The Marine's Mission Read online

  But the one time she needed cooperation, it appeared as if she wasn’t going to get it. Unless she could change his mind.

  “Oscar will be perfect for your needs,” she assured him, reaching down to scratch the poodle’s head.

  “That froufrou dog? No way, ma’am. Not gonna happen.”

  “Excuse me?” She’d expected him to hesitate but not downright reject her idea.

  “Look, Ruby, if you like Oscar so much, then keep him for yourself. I need a man’s dog by my side, not some...some...”

  “Poodle?” Ruby suggested, her eyebrows disappearing beneath her long ginger bangs. She could either get angry or laugh at the situation, and she’d always been prone to the latter, as difficult as it was for her now.

  “Right. Whatever. Lead me to where you keep the German shepherds and I’ll pick one out myself.”

  “Hmm,” Ruby said, rubbing her chin as if considering his request, although she really wasn’t. At length, she shrugged. “No.”

  “No?”

  That obviously wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear nor what he’d expected her to say. He was clearly used to giving orders, not taking them. He was gritting his teeth so hard she could see his pulse pounding in the corner of his scruffy jaw.

  “No,” she repeated firmly. “First off, we don’t currently have a German shepherd as part of our program, much less several from which to choose. Nor do we have any Mals, before you ask.”

  She didn’t tell Aaron that if she’d truly believed a GSD—German Shepherd Dog—or a Belgian Malinois would be the right breed for him and his circumstances, she would have searched the local shelters high and low and reached out to her contacts to find one. No use adding fuel to the fire.

  “I’d even take a pit bull.” He was beginning to sound desperate.

  Ruby had a wonderful brown-and-white-spotted pit bull named Tugger currently on her program roster, but he definitely wasn’t the right dog for Aaron. Just the way the marine had said he’d even take a pit bull told her all she needed to know on that subject.

  “Nope. Nope. And nope. Look, Aaron. Either you’re going to have to learn to trust me and my judgments where my specialty and training with service dogs are concerned or you may as well just leave now before we start. I don’t have any inclination to constantly knock heads with you at every turn. This isn’t going to work unless you’re ready to listen to me and do whatever I tell you to do.”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “I understand chain of command, ma’am. There were many times as a marine when I didn’t exactly agree with my superiors, but I understood why it was important to follow orders.”

  “Okay. I guess that’s one way to look at it. Let’s go with that.”

  Talk about making her uncomfortable. She’d always considered herself a teacher and not so much a leader, especially the type this military man was used to obeying. She couldn’t even imagine running a boot camp here and barking—pun definitely intended—out orders at him, and yet she suspected that was exactly what Aaron thought he was about to experience.

  “For me,” Aaron continued, standing, “following orders is black and white. My marines’ lives under my command often depended on it. But as you can see, I’m having difficulty making that transition in this situation. We’re not talking people’s lives here.”

  “I disagree. We’re very much talking lives—yours. You may not yet have a clear vision of what you’ll be able to do with Oscar, but a service dog can make all the difference in the world.”

  “Yes, but you just insisted the best dog for me is a poodle. I’m sorry, but that can’t be right. If you knew anything about me at all, you’d know the last dog in the world I’d choose would be a poodle.”

  “And yet I still believe I’m right,” said Ruby with a wry smile. She couldn’t back down now. Somehow, she had to convince this man she knew what she was doing. Internally, she was sweating. “I carefully studied your file before you arrived, Aaron, and specially selected Oscar for you to work with. I’m the expert here. So how are we going to get over this hurdle?”

  “I have orders from the VA to make this work. How will it look to them if I turn back so quickly and give up before I even start the process?” He shook his head. “No. Don’t answer that. It will look as if I wasn’t able or competent enough to complete my mission. That’s never going to happen. I’ll always pull through, no matter what the circumstances.”

  Ruby was having difficulty considering her working relationship with Aaron a mission, but then, that was probably the only worldview the tough marine knew. She realized she’d do better to speak to him in terms he could comprehend and act upon.

  “I’ll do my best to work with you in a way you understand,” she promised him. “In terms of giving orders and such.”

  That’s what she did with her dogs, after all. Looked at each one as an individual and worked with them in a way they understood. Not that Aaron could even remotely be compared to her canines—except perhaps for the occasional bared teeth.

  “This is my first time working with a military man, so give me some leeway.”

  That wasn’t entirely accurate, and her gut squeezed painfully. She’d had experiences with military men before—both her father and her high school sweetheart, who’d returned from the Middle East troubled and with issues they ultimately couldn’t overcome.

  There was the irony. It was one of the primary reasons gaining this military contract was so important to her, and yet it was the very reason working with Aaron and others would be so difficult.

  Her heart had already withstood so much. If it wasn’t that the service-dog program was on the brink of folding, she might not have accepted the challenge to begin with. She believed with her whole heart that A New Leash on Love was a ministry to those it served. But even ministries needed funding, and hers was full of sweet canines who needed food and veterinary care.

  It was worth it. But she had to dig deep to find the courage to confront her past and rise to face her future.

