“Tomorrow? I have to drive into Broken Bend to pick up Graham from Lou Ellen’s. I could stop by before or after I get him.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized Graham would love spending time at an animal rescue. He’d been begging for a dog for months, but I was hesitant to give in since we were hardly ever home except in the evenings. “I think Graham would love seeing some of the animals if you’re okay with me bringing him.”
Her eyes widened so slightly that I might have missed it if I hadn’t been staring deep into their depths. “That would be great.”
“It’s a date.” The word I’d been avoiding for years rolled off my tongue. I was about to clarify when the evening’s emcee stepped onto the stage.
Devyn pulled her hand away to slip a few veggies from her salad to the goat at her side. I split my attention between watching her and keeping an eye on the front of the stage. Before too long, they announced my name as a nominee for the humanitarian award.
“My fingers are crossed that you’ll get it,” Devyn whispered.
“I won’t win. I’m up against a guy who builds carts for dogs who’ve lost both of their back legs.” The nomination had come through because of a group project I’d volunteered for. I’d wanted to feel like I the work I did could make a difference, despite my shitty employer who only focused on the bottom line.
The emcee slipped his finger underneath the edge of an envelope containing the winner. I held my breath, hoping my name wouldn’t be inside. I didn’t want to take a single second away from spending time with Devyn. We’d wasted so much of it over the past eleven years.
When my name wasn’t announced, Devyn turned to me, her shoulders sagging, her lips turned down. “I’m sorry you didn’t win.”
“Don’t be. I’ve already gained more tonight than I would have if I’d won a hundred awards.”
A tiny wrinkled creased the spot between her eyes. “What do you mean?”
I still held her hand, so I smoothed my thumb over the inside of her wrist. “I found you.”
There was still something between us. I could feel its presence just as solid and real as the seat underneath my ass or the scratchy, tight collar around my neck.
Devyn’s eyes softened at the edges. The tip of her tongue peeked from between her lips and ran over the fullness of her upper lip. “Have you talked to Duke lately?”
There it was… the bomb that would detonate the easiness flowing between us.
“I haven’t heard from him for a while. What’s he up to?”
“He’s engaged and living just outside of Austin.”
“That’s great. Do you like his fiancée?” Maybe being engaged had softened him up. I’d never met anyone so rigid or so fucking stubborn, especially when it came to his sister.
Devyn opened her mouth to answer when the entire table shook. “Oh no, where’s Houdini?”
I glanced down to see the frayed end of his leash dangling from where we’d secured it to the back of Devyn’s chair. “He’s loose.”
She pushed back from the table and squatted down to look underneath. It wasn’t the time or the place for my dick to take notice, but in that position, I could see right down the front of her dress. And fuck if my cock didn’t like what I saw. I ignored the heat coursing through my veins and pulled up the edge of the white tablecloth. The goat rushed out from underneath and took off toward the table full of desserts.
“Get him!” Devyn reached for the leash and missed.
I lunged for her, catching her around the waist before she ended up face down on the floor. Houdini headed straight under the table. His feet caught on the ribbon they’d draped around the edges, and he ended up pulling the entire cloth right off the buffet along with dozens of plated desserts.
“No!” Devyn put her hands over her eyes. “I never should have brought him.”
“Stay here, I’ll get him.” I made sure she was steady on her feet before rushing after the goat. He was headed toward the entrance of the ballroom. No telling what kind of damage he might do if he got to the crowded lobby of the hotel. I yelled ahead to a couple entering the room. “Shut the door.”
The woman sidestepped out of the way as the man tried to jerk the door closed. Houdini sailed past them, and I followed. He darted around men in suits, ladies in long gowns, and hotel staff trying to catch him. Finally, he hit the marble floor in the lobby. His feet sailed out from under him, and he looked like a baby deer who’d accidentally stepped out on the ice for the very first time. He spun around and around on his belly until finally coming to a stop in front of a very disgruntled hotel manager.
I caught up to him and wrapped my fingers around the length of leash still connected to his collar.
“Get that animal out of my hotel now,” the manager muttered. He continued to smile, but his tone told me he was about to lose his patience.
“I’m so sorry.” Devyn rushed toward us, her heels clacking on the marble floor. “Obviously, he still needs a little more training.”
“Obviously,” the manager growled.
“Let’s go, Houdini.” I scooped the goat up in my arms, not trusting him to make it out of the hotel without causing another scene.