“Thank you so much for giving me a ride,” I said to Aspen as she pulled to a stop outside my cabin.
“It’s no trouble at all. You’re on our way.”
Cady bounced in her booster seat. “You should come to our house. We’ve got so many animals. Cats and a dog and a goat and two lambs and a gerbil and…what else we got, Mama?”
Aspen chuckled. “We’re a bit of a menagerie over there.”
My eyes had widened with each new addition to Cady’s list. “It sounds like it.”
Aspen gave me a sheepish smile. “I’ve got a soft spot for critters that need a home.”
A deep longing took root in my chest. “Me, too. Well, dogs especially.”
“What kinda puppy do you have, Miss Maddie?” Cady asked.
I swallowed against the burn in my throat as I glanced at Cady. “I don’t have one right now.” I hadn’t since before moving to Atlanta. I’d thought that once I got settled with Adam, I’d get a dog, but he had convinced me it would be a bad idea with how much we would be traveling. I should’ve seen that as red flag number one.
Sadness swept across Cady’s face. “You need a dog.”
The seriousness of her expression had a smile pulling at my lips. “I think you’re right, Miss Cady. Maybe you can help me pick one out.”
Cady bounced even higher in her seat. “Yes! Yes! Yes! I’m a real good picker. Right, Mama?”
Aspen grinned at her daughter through the rearview mirror. “The very best.” She turned to me. “She does seem to have a way of knowing which ones need a home the most.”
“I love that.”
Aspen glanced at my empty cabin. “Why don’t we come in with you until Nash gets back?”
I smiled at my new friend. “He said he’s five minutes away, and that was three minutes ago. I’ll be fine. Promise.”
She didn’t look convinced. “How about you go inside, check things out, and then wave to let me know everything’s okay?”
“Checking keeps us safe!” Cady said cheerily from the back seat.
I glanced at Aspen in question. It sounded as if checking their surroundings was routine for these two, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they were on the lookout for.
Aspen gave me a wavering smile. “Can’t be too careful when you live alone.”
Especially when you were taking care of a young daughter.
I pulled Aspen into a quick hug. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
She returned the embrace. “Anytime. You’re good people, Maddie.”
“And we like good people,” Cady chimed in.
I laughed. “Me, too, Cady.”
I grabbed my purse and hopped out of the station wagon. Crossing to the front door, I pulled out my keys and unlocked it. As I stepped inside, I surveyed my surroundings. Nothing was out of place. I made my way from room to room, even checking the closets. Everything was just as it should’ve been.
Making my way back to the porch, I waved. “Everything’s good. Thanks, Aspen.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“Same to you.”
As friendly as Aspen was, it didn’t seem like she had many people in her corner, and she deserved an army.
She executed a three-point turn and headed back down the drive. Just as I was about to go back inside, I heard tires on gravel again. Nash’s SUV appeared over the crest of the gravel road.
I grinned, a low-level hum taking root in my body at just the thought of him. It was embarrassing how much control this man had over my body. But I wasn’t sorry about it at all.
Nash parked next to my SUV and climbed out. “Hey.”
The grin on his face was one I knew well. And it told me he was up to something. “What did you do, Nash?”
The grin only widened. “Who, me?”
A muted bark sounded from the SUV, and I stilled.
Nash shuffled his feet. “I went out on a call today—report of a dog trying to get in the McKenzies’ chicken coop. He was looking pretty rough and was clearly half-starved.”
My heart clenched at the mental image.
“I took him to see Dr. Fitzpatrick. He’s got a bad case of ear mites and worms. He’s way underweight, too. Other than that, he’s healthy. But he’s really timid. Doesn’t seem to be a big fan of men. I won him over a little with a few hamburger patties, but I thought you might be a good foster for him.”
Tears filled my eyes. “Do you have some sort of bug on my phone?”
Nash’s brows pulled together. “Huh?”
“Aspen’s daughter, Cady, was just giving me a stern lecture about how I needed a dog. It made me lonesome for one.”
