Double Dog Dare

  “She does have a lot to lose where the jewelry is concerned. Brea Bucking could actually wear those BB earrings.”

  He threw her a look. “Told you my stepfamily sucks.”

  “I’m starting to believe you, but it still makes more sense that we’re up against Savannah.”

  “You better hope we are,” he said.

  “Why?”

  He swallowed and turned onto the street. Because Brea really doesn’t like dogs. But he didn’t have the heart to tell her that now. “Because Brea’s smarter than Savannah,” he said instead, and it was true.

  He couldn’t argue. He pulled up to the apartment, staying far enough away that they couldn’t be seen, but able to watch the entrance and see at least one window of each of the four units, but all of them were dark.

  “Doesn’t look like anyone’s here,” he said, mentally thanking God the downstairs tenant was on vacation.

  “There’s no guarantee she’d come back here,” Darcy said. “Though if she saw you leave, it’s a safe bet.”

  “Gideon mentioned a text, so I better go up and get my phone. You want to wait here and watch for her, or come with me?”

  “I’ll come,” she said. “Let’s go, Kooks.”

  The little dog scrambled up from Darcy’s lap, planting her paws on the door, barking in a way that they both knew meant she wanted one thing and one thing only: Stella.

  Josh put his hand on Darcy’s arm. “Let’s leave her.”

  “In the car?” She sounded appalled. “Not on your life.”

  “I can’t risk another dog because my ex is a lunatic.”

  She thought about it, but shook her head. “We’ll lock her in my apartment, and she’ll be safe there. Or I’ll keep her in my bag and hide her, and we’ll have come full circle.”

  “Have we?” he asked. “Or are we running around in circles?”

  “Hey.” She put her hand on his face. “We’re in this together, remember? For the dogs. You and me and Kookie and Stella.”

  “We’re our own little family,” he said, the word catching in his throat.

  “It’s a good start, Josh.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her. “A great start. Let’s go. Bring the dog and the bag of priceless jewelry.”

  “Words you never thought you’d say,” she joked.

  He managed a smile, grateful for a woman who could find humor in this.

  With Kookie tucked in Darcy’s shoulder bag and a sack of gems in his hand, they headed toward the building, grateful that the rain had slowed to a drizzle.

  As they reached the gate, Josh looked up at the window of Unit 4 and could have sworn he saw a flash. “Whoa.” He inched Darcy close to the shrubs and peeked up again. “I think someone’s in the construction site.”

  Which was the last place on earth he wanted Stella.

  “Oh no, Josh. That’s so dangerous,” Darcy said, echoing his thoughts.

  He stood for a moment, thinking through every possible scenario, none of them good. “If she puts Stella down, one clap of thunder and Stella could run.” To the open balcony. His stomach clenched. “She cannot get near that balcony, Darcy. She’ll…”

  “Then I’ll catch her.” She dismissed his look of horror with a confident wave of her hand. “Won’t be the first time I’ve saved her in that courtyard.”

  “You can’t.”

  She arched a brow in sheer defiance. “You go up, I’ll stay down here, and I will catch her if she falls. Your job is to make sure she doesn’t. But remember, Josh, a loud noise, a scary word, anything and she’ll run with no idea where she’s going. And I can tell by the way you’re looking at me, you’re going to argue, but—”

  “No argument.” He took her face in his free hand. “You’re brave and beautiful and I…I…” I love you. “I wouldn’t want anyone else with me on this.” Or in life.

  She held his gaze, her expression mirroring what he felt in his heart. “That’s what friends with dogs are for.” She gasped as she said the words. “That’s it, Josh. The name of the salon.”

  He almost laughed. “Now?”

  “No, not now. But it’s great, isn’t it? It’s…us.”

  He gave a quick kiss. “Yes, it is. You ready to do this?”

  “Yep.”

  He led her toward the gate, unlocked it, then they headed into the building without making a sound on that lock, either. In the echo chamber of the main entrance, they stood still, listening but hearing nothing.

  “I’ll be in the courtyard,” she mouthed, blowing him a kiss. “Trust me, Hot Landlord.”

