Flynn spread his hands. Sorry, I only rent to them. Ive no say over where or how they fly.
Pursing her lips, Jenna unwound Andees arms. Then thanks for nothing, Mr. Sutton. The way you feel about planes, you may want to tell the plane owners that I fully intend to check to see if theyre breaking any city ordinances.
Flynn started to say he doubted her ranch would be zoned in the city, but the woman had grasped her daughters hand and was prepared to leave.
Just then his dog loped out from the closest hangar. And after giving a couple of excited barks, the part sheep dog, part no-name breed bounded up to the kid and licked the lingering trail of tears off her face.
The woman shrieked and attempted to shield the girl. To no avail, it turned out, since the kid flung her arms around his mutt, instantly all giggles.
Its okay, dont panic, Flynn assured the woman. I hoped when Beezer adopted me that clients and visitors might think hes a guard dog. Really hes a cupcake.
Mommy, he likes me. Andee petted the dogs shaggy gray-and-cream-splotched fur.
I see that, honey. But...we need to go now. Please tell him goodbye. Jenna shook out the tissue again and this time wiped the slobber off her daughters chin.
Kay. The girl clutched the animals ears and pressed a kiss on his black nose. When she straightened, she resisted her mother long enough to offer Flynn a shy smile and a hesitant wave.
He lifted his hand in response and returned her smile. He loved kids. On his leaves hed spent as much time as he could with his sisters two boys. Really, kids had always figured in his future. A major reason why it was as well he and Saundra had split up.
Man, he needed to forget her. As he kept Beezer from following the cute little girl and her very pretty mother, he couldve kicked himself for continuing to go back to Saundra.
Beezer rubbed against Flynns good leg and whined. I know, boy. You like people. Sorry, fella, youre stuck with me.
After the Jeep Cherokee had driven a ways away, Flynn released his grip on the dogs collar and briskly rubbed his furry sides. Remember who found your skinny bones skulking around the hangar and took you in and fed you so that your ribs no longer stand out, you ungrateful mutt.
He stood and looked after the SUV. Dont be swayed by a pretty face.
* * *
IT HADNT ESCAPED Jennas attention as shed helped strap Andee into her car seat that the airpark owners smile carved a dent in his right cheek that looked suspiciously like a dimple. She was a sucker for dimples. And military men had a way of turning the heads of females in her family, regardless of age. As her six-year-old had just proved.
Here shed moved them across the country to get away from uniformed airmen only to find a hot-looking pilot owned a business a few hills removed from her new home.
Clamping her back teeth together, Jenna got in and drove off, ignoring how Andee kept waving.
Mommy, why dont we have a dog? Andee asked once the airpark disappeared behind them in a ruffle of dust.
Jenna tilted the rearview mirror so she could see her daughter better. Well, mostly we lived in apartments, she said, not wanting to tell Andee that her father had repeatedly vetoed the suggestion of adopting a dog or a cat. Andrew had always been something of a neat freak. But hed gotten more obsessive on his last few rotations home between tours.
We dont live in a partment now, Andee responded.
No, but Im not sure if the ostriches would react well to a dog running around.
What if he didnt run around? I could keep him inside the house with me.
Jenna frowned and realized she wasnt going to win this argument with logic. You havent even seen baby ostriches yet. Im counting on your help feeding the babies after they pop out of their eggs.
What will I feed them? We dont have any milk or anything in our frigerator.
It so happens I see a grocery store in that strip mall across the street from the next stoplight. Well go there and buy some groceriesfor us, not for the birds. Mr. Martin, the man who used to own our birds, left their food in one of the sheds, remember?
Ostriches dont eat people food, Jenna reiterated after she parked and helped Andee out.
This isnt like our old store, Andee said, standing inside the door as her mother found a grocery cart.
Well probably have to get used to new brands, but the food will be the same. Besides milk, what can you think of that we need to get?
Pizza and pasketti.
Oh, you funny girl. Youd eat those seven days a week if Id let you.
I like soup and cheese sandwiches, too, Mommy.
That you do. Heres the soup aisle. Its a good place to start.
Jenna added up prices as they meandered the aisles. She hadnt told her family, but shed had to pay cash for the ranch. It was a shock to learn that she didnt have a credit rating even though with Andrew gone so much shed been the one to handle their budgets. Shed never questioned that their on-base housing and utilities had been in his name.
Before his death she hadnt given much thought to what went on behind the scenes in banking. Theyd had a joint credit card.
After Andrews death shed had to apply for one in her name. The bank had issued her a debit card, which shed needed to watch closely, since Andrews benefits had been frozen until the completion of the investigation.
Before their marriage, shed lived with her parents. After, Andrew had been the sole breadwinner.
Now it was all up to her.
Andee, who had wandered ahead in the aisle, suddenly ran back and plopped a box in the basket.
Whoa, there. What are you getting, sweetheart? Jenna picked it up and was surprised to see it was a supersized box of dog biscuits. Honey, we dont need this. I said we might not be able to get a dog because of the ostriches. Run and put this back on the shelf, please.
Andee pouted. But I can feed Beezer when he comes to visit me.
Uh, honey...I know you liked Beezer a lot, but I dont want you to get your hopes up. We dont really know his owner. I cant think of any reason why well see him again. Put the dog treats back. I promise Ill ask Mr. Martin, the man who owned the ranch, if having a dog would scare the ostriches.
The girl clutched the box that bore the face of an almost dead ringer for the gray-and-cream-splotched dog shed taken such a shine to. Then, long-faced, she dragged her feet back down the aisle, leaving her mother once again irritated over the unexpected consequences of her useless meeting with Flynn Sutton.
* * *
IT DIDNT TAKE long to reach her cards limit and pack the back of the SUV with groceries.
In short order they reached the ranch. That brought a smile to Jennas facethe very fact nothing in this towneven split in two by a major highwaywas more than a dozen minutes from home. Most bases theyd lived on were huge and had taken longer than this to navigate from one end to the other.
Locked in thought, it took Jenna a few moments to register that a silver pickup with a skewed back bumper sat in the spot outside her home where she intended to park. She slowed as she noticed a man emerge from one of her sheds.
She pulled around the pickup, stopped and released her seat belt. She heard Andee doing the same. Sweetie, stay in your seat for a minute. Theres a man, a stranger, over by the ostrich pens. Hes probably the manager the Realtor mentioned. However, I need to have a word with him to be sure.