“I’ve got to get back and check on the dogs before I help you look for the bird.” That would give me time to catch my breath and provide a much-needed break from Alex. He wasn’t the problem so much as what he represented. Walking down the aisle earlier had brought possibilities into focus. Crystal clearfocus. And Alex was in the center of it all. I’d never imagined myself getting married, tying my fate to someone else’s for the rest of my life.
Especially not someone like Alex, who seemed to crave adventure. He never stayed in one place long enough to make any kind of promise or see anything through. But maybe he was changing. If his sister thought so, it might be happening.
The last thing I wanted to do was get my hopes up, but that’s exactly what I’d been doing all along. Ever since that night we found the puppies. I’d been unintentionally letting my guard down, letting Alex in, little by little until it hit me smack-dab in the center of my chest. I liked him. Really, really liked him. Maybe even loved him.
As we walked into the early afternoon heat, I turned slightly so I could take a good look at the man who’d stolen my heart. The afternoon sun glinted off the scruff on his chin. He’d slid his shades in place when we walked outside, so I couldn’t get a read on what he might be thinking. He tightened his grip on my hand when he caught me staring.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just thinking.”
“Oh, don’t do that.” His lips parted into a teasing grin.
“What? Think?”
Alex nodded. “Yeah, isn’t that what got everyone into trouble in the first place? Lacey thinking about how she could change Ido, then me thinking about how I could fix your roof, then you thinking about . . .” He stopped and turned slightly toward me. “Well, damn, I don’t know what you’ve been thinking about.”
I tapped on his chest with my pointer finger. “I think plenty, I just don’t need to share my thoughts with the world.”
“What are you thinking about now?” He gripped my finger and brought it to his lips.
My stomach twisted and turned like a wet dishrag being wrung out to dry. I’d never be able to tell him what I’d actually been thinking. “I’m just wondering if we’re still on for that early night tonight.”
“Of course. Right after we find Shiner Bock and de-waddle the penguins.”
I took a step toward the truck and he followed. “Lacey said Chyna loved everything. I expected her to cancel the whole wedding, but it sounds like we’re officially a go.”
“Shoot. I forgot I’ve got to run Gramps over to Water’s Edge today. They had an opening come up so I scheduled a tour.”
I took in a slow, calming breath. Morty and I had talked about this. He didn’t want to go to a home and I didn’t blame him. “You know he’s really been bonding with Herbie. I noticed working with the dogs has made a difference in his attitude. Have you picked up on that at all?”
“If you mean have I noticed he’s not as grumpy and eager to bite my head off every day, then the answer is yes.” He twined his fingers with mine and let our hands swing between us as we crossed the lot.
“When my brother came home from his last tour, he wasn’t the same. I tried everything to help him: therapy, meds, trying to talk to him about it, giving him space . . .” My heart twinged as I remembered how hollow my brother had seemed when he returned. Like a shell of the man I’d grown up with, he wasn’t the same.
“That’s too bad. I remember him as being a total baller on the football field.”
“He was.” A shiver ran through me as I thought of how different Zeb was now than he’d been in his glory days as a high school football star. He wouldn’t go near the stadium now. It was too unpredictable. He needed to be in familiar surroundings where he could anticipate the activity level at any given moment.
Alex squeezed my hand. “He’s lucky he had you looking out for him. I know you had to leave the Army to take care of him. He’s fortunate he had someone like you to help him.”
“He’s family. That’s what family does . . . we help each other out.” I hadn’t meant to be so obvious, but even after laying it out like that, I wasn’t sure Alex had picked up on the similarities in our situations.
He stopped a few feet away from the truck. “I see what you’re trying to do here.”
“Really? What’s that?”
“Compare Zeb to Gramps. You were willing to put your own life aside for him and come back to take care of him. You’re saying I ought to do that for Gramps.”
“No, that’s not what I’m trying to?—”
“It’s different. Your brother survived something no one should have to. He came back with a medical diagnosis of PTSD. Look, my grandfather is a good man and you’re right, he doesn’t deserve to get shoved into some home. But he’s lived a full life. It’s a totally different situation, not like comparing apples to . . . oh hell. I’ve got to go.”
“But—”
His quick kiss to my cheek silenced my protest. What happened? Was he so set on leaving that he couldn’t even consider what might be best for his own family?
“I’ve got to find Shiner Bock and get Gramps to that tour. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