  “Oh, I do, Miss Kilcannon.” And he’d never meant anything more. Secure with her as backup, he headed for the stairs, moving stealthily.

  He stopped at the top and pressed against the wall to listen again. With another step, he could see both apartment doors were closed, and no light escaped. He had a key to both, but he didn’t bother with Darcy’s apartment. The light he’d seen was in the one under construction. And, if she’d moved to Darcy’s apartment and got away, so be it. At least no one would fall off the balcony.

  But he had to be quiet, so as not to scare Stella, who didn’t bark when she was this freaked out. She wouldn’t run to him but to the farthest possible corner…or balcony. Even if Savannah screamed or yelled, it could be dangerous. He’d have to silence her, then get Stella.

  And if push came to shove, he had a bag of jewelry stuffed in his pocket for negotiating power.

  Careful not to make a noise, he turned the key in the lock, then the knob. It clicked, but not with a loud echo. He eased the door open to see nothing but blackness. And a wave of hot air.

  He inched toward the kitchen, suspecting that poly either hadn’t gone up or hadn’t held, because that much outside air shouldn’t be coming in. Then he heard another sound. The softest whimper, a moan from inside a tiny chest, the sound Stella made when she was shaking and he held her against him.

  Light wouldn’t scare Stella; sound would.

  Knowing that, he took another step and reached his arm out for the main kitchen switch, flicking it and bathing the room in enough light to see…

  “Brea.” He barely whispered her name, wishing he was more stunned at this revelation.

  She stood inches from the wide-open wall, the darkness of the courtyard behind her, Stella in her arms. “How the hell did you get in here?”

  “The door was open and I walked in. It sounded like someone was in the kitchen, and it was that big lug who wouldn’t let me in a few weeks ago when I tried, so I knew he couldn’t be persuaded by my charm.” She nodded to the front. “I went in that bedroom and waited him out.” She lifted Stella an inch. “This creature cooperated by shaking too hard to bark. When I heard him leave, I came right over here and made some fresh air.”

  Behind her, a sheet of thin plastic tarp hung partially over the window, barely attached with some tape. Bill had stayed behind after all, trying to help.

  “I sent a text to you, and then I heard your phone ring.” She nodded to the cell phone on the counter. “So I waited for you to come and get it. And her.”

  “You took her?”

  “When Gideon finally got Darcy out of that place. I wouldn’t have, Josh, but the bed that supposedly contained what I want was quite empty. Savannah must have lied to Gran, but we’ll never know now. She’s dead.”

  His stomach clenched. “Savannah?”

  “Gran,” she said with a laugh. “I didn’t stick around for the actual last breath, since I knew time was running out. Gid helped me, of course, because he can always be counted on for one thing and one thing only: to make your life hell.”

  Josh snorted, because truer words had never been spoken. “But you haven’t.”

  “Sometimes I do, but my misdeeds are always behind the scenes and done with so much more grace than my brother has.” She took a half step closer. “Now that Gran is dead, I’ll take her jewelry or make it very obvious that you and Savannah schemed to steal it. Or we ca
n blame Savannah and call it a day. You hate conflict, so that could work, too.”

  “Is old jewelry that valuable to you?” he asked, mentally scoping the room, the opening where the balcony was, the remaining countertop near her to consider all the possibilities for safely getting Stella. “It doesn’t even look like something you’d be caught dead wearing.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “It belongs to a Bucking.” She spit the words at him. “The earrings say BB—Brea Bucking. Not Christine. Not some truck driver’s wife who screwed her way into wealth.” She shuddered. “God, I can’t stand that woman.”

  “You’ve hidden it well,” he said, holding her gaze but planning how he could lunge and get that dog.

  “And Gran?” she continued. “Her inexplicable fondness for your mother has been worrisome, but then she got very serious about her jewels. I had to get them out of the house, so setting up Savannah was easy. Again, my brother was happy to lend a hand and ruin your relationship.”

  So Savannah had been telling the truth.

  “Until Sav went off the rails, too, but no matter. You’ll give me the goods, which I will cherry-pick for myself or sell the rest on principle, and Savannah will take the blame.”

