Sometimes it is easier to stay in shallow water. Warmer. More pleasant. I like warm and pleasant. / It is dull to swim in the same waters day after day, even if they are warm and pleasant. Will you not wade out deeper with me?
SOPHIE BAEK and BENEDICT BRIDGERTON
BRIDGERTON | season four
A Doggone Good Plan - Chapter 1 (An Offer Out of the Blue)
A CS Multi-chapter Modern AU
I intended to write this story as a birthday gift for @whimsicallyenchantedrose and hoped to at least start posting it before her birthday month was over. Alas, April came and went, and here it is, the end of May. I sincerely hope it was worth the wait, Jen!
Huge thanks to @kmomof4 for all her help and beta services for this story.
STORY SUMMARY: Desperate to save her beloved dogs when her ex-boyfriend makes threats against them, Emma Swan takes Killian Jones up on his offer to foster them.
*Please take note - this fic is very much anti-Neal and anti-Swanfire
RATING: M (for language, verbal abuse and gun violence)
WORDS: 2874 of 18,700 (There will be 6 chapters & a short epilogue)
Can also be read on Ao3
Story begins under the cut
*********
Emma Swan entered the back door of the restaurant, slamming it behind her. After preparing herself for her shift, she went into the employee’s bathroom to check her reflection in the mirror. Just as she expected, her eyes were red and puffy and her face splotchy. She grabbed a paper towel, ran it under cold water, and dabbed around her eyes, trying not to completely ruin her makeup. It already looked worse for wear from the crying she did on the way to work.
“Stupid, fucking Neal,” she ground out, using another towel to pat her face dry. “What did I ever see in him anyway?” When the woman in the mirror didn’t offer an answer, she sighed and tossed the wad of paper in the trash can on the way out the door.
She checked her table assignments, relieved to see she didn’t have any of the bigger tables. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with large parties of people tonight. Plastering on a smile, she headed to the booth in the corner to take their order.
After turning in their food order to the kitchen, she went to the bar to place their drink order.
“Hello, Emma,” the bartender greeted.
“Hey, August,” she replied. Of the three bartenders she worked with, he was her favorite. She recited the four drinks she needed, but August didn’t move to start making them.
“You seem upset,” he observed. “What did your rat bastard ex do now?”
“It’s that apparent, huh?”
“It is to me.”
She leaned on the bar, fighting back fresh tears. “He says he’s going to take my dogs to the animal shelter.”
“You’re kidding!” August blurted.
Emma shook her head. “I wish I was.”
“I thought he liked the dogs.”
“He does, or at least he acted like he did,” she shrugged. “He’s just doing it to get back at me. He knows I can’t have them in my apartment, so he’s threatening to take them to the shelter to try to get me to move back in with him.”
“What an absolute dick,” August said, as he set out the drink glasses.
“Yeah,” she sighed again. “What am I going to do? I can’t let Sophie and Oscar go to the animal shelter! They’re like my own kids. It was hard enough to leave them behind when I moved out, but I had no other choice. I had to get away from Neal and I couldn’t find a place on such short notice that would allow pets.” Her words ended on a stifled sob.
“I’d be willing to foster them until you find a place for you and your dogs.”
Emma’s tear-filled eyes swung to the man at the bar who had spoken with a British accent. He held his hand out to her. “Killian Jones.”
She hesitantly shook his offered hand. “Emma Swan.”
“I didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but it was difficult not to when I’m sitting right here. It sounds like you need some help.”
“I do. But why on earth would you offer to help a complete stranger?”
“Well, I love dogs,” he said, ticking the reasons off on his fingers, “I’m renting a home that allows pets and has a fenced-in backyard, and I abhor men who treat women spitefully.”
Emma turned to look at August, who was busy making the drinks while listening to the conversation. “Do you know this guy?”
“Killian’s been in several times. He’s a great tipper,” August grinned, as he set the four filled glasses on Emma’s tray.
Her mind was swirling. She had absolutely no reason to trust this guy, especially since her experiences with trusting men were less than stellar. Still, she had to do something to save her babies. There was a chance that Neal wasn’t serious about his threat, but she wasn’t willing to risk it. He was furious that she had the gall to move out and was vindictive enough to follow through with getting rid of them just to provoke her.
Turning around with her tray, she said, “I’ll tell you what - if you’re still here when I take my break in three hours, I’ll sit down and discuss this with you. If not, I’ll know you weren’t serious. Deal?”
“It’s a deal, lass,” he said with a smile.
Emma continued working her shift, occasionally returning to the bar for mixed drinks. Each time she did during the next two hours, Killian Jones was sitting in the same place, nursing a soda. Whenever she looked his way, he smiled warmly, then turned his attention back to the soccer game on the TV above the bar.
Forty-five minutes before her break, she went to turn in a drink order and noticed the man’s bar stool was empty. Her heart sank a little, because despite telling herself over and over again not to, she had still gotten her hopes up.
