CHAPTER TWO

      PERFECT. THE WORD CERTAINLY described Ben as Tansy opened the front door of the yellow-and-white Victorian that The Haven used as its administration building. She and Ben had agreed on an early Saturday morning appointment, and she’d turned on the white Christmas lights outlining the house to banish the gloom.

      Against the backdrop of those sparkling lights, he looked ruggedly handsome in jeans, boots, a sheepskin jacket and a brown cowboy hat. The scent of the fresh pine wreath hanging on the door came in with him, along with the tang of frost and his minty aftershave.

      Tansy greeted him as nonchalantly as she could, considering they were alone for the first time and her heart tap danced with excitement. She’d suggested giving him a tour before The Haven opened for the day, which meant that even Faye, the receptionist, wasn’t around.

      “Good morning.” Tansy extended her hand and Ben pulled off a leather glove to shake it. “Where’s your equipment?”

      “Left it in the Channel 10 van.” His grip was warm and firm, but the brim of his hat cast his face into shadow, making his expression difficult to read. “I wanted to get the lay of the land first.”

      “Of course. No sense in lugging everything around until you’re ready to start.” When he let go of her hand, she resisted the impulse to press it against the butterflies circling in her tummy.

      Stepping around him, she relocked the door. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I knew my pictures weren’t very good. Photography isn’t my strong suit.”

      “Maybe photography isn’t, but I can already tell this is.” He walked into the reception area. What had once been the house’s living room was now divided by a waist-high counter. Two desks and several filing cabinets occupied the larger space behind the counter. In front of it, two sturdy wooden armchairs and a low table created a seating area, and a coat tree stood in the corner.

      Ben’s gaze lingered on a small artificial tree sitting on the counter. Its only decorations were a strand of multicolored lights and white angel donation cards hanging from the branches. A small sign invited visitors to choose a card and donate the item listed on it.

      Unhooking one of the angel-shaped cards, he tucked it in the pocket of his coat. “That angel tree’s a good idea. Paul said you’ve made astounding progress at The Haven since you were hired three years ago.”

      “He’s giving me too much credit. None of this would have been possible without a generous benefactor who donated this land, including both houses, when he died.”

      “According to Paul, that benefactor was inspired by your enthusiasm for the animals. So you’ll have to take some of the credit, Tansy.”

      Hearing her name spoken in his deep baritone sent a shiver of delight up her spine. “What can I say? I love my work.”

      “Obviously.” He walked over to a bulletin board mounted on the wall to the right of the seating area. Tilting his hat back with his thumb, he scanned the array of snapshots.

      “More bad pictures, I’m afraid,” she said.

      “Not so bad. The idea of putting up pictures of folks with their newly adopted animals is terrific. You just need a better camera.”

      “No, I need a better photographer.”

      Ben scanned the pictures. “Don’t sell yourself short. I see potential there.” He turned back to her. “So The Haven ended up with these two houses, and you designated the bigger one as your headquarters.”

      “That’s right. It’s mainly office space except for a couple of rooms we use as temporary holding areas for incoming animals. There’s not much to photograph in here.”

      “Are you also housing animals in the blue Victorian next door?”

      “No, that’s where I live, along with whatever animals I’m fostering at the moment. Right now it’s Ewok and Wookie.”

      His eyebrows rose. “No one’s taken them?”

      “Not yet.” She did her best to breathe normally, but her chest was tight with the thrill of seeing him again. “I had hoped their TV appearance would help, and by the way, the camera work on that segment was wonderful. Paul said a good part of it was your doing.”

      “Animals make great TV.”

      “Only if the person behind the camera has a feel for them. You do.”

      He met her gaze. “Thank you. That’s nice to hear, but it didn’t result in a home for Ewok and Wookie. I’m sorry about that.”

      She gulped and resisted the urge to fan herself. He was potent. “Many dog lovers prefer a certain size. They want small, big or in between. The big and small combo takes some getting used to. But I’m not splitting them up. Someone will come along.” Once again she wondered if maybe Ben would adopt them.

      She’d developed a reputation for being able to match animals with their ideal human companions, and her instincts told her Ben would be perfect for those two dogs. He appeared to have the calmness Ewok needed and the athleticism to play with Wookie.

      But there was something else, something more subtle that she’d picked up from watching the television clip. He obviously saw the dogs as creatures worthy of notice and respect. Not everyone did, and it was a trait she admired.

      She really hoped he’d take Ewok and Wookie, but for some reason he wasn’t rising to the bait. Maybe he needed help to figure out that these dogs were meant for him. “Do you have any animals at home?”

      “Nope.”

      She was taken aback by his definitive tone. “Not interested?”