Perfect on Paper (12 page)

He dug into his backpack again and pulled out a big container. When he opened the lid, Nadine saw cut up pieces of meat.

“Steak,” David said. “Nothing but the best for Duke.”

Nadine started to cry. She was overwhelmed with the generosity of David’s spirit. To think that he wanted to give Duke such a great night and that he could do it with such grace. She wiped her eyes with her fingers, not wanting to be overly emotional.

“It’s okay,” he said, wiping her cheek with his thumb. “Look at the joy in this moment. That’s what we have. Right now. Look at Duke. Look how happy he is.”

He passed the container to her. “Here. You first.”

Nadine took a piece of steak out of the container and Duke and Duchess immediately sat down.

“I don’t want to make him do a trick for it,” Nadine said.

“Why not? He wants to. He’s a showoff. Get him to shake a paw.”

“Okay.” She had tears in her eyes as she gave the command. She gave Duke the morsel and watched as he devoured it. Her heart filled with love.

“I have to capture this,” David said and whipped out his cell phone camera. “Don’t worry about me. Just do whatever comes naturally.”

She nodded.

She had a dance with Duchess and got Duke to speak. Nadine rewarded them with more chunks of the good stuff and the dogs loved it. They’d been plenty happy before, but they were ecstatic now. It was obvious.

Chapter Thirteen

Back in the car heading toward the city, Nadine decided to say the one thing she’d been thinking all evening that she couldn’t say before.

“David?”

“Yes?”

“I’d like to adopt Duchess.”

David pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. He turned and looked at her, warmly but with the kind of skepticism of everyone at the SPCA.

“Adopting a dog is a huge decision.”

“I know.”

“And you didn’t wake up this morning thinking you wanted a dog, so I don’t know if it’s such a good idea. I mean, of course it’s easy to fall in love with a dog like Duchess, but loving her isn’t enough. It’s a lot of work. You work full-time and you’re running the business. I don’t know. I mean, I don’t want to be negative but…”

“David, I understand your defensiveness, but I’ve been thinking about getting a dog for a while, actually.”

“You have?”

She nodded. “It’s not a split second decision. Actually, I already know for a fact I can bring her to work with me.”

“She’d like that,” he conceded.

“Yeah, and as for the business, Grandpa Winston had a dog in his shop. I’m not totally there yet. I’m still working out of a storage space, but I’m looking at commercial spaces. I’ll get there within the year, I’m sure. Then I’ll go down to part-time at the store until I’m sure I can stay ahead of my bills.”

“Whoa, Nadine. I had no idea.”

“About what?”

“All your plans. That’s really cool that you want a commercial space.”

“Well, I can’t keep working out of my garage forever. Oh, and get this. I made two huge sales this week after I delivered the dresser on Tuesday. It’s picking up. I can feel it.”

“Wow. That’s so exciting. I’m proud of you.”

“So what do you think about Duchess? I mean, I know the timing isn’t totally ideal, but I feel like she’s the perfect dog for me.”

“I can see why. Two beauties. Don’t feel like you have to, though, just because I told you their sob story. Every dog I know has one.”

“David. It’s not the story. It’s her. I really click with her.”

“She sure would benefit from going to a loving home before her best friend… You know…”

“I guess that is a part of it. I can’t bear the thought of her in an empty kennel after Duke…”

“But that’s no reason to take her.”

“It’s not the reason. It’s just how I know I love her.”

“Oh, Nadine. That’s such a beautiful thing to say.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Well, listen. Let’s drop them off tonight and I’ll leave a note for Shirley, who’ll do up the paperwork in the morning. Then we can make sure you’re all set up to take her.” He looked back out at the city, now closer because they’d come back from the trail. “Whoa. I can’t believe you’re going to take Duchess. You are my dream woman. I’d have taken her myself if I could. I didn’t want Duchess to have to live with a bunch of guys. It wasn’t right for her. She’s so classy.”

“You love her, too.”

“Sure do. Dogs like Duchess don’t come around very often. I don’t mean that as a bad reflection on the other dogs. It’s just that she’s exceptional.”