August took one look at her face and sent her a commiserating smile, “He’s in the restroom, Emma.”
She tried not to show the relief she felt. “I wasn’t worried. He’s free to leave if he wants,” she said with a shrug.
August rested his forearms on the bar to look her in the eyes. “I’ve been talking to him all evening. He seems like a good guy and he’s serious about taking the dogs.”
“Maybe it’s just his way of getting into my pants.”
“You know how good I am at reading people,” he reminded her. “I don’t get that impression. If I did, I’d toss him out on his ear.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see, I guess.” She recited the drinks she needed and August got to work.
Just as he was setting the last drink on her tray, Killian Jones returned. He gave her another smile, then checked his phone. “Your break is in about forty minutes, isn’t it, lass?”
“That’s right.”
“Great! I was hoping you would agree to eat with me. I already ordered some food to be ready at that time. August told me what you usually get to eat.”
Emma glanced at August, who was grinning at her. Looking back at Killian, she replied, “Um, sure. I always sit at the bar to eat anyway.”
“She vents to me while she has dinner,” August said.
“Hey, if you didn’t want to hear about people’s problems, you shouldn’t have become a bartender,” Emma huffed.
The two men were chuckling at her response as she picked up her tray and walked away.
The rest of the time until her break seemed to crawl. Finally, she was free to go to the restroom and wash her hands. Looking in the mirror this time, she saw a woman with a genuine smile on her face. She could attribute it to the very appreciative elderly couple to whom she delivered food just before her break, but if she was truly honest, it was also due to the fact that she would be eating dinner with Killian Jones. The man was seriously good-looking and his offer to help gave her hope that she could somehow keep her pets safe.
She pulled the elastic from her hair, combed through it with her fingers, and pulled it back into a neater ponytail. Then she applied some fresh lipstick from the tube she kept tucked in her pocket, feeling a little silly for wanting to make a good impression.
Exiting the restroom, she quickly made her way to the bar and slid onto the stool beside Killian. A steaming plate of chicken alfredo was waiting for her and she gave him a smile of appreciation before picking up her fork. “Thank you for putting in an order for me.”
“I hope August didn’t steer me wrong,” Killian said, getting ready to take his first bite of beef tips.
“He didn’t. I need the carbs to keep me going through the rest of my shift.”
They ate a few bites before he spoke. “Tell me about your dogs.”
Just the thought of her babies brought a smile to her face. “Sophie is an Old English Sheepdog that I’ve had since she was a puppy. She’s four years old now. Oscar is a…well, we’re really not sure of his breed. We got him a few months ago from a lady who was fostering him after he was picked up as a stray.” She pulled her phone from her apron and chose a picture to show him.
“May I?” he asked, wiping his hands on his napkin. At her nod, he used his fingers to zoom in on the picture. “He appears to have a nose and ears like a Shih Tzu, but seems a little bigger. Definitely a mixed breed.”
She was impressed with his apparent knowledge of dogs. “That’s what we thought, too.”
“I love his underbite.”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “That’s what got my attention when I first saw his picture on the website.”
“They’re both very cute dogs,” he said.
Emma nodded in agreement, locking her phone and tucking it away. “They’re my babies.” After taking another bite and swallowing, it was her turn to question him. “So, tell me about yourself, Killian Jones.”
“In case you haven’t already figured it out, I’m from England. I moved to Maine four months ago when the company I work for opened a new office here and asked me to help get it up and running.”
“So you’re just here temporarily?”
“I expect to be here for at least a year, and the way things are going, it may be even longer.”
“It’s that bad?” she asked, cringing slightly.
“Not really bad. It’s just going to take more training than they were planning.”
“What kind of business is it?” she asked before taking a bite of a breadstick.
“Digital design, specializing in boats, yachts and small ships.”
She finished chewing and swallowed. “Sounds interesting.”
“I enjoy it very much,” he agreed. “Now, getting back to your problem…”
“My problem is my asshole ex-boyfriend, as you already heard. I don’t know if he’ll actually follow through on taking them to the dog pound, but I have to take his threat seriously because…let’s just say I wouldn’t put anything past him.”
“Will you be able to get Sophie and Oscar away from him?”
“I’m pretty sure I can. I still have a key and I doubt he went to the trouble of having the locks changed. All I have to do is wait for him to go to work, then I can go in and get them.”
“What will he do when he finds out?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll be angry, but I’m used to dealing with his temper tantrums. It’s one of the main reasons why I ended our relationship.”
“I’m sorry, lass.”
“Thanks. Anyway, getting the dogs shouldn’t be a problem and he won’t be able to figure out where they are, so you shouldn’t have to worry about him bothering you.”
“I’m not worried about that,” he replied. “I just want to make sure you and your dogs are safe. This guy sounds like a bloody blighter.”
“Come again?” she asked, confused at the term.
