Chapter Seventeen
The next morning,Grady put Sasha in his truck and drove down to town. As they got closer to the town square, Sasha’s ears perked up and she leaned eagerly out the window, as if she thought he was taking herhome.
“Sorry, girl, I can’t take you by the rescue center,” Grady said. “I’m not allowed on thepremises.”
Sasha’s brows wrinkled with a worried look and her tail drooped. Somehow his dog reflected the dull ache in his chest at the cold way Linx had leftthem.
Nofire.
Onlyice.
As if the spark that always surged between them had gone out. She wanted nothing more from him—not even afight.
“I know you want to go see your mommy, but now’s not a good time. Tell you what, let’s go visit Aunt Cait and Uncle Brian. They’ll love you to pieces.” Grady tried to soundupbeat.
His sister was still gung-ho about locating her wedding and memorabilia business in the middle of this nowhere town, and now that Brian was part of the fire department, she was even more eager to put down roots before their baby wasborn.
The bed and breakfast was an old, rambling house which had definitely seen better days. While the paint wasn’t exactly peeling off, the exterior had that worn, tired look and the white had faded to a dull gray—the evidence of soot fallout from nearbyfires.
Cait opened the door with a big smile which quickly morphed to a furrowed brow as she spotted Sasha. “Why do you have Linx’sdog?”
Grady let Sasha step into the room first, then closed the door behind him. “Cait, Brian, meet Sasha,mydog.”
“Your dog?” Brian set his electronic tablet down and leaned forward, beckoning Sasha to greet him. “What’s the storyhere?”
“Remember when my cabin burned down way back?” Grady swiped a hand through his thick hair. “Apparently, Sasha got away from the fire and somehow, Linx Colson foundher.”
“Wow, and all this time you thought she was dead?” Cait petted the dog. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognizeher.”
“She was only a puppy when I brought her home that one time,” Grady said. “But yes, she was here all along. Apparently, Linx held onto her and never toldme.”
“Whoa, wait. Rewind.” Cait raised her hand. “Maybe she didn’t know it was your dog. She’s got so many dogs in thecenter.”
“Oh, she knew all right.” Grady couldn’t keep the anger from his voice. “Remember she made a big deal about how her dog hated me, so I couldn’t go to the center? All of it was a smokescreen to keep me away from mydog.”
“Why would she do that?” Brian asked. “She’s always trying to help people find their dogs. Works really hard at locating owners before letting a dog getadopted.”
“She’s got something personal against me.” Grady’s fists clenched and the rock in his chest pressed against hisheart.
Dammit. Why was he so affected by her? Why couldn’t he write her off and let it go. He got his dog back, and there were plenty of other women who could rock his socks off—if that were all hewanted.
“I don’t get it.” Cait still wanted to defend her friend. “How did Linx know Cedar was Sasha? Did you post a lost dognotice?”
“She used to visit the cabin seven years ago when Sasha was there.” Grady stomped around the room, punching the air with his fists. “I had no idea she’d hate me so much that she’d steal mydog.”
“Wait a big fat minute.” Cait stabbed an index finger his direction. “You lied to us. You said you didn’t know Linx Colson. Pretended you were strangers. What did you do to her to make her hateyou?”
“I dumped her.” Grady’s words blazed from his lips. “Dumped her when she wouldn’t take no for ananswer.”
“Wow. Just wow.” Cait backed to the sofa and collapsed as if losing all her muscle tone. “Are you saying she’s a crazy stalker-type? You dump her and she takes yourdog?”
“I’m starting to believe so.” Grady crossed his arms, his face as stiff as amask.
“She’s the reason you’re done withwomen?”
“Yes, done. Finished. Nomore.”
“Then why are you still flirting with her? Verbal sparring? Checking each other out and pretending you’re interested in hookingup?”