“Yeah. She really is.” Nadine looked back at Duchess and smiled at the idea of bringing a dog back into her life. “You know, my grandfather used to have a dog like her.”

“Oh yeah?”

Nadine nodded. “Yeah. He taught me everything I know about it, actually.”

“No kidding.”

“Yep. And I used to just love going to his shop after school and on weekends to see him and to spend time with Buddy. Buddy was a boy. I’m kind of excited to have a girl dog.”

“What happened to Buddy?” David asked. Nadine had a feeling he would. It had, after all, been a sore point all these years and this was the perfect time to share it.

“Well, after Grandpa Winston passed away, I wanted to take Buddy, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. Everything in my life had just collapsed.”

“Rough,” David said taking her hand.

“Yeah. My parents sold off his shop so quickly that I barely even had a chance to adjust to the idea. It was gone almost as soon as they put it on the market. He had such a great reputation. It’s still a furniture restoration place, actually. Anyway, Buddy went to a new home and I was all excited because the new family said I could come visit him any time, but then they moved a little farther away and I called them about coming out, and they didn’t have time.”

“That must have been hard on you.”

“It was. Truth be told, it took me a long time to forgive my parents. I can see now that they were busy with their careers and responsibilities, but the whole experience felt so abrupt and cold.”

“Understandable. I’m really glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me about this.”

“Well, you shared.”

“I feel like I can tell you anything.”

“It’s mutual,” Nadine said. “David, you know you really don’t strike me as being much younger than me.”

“Phew. I take that as a huge compliment. I was worried that you couldn’t see yourself with me.”

There was an awkward silence for a second while Nadine digested what David had just said.

As though he was uncomfortable with the silence, David added, “I mean, you don’t have to see yourself with me at all. I’m…uh… Oh crap. I was doing my best not to come on too strong.”

Nadine looked at David’s hand, which still rested on hers. She looked into his eyes.

“You were? I thought you were all about being yourself completely tonight.”

“Well, I am. But I still find it hard to believe I’m out with you, so I’ve been trying to play it cool.”

“You have?” She smiled. It was impossible not to.

“You couldn’t tell?” He shook his fist in the air while looking out of the window. “Oh, man. I knew it wasn’t working.”

“You’re wearing your heart on your sleeve, David, and I have to say it is so refreshing.”

“It is?”

“Oh yes.”

“So you can accept that I’m kind of a schmaltzy guy who likes to hang out with dogs and drink hot chocolate?”

“I think you’re incredibly sweet.”

“Oh no. Sweet. The kiss of death.”

“Not in my book.”

“When a girl says you’re sweet, it means she just wants to hang out and make cookies together.”

“Cookies?”

“Tamara Sanders. Freshman year. I was head over heels and she said she liked me too then she invited me over to her place and I thought it was a date, but turned out she just wanted advice from a guy’s perspective on how to get Jared Blackley.”

“Ugh. Why do they always have names like Jared?”

“Who?”

“Those perfect high school dudes.”

“Tell me about it. We made cookies and did
Cosmo
quizzes, and it sucked.”

“I wonder where Jared is today.”

“Actually they got married. He was all right, as it turned out. I went to their wedding. Told the cookie story. Got some laughs and a pinch on the cheek from Tamara’s mom.”

David rubbed his cheek like he was remembering. “It hurts being the sweet guy.”

“Well, you sure weren’t sweet the other night on the phone,” Nadine said. Even in the relative darkness of the car, she was embarrassed, as she could feel herself blush at the memory.

* * * *

David pulled the car into the SPCA parking lot. The evening had grown dark in that way that is common in Michigan.

“Can’t we do anything about Duke?” Nadine wanted to know.

“You mean to prevent the inevitable?”

She nodded.

He told her there was nothing left to be done and when he got the black Lab out of the car and held Duke in his arms, he carried him to Nadine.

“Feel here,” he said, putting her hand in his and guiding it to a lump on Duke’s left hip. “That’s just one of the tumors. There are more.”

Nadine began to cry.

