“Yep. I’ll train him to search out a room first when entering, and to sleep beside the door, blocking the entrance, that sort of stuff. But the dealing with night terrors will take longer,” Vanessa said, almost toherself.
“I trust you.” Grady waved goodbye. “Keep me posted on how he’sdoing.”
“No prob.” She flashed him a smile. “Drop by any time. I make a meanjambalaya.”
“Maybe I will.” He gave her a mock salute and backed out of the door. When he got into his truck, he looked back and she was at her window, waving athim.
She was a nice woman—stable and level-headed, professional, smart, good at what she did, and not for a jerk likehim.
He got into the cab and fished out his cellphone.
Sure enough, Linx had texted severaltimes.
The woman was crazy about him—or maybe plainnuts.
I can’t just up and go to San Francisco. Who’s going to take care of thedogs?
Meet me halfway, orelse.
“Eff you, Linx,” he muttered as he scrolled to the nexttext.
Fine, ignore me. The dogs will begone.
Yep, she was positively certifiable, so he ignored her, giving her what shewanted.
That kiss in front of his parents’ cabin had been the eye in a monster hurricane—a quiet moment where he’d glimpsed into a life that wasn’t theirs—before the raging winds of the turmoil belonging to themreturned.
He looked back at Vanessa’s neatly trimmed apartment, complete with potted geraniums on the windowsill.
What would peace look like between him andLinx?
* * *
Linx satin the corner booth at Joe’s Diner, trying not to boil over. She found the perfect pair of dogs for Grady, two dogs who’d been surrendered together, Molly and Rex, but he’d been ignoringher.
She’d heard around town that he’d been helping his parents with their insurance claim, clearing their property, and also driving Caitaround.
And now, after several days of no text messages, he finally texted that he was in San Francisco and wanted her to meet him there, knowing she didn’t have the time to make thedrive.
Why was he being sodifficult?
Gritting her teeth, she dashed off a load of nastygram text messages and shut off her phone. This was all about control and punishing her for not letting him come and go at the rescuecenter.
So she was being bitchy about this, but couldn’t he at least cater to her wishes just this once? Now that he’d been around Tami, infecting her with his charm, even her best friend was advocating for him—wanting to makeexceptions.
Did no one understandher?
Linx groaned and fanned herself with the plastic laminated menu. She wished she had a twin—someone who would automatically take her side. She put the menu down and watched her sisters hanging out at the lunchcounter.
They’d always had that twin connection going—finishing each other’s sentences, mirroring body language, and prolonged eyecontact.
They weren’t identical twins, however. Joey was a brunette with hazel eyes and a tall, lanky frame, while Vivi was petite and curvy with light brown hair and sky-blue eyes. But other than looking different, they were the best of companions and they both loved to ride horses, sing in the choir, and volunteer to teach children useful skills in the 4-Hclub.
Vivi waved her hands excitedly, describing an adventure, as Joey laughed and gave her a rapt audience. The next minute, Joey rolled her eyes and tapped Vivi’s shoulder, and Vivi nodded eagerly, showing her support for whatever scheme Joey conjuredup.
They had been too young to remember their mother—too young to wonder if Minx leaving was their fault. Too young to replay their mother’s cruel words over and overagain.
No one wants you for afriend.
