’s voice, Seven glanced up before returning his attention to the trail ahead of them. Because the dog was doing so well with it, Jake was pushing him longer and longer between walking breaks, stopping somewhere between half- and three-quarter-mile stretches to walk, sniff, and do whatever he wanted to do.

After jogging thirty minutes out on the trail, Jake turned around, heading back toward the car. At the close of an hour, they’d covered close to six miles at a jog with a handful of stops along the way. Aside from a steady pant, Seven looked like he was just getting started. “You could run circles around me, that’s for sure.”

As for Jake, the steady lake wind and temps still in the low- to midforties had about numbed him through.

After gazing toward the beach, Seven wagged his tail hopefully at Jake. “Yeah, yeah, you want to play in the sand. I get it. Let’s get some water first. And I’ll grab a jacket.”

Water fountains—for people and dogs—were still shut down for the winter, but Jake had planned accordingly and had ample water in the trunk. He’d brought along a few Frisbees, too, but now that it came down to it, he wasn’t ready to tempt fate and let go of Seven’s leash.

Over the years, he’d seen people using long lead lines for these kinds of things. He’d hoped to come back with one next weekend until he remembered that next weekend was the Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Given the throngs of people who’d be pouring into the city for it, he’d steer clear of downtown Saturday with Seven for certain.

After Seven lapped up two bowls of water and Jake grabbed a jacket that would do little to cut the lake wind, they left the parking lot and headed down the open white sand flanking the lake that reflected today’s bright-blue skies. Tail lifted like an Arabian horse, Seven pranced at Jake’s side like a kid at an amusement park with too many rides at his disposal. Laughing, Jake reached down and ruffled the hair on Seven’s lower neck and shoulders, and Seven didn’t even wince at his touch.

“As cute as you are, I’m just not ready to let go of this leash. God only knows where’d you’d run off to.”

The beach was all but empty except for some sporadic walkers bundled in coats. Jake walked along with Seven just above the swell, his eyes watering from the sting of the wind, until Seven stopped abruptly and started digging with an unexpected ferocity.

“I hope it’s buried treasure.” Jake had no doubt it was something interesting, judging by Seven’s excitement.

Ears pricked forward, Seven continued digging with the determination of a dog on a mission, kicking sand into a wide spray behind him. Squatting alongside him, Jake pulled out his phone to snap a picture and send it to Jenna. After Seven had dug down the better part of a foot, his nails scraped against something that sounded hard and hollow like plastic.

He let out an ear-piercing bark but didn’t lose a beat in his digging. “What is it, Seven?” Seven barked again and stopped digging, leaning close to sniff at whatever he’d uncovered.

Jake leaned closer to investigate, but his phone rang while still in his hand. The call, a FaceTime request, was from Jenna, and he clicked accept. “Hey there. You busy selling plants?” She had a worn-in Cubs hat on, her hair was pulled back, and a wide smile lit her face, her white teeth shining.

“Well, I wouldn’t say busy, but I’ve had my first customer. She bought an orchid. I remember her from last year.”

“Nice. Not that I know a lot about tropical plants, but isn’t it a bit cold for orchids?”

“Fair question. All the plants I brought today should be fine for a few hours in the midforties and up. Plus, I’m set up along the wall of the concessions out of the wind, and the sun’s shining. But I’m betting it’s a good deal chillier where you are. You look cold.”

“Especially after cooling off from a run,” Jake said with a laugh. “Honestly, I can’t feel much of anything right now.” This close to the water, his teeth were nearly chattering.

“Well, there’re some food trucks here, and one of them is a bagel truck if you’d like to swing by. They have the best coffees.”

“Ah, now two things at the market are calling my name,” Jake said with a wink.

Smiling, Jenna blew him a kiss. “So, any idea what he’s found?”

Returning his attention to the hole at his feet, Jake shook his head. At its widest, the exposed portion of Seven’s find was maybe an inch thick. It was dark-green and sculpted—a well-muscled thigh, Jake realized. Further down, a two-toed foot was sticking up out of the sand.

“Look at that.” Jake flipped the camera so that it was facing out and aimed at the center of Seven’s freshly dug hole.

“Please tell me that’s not an animal.”

