Page 98 of Operation K-9 Brothers
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Eight months later
“She’s never going to be a therapy dog, at least not the kind I’m training for my military brothers and sisters,” Jack told Nichole as they watched the still growing puppy chase Rambo around the backyard while Dakota sat next to him, observing her wards play.
Maggie May was too happy, too exuberant, too needy to get all the love from any person she came in contact with.Besides, he wasn’t sure he could give her up.She was a clown with overgrown feet that she kept tripping over.She supplied them with laughs every single day, and he doubted Nichole would be any more willing to let her go than he was.
Maggie May was also dumb as shit.As a therapy dog, she’d shower her owner with love, but that was about it.Even after eight months of working with her, the silly dog couldn’t remember her lessons from one day to the next, but he had an idea of a way she could contribute.
“Then we get to keep her?”Nichole asked.
“I figure neither you nor Dakota will speak to me again if we don’t.”He could probably include Rambo in that, too.The three dogs had formed a tight family.
She laughed.“You have that right.”
“I do think she’d make a good therapy dog in another way.I’d like to try her out on visiting the children’s floor at the hospital and making visits to retirement facilities.We could start her out at Grammie’s place, get her used to doing something like that.”
“That’s a great idea!I think she’d be amazing with children and older people.”
“You’re amazing.”He glanced at the woman who’d taught him how to be happy.“You look good enough to eat.If we didn’t have to leave in five minutes...”He waggled his eyebrows.
“But we do, so let’s get the dogs in.”As they herded their fur-kids inside, she said, “Are you nervous?”
“There wasn’t a military operation I went out on that made me as nervous as I am now, if that tells you anything.”That was a fact.His stomach was doing somersaults, and he was afraid he might lose his lunch.
She grabbed his hands and pulled him to a stop.“Everything is going to be perfect.”
“As long as I have you, that’s all that matters.”
“You will always have me.Now, let’s go to the grand opening of Operation K-9 Brothers.”
“On it,” he said.
Jack hadn’t dared to hope that every invitation he’d sent out for the Operation K-9 Brothers grand opening would be accepted, but he couldn’t think of a single person on the invite list who was missing, except for his SEAL brothers who were deployed.If they were stateside, he knew every single one of them would be here for him.
He’d taken Nichole to Virginia Beach a few times when the team had been home, and they now considered her their sister.Double D had even sung Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” to her.
On their last visit, his team had warned him to treat her right or he’d be hearing from them.That was something they’d never have to worry about, but he loved that his brothers had adopted her.
He glanced over at the tables where all the items for the silent auction were set up.Every potter friend of Nichole’s was out in force, their donations to the cause on the tables.Three different caterers had donated food and sodas, a local winery had set up a tasting booth, as had two of Asheville’s microbreweries.
The support from his town was humbling.
Dirty Mary’s laughter caught his attention.The one table he refused to go near was the one his grandmother’s cronies were hosting.It had drawn a large crowd all afternoon, and he shuddered at the thought of what items they’d come up with to sell.
Ron Kitterman, his mentor, who’d helped fast-track Jack’s therapy dog certification, slapped a hand over his back.“You should be proud of yourself, son.”
Jack scanned the area around him.“Do I sound like I’m bragging to say that I am?”
“Hell no.You worked harder to make this happen in about half the time than I thought possible.Definitely be proud.I have something for you.”He handed Jack a check made out to Operation K-9 Brothers.
Jack’s eyes widened at seeing the amount.“Damn, I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You’re doing some good for people here, Jack.By giving you this, I get bragging rights that I discovered you.”
“No way I’m going to say no to that.”
Ron squeezed his shoulder, then melted into the crowd.Jack looked at the check again to make sure he hadn’t read the amount wrong.He hadn’t.Ron had also worked with him on designing the kennels and training center after Jack had purchased the land.He owed the man big-time.
