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She and Chance burst into laughter. When she was finally able to compose herself, she explained to Jaris about the tablecloth.
He grinned.
God, I can’t get over his grin. “Smells delicious, Jaris. I love your
spaghetti.”
“I remember you did. I also made us some garlic bread to go with it.”
They ate the meal together, humming other carols between bites. After they finished, Jaris and Chance gathered up the dishes and placed the tray by the door.
“My mom taught me not to sing during dinner but this is so much fun.”
“We promise not to tell. Besides, I love hearing you sing. You have the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard.” Jaris shook his head. “I’m getting off track.”
“Off track from what?” she asked.
“Nothing. Sorry. We just all have a lot on our minds. I would like to know how you two met.” Jaris’s sudden subject change seemed odd to her. He folded his arms over his chest. “Details. When? Where? That kind of thing.”
She looked over at Chance. “I’m not sure where to begin. Are you?”
“Not really. It’s seems like we’ve always known each other.”
Jaris laughed. “Okay. I didn’t want to do this but it looks like I must.”
“Do what?”
“I was one of Chicago PD’s best interrogators. I know how to get people talking, and clearly you two need my expertise. How old were you when you met Chance?”
“I’d just turned nineteen.” She closed her eyes and the memory of that day appeared in her mind. “Chance was twenty-two.”
“That’s right.” Chance grabbed her hand and squeezed it, sending a spark up her arm and into her heart. “I was still grieving the loss of my first companion and friend, Sarge.”
Jaris sighed. “I didn’t know you ever had another service dog besides Annie.”
“I did. I got Sarge when I was seven. I had him for fifteen years. I knew I needed another dog and did a search on the web. That’s how I discovered Kaylyn.”
“The weird thing is, Jaris, though mom and I had been raising service dogs for some time, I’d only put up our website the very day Chance contacted me. What are the odds?”
“Sounds like fate to me, Kaylyn. You two were destined to meet each other.” Something in Jaris’s tone didn’t sit right with her, but she couldn’t figure out what. “So you trained Annie?”
“I did. She was one of my best.”
“You know the drill, Jaris. Kaylyn requires new owners to stay an entire week before she releases the dogs to them.”
“Back then, I only trained one dog at a time, unlike now.”
“So you and Chance were alone during that week?”
It seemed like Jaris wanted this conversation to go a certain direction, and that was suddenly making her uncomfortable. “We’re friends. Good friends. That’s all.”
“Really? I think it’s deeper than that with both of you.”
Was he playing matchmaker? Why? She’d been down that road before and her heart had been broken. “Let’s change the subject.”
Jaris leaned forward. “No, Kaylyn. We almost lost you today. You and Chance shouldn’t be willing to let things that need to be said go unspoken anymore. I’ve been around you two for some time. I know what is really going on. I know how you feel about each other even if you haven’t been able to say it aloud.”
She felt tears well up in her eyes. The truth was too painful. “Jaris, please. I know this has been a terrible day for all of us, but—”