“An anthropomorphic one, but a toy,” Jake said with a laugh. He rotated the camera toward Seven, who was digging a bit less exuberantly now that he’d begun unearthing it. “It’s crazy he smelled it buried so far down.”

“So, what is it?” Jenna asked.

“Hold on a sec. He’s almost got it out, and you can see for yourself.” To help Seven out, Jake reached in and pulled the plastic foot out of the sand enough that he’d have something to grip onto. Sure enough, the leg was still attached to the rest of the doll, and Seven needed to tug hard to free the rest of it from the sand. Once he had, he held it gripped in his mouth, his head sticking up high.

“Is that a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?” Jenna asked with a laugh. “It’s bigger than Seven’s head!”

“That it is. Too bad it’s missing an arm. It’s Michelangelo, and I’m pretty sure it’s a collectible.”

“I wonder how long it’s been buried. And who left it there.”

“Who knows,” Jake said. “But I don’t think Seven cares.” They both laughed as Seven trotted around at the full reach of his leash, a sandy green plastic Ninja Turtle hanging from his mouth.

“No, I don’t think he does.” Jenna stuck out her lower lip playfully. “I can’t believe I miss him so much after spending the whole day with him yesterday.”

“Yeah, I’m finding that he grows on you like that, but if you’re serious about wanting company, we’ll swing by.”

“Definitely.”

“Not that it’s a game changer or anything, but didn’t you say your sister was going to be there?”

“She dropped me off with all my stuff and went back home. She’s coming back with the boys after lunch once it warms up a bit, though I appreciate how you clarified that,” she said with a laugh.

Jake chuckled. “I’d love to meet her. I just wasn’t sure how the boys would handle seeing Seven again.”

“True, but we’ve got three hours or so before they’re back, so no issues there.”

“I’ll see you shortly then.” Hanging up, Jake glanced over at Seven, who’d settled onto the sand and was chewing Michelangelo’s foot. Jake couldn’t imagine how the dog was tolerating all the sand still clinging to the toy getting in his mouth, but he didn’t seem to care. Jake would offer him another drink of water once they got back to the car.

“Come on, Seven. Let’s go. And you can bring along your special treasure.” And for no reason other than that he wanted to hear the sound of it leaving his lips, Jake added, “We’re going to pay my girlfriend a visit.”

***

Jake’s visit to the market was a bit like him getting a first glimpse inside her imperfectly organized cabinets and closets. This thing Jenna was doing with her painting and the plants was deeply personal, but here at the market was where she stepped into the public eye and offered her shiny dream out for everyone to see. Maybe that’s why it had been easier to show him inside the secluded space of her garden shed, the cozy nook where the dream was still nestled in the space of privacy. If he paid attention here, he’d no doubt see the way some of the early-season shoppers averted their gaze when passing her table.

Not everybody was in the market for a well-potted plant; Jenna didn’t mind. Many of the other vendors had a following of their own. Given how a rising tide floated all boats, she’d never batted an eye over how much business other people brought in, and an upside of this was that most customers left having purchased from more than one vendor.

Since she started here last year, Jenna had found that enough people connected with her potted plants each day that she went home with a smile and a nice chunk of money. Even so, she couldn’t help wondering what Jake would think of all this.

She studied him as he stood on the other side of her table and checked out her competition, Seven at his side. A small line had formed at the Nobody’s Got Nuts like Bernie’s table even before Bernie had finished setting up, and Margie’s Honey Butter Is Better Than Sex table tended to be another vendor to get the earliest sales. One of last season’s newcomers, Candles by Claire Voyant, promised to be a steady hit as well. While the owner’s first name was Claire, her last name was Wheeling, not Voyant, but the play on words had helped distinguish her earthy candles from other candle vendors occasionally selling here. Claire’s locally sourced, soy-based candles were blended with white sage, lavender, rosemary, or cedar. Jenna had a cedar candle in her living room and a lavender one in her bedroom. Another one of her favorite booths to support was the Sole-Mates vendor whose imperfectly matched but coordinating socks were made with materials from recycled cotton remnants. In fact, she probably owned a different-colored pair for every day of the week.

“Lots of vendors here for this early in the season.” Jake turned her way once more. The quick but firm kiss he’d greeted her with from across the table had sent a burst of happiness down her limbs that she was still savoring.