“I know it’s awfully selfish of me,” she said, “but I want him to live. I want him to beat this.” It sounded naïve, even as she said it, especially considering that David had lost his whole family. She felt silly for pointing out the powerlessness in the situation.

“We have to approach this the way Duke is,” David said. “Look. You don’t see him getting all gloomy.”

Duke was, in fact, wagging his tail.

“He’s had a great night,” Nadine said, as though she was making an effort to console herself.

“I’m going to take him in and have a minute with him,” David said. “I’ll be back for Duchess in a bit.”

“All right.” She nodded.

In the parking lot, Nadine let Duchess out of the car. The Irish Setter jumped out, tail wagging and eager. David was right. She was beautiful. She probably could have been a show dog with her silky mahogany coat. Nadine looked into Duchess’ eyes and wondered if she knew what the morning would bring.

“I want you to know you have a home with me, Duchess,” she told the dog. “I will look after you and care for you, just like Grandpa Winston did for Buddy. We’re going to have a great time together, you and me.”

Duchess shifted her weight from one side of her seated position to the other and stared back at Nadine.

“We’re going to go running every morning. I can’t wait to show you the trails by the house.”

It was like having a new friend—a best friend—and she needed Duchess more than she could even express. Lately, her friends had put pressure on her to make more time for them and to live a more balanced life, but Nadine had goals and plans. What she didn’t have was time. Duchess would force her out into the fresh air each day and the run would do her good. Then they’d go to work and it’d be easier to get through the day with her friend at her feet.

Just then, David emerged from the building and in the shadows beneath the canopy of oak trees, Nadine noticed that his eyes were red.

“Let’s give them their last night together,” David said, holding his hand out for Duchess’ leash.

“Come on, Duchess,” David called, and Duchess ran to him with such enthusiasm that Nadine wondered if she’d listen to anyone. But she understood that Duchess was confused. Life in the shelter was undoubtedly stressful for all dogs being housed there. She probably missed Mrs. Bronstein and was trying to impress everyone in an effort to get back to her. She knew that visits to see Mrs. Bronstein would be in their future.

“Take good care, Duchess,” Nadine called to her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * * *

Nadine noticed that this time, when David came out, he looked at peace. It was a relief to see, as she really didn’t like to see him suffer. It had bothered her more than she’d thought it would. She couldn’t believe that this was their first real date. They seemed to know each other so well.

“Hey,” he said as he stepped into the light of the street lamp from above. “Thank you for meeting my friends.”

She was still outside the car, leaning up against it in the cool evening air. She put her arms around him. “It was a pleasure to meet your friends.”

“I hope I didn’t bum you out with Duke.”

“I am sad, but you’re right about death. People—and dogs—don’t disappear, they just change forms. I’m grateful that I met Duke. He’s a special dog.”

“He is. He has had a dream life. It’s pointless to make him suffer through all kinds of horrible operations that would prevent him from running and playing and enjoying himself. I’m so glad you get me and get my love for this place.”

“Oh, David, I do.”

Nadine examined him with unmistakable compassion in this difficult moment, but there was something else in her eye contact, too. It was a deep longing, an uncontrollable magnetism.

In the dark parking lot, beneath the street lamp, shaded by oak leaves, they kissed. David initiated it but Nadine kept it going longer than David had anticipated. Nadine’s urge to kiss him had started around the time he came to her door and it had built consistently for the past two hours. Now she wasn’t willing to wait longer. She wanted more of him. She was able to give in completely

When they finally tore themselves apart, David said, “I have more planned for us.”

“There’s more? Really?” Nadine was delighted, but also felt a twinge of disappointment that it wasn’t time to go back to her place yet. She sure wanted more of this physical expression. She was able to tell him with her kiss what she couldn’t seem to say in words.

“I want to show you something,” David said as they pulled out of the parking lot. “It’s another one of my happy places, but it’s happy for different reasons.”

“Oh yeah?”

“It’s another place I like to go a lot. I’m there at least one night a week, but usually there are others there, too. Tonight it’ll just be the two of us.”

“How mysterious.”

“Yeah. And you can’t tell people. We have special permission for just tonight. I prearranged it.”