Chapter Thirteen
“Iheard all about it,so you better spill.” Tami dropped by the center later that day. “You kissing Grady in front of the fire. Everyone’s talking aboutit.”
“So? He’s single and available, I’m single and available.” Linx sat on the couch feeding little Ginger. The puppy was starting to open her eyes, peering out of the right one more than the left, as she batted the bottle with her front paws, trying to holdon.
“Are you two dating now?” Tami’s eyeswidened.
“Hardly. I told him to get lost.” Linx tucked a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. “He came over to get Sam and almost found Cedar. Thank God I’d locked myself out, and he didn’t know where the spare keywas.”
“Why don’t you just tell him? What’s he going to do to youanyway?”
“Hate me forever.” Linx knew she sounded grumpy, but the rollercoaster ride her hormones had just endured was pissing heroff.
She was supposed to remain in control—nothim.
If she wanted to make him feel the hurt and pain she’d gone through, she couldn’t be letting down herguard.
He was the one invading herhometown.
He was the one who had topay.
“Men don’t hate women who give them favors,” Tami said in a sing-songvoice.
“They don’t respect them, either.” A niggling feeling prickled the back of Linx’s neck. “By the way, did you tell anyone that Grady was the guy who knocked meup?”
“No, I didn’t even tell my mom.” Tami said, sitting down at her desk. “Why are you blaming me? Seems like everyone alreadyknows.”
“Someone leaked it.” Linx adjusted the bottle so the last bit of formula went to the nipple. “Last Christmas, no one was talking aboutit.”
“Right, but if you think hot, studly guys coming to town isn’t worth talking about, it’s because you hide here with your dogs all the time. Someone got wind of him and Paul, and now, everyone knowseverything.”
The puppy squirmed as she finished the last drop of formula, so Linx put her over her shoulder to burp her. “Everyone knowswhat?”
“Oh, just everything.” Tami waved her hand and booted up her computer. “You and Grady, Salem and Grady, Paul and Salem. Now that Paul’s here, some of his buddies have been coming by thesaloon.”
“Stop. I already heard.” Linx let herself sink deeper into the plush couch. “Which is why I’m done withGrady.”
“You keep saying it, and maybe even you’ll believe it.” Tami’s eyes focused on her computer screen. “What’s that thing sitting on yourporch?”
“My mother left me her calling card,” Linx said. “Apparently, she’s been wanting to talk to all of us. Something about makingamends.”
“That’s good, isn’tit?”
Linx shrugged as she stroked the puppy’s soft down. “I’ve got nothing but bad things to say to her, so it’s better to say nothing atall.”
“Aren’t you curious why she wants to get in touch after all these years?” Tami clicked through heremail.
“Not as long as she keeps leaving trash on my porch.” Linx didn’t want to admit the tiny spark that ignited in her chest or the thought that at least her mother had sent her a gift—so to speak. “There must be strings attached toit.”
“Hey, look,” Tami said, pointing to her screen. “Kevin’s already posted Ginger’s videos and we’re getting lots of hits and people filling out applications. We even have some outrightdonations.”
“That’s great.” Linx perked up and got up off the sofa with Ginger. “Howmuch?”
“Someone donated a thousand bucks, and the little ones add up to about three hundred. Can we build morekennels?”
“Once I pay off the debts.” Linx tamped down Tami’s unbridled enthusiasm. “But it’s goodnews.”
“Just got an email. Grady is looking for two more dogs. He wants to come by and pick them up before he returns to San Francisco. He wants to make an appointment with me.” Tami talked as fast as sheread.