“Yeah, last year was my first season here, but from what I remember, the preseason pop-up events started out strong, then died back a bit until the weather really warmed up.”

“Makes sense.”

After greeting Jenna with a shrill bark when he realized who was on the other side of the table, Seven had turned away and was sniffing the air, his tail flicking hopefully back and forth.

It hit Jenna that all last year here or at the more sporadic craft fairs she’d participated in earlier than that, she’d never had a love interest—or his dog—pay a visit while she was working. Anu had certainly had ample opportunity to come here with her, but if the weather at all cooperated, he golfed every Saturday. Perhaps, Jenna realized, the fact that he hadn’t carved out a single visit in all those months they’d been together had been sign enough he wasn’t for her.

But Jake was here, his assertion that her colorful table of potted plants looked remarkable still ringing in her ears. He stood across the table from her. The skin of his cheeks above his stubble was still pink from his run in the lake wind, and his lips had a redness to them that made Jenna ache for another kiss.

Jake nodded toward Bernie’s table on the opposite side of the lot. “So, ah, not to get too personal, but can you attest to Mr. Bernie’s claim? I’m starving.”

Jenna laughed. “If you’re starving, then you need more than a bag of cinnamon-roasted pecans or almonds. Like I said earlier, the food trucks won’t disappoint.” She pointed toward the south end of the closed-off parking lot where a small crowd had gathered to take advantage of the various offerings. “And since you asked, I don’t know if he has any ready yet, but Bernie’s butter toffee pecans are close to sinful. I could be talked into going home with a bag of them today if you’d like to try them.”

Looking down the row of tables, Jenna searched for any sign of Mandy, the vendor whose goods were at the table to her left, and spotted her on her way back from the food trucks. “My table mate for today—Mandy—is going to watch my table when she gets back so that I can run over to the food trucks with you. Bud’s Bagels would be my suggestion based on who’s here today. If you haven’t had one, trust me, you can never go wrong with a Bud’s Bagel.”

Jake clamped a hand over his stomach. “I’m sold.” He looked over at the table next to her. “Mandy sells dried herbs, huh?”

“Offseason. When she’s here. Come May, she’ll be selling bundles of fresh herbs, and thriving ones at that.”

Mandy was halfway across the lot, a large coffee in one hand and a folded wax-paper sandwich bag in the other. She was the first to say her short legs had never slowed her down. Jake’s brows lifted as he looked at Mandy more carefully. “I actually remember her—and the Brewers cap. I’ve bought from her before.”

“Oh yeah? Small world.” As Mandy neared, Jenna offered an introduction. “Mandy, this is Jake. He was just saying he remembers buying from you before.”

“That right?” With Seven having caught the lion’s share of her attention, Mandy shook her head. “Look at that pretty boy! I’ve wanted a border collie ever since seeing the movie Babe when I was a kid. Actually, at first I wanted a pig, not a dog.” Mandy raised a finger playfully and winked. “Growing up in Lincoln Park and literally having a yard the side of a postage stamp, I was pretty quick to figure out that wasn’t in my future, so I switched to asking for a border collie instead. What is it now, close to thirty years later, and sadly I’m no closer to getting one that I’ve ever been. My husband’s a stickler for couch-potato dogs, and he came with two of ’em.”

“Couch-potato dogs have their merits too,” Jake said. “This guy was on my bed at five fifteen this morning, one of my sneakers dangling from his mouth,” he added. “I’m getting the sense it’ll be a challenge for him to understand that we don’t have to wake up early on weekends.”

Getting up from her chair, Jenna crossed in between the two tables to join them. “Aww. Granted it’s probably less sweet when it’s you who’s being woken up, but it’s still sweet. He’s really wanting to connect with you.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “That’s my hope. I got up and took him for a short walk, then went back to bed for another hour or two, and he refrained from gnawing on a single piece of furniture this time.”

After trotting over to give Jenna a quick sniff, Seven refocused on Mandy, eyeing the bag in her hand, his tail wagging hopefully.

“Not a chance,” Mandy said. “Cute as you are, big guy, I’d fight you for full rights to my lox bagel. I haven’t had one of these in close to five months.”

Jake shifted Seven’s leash from one hand to the other. “Jenna’s been talking the bagels up, and I’m sold.”

