“She looks like a boxer, pure bred no less.” Carl reached his hand out for the dog to sniff. “Come on, girl,” Carl’s voice was soft and he made no sudden movements but the dog pressed its dirty body up against Kat, giving a small whimper.
“It’s all right, now. Carl isn’t going to hurt you. Come on.” Kat gently touched the dog who immediately obeyed.
“Are you sure you’re not keeping her?” Carl wrapped a temporary leash around her neck. “She likes you and in all honesty, I worry about you. You could do with a little companion—”
“Carl, I’m gone too much to take care of a dog like that. You know that.” Her mouth pinched together. She knew what he was about to say.
“You could put a little less into teaching. What they ask of you versus what they pay…it’s crazy. And having a dog around when you’re dating wouldn’t be bad either.” Even his best super calm doctor voice didn’t keep her from prickling.
“You’re giving me advice about working less.” Irritation laced her voice. She took a deep breath. She had this tendency to bite people’s heads off or hit them with sharp words. She used it to hide what a softy she really was. But Carl didn’t deserve it. He was trying to help her.
And he had a point. She had been working too much lately, but that came with the territory in a high performing district. It had been all right for the first few years, but lately she had been wondering if it was the right fit for her. And in terms of dating, she didn’t want to admit she hadn’t been doing very much of it. She was tired of the scene. None of this was Carl’s fault, however, so she tried to dial back her anger. “Let’s just focus on the dog, okay?”
“Fine.” He sounded a little irritated and Kat winced. “Let’s start by feeding her and then maybe giving her a bath. With her comfortable and clean, I can really assess her health.” Carl gently guided the dog up the steps.
Within minutes, the dog had water and was now delicately taking bites of food from Kat’s hand. Carl said she needed to eat slowly, which was why they couldn’t just give her a bowl. The dog was clearly ravenous but she gently took each bite and Kat’s heart melted a little more with each nudge of the dog’s nose.
“We’ll feed her more in a little bit.” Carl patted the dog’s head. “Let’s give her a bath.” He stepped around the corner and came back out with a kiddie pool.
“Really? That’s what we’re bathing her in?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Even thin, she’s got to weigh sixty pounds. What would you bathe her in? She’s not going to fit in my sink.”
Laughter bubbled out of her lips. “Can I get in there too? I could use a soak.”
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you had seen some of the dogs that were bathed in this thing.” He scrunched up his face like he had smelled something bad.
“Yuck.” She gave a mock shiver as she petted the dog’s head. “Let’s call her Lucy for now. It isn’t right for her to not have a name.”
He gave her a long look. “Lucy it is.” He reached for a hose and began filling up the tub, adding a generous squirt of soap.
Lucy sniffed twice and made a dash for the pool. Carl looked slightly surprised but gave her a pat on the head. “She trusts you so why don’t you wash around her head and I’ll take the business end.”
Kat laughed again. She had missed her friend—when he wasn’t giving her a lecture about her life choices.
Carl handed her a cloth and she started washing around Lucy’s head. The water quickly turned brown but Lucy looked like she was in absolute heaven. Carl began working on her back legs and then moved up towards her midsection. Suddenly, he stopped. Kat stopped too and watched as his hands moved deliberately over the dog. His eyes were narrowed and his eyes fixed pointedly on the pool of water.
As he was rarely this serious, Kat held her breath, watching him work. “What is it?”
A grimace passed over his face. “I’ll have to do an ultrasound but I believe Lucy is pregnant.”
Relief, washed through her. She was worried it was more serious. “That’s not so bad, right?”
“Honestly, it isn’t good. It was going to be tough to place Lucy in a shelter that wouldn’t kill her. But a whole litter of puppies? They would have to feed and provide medical care for Lucy twelve weeks or longer. Most aren’t willing to do it.”
Kat sucked in her breath. She looked down at Lucy’s gentle eyes, half closed in the ecstasy of the bath. How could she send Lucy off knowing she would likely die? “I couldn’t possibly.”
