Squealing with happiness, she ran at the dog and fell in a heap over her, hugging and tradingkisses.
The love and affection passing between the dog and child made Grady’s heart swell and his throat lump up. It had been a long time since he’d had a dog who loved him sounconditionally.
Linx joined in the lovefest. She knelt down to hug both the dog and the girl who wiggled and bounced, full of excitement. The entire picture was sweet to the bone, and Linx laughed as the girl whispered in herear.
Both of them sported similar expressions as the dog licked them, their eyes closed with pure enjoyment and identical closemouthed smiles, head tilted slightlyup.
Grady’s entire body jolted as if someone had kicked hisbehind.
Could this child be his? Andhers?
They looked almost like twins, although years apart, and there was genuine affection betweenthem.
But no, he’d met the middle-aged woman who was Jessie’s mother. She must have had her late inlife.
Or not atall?
Again, questions raised in hishead.
He took a picture of Linx and Jessie, catching their identical smiles, and texted it to Cait without amessage.
A jumble of emotions swamped him as he watched the woman who had him twisted up inside and out, and the sweet little girl whose dark-brown hair and eyes and olive-colored tan resembled Linx more than Mrs. Patterson’s washed out gray eyes and translucently paleskin.
Linx noticed him staring. Turning, she stood and came to him, all smiles. “How’d you find Betsy? You don’ t know how nervous Jessie was on the drive up. She kept worrying that Betsy would run away or that you’d mistaken some other dog, so we came right away without waiting for hermother.”
“I knew it was Betsy as soon as I saw her. I gave her a rawhide chew toy to keep her nearby.” Grady dotted a kiss on Linx’s cheek. “I have to show yousomething.”
While Jessie played with Betsy, Grady led Linx to the metal cross erected over the burnt logs of the cabin. “Kind of reminds me of that sculpture your mother left on yourporch.”
Linx’s lips pursed tight, but she shook her head. “That’s a simple cross made of railroad spikes. Anyone could have placed it there. My mother always uses more than one medium. Metal, pieces of bone, rock chips, even dirt and sometimes feathers and bits of skin. This is beneath her. It has noimagination.”
“Sounds gruesome.” He gave her a pat on the behind. “And you sound proud of yourmother.”
She averted her gaze and shrugged, but didn’t answerhim.
“Miss Linx,” Jessie said, dragging Betsy by the collar. “Mommy said Betsy’s lost forever and I can get a puppy. Will she still give me apuppy?”
“We’ll have to ask her.” Linx’s face relaxed, smiling. She ruffled the little girl’s head. “Let’s go find your mommy. Did you thank Grady for finding yourdog?”
“Yes!” Jessie turned those big, brown eyes on him, blinking sweetly. “Thank you,Superman!”
“Superman?” Grady grinned, glancing atLinx.
“Yes, you’re Wonder Woman’s boyfriend.” Jessie tugged Linx’s hand but faced Grady. “And you foundBetsy.”
“I think Betsy found me.” Grady chuckled. “Will she let me pet hernow?”
Somehow the sound of him being Linx’s boyfriend not only didn’t bother him, but made him feel warm and gooeyinside.
“Sure,” Jessie said. “Betsy, meet Superman. Superman, meet Betsy. Betsy, say thank you andshake.”
Betsy raised her paw for Grady, and even though he felt silly, he shook her paw and smiled atJessie.
The thought that she could be his daughter was too painful for him to acknowledge, because it would mean Linx had told him one big whoppinglie.
That she’d never beenpregnant.
Even worse, she’d betrayed him by giving his babyaway.
