He stopped beside the sofa and sat on the floor, resting his head on Natalie’s lap.
She rubbed between his ears, trying to soothe whatever memories were making him sad.
His big brown eyes stared up at her through his lashes and he let out a heartfelt sigh.
“Sherlock was worried about you,” Kathleen said with more than a little awe in her voice. “The poor baby. He must have remembered what happened to Michelle.”
Natalie’s eyebrows rose. “You know about Michelle?”
“Gabe told me. It was such a terrible loss.” She patted Sherlock before heading to the back door. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Before her mom left, Gabe stumbled through the door. He had a table in one hand and a suitcase and carry-on in the other. “This is your luggage, Kathleen. Where would you like it?”
“Here will be fine. I’ll get Brooke’s suitcase.”
While her mom was outside, Gabe frowned at Sherlock.
“I think he’s worried about me,” Natalie said. “I’m not sure how to reassure him that I’m not going anywhere.”
Gabe knelt on the ground beside the big German Shepherd. He stroked his back, sighing when Sherlock stayed where he was. “Time is probably the only thing that will heal him. He wanted to go to the hospital with you.”
“I didn’t know.”
“You were out cold. Sherlock didn’t see you again until this afternoon.”
Natalie bit her bottom lip. “Did he think I’d died?”
Gabe’s slow nod tore at her heart. “I should have realized what was happening. He was quiet at the kennel, too.”
Kathleen came inside with Brooke’s suitcase. “That’s everything out of the truck. Can I get you a hot drink, Gabe?”
He looked at Sherlock. “Thanks for the offer, but I need to get Sherlock home.” He placed an orange polka dot cushion on top of the table. “Would you be able to move the table beside Natalie once we’re gone?”
“Of course, I can,” Kathleen said. “You know you can always spend time with us. It’s been a traumatic time for everyone.”
Natalie could have sworn she saw tears in Gabe’s eyes. “Thank you. I’ve got some writing to do, but I’ll stop by before I go to bed. If you need anything, let me know. Come on, boy.”
Sherlock’s head swiveled toward Gabe. For a moment, Natalie didn’t think he was going to obey. But years of training overrode what he really wanted to do. For all his size and sharp teeth, Sherlock was the biggest softie Natalie had ever met.
“Bring Sherlock to see us tonight. It might make him feel better.”
This time, sheknewshe saw tears in Gabe’s eyes. She didn’t want to embarrass him by asking if he was okay in front of her mom. But she’d make sure she asked him tonight.
* * *
Two nights later,Natalie sat on the top stair of the veranda. It was her favorite time of the evening, the window between day and night, when nature showcased all its majesty in a tapestry of vibrant color.
She smiled as she remembered how long it had taken to find the right shade of pink for her last landscape. If it weren’t for some creative mixing of colors, her painting would have been flat and lifeless, a mere shadow of what nature intended.
Carefully, she stretched her injured arm, repeating the exercises the hospital’s physical therapist had shown her. It was going to take a long time for her injury to heal, but it would happen. At least Chapman’s bullet had hit her right arm. If it had been her left, she wouldn’t have been painting for weeks.
Since she’d been home, Gabe had kept mostly to himself. She’d wanted to talk to him, to see if he was okay. But each time he came over, he made sure her mom was in the room. To say she was worried about him was an understatement. She knew he was busy writing and editing but, even so, it was unusual for him not to join them for lunch or dinner, or at least spend more than five minutes in the cottage.
Sherlock, on the other hand, never left her side. Her mom had found an old blanket in the back of the linen closet. That was all the encouragement he needed to set up his daytime routine opposite Natalie.
While she rested, he kept a careful eye on her. He snoozed when she slept, then leaped to attention as soon as she went for a short walk. By the end of the second day, he was more relaxed, but he still had a long way to go.
“Would you like a cup of peppermint tea?” Kathleen asked from the doorway.