“You won’t be disappointed, promise. And they have day-old bagel bites for dogs too.” Mandy turned her full attention to Jake—and away from Seven. “You know, I think I remember you too. Anybody ever tell you that you look like Adam Levine?”

Glancing over at Jake, Jenna blinked. Now that Mandy had thrown it out there, she could see a similarity that extended beyond the dark hair and lean torso. Perhaps in the shape of the face or his hazel eyes.

“Nobody who’s ever heard me sing,” he said with a serious enough expression that made Mandy laugh. Heading behind their tables, Mandy motioned them on. “I’ve got your green babies, Jenna. Sit at the picnic tables while you eat, if you want. I promise I’ll holler if I get busy.”

As they headed off, Jake closed a free hand over Jenna’s back, and a rush of happy warmth flooded over her. This thing with Jake was real. Something about his showing up here made that clear. And even though everything was still so new and undefined between them, there was an easiness to this that in Jenna’s experience usually took a much longer time coming—if it came at all. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too. This thing you’re doing is awesome, and a cool way to spend a Saturday.” His hand left her back to lock with hers, and their fingers entwined.

The back of Jenna’s hand brushed against the side of his nylon joggers and against his outer thigh, bringing her attention to all the parts of him she’d hopefully get lucky enough to explore at one point or another. But right now wasn’t the time to think about that. “Thanks, and yeah, it’s a good way to spend a Saturday morning. Especially when the weather holds out.”

Jake’s brows furrowed. Jenna was about to ask him what was wrong when he continued. “You know, recognizing Mandy like that got me thinking. The night of the accident—you remember what I said about looking over and seeing you a few blocks before you got hit?”

Jenna leaned against him playfully. “That would be hard to forget, even for a girl recovering from a concussion.”

He smiled. “The thing is, I wonder if some part of me recognized you. Now that I’m here, I’m certain our paths crossed at some point last year. Even if I didn’t buy anything from your table, I’d have spotted you at one point or another.”

“I’m sure, but what about it?” By the way he was quick to glance downward, this was the first time he seemed anything other than sure of himself, making Jenna wonder what was coming.

“Just that maybe it helps explain why it felt like everything stopped—or needed to stop—when I looked over at you. Because I don’t believe in fate, Jenna.” He said it with a laugh, but it didn’t mask the earnestness in his tone. “Or any of that other stuff.”

At the mention of “other stuff,” the word soulmates popped into Jenna’s mind, but she wasn’t about to voice it. Besides, she didn’t believe in that stuff either. That was her sister’s job, to turn everything that happened into a sign or a part of her destiny or a message from her higher self, the “I can’t help it that I fell for your best friend and study partner—we’re meant to be” exacerbations that sometimes made Jenna want to bang her head against a wall.

Even though what came out next wasn’t Jenna’s typical MO, it was the most vulnerable she’d been in a long time. “I don’t believe in that stuff either, not really. Even so, I remember the first time I saw you…or can remember seeing you, anyway. Everything around those couple minutes is patchy, but it was dark and cold and everything hurt and Seven was making so much noise and you were this stranger who was holding my hand. None of it made sense, but I looked over at you, and you had this concerned expression on your face that absolutely didn’t fit the chaos of the moment, and I remembering thinking, ‘What did I do to earn this?’” With a shrug, she added, “Yeah…mostly, I’m still thinking that.”

Jake stopped, and since Jenna was holding his hand, she stopped too. Seven glanced back, his ears perked and his head cocked. “That’s what I keep asking myself. Every morning.”

When he brushed his lips against hers in a way that conveyed all the emotion she could see building in his eyes, Jenna was half-tempted to wish for a way to bottle up the experience and keep it forever. Something told her that if such a request were granted, it would most certainly back up the train of life and stop other important moments from coming. Instead, she determined to savor it while it lasted, and when the kiss ended, small smiles lit both their faces.

“Maybe the answer to that is we both did the same thing—everything and nothing.” Jake motioned toward the sun that had popped out between thick, patchy clouds. “Maybe we just soak up the sun and not worry about how long it’s going to be out.”

This time, Jenna was the one to step in for a kiss. “I can get on board with that. Most definitely.”

