Page 62 of Taming I Do
“That’s too bad.” Zina leaned down and opened the kennel of a shy light brown dog. “This here is Chantilly. She was surrendered a few weeks ago when her owners found out she was pregnant.”
“When is she due?” I ran a hand over the dog’s head, pausing to scratch behind my ears.
“Another six to eight weeks. We’ve had a lot of puppies born at the rescue.” Zina shook her head. “It’s a damn shame what some of these poor creatures go through.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon helping out around the shelter. I fed the dogs, worked with a few of the newer rescues on how to walk on a leash, and spent plenty of time being smothered in warm, wet doggie kisses. By the time I checked my phone, it was almost dinnertime.
“You want to stay for dinner?” Zina asked.
“Thanks, but I’ve got plans.” At least I thought I did. I wasn’t sure where Jasper and I had left things. Last night had been magical, but he’d been a little distant that morning and disappeared before I could say good-bye after lunch. For a moment I wondered if he’d changed his mind about getting involved. But that was silly. I didn’t have any reason to doubt him.
“If you want to come back and visit, you’re welcome anytime.” Zina walked me to the parking lot, where my obnoxious pink truck sat in the shade.
“Thank you so much. I may take you up on that if I can come up with a way to work the dog training into the program I’m putting together.”
“Like I said, I’m happy to help.” Zina pulled me in for a hug. “Any friend of Lacey’s is a friend of mine.”
I waved through the windshield as I drove away. Friends. I could easily be friends with a woman like Zina. Lacey, too.
For the first time in a long time I let myself imagine what it would be like to settle down somewhere. Somewhere I could be myself and stop worrying about putting on a front or keeping up appearances. Moving back to Dallas and working side by side with Stella every day wouldn’t provide that kind of environment. Could I find that somewhere else? Somewhere like Ido?
As I pondered my future, my phone lit up. Jasper. “Hello?”
“Hey, sorry about earlier. If you’re up for grabbing a bite, I’d love to take you out.”
“I’d like that.”
He told me he’d pick me up at my camper in forty-five minutes and I disconnected. We’d be far enough from Ido tonight that I wouldn’t have to wear my sash. Jasper and I could be two people out on a date.
Just a guy and a girl who might kind of like each other sharing a meal.
CHAPTER 15
JASPER
I scrubbeda towel over my hair as I stepped out of the shower. Looked like Colin had gotten up earlier, raided the fridge, and was now passed out again in his bed. Colin and I were going to have to have a heart-to-heart soon. But right now, Colin needed sleep more than anything. He looked like shit. Shit that had been run over a few times. Besides, he wasn’t going anywhere without his boots, and I didn’t want to let my brother’s unwelcome arrival get between what had started up with Delilah and me.
By the time I’d tiptoed into the bedroom and pulled on some clean clothes, Colin stirred.
“Hey.” Colin swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Where are you off to looking so spruced up?”
“Dinner.”
Colin ran a hand over his belly. “I’m starving. Want to pick me up something while you’re there?”
I shoved an arm through my sleeve. “Not really. Are you ready to talk to Bodie?”
Colin let his head drop. “I changed my mind. Just give me my boots back, and I’ll be on my way.”
“That’s how you want to play it?” I asked. “You show up here, a gash in your arm, and now that you’re fixed up, you want to pretend like everything’s fine again?”
“Look”—Colin stood and stretched his arms over his head—“I was in a jam. You helped me out, and now I’ll be on my way.”
“I’m not going to continue to protect you.”
“Is that what you call it?” Colin smirked. “No offense, little bro, but not even you can protect me from the bogeymen I’m involved with now.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way, you know. I can help.”