  She believed she could help. But what could she do if Aaron didn’t give her the opportunity to prove it to him?

  “Look, ma’am,” Aaron said, his jaw finally loosening as he moved out of parade rest. She shot him a look and he corrected himself. “Ruby, I mean. I never turn away from challenges. Not in boot camp, not in Afghanistan and not now, no matter how I personally feel about it. That’s what makes me a good marine.”

  He paused and blew out a breath. “Made me a good marine,” he corrected.

  “‘Once a marine, always a marine,’” she gently reminded him. “Right? I’m sure I heard that somewhere. Look—” she swiped a palm across her cheek “—if you’re willing to push through the awkwardness, then so am I. I think—hope—you’ll find it isn’t as bad as you imagine it will be. Don’t discount the training process. Who knows? You may even grow to like Oscar.”

  “I don’t know about that, but despite my reticence, I’m willing to give it a go. Conquer this new terrain.”

  Ruby thought it was an odd way of looking at their working relationship. But then again, it kind of made sense to her, in a what-it-must-be-like-to-be-in-the-marine-corps kind of way.

  She only hoped he didn’t expect her to shout out orders like some kind of drill sergeant. That wasn’t her teaching method and never would be. She believed in positive reinforcement both for her dogs and her clients and couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to yell at someone. The man was troubled enough without her screaming orders at him.

  She was the sweet talker in her family. Her wins came from her soft-spoken nature, while Aaron’s, no doubt, were from a heart that was as rough and scarred inside as his outside. She couldn’t even imagine what he’d seen and experienced, but she knew no one could walk away from such circumstances without it affecting them in some way.

  That’s how it had been for Daniel. She’d thought
she’d be married with children by now. She and her high school flame had so many plans. And then he’d entered the army and come home...different.

  Ruby was now more convinced than ever that Oscar would be the perfect service dog for Aaron, a dog who wouldn’t constantly remind him of everything he’d been through. He’d probably had military-trained German shepherds and/or Belgian Malinois in his unit. Oscar was a sweet, even-tempered dog who could offer Aaron comfort and a sense of peace, maybe something he needed even more than the physical aspects of the work they would do together.

  And maybe—just maybe—Ruby would be the right teacher for him, too.

  Chapter Two

  Friday afternoon was the first official training day for Aaron and Oscar, and Ruby had spent the whole morning cleaning the training building and worrying about how all this was going to turn out. Her sister Avery, who took care of the books for both the family companies, had shown her the latest numbers. Money was getting tighter and tighter.

  She absolutely could not mess this up.

  What had Ruby’s contact, Major Bren Kelley, at the VA been thinking when she’d selected the sergeant as her test case? Aaron was some kind of case, all right, and Ruby wasn’t at all sure what to do with him. She’d honestly expected a client who genuinely wanted to be part of the program.

  Was that so much to ask?

  Part of her wondered for a moment if perhaps Bren wanted her to fail, if she had something against a civilian receiving a military contract.

  But no. Of course not. Ridiculous. That made no sense whatsoever.

  The major had been the one to reach out to Ruby and A New Leash on Love after hearing of their success stories. This contract, if it came through based on the success of their first case together, would be mutually beneficial to both the veterans involved and the Winslows’ training program.

  It was a win-win.

  Not only that, but it would be especially valuable to Aaron—if he would just open his mind and give it a chance. If he stubbornly dug in his heels starting on Day One, her military contract wouldn’t have the opportunity to even so much as get off the ground.

  Ruby sighed. Somehow, she very much doubted Aaron was going to give it his all, or even a little bit, if their first encounter was anything to go by.

  He would be her most challenging client to date, bar none. Usually, people arrived at A New Leash on Love excited about meeting their new service dogs and looking forward to the journey of service-dog ownership and training. They were ready to listen and learn every step of the way. She hadn’t the slightest idea how to even begin working with a client who didn’t want to be here at all.

  And yet, whether Aaron was willing to acknowledge his need or not, Ruby instinctively knew Oscar would be good for him. Over the years, she’d seen far too many clients’ lives changed by a service dog to give up this early in the game.

  And Ruby hadn’t changed her mind on the breed of dog just because Aaron had pitched a fit about it. She had to admit she’d thought twice about it and then again some. The tension between her and Aaron might ease if she were to give in and switch to a dog that better fit Aaron’s idea of what his canine ought to look like.

  But there was so much more that went into the selection and training of a service dog than a particular breed looking manly enough for the tough marine who’d seen and experienced things Ruby could only imagine. If Aaron could stick with it, he would soon discover Oscar had special skills and abilities Aaron would eventually come to appreciate. If there had ever been a canine personality who could break down barriers, it was sweet Oscar.

  Of course, that was if Aaron even bothered showing up for training on this warm Friday afternoon, and in Ruby’s mind that was questionable. They were going to have to muddle through the next four weeks in each other’s company. Ruby would do her best to help Aaron see his glass half-full and his service dog for what he was.