***

Arms loaded with two coffees, three bagels, and a bag of treats for Seven, Jake headed for one of the open picnic tables that was in the sun and waved at Jenna, who was walking Seven around a clump of trees. Earlier, while Jake had been waiting for the bagels, Seven had gotten so excited about something in a branch above him that, for a moment there, it had looked as if he was attempting to master Tree Climbing for Dogs 101.

The irony didn’t escape Jake that he and Jenna were having the intimate conversations they were having while—until a few minutes ago—he didn’t even know how she liked her coffee. Even so, that never-quiet inner voice of his wasn’t doling out his typical warnings. In fact, if it was saying anything, it was, Go on, jump. It’ll be okay.

Maybe there really was a first time for everything.

“Well, he likes squirrels,” Jenna said with a laugh as she and Seven walked up, Seven practically dragging her along. Jake didn’t doubt the dog hoped some of the food in Jake’s hands was for him. “Good thing dogs don’t have retractable claws. For a second there, I thought he was going to pull me up that tree.”

“No kidding. Good thing for my furniture too. He likes to dig before he settles in for a doze, I’ve noticed.” As Jenna took a seat on the bench opposite him, Seven hung back a few feet, eyeing them both before homing in on the wax-paper sandwich bags. He was panting from his encounter with the squirrel, and there was a gleam of excitement in his eyes that almost looked like straight joy.

“You know, going back to what we were talking about earlier,” Jenna said, “about fate and all. If one did believe that kind of stuff, it’d be a nice way to think about how all the things that happened to Seven were actually leading him to you.”

Jake’s forehead tightened as Jenna’s words sank in. “Yeah, minus the fact that I’m just fostering him.” Even though she didn’t voice it, Jenna’s expression made it clear she thought Jake should’ve said something entirely different. “Not the answer you hoped for, huh?”

“If you ask me, you two belong together. Not that I’m pressuring you,” she added with a sly smile that called his attention to her mouth and had him itching to reach across the table and kiss her. “You need to do what’s right for you. I get it.”

“Most of the time, I don’t think I’m very good at knowing what’s right for me, though I’ve gotten better at figuring out what’s wrong for me—faster than I used to anyway.”

“Maybe it’s okay to not know anything more than that what you’re doing with him right now is making a difference. An important one.”

Seven pressed in then, planting his front paws on the bench next to her and leaning in to sniff the bags of bagels. Catching Jake’s gaze, he bounded back from the table like he was about to scolded, but Jake didn’t think it was his imagination that it wasn’t with the wild-eyed fear he’d shown earlier in the week.

“You know,” he said, “I think if dogs could speak, one of the things they’d tell people is less talk, more action…and more food. Seven, for sure.” Sorting the bags, he passed the one marked BC, short for Breakfast Club, in Jenna’s direction.

“At least he’s a quick learner. All you had to do was shake your head, and he hasn’t yet tried getting back up on the table for the food.”

“He is a quick learner. I’ll give him that. For some things. When I put away my shoes, I tell him no as I close my coat closet door, but anytime he wants to go outside, he’s quick to flick the handle with one paw and swipe one of my shoes. He’s not chewing on them, just carrying them around and letting me know what he wants to do. What he wants me to do is more like it.”

Jenna made a face. “Please tell me you recognize how cute that is.”

Jake shook his head and chuckled. “Yeah, but I can’t say it bodes well for him accepting that I’m the alpha in this relationship. Hey, I meant to tell you, I scheduled a tour of an agility and training center over in Des Plaines Wednesday evening. Wanna come along?”

“Yeah, I’d like that. I’m back to work next week, but I’ll have evenings free.”

“It’s a date then,” Jake said and gave her fingers a squeeze.

“Yes, please,” she said in just a suggestive enough manner that Jake was compelled to get to his feet, lean over, and kick-start the best kiss of the day, which Seven interrupted with a high-pitched bark.

After pulling away, Jenna brushed her fingers down the side of Jake’s face. “While I could do that all day, I think someone’s telling us he’s as hungry as you are.”

“You’d never guess he had breakfast already,” Jake said, settling back onto his bench seat.

Jenna lifted a brow. “I can’t blame him. I’m kind of hobbity like that sometimes too. Those second breakfasts are the best.”

Jake laughed. “You’re a pleasure, Jenna. I mean that.”

“Thank you, and likewise. So, what’d you end up choosing for you?” Motioning toward the third bagel, she added, “Or which two, I should say.”

