Plum laughs. “You need to get married, Uncle Bart! And have babies so I can have cousins! I need kids to play with already!”
“She has a point,” Lemon says with a smirk.
I roll my eyes. “Then get on it, Miss Lemon.”
She laughs tight and high. “Right, because it’s so easy to date when I have five brothers who have opinions on every single man in this town.” She pulls out her phone, though, and types out a message. “I let Derek know you found a stray dog. I may not be interested in the man, but I am a decent human.” She smirks, tucking her phone back in her pocket.
I run a hand over my jaw. Truth is, there isn’t a guy who is good enough for my little sister. She may be a little high-strung, but she’s smart as a whip and has a big heart – hell, it’s her day off and she’s babysitting our brother Reuben’s daughter.
“Anyways… Plum, you ready to go?” Lemon turns to me. “We’ll see you later tonight, right?”
“Mom wouldn’t let me miss it,” I joke as a couple enters the store with a shopping list in hand.
The girls leave and I help my customers, Hijinx snuggled on a blanket under my register. I keep looking out the window, distracted, wondering where the owner is. When I turn off the lights and flip my Open sign to Closed, I decide to take a leash off a display and clip it to Hijinx’s collar. With a paper bag filled with doggy essentials, I turn my back to the street and lock up for the night.
It’s only then I hear a woman shouting.
I turn, taking in the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Blonde hair whipping in the wind, dark eyes fixed on me. A figure that has my whole body aching for a future I never even considered before this very moment. Her. Me. Together.
But she isn’t staring at me the way I’m staring at her.
She’s glaring, really, and the shouting? Well, it’s directed at me.
Accusing me of something. I try to focus on her words, but it’s hard because her pink lips have me distracted as hell.
“Hey. You!” she shouts again, this time a few feet in front of me. “Are you trying to steal my dog?”
2
Abby
He’s a big guy. Huge compared to me. Six foot three, broad shoulders, tough – and I’m nothing. Five-three with shoes. And I feel like this man could pick me up and throw me over his shoulder and, well, it sorta terrifies me. Reminds me of Ricky, if I’m being completely honest.
And I don’t want to think about Ricky. Not now. Not ever again. I just want Hijinx back.
“That’s my dog,” I shout, stepping toward the big, rugged man, knowing he is the only thing standing between me and the love of my life.
His chocolate brown eyes widen as he takes me in. "I didn't take your dog."
"Hijinx," I say, "Mama’s here." The sound of my voice has him perking right up, and I get down on my knees, and he bounces right over to me, yanking on the leash that the man holds. I pull it from his hand and he lets go.
"You know, you really shouldn't let your dog run around free. He could have gotten hit. I found him out in the street, running into the trash can. He could have hurt himself."
I stand with Hijinx in my arms, nuzzling him and holding him against my chest. "It's not like it was intentional." I shake my head. This man has no idea what I've been through today. Like I would ever do anything to part ways with Hijinx on purpose. This dog, he's my whole world, now more than ever.
“Well, he's been here with me at the hardware store for the last three hours, and no one came looking.”
I blink back tears that I hate to have brimming in my eyes. "Sorry," I say. “I had to go to Urgent Care. I would've kept looking, but…”
"Are you okay?" He instantly softens.
"I'm fine." I say. "Just... It's nothing."
"What happened to you?"
"I'm telling you, it's fine, okay?" I'm defensive. I always am. On guard, looking out for myself, because there's never been anyone else looking out for me. "Well, thanks for finding him. And keeping him safe. Sorry for yelling at you. I was just scared."
"It's okay." He runs a hand over his beard. "I shouldn't have yelled at you either, or assumed you weren't looking for your dog. I tried to call your number, but there wasn't any answer."
I lick my lips. "Yeah, my phone's not working."
"I'm Bartlett Rough," he tells me. "Are you new in town? I've never seen you before."
"I'm Abby," I tell him, "and yeah, I just got into Home this morning." I see him looking up and down the street, probably wondering if I have a car. I shake my head, explaining, "I came in on the train."