Carl gave her a grin. “I was hoping you would say that, Kat. That’s what I have always liked about you, you have a good heart.”
“Don’t let people hear you say that. But, Carl, I can’t keep her and a whole litter of puppies.” Her voice rose with every word as her soapy hands came to her cheeks.
“Just take her for now. It’s almost summer vacation. Give me some time to find her a new home.” He gave Lucy a pat. “It’ll all work out, won’t it, girl? Yes it will.” He talked to her in a baby voice and her short little tail started wagging in the water.
“All right. I’ll take her home for now but you have to promise me you will find her a new home. I cannot have an entire litter of puppies. My landlord is probably going to kick me out for having one dog.” She brushed her hair away from her face as she spoke, effectively smearing bubbles all through her blonde tresses.
“Fair enough. Let me make some calls and see what I can figure out.” He brushed the bubbles out of her hair.
“Thanks, Carl. I really appreciate you helping me with this,” she said as she patted Lucy’s head. The dog’s warm brown eyes stared back at her and Kat’s insides melted. Lucy needed someone to look out for her. She didn’t want to admit it, but Carl was right. Kat was lonely and Lucy was already filling that gap.
***
The phone jarred Kat awake. It was the first day of summer vacation so Kat and Lucy were doing vacation right. They had curled up on the couch and fallen sound asleep.
“Sheeelllooo,” her slurred voice barely pushed out into the phone.
“Kat?” It took Kat a full three seconds to register Carl’s voice.
“Carl?” She returned the question.
“Were you sleeping?” he asked incredulously. “It’s three o’clock on a Wednesday.”
“Don’t judge me. I was up half the night packing,” she grumped as she reached out to pet the still sleeping dog.
“You’re moving?” there was a note of wariness in his voice.
Kat caught herself. This was not Carl’s fault. She had made the decision not to send Lucy to a shelter and therefor it was her own doing that the landlord was kicking her out. “It’s time to get a bigger place. Did you find anyone to take Lucy?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact I did. It’s going to require a little work from you but it will be great for Lucy and the pups.”
“Really, that’s amazing, who is it?”
“It’s my brother… Luke.” Carl hesitated before he said Luke’s name.
She knew why. Kat and Luke didn’t exactly get along. He was arrogant and self-assured in a way that seemed to throw her off her game and ultimately annoy her. She retaliated by yelling at him. First of all, he was way too handsome. And unlike Carl, who was always joking, he was serious all the time with a penetrating glare that made Kat feel judged.
They had met a few times when she and Carl were in school and then again at Carl’s wedding. The negative energy between them was palpable, though they managed to keep the peace. But people noticed anyway. Carl’s mother had given them several long glances over the course of the evening.
“Okay,” she responded with a wary tone. “So what work will I need to do?”
“You know Luke has a ranch in Montana. He’d like to see if Lucy or any of the pups show aptitude for herding cattle. But even if they don’t, he says he can find homes for them. The only hiccup is Lucy can’t fly in her condition so you’d have to drive. I’ve fo
und a few pet friendly hotels along the way. You can stay at Luke’s—”
“I won’t,” she replied hotly.
“Holster it, cowboy. He’s trying to help.” Carl’s voice held a note of warning.
Kat took a deep breath. Carl once told her that he thought she was in love with his brother. That they had a ‘pull your pigtails on the playground’ relationship. She’d hotly denied it and told him that his brother was the most annoying man on the planet. Only she had been way ruder than that. He had gotten angry then and hadn’t spoken to her for a week. She had to tread carefully. “I couldn’t put him out like that.”
“It’s your choice but there are no hotels nearby that will take Lucy so she’s got to stay on the ranch. I emailed you his address and number. Don’t wait too long to head out. Lucy isn’t going to be pregnant much longer.”
She sighed heavily. “I’ll get the rest of my stuff in the storage unit tomorrow and then we’ll head out. Do you think if I don’t get back in time to find a place, I can stay with you and Melissa?”
“Of course! I’ve got the day off tomorrow so we’ll come help you get your stuff in storage.”
“Thanks, Carl. You’re both really good friends. I’m lucky to have you.”
“Sure thing, now get your bags packed. You’re heading West, cowboy!”
CHAPTER TWO
Kat looked down at Lucy. Her GPS had stopped working ten miles ago and she was absolutely certain that Lucy’s water had just broken all over her leg and the front seat of her car. Finally, her cell got a few bars of service. She’d tried to dial Luke at least twenty times, without getting through, but now she hit send again.
The phone rang no less than fifteen times before a deep voice finally answered, “Hello.”
“Luke, is that you?” her strangled voice choked out.
“Kat? What’s wrong?”
“It’s Lucy. I’m almost at the ranch. At least, I think I am. But her water just broke and her breathing is labored and I have no idea how long I have until I get to your house—”
“How long ago did you turn off?” Kat almost forgot to be scared. She was immediately annoyed. He had interrupted her.
“Maybe twenty minutes,” she huffed out.
He gave a chuckle. “You’re almost at the house. I’ll meet you outside to help you bring in Lucy. The whelping box is all ready to go.”
She gulped. What the hell was a whelping box?
Every other thought left her head as the ranch came into view and Luke stepped out the door. Her entire body tensed. He had always been the tall, dark, and handsome type but now, his shoulders were even broader, his arms more muscular. Even in the setting sun, she could see his tan and it was damn sexy.
Pulling her car up by the barn, she cut the engine. Luke snapped the door open and she jumped out, nearly crashing into him. His hand immediately came to the small of her back to steady her. Electricity shot through her body and an ache started deep in the pit of her stomach. He was over six feet tall, compared with her five feet seven inches, and she had to tip her head back to look at him. He had a few more lines around his eyes, thanks to his time outdoors on the ranch, but it only made him more handsome.
“Hi gorgeous.” He gave her a lopsided grin.
Her face turned red. She knew he didn’t mean it. It was only meant to tease her. Normally she’d give a snarky comment back but she was too raw with Lucy and the truth ripped out of her mouth. “Why do you always have to say stuff like that? It hurts my feelings.”
He cocked his head, giving her a quizzical look. “Kat,” his voice was smooth like honey with just a touch of a drawl. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I say it because it’s true.”
Her mouth hung slightly ajar. There was no way he meant that. All those comments, she had just assumed were his way of actually putting her down. He was being facetious. “What?” she asked incredulously.
His hand came up to brush a strand of hair from face. “I’m glad you’re here, Kat. Is that better?”
No words came out as she looked at him. Something was shifting inside of her and, with his simple words, she was re-seeing every interaction they had ever had. A whimper from the car seat interrupted her thoughts and spared her from answering.
“It’s all right, Lucy,” she cooed softly.
His hand rubbed her back and even in this situation, she felt hot liquid pooling between her thighs. Jesus Christ, he was turning her on.
“Can I ask you a question?” His voice was deliciously close to her ear.
“Mmmm,” she murmured looking at Lucy.
“Why are you all wet?”
“What?” her strangled cry choked out of her mouth.
“Your pants. They’re all wet. Did you say Lucy’s water broke?” His eyebrows drew up and his lips parted as he looked at her with a question.
God, she wanted to kiss him. Had Carl been right? Was she attracted to Luke? She’d bet the sex was amazing. He looked strong, she could ride him like nobody’s business. “I think so,” she answered, forcing herself to look back at Lucy. She needed to concentrate.
“Let’s get her inside. Come on,” he called to Lucy. She gingerly got up and climbed out of the car. Luke opened up his arms and she went right to him. He picked her up without even trying and began carrying her into the house.
“How did you get her to do that? She didn’t even like Carl.” Kat stared at his back as she raced to keep up with his long strides.
“I’ve helped a lot of cows bring their calves into this world. She’s a smart girl and she senses that I’ll help her. Don’t you, sweetheart?” His soothing voice was meant for the dog, but it floated over her. She’d love to hear him whisper like that to her.
