She frowned. “Maybe I only just met Horse, but it feels like I’ve always known him. That sounds silly, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” Kellan replied.
Ouch.
No sugarcoating anything, huh?
Although part of her kind of appreciated that. She didn’t need someone to tell her that everything was okay when it was really shit.
She could handle the reality of life. And the fact that most of it was crap.
“So, I’m guessing there’s no room for us and we have to move on,” she said.
“I told you I would fix it, didn’t I?” Kellan said smoothly. “Have you got something we can use as a lead for the dog? And what do you want brought in?”
5
Seemed like Arabella had been struck mute.
She really hadn’t expected Kellan to sort things. If she knew his brother, she’d know that he was a fixer. Eli shook his head. As if they would just let her drive off in the middle of the night, not knowing where she was going to end up.
What sort of men did she have in her life if they let her do reckless, dangerous things?
Then again, he already knew that she didn’t have any good men in her life considering that she was traveling around on her own and picking up huge animals with anger issues.
No decent man was going to allow the woman in his life to do things like that.
How did she not have anyone? She was beautiful. Graceful. Occasionally, she put on this haughty mask. But he could tell that was a defensive move, one designed to keep people at arm’s length.
She was the type of woman that turned heads as she walked down the pavement.
But she was also terrible at taking care of herself, it seemed.
Sleeping in her car?
Nope. Not happening.
And he didn’t care how indifferent Kellan was acting. He knew his brother was intrigued by her as well.
He couldn’t remember Kellan ever showing much interest in any woman.
“There’s a room for us?” she asked again as they entered the hotel. “Both of us?”
“Yes. I said there was, didn’t I?” To anyone else Kellan might sound rude and dismissive, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Or didn’t care.
The relief that filled her face and made her shoulders sag was enough to have fury filling Eli. He could see how stressed she’d been even though she’d obviously been trying to hide it.
Not that he could blame her for being stressed.
That rental agent should never have turned her away like that. Not in Haven, anyway. She was a woman on her own. Even if they didn’t want the dog in the house, something could have been done. Someone could have found a kennel. Or taken him in.
He didn’t like it. And he was certain Jake wouldn’t either. Did she not know she should have called the sheriff?
He guessed maybe not if she was new to Haven. Why had she moved here?
“No, no,” she said. “I just . . . I’m just relieved. Thank you. This is a big weight off my shoulders.” She smiled up at Kellan.
