“Lady, this doesn’t come close to covering his tab.”
“Fine.” A hundred-dollar bill joined the fifty. “Lovely establishment you have here.” She jogged out the door to catch up with Lachlan. When she and Fleur got outside, they found Lachlan kneeling next to the poor dog.
“There you go, buddy.” He was feeding the dog something that looked like beef jerky. The bowl was empty again so he took out a water bottle and poured it into the bowl. While the dog lapped at the water, Lachlan stroked his fur and murmured, “Good lad, good, good lad,” over and over. When he’d finished with the water, Lachlan untied the rope from the palm tree and stood.
“Okay, I’m ready,” he told Gina.
She put her hand on her hip. “I thought that wasn’t your dog.”
“Wasn’t. Is now.”
“What about the owner?”
“Whataboutthe owner? Don’ see ’im. Think I know who he is though, an’ if I’m right he left hours ago. Fuckin’ forgot his dog. So, let’s go.” Lach stumbled down the crushed seashell path leading from the bar to the parking lot.
“You just said you were in no shape to care for a dog.”
“Better than the owner,” he mumbled.
Just like that, he took in the dog. Exactly like she’d taken in Fleur.
Gina tried to kill whatever was beginning to flutter in her chest. The best she could do was to get it to settle back down.
Hope is the thing with wings. She put the old phrase out of her head.
“Wait, you don’t even know where we’re going,” she said, catching up to him.
“Sure I do. Only one nice hotel around here that’s classy enough for you.”
She fell into an easy pace beside him. “What if I’m here undercover?”
“You’re not. Lookit you.” He glanced to the side and took her in in one fell swoop. “Still can’t hide that radiance.”
“Stop it.”
Lachlan chuckled. “What? Should be used to hearing that.”
“Why?”
“Why?” He sounded incredulous. “You mean he didn’t…” Lachlan trailed off.
“Who didn’t what?”
“Never mind.”
“Look, I had been planning on talking to you at my hotel, but?—”
Lachlan waved her off. “But they’re gonna wonder.” He indicated himself. “An’ they don’t let in strays. Got it. My place it is.” He did an about-face, nearly falling over as he did, and went the other direction.
“Actually, I was thinking you might be more comfortable at home,” Gina lied. Okay, a half-lie—Lachlan needed to sleep this one off and she didn’t want him doing it in her hotel room bed.
That got her a laugh and a headshake.
“What?”
“Thought you spooks were suppos’ to be good at lyin’.” Then under his breath, he added, “Actually, you were a good liar.”
That hit the center of her chest.