Nash closed the distance between us, brushing the hair out of my face. “Why didn’t you tell me how much you wanted a dog?”
I shrugged, burrowing into him. “It didn’t seem like the best timing. We’ve had our share of drama lately.”
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “That’s all the more reason for a good distraction.”
I looked over his shoulder at the SUV. The windows were tinted enough that I couldn’t really see what was inside. I only caught occasional movement.
“Want to meet him?”
A trill of excitement swept through me. “Yes.”
Nash released me and walked back to the SUV. He opened the door and crouched low. “It’s okay. No one’s gonna hurt you here.”
I moved in behind him and took in the dog. His coat was a matted mess, making it difficult to see exactly what kind of breed he was, but he looked like he might have some wolfhound in him. He was massive, but his long, gangly limbs accounted for half of that. He didn’t show any signs of wanting to come out of the vehicle.
“Can I try?” I asked.
Nash pushed to his feet. “Have at it. I stopped by the feed store and got all the supplies we’d need, so I’ll get those out of the back.”
I took Nash’s place at the door to the back seat. “Did you get any treats?”
“Yeah, a few kinds.”
“Grab me the smallest ones.”
A few seconds later, Nash handed me a bag. I ripped it open and poured a few into my hand. I placed one on the seat close to the dog. At first, he backed away at my movement, letting out a whimper that broke my heart, but then his nose twitched, and he sniffed the air. Finally, he lowered his muzzle and sought out the treat, gobbling it up.
I repeated the same steps again, moving the treats closer and closer to me each time. As the dog neared, an odor came with him.
I scrunched up my nose. “He smells like rotten fish.”
Nash snorted. “Why do you think I left my window rolled down?”
“He’s going to need a bath.”
“I asked John at the feed store for the best shampoo for stinky dogs.”
“Good thing we’ve got extra bathrooms in this place.” I held out my hand with a treat in it. The dog hesitated for a moment and then gingerly picked it up from my palm. “What a good boy.”
Slowly, I reached out and scratched under his chin. After a few seconds, he leaned into the touch. “There you go. We’re gonna get along just great.”
“You’ve always had a way with them.”
“They have a way with me, too.” A pang lit somewhere deep. This was a chance to reconnect to the part of myself I’d lost. I took the new leash that hooked to a collar Nash had obviously gotten him. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get you inside and clean.”
The dog looked around for a moment and then jumped from the back seat onto the ground.
“Good boy.” I made sounds of praise as I encouraged him inside. The dog sniffed like crazy, exploring every nook and cranny as I guided him toward the guest bathroom with the largest tub.
“I’ve got the shampoo and some towels,” Nash said quietly from behind me. He knew enough from working with me previously not to make any sudden movements or loud noises.
When we got him into the bathroom, I bent and lifted the dog into the tub with one swift movement. My ribs cried out at the motion, but it couldn’t be helped.
“You shouldn’t be lifting him.”
I breathed through the pain. “It’s okay. He wouldn’t have gotten in on his own, and you’re not allowed to lift anything with your shoulder.”
Nash sent me a stern look. “I could’ve helped.”
“Too late now.” I gave the pup another treat and praised him. When I turned on the water, he let out a mournful howl. “It’s okay, buddy. It’ll be over before you know it.”
I unhooked the handheld shower nozzle and switched it on. This would have to be quick and dirty. I doused the dog. He barked, making his displeasure known, but didn’t nip or cower. Nash and I tag-teamed with the scrubbing efforts, soaping him down.
“I’m gonna rinse him.” Just as I reached for the shower nozzle again, the dog decided he would help us with the rinsing efforts. He shook with a force I’d never seen. Soap flew everywhere. All over the tub, the walls, the floor…covering Nash and me.
I looked down at myself. I was completely soaked.
Nash started to laugh, shaking his head. “I can’t even be mad at him because he’s giving you one hell of an entry into this wet T-shirt contest.”
I turned the spray on Nash in retribution.