  That was what Ruby did with all her clients—help them manage their physical and emotional symptoms and make their days bright. It was her ministry to the world and something she would never charge for, despite tight finances. A long-term military contract was different from helping individual clients, however, and was possibly the answer to her prayers.

  “I’m here. Let’s do this before I change my mind,” came Aaron’s deep, raspy voice from the door.

  Ruby hadn’t realized he’d been standing there. She glanced at her watch.

  Five minutes early.

  “Come on in. I’m glad to see you. Honestly, I thought you might not show. Or, at least, not show up on time,” she admitted.

  His brow furrowed as his chocolate-brown eyes caught hers. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She shrugged. “Just that you didn’t appear to be too thrilled about this whole operation yesterday when we first met. I didn’t know if you wanted to participate.”

  “I don’t. But that doesn’t change anything. No one asked me what I wanted. They told me where to go and when to be there. My opinions have nothing to do with this.” He paused and his gaze narrowed on her. “And I’m never late. Ever.”

  Of course not. He wouldn’t be.

  “Great, then. Since you are here, let’s go ahead and get started. First, I would like to exchange cell phone numbers with you. If at any point during your training you have a question or concern, feel free to reach out to me. Evenings and weekends are your special times with Oscar to relax and bond, but you never know when something might come up. And I’d like your number, as well, just in case I think of anything I need to add that can’t wait until our next training day.”

  “Or to check up on me,” he muttered under his breath.

  Ruby chuckled. “Oh, definitely. That’s what I meant.”

  She had no intention of using his cell number to check up on him, but he was so guarded about everything that she found it rather amusing.

  “Today you’re going to spend the day getting to know your dog,” she told him. “Oscar, come.”

  His frown deepened when the black standard poodle with the teddy bear cut moved to Ruby’s side and promptly sat in a heel position, his gaze focused on Ruby as he waited for his next command.

  “Still a poodle?” he asked, annoyance in his tone.

  She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Last time I checked.”

  “I was hoping after we talked about it that you would reconsider and give me a different breed. Something more in line with my personality. Something not a poodle.”

  “I did reconsider. Carefully. But, Aaron, if this is going to work, you will have to trust me and the decisions I make for you. Starting now.”

  “Why should I?” His gaze met and locked with hers, a stubborn clench in his jaw. “I don’t even know you.”

  Thankfully, she’d expected him to ask this question and was prepared with her answer.

  “You’ve led men into battle because you knew what was best for them. You had knowledge and experience they didn’t, and because of that, they trusted you enough to follow you. I’m asking you to do the same for me. Service dogs are my life, and I know what a difference Oscar can make in yours. No matter how you feel about it right now, I’m not going to steer you wrong here. That much I promise.”

  He stood stock-still for a moment. Ruby could practically see the thoughts whirring through his mind.

  “What if I get to the end of training and still feel the same way about Oscar?” he asked bluntly.

  She paused before answering. “Then of course you’ll be free to leave without your service dog.”

  And the moment he walked away, her dreams of securing this military contract would be done for.

  That couldn’t happen.

  This was everything to her, a way for her to help men and women who were like her father and Daniel. No one had been there to help them. Her father hadn’t mentally recovered, and Dan
iel had ended up in jail.

  She could make a difference. She knew she could.

  “Do we have ourselves a deal?” Her mouth was so dry the words barely got past her lips.

  She waited without breathing for Aaron to answer.

  Finally, he shrugged, and his expression winced from the movement.

  Aaron was hurting, and not just on the inside. Mentally and emotionally, too, no doubt. But Ruby had received his medical reports as part of the intake process. He still had shrapnel lodged where the military doctors couldn’t remove it, which left him in constant pain, especially in his left leg, which tended to drag when he wasn’t thinking about it. The explosion he’d suffered through made it difficult for him to breathe, as if he had asthma, and it also messed with his sense of balance. These were some of the specific reasons he’d been chosen to work with Ruby.

  And this was also why Ruby hand-selected Oscar the standard poodle for the job and not a breed that would have been more acceptable to this rough-edged man’s man. If any dog could reach through and heal this marine’s shredded heart, it was Oscar.

  “Okay, so let’s get started, then,” she said, grabbing a couple of fold-up chairs from the side wall and setting them face-to-face about four feet apart from each other. “Please, take a seat.”

  Without protesting for a change, Aaron settled in one seat while Ruby took the other. Ruby placed Oscar into a sit by her left side.

  Aaron clenched his fists in front of him, unconsciously wringing his hands. He stared at Oscar as if he were the enemy, his gaze narrowed on the dog, unblinking. Aaron’s muscles were so tight the tension was practically rippling off his shoulders and biceps. Head to toe, he looked as if he were a caged tiger ready to spring out the moment the door opened.

  Ruby glanced down at Oscar, who—though he obeyed Ruby’s sit-and-stay command and hadn’t budged an inch—likewise looked ready to spring to life at Aaron’s slightest movement. Dogs were better even than humans at picking up what people were feeling, and Oscar was an especially sensitive dog—which was part of the reason Ruby had selected him for Aaron in the first place.