“No, he’s been helping. This is the third time this week he beat me to the breakfast routine.”
“Good.” Alex grinned, and dammit, there was the slightest sliver of vulnerability in the depths of those ocean-blue eyes.
I commanded my heart to stop the funny squeeze-fluttery thing it was doing. “He’s really good with the dogs.”
“He’s been helping a lot with the habitat, too.” Alex moved to the workbench he’d set up along the wall and set out some more of his gramps’s tools he’d collected from the ranch. “He seems, I don’t know, happier since we moved in here.”
“And how about you?” I cocked my head. “Are you acclimating to being back in Texas?”
“I guess I am. It’s been nice getting to know my nieces, even if they thought I was a lot cooler when I lived by the South Pole.” His eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled.
“Kids will keep you humble.”
“Well then, humility is about to become my greatest strength. Did you get coffee yet?” He held out a thermos.
“Not yet. I was hoping to bum some off of your grandpa after I fed the dogs.” I took the mug Alex handed me, grateful for the incoming kick of caffeine.
“It’s been nice spending some time with him. Makes me wonder what it might have been like if I hadn’t left in the first place.”
I sensed the opportunity for a few minutes of real talk, not the flirtatious banter we’d been slinging back and forth for the past two weeks. “What do you think would have happened?”
He shrugged. “Probably would have finished college, then gone on to vet school like I’d planned.”
“And it’s too late for that now?” I pressed.
He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something and then closed it again, just as fast. “Hey, I think Toby’s here.”
Saved by the contractor. I silently cursed the man for his unintended interruption.
Alex
I spent the rest of the morning working side by side with Toby and his crew. Finally, just after one, I sat back and wiped my arm across my forehead. Somehow the sweat still trickled down to my eyes. At least the water feature was installed. I’d rigged the hose to start filling the pool. Toby promised to have the dome set up by the end of the week and then we’d be ready for the penguins.
All I needed now was for Zina to get those dogs out of here. The insurance adjuster was giving her a major runaround on thesettlement to get the roof repaired, but she’d promised multiple times to get the dogs moved out before the penguins moved in.
I didn’t know what I’d do if she didn’t come through. Dogs were a lot more adaptable than a half dozen penguins. With any luck her numbers would go down after the adoption event she had planned for this weekend. I’d even been roped into volunteering to help, starting with giving all of the dogs a bath. Anything I could do to clear the warehouse of dogs and the sexy do-gooder who’d been getting under my skin.
I felt bad for how much time she was spending with those dogs. Losing the shelter made everything worse for her. What used to take her an hour to do in the mornings now took about three times as long since she had to take the dogs out one or two at a time on leashes instead of letting them run free in a fenced-in yard.
“Hey, Alex. Can you get the door?” Gramps asked.
“Sure.” I pushed open the door so Gramps and the two dogs he had with him could make their way through. “What are you doing?”
Gramps held tight as the dogs tugged in opposite directions on their leashes. “Come on, girls. We’re going this way today.” He increased his pace and the dogs moved to stay ahead of him.
“Gramps?” I increased my pace to keep up. “What’s going on?”
“Just pitching in. I don’t want to be thought of as deadweight around here.”
“Who called you deadweight?” I immediately tensed. Did Lacey say something about us staying at the house?
“No one. But a man can feel when he’s not doing his fair share. That girl needs help with the dogs and I’ve got the time, so I’m pitching in.”
I stepped back as the trio passed me. Was I seeing things or was Gramps holding his head a little bit higher? There seemedto be a new bounce in his step as well. Maybe the old man had found some purpose. If that was the case, I was glad. I could only imagine what it might feel like to have my best days behind me. Although, if I didn’t pull this wedding off, my best days might be behind me, too.
Maybe now that Gramps had something to help with, he might not be as down. One could hope. That reminded me. I hadn’t called for an update on where Gramps stood on the waiting list for a while. I picked up my phone and pulled up the number to the nursing home over in Cramden. Gramps might not like it, but even he would have to agree that once we were done with the wedding, he couldn’t go back to Char’s. It just wasn’t a long-term solution. Once I figured out where I was headed after this, Gramps wouldn’t have a choice but to make peace with the fact he couldn’t live on his own anymore and get used to someplace new.
I waited for someone to pick up the phone.