“Mandy made that lox bagel sound worth fighting for, so I figured I’d give that a try. The extra one is a dessert bagel. Chocolate hazelnut cream with toasted almonds and banana.”

“Oh, I had that once. It’s delicious.”

Under Seven’s watchful eye, Jenna had been pulling out her sandwich from its bag but stopped to look at something that had caught her interest.

Over at the edge of the lot, a new vehicle was parking behind the other mobile vendors. Rather than a full-size truck, this one was a modern cargo van, narrow and easy to drive but tall enough to stand up inside the cargo area. The graphic on the side read The Bearded Barber. Underneath that was a pen-and-ink profile of a bearded man, and below that, a pair of scissors and a tagline that read, “On-the-run cuts, shaves, and trims.”

“If we’re talking about what we want, or at least what we’d wish for if we could, I’d have to say one of my big ones is what just pulled in.”

“A mobile barber truck or a more heavily bearded boyfriend?” Jake savored Jenna’s soft laughter that followed his quip.

“What you’ve got going on there is pretty sexy, if you ask me.” Jenna’s flirtatious look heated Jake’s blood. “The first one, without the barber part.”

“For your plants?”

Jenna nodded. “It would be so much easier. I could bring a bigger selection, and the sensitive ones would be protected from the weather. Plus, I could travel all around town.”

“Why don’t you then? That’d be awesome.”

“Because they’re anything but cheap. I looked into it before buying the truck. I couldn’t even get close to justifying the numbers.” She shrugged. “Maybe in seven or eight years when my med school loans are paid off.”

Jake rubbed his temple and forehead as his ADHD kicked his thoughts into overdrive, the words threatening to tumble out in a rush. “Not to go all defense attorney on you again, but after that accident, you’ve got a payout coming to you.” He held up a hand before she shot him down. “I get you don’t want to sue. But that man was fully insured and drunk. You lost a truck, suffered a concussion, got a crapload of stitches, and a dog that had already been through hell went through it again—for a short time, at least. You’ve got money coming to you, Jenna, and you don’t have to take the driver to court or even get a lawyer. Hell, I’d be happy to make a few phone calls on your behalf. Just know that your situation isn’t necessarily what it was a year ago when you bought the Tacoma.”

Scooping the back of her hair into one hand, Jenna looked from Jake across the park to the van. “What’s your best guess of what I could walk away with? Without a lawsuit.”

Jake dragged a hand over his mouth. “Over 50K. Likely closer to a hundred.”

Seeing the way she blinked a few times was proof enough that it was a bigger number than she was prepared for. Wanting to give her the space to process this, Jake opened the bag with the day-old hunks of bagel that had been basted in beef broth then dried overnight, and Seven whined like he knew they were for him.

“Sit, Seven.”

With zero hesitation, Seven sank on his haunches and sat as still as the gargoyles lining Randolph Tower near Millennium Park. After Jake opened his palm and offered over the largest bagel chunk, Seven escaped to the far edge of his leash and hunkered down on the grass to munch it into pieces.

Next, Jake slid his own bagel out of its bag and took a hearty bite. Mandy hadn’t been kidding. It was worth fighting a dog over, and maybe a human too. “Damn, that’s good,” he said when he finished a second bite.

Jenna grinned. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Sorry if what I said upset you just now.”

She nodded. “I’m okay, just a little in shock, I guess. That much money would be a game changer. With more time and a truck like that one, I really think I could make a go of this business. It always just felt like such a catch-22. At least, until now.”

“Would you quit the clinic then?”

“Not for a while. I’ll drop down to three days a week in a heartbeat though, if my finances ever warrant doing so. It’d be great to have Fridays off. There’s almost as much that goes on in this city on Fridays as Saturdays.”

Jake lifted his coffee her direction in a toast. “Here’s to that coming your way sooner than you think.”

Jenna had just tapped her cup against his when something over by the vendors caught her attention, and her eyes went wide. “Oh crap. Speaking of things coming our way sooner than we think, Thing 1 and Thing 2 are running this way.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Jake spotted two little boys running their direction full tilt, the smaller one moving at a considerably slower pace than the older one. A well-dressed blond brought up the rear at a walk as she yelled at them to be careful.

Well, it seemed he’d be meeting Jenna’s family after all.