“Contemptible idiot,” he clarified.
“Oh, that certainly describes him. Okay, let’s say I do get the dogs. Would I be able to visit them? I don’t even know where you live.”
“I rent a house three blocks from here, which is why I frequent this restaurant. And of course you would be welcome to visit them anytime I’m home,” he assured her. “They’re your dogs, after all.”
She considered him for a moment. “Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush. Are you making this offer so you can get into my pants?”
His eyes widened almost comically. “Get into your pants?”
“Seduce me,” she explained.
“I’m aware of what the phrase means,” he said with a rueful smile. “I’m just a bit shocked you would think that.”
“Well, I don’t know you.”
“Point taken,” he admitted, scratching behind his ear.
“There’s also the fact that I’m obviously a terrible judge of character when it comes to men.”
“Emma, I promise I have no ulterior motives.” His tone was soft and reassuring, and Emma found herself relaxing and beginning to trust him. “I simply heard your dilemma and have the ability to offer a solution.” He tugged his phone out of the front pocket of his jeans and searched for something. Finding what he wanted, he turned it so she could see it. “This is my house. It’s small, but could easily accommodate your dogs. Besides the backyard, there’s also a dog park a few blocks away. How are they on a leash?”
“They’re good. Sophie is better than Oscar because I trained her as a pup, but he’s a pretty calm, easy-going dog.” She looked at her phone to check the time. “Oh, gosh. My break is over in a couple of minutes.”
Killian grabbed a napkin and pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket. After scribbling down his phone number, he slid it across the bar to her. “Think about it, Emma. If you decide to take me up on the offer, give me a call. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume you figured out a different way to solve the problem.”
She folded the napkin and tucked it into her apron pocket along with her phone. “I really appreciate your willingness to help,” she said with a smile. “I have to get back to work. Thanks again, Killian.”
With that, she resumed her shift. When she returned to the bar to turn in an order ten minutes later, Killian Jones was gone.
*********
“Neal, why are you being such an absolute jerk?”
“It’s your own fault, Ems,” he said, and the calmness in his voice infuriated her even more. “If you hadn’t moved out, I wouldn’t have to get rid of these mutts.”
“And if you hadn’t cheated on me then pitched a temper tantrum like a child, I wouldn’t have had to move out!” Emma shouted.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Ems. It was only one time. Get over it already.”
She couldn’t believe this asshole. “Seriously? I’ll never be able to trust you again!”
“Would you stop being so dramatic? So I slept with someone else. What’s the big deal?”
Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep her temper under some semblance of control. “How would you feel if I slept with someone else? You get mad when I even look at another guy!”
“Did you sleep with someone else?”
“Of course not! You and I were in a committed relationship and living together!”
“Which you obviously thought gave you permission to invade my privacy. You wouldn’t have even known about Tink if you hadn’t nosed around in my phone.”
“Wait, what…are you saying…” she sputtered. “Somehow you’re turning the blame for this on me?”
“Ignorance is bliss, Ems. The two of us would still be together if you would have just left well enough alone, but you had to go and ruin a good thing.”
“You’re the one who ruined a good thing by being a fucking cheater! But that’s not right, either, because evidently our relationship wasn’t good at all.”
“It was starting to go downhill. In fact, you were getting really boring. Always talking about bills and groceries and schedules…”
“You mean things that normal adults talk about?” she asked incredulously. “Grow up, Neal. Life isn’t one big party like you seem to think. Bills have to be paid on time or utilities get cut off!”
She heard him heave an overly dramatic sigh. “There you go again, Ems. Actually, I’m glad you moved out - it saved me the trouble of kicking you out when I finally had enough of your nagging and complaining.”
Emma felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks. How could the man she thought she loved be so heartless and cruel? Swallowing hard, she fought to keep the emotion out of her voice. “If that’s the way you feel, I’m glad I moved out, too, but please let me have my dogs. It’s not fair for them to be punished because we broke up.”
“You already told me you can’t have them at your apartment, so what would you do with them if I did give them to you?”
“I’ll figure something out. I just don’t want them taken to the shelter. They would hate it there.”
Neal didn’t respond for several seconds, then said flippantly, “You’re right. They would hate living in a shelter, so I guess the best solution is to have them euthanized.”
“What?! NO! Neal, you can’t be serious!”
“Oh, I’m completely serious,” he replied. “I’m sick of taking care of them. I hope you gave them a nice, long goodbye before you left, Ems, because it was the last time you’ll ever see them.”
The call ended before Emma could respond. She stared at the phone in horror. What if he really was angry enough to kill her pets? Panic began to set in and she forced herself to take deep breaths.
Once her mind cleared enough to think, she retrieved the napkin from her desk drawer and punched in Killian’s number.
*********
Thanks so much for reading. Please leave comments, like and reblog if you're so inclined. Every bit of nice feedback is appreciated.
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