If it was possible to be jealous of a dog, then Kat was in that moment. How did it take her this long to realize that she was attracted to Luke? She grimaced. Because she had skipped over being attracted to him and jumped to the part where he was surely rejecting her. She always got defensive when she thought he was teasing her.
“Thanks for helping. I would have stayed and had Carl help with the delivery but then I would have had to transport all the puppies.” She bit her lip. That would have been a bigger mess than this. Kat opened the front door for him and he carried Lucy through.
“Carl says that you’re moving.”
“Yeah, though I don’t know where yet. I have to find a place when I get back.” If I can find a place, she thought to herself. Her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light and she looked around. Luke’s place was amazing. It was a little rough around the edges but it was clean as a whistle and it felt like a home. Old hardwood floors and big comfy couches. She could see straight down the hall to the kitchen and a giant butcher block table filled the eating area. It was the perfect family gathering table.
“Can I ask you a question? Why not just get a place that allows dogs and keep Lucy? You obviously really love her. You drove all the way to Montana for her.” Luke quirked his eyebrows at her in a way that was incredibly sexy.
“I’m off for the summer but I work so much during the school year. How could I keep her?”
“Ah, yes. Carl mentioned long hours and not a lot of pay.”
“Carl has been full of a lot of advice lately,” she huffed.
She heard him take a deep breath. “I know I am pushing the envelope here, but he just wants to see you happy. I know he’s worried about you.”
Her nostrils flared. “Now you’re meddling in what isn’t your business.”
“And you’re a tyrant who is being grumpy with people who care about you.” His voice was even but he turned to give her a pointed stare.
Kat glared back. She hadn’t been her five minutes and he was already giving her a hard time. “This is why you drive me crazy.”
“Because I’m not afraid of you? You’ve made it clear what you think of me, but let me tell you what I think about you. You push people away who care about you and I know you h
ave a good heart—” Luke stopped as Lucy let out a guttural noise. “Shit,” he hissed.
He moved quickly down the hall and through the kitchen, to a back family room. There was a large wooden box in one corner. The sides were close to three feet tall but the front was only a foot. The inside was lined with blankets and Luke laid Lucy down in the box.
The dog panted and then with a push, out came a puppy. It was wrapped in a sac and Kat gasped. She reached out to it but Luke gently grabbed her hand. “Lucy knows what to do.”
“Are you sure?” her voice trembled as Lucy began to lick at the puppy, removing the amniotic sac. Another was already being birthed. “Holy shit,” she breathed.
“It’s amazing, if you think about it.” His hand gently massaged hers. “Everything else is stripped away and it’s just life. Beautiful life.”
The puppy gave a tiny perfect squeal. Lucy cleaned its belly and Kat could see that it was a little girl. Her heart completely melted at the sight of this tiny little puppy. “I could use a little more of beautiful life.”
“Do you like being a teacher?” His voice was quiet now.
“I love it. Well, I love the kids. All the rest, the testing, the state standards, the parent expectations…” She didn’t bother to finish. It didn’t need to be said. “And Carl is right, I need to make some changes but I don’t where to start.”
“Why don’t you start by holding that adorable puppy? Lucy is cleaning the next one.” He pointed at the small pup that had stolen her heart.
Kat gently lifted the tiny bundle with its eyes tightly closed. She held it up to inspect it. It was so cute, It’s brown body the color of rich mahogany wood with a little white stripe between its eyes. It stretched in her hands and then a dribble of pee started leaking down her arm. “Oh!” she cried as a torrent of urine erupted from the dog, spraying all over her. “Crap,” she cried as pee dripped down her chest and between her boobs.
CHAPTER THREE
Luke let out a startled gasp and then a low laugh started from his chest. Kat stared at him openmouthed for two seconds before a tiny giggle escaped her lips. Then another and then a few more. She set the puppy back in the whelping box and fell backwards on the floor as heaving laughs wracked her body. Luke lay down next to her as gulping belly laughs escaped him too. “Not crap,” he chortled, “pee.”