  No, she wouldn’t. He took a few steps closer, painfully aware how close the woman and dog were to the opening, and that the balcony behind her was exactly twenty-two inches wide. One good footstep, maybe two.

  “Give me the dog, Brea, and you can have whatever you want.”

  “Give me the jewelry, Joshua, or little Miss Stella is going to have a nasty accident.” She turned to the window.

  “You wouldn’t.”

  She hooted softly. “I have never liked this dog. I have never liked this dog’s owner. And, to be honest, I’ve never liked you.” Then she added a coy tip of her head. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m a phony.”

  “That’s the least of the things I’m thinking about you right now.”

  “You never met my mother, Joshua. I assure you the apple doesn’t fall far. Just ask my father, which is why he’s so blindly and madly in love with yours, who is the polar opposite of Amy Bucking. Now there was a world-class, manipulative, disingenuous, cutthroat bitch disguised as a damn angel. Gideon tries, but he can’t pull it off like I can. It’s an artform being this fake.”

  “I’m sure she’d be proud of you.” He took a few more steps, sick of this and her. “Give me the dog, Brea.”

  She lifted her brows and took a step backward, turning slightly. “Say goodbye, Stellie.”

  He yanked the satin bag from his pocket. “You’re contemptible.”

  “Thank you.” She added a dazzling smile and pointed to the counter on the wall within reach of her hand. “Set it there. After you open it up and show me what’s in there.”

  “Fine.” He yanked on the tie and eased the sack open, widening the top to show her.

  “The earrings,” she said. “I want to see the BB earrings.”

  Muttering a curse, he stuck his hand in and pulled out a necklace, a bracelet, then found one yellow diamond earring, showing it to her. “Okay? Now give me the damned dog.” He set the bag on the counter but held his hand close.

  She reached for the jewelry, and he slapped it away.

  “The dog, Brea.”

  She bent over, not taking her eyes from him, lowering Stella to the ground with one hand, and reaching for the jewelry with the other.

  “No!” he said, hating himself the minute the sound came out of his mouth. Instantly, Stella backed up, right onto the balcony. “You idiot,” he ground out at Brea under his breath. “She’s blind.”

  “She is? I thought she—”

  From the balcony, Stella let out a low, slow growl, the most aggressive sound he’d ever heard her make. She got low, her ears flat, her eyes…pinned on Brea. Focused, clear, and full of genuine contempt. Stella certainly saw through this phony.

  Wait. Could she…see?

  Josh took one step forward, but Stella lunged at Brea’s hand, clamping her mouth on the bag, and snapping her head and landing squarely on the kitchen floor. Brea screamed and swung her hand at the dog, sending a shower of diamonds and emeralds and bracelets and earrings all over the balcony and into the courtyard below.

  “You little—” She thrust herself toward the dog, but Josh vaulted forward and grabbed Brea’s arms, stopping her before she got Stella.

  “Go, Stella.” He tried to modulate his voice and not scare her, but Stella was uncharacteristically not scared, staring at Brea like she’d enjoy taking another pass at her.

  Yes, she was…staring at Brea.

  Still forced back by Josh, Brea thrust a leg at Stella, missing her by inches. “Jump, you stupid—”

  Josh whipped Brea to the side, leaning her toward the balcony. “Don’t tempt me, Brea.”

  She tried but couldn’t get free. He had to hold her. Had to keep her away from that dog and keep Stella away from the balcony. But Stella was scared now, with a familiar fear back in her eyes after the near kick, backing up, inches from the balcony’s edge, her body vibrating with every move.

  “Darcy,” he called. “Get ready. She’s going to—”

  “Shhh.” The sound came from behind him. “I’m right here. Don’t scare her. I’m gonna get her right now.” Darcy’s words were soft, sweet, and monotone, spoken in a voice that wouldn’t frighten Stella.

  Brea pushed again. “Get…out…”

  Josh squeezed his stepsister’s arms and looked down at the BB earring on the floor in front of him. “One kick and this will be lost in that courtyard forever.”

  She snarled like Stella just had.

  “Okay, Stella,” Darcy whispered, coming closer. “I’ve got sweet treats,” she sang gently. “Cookies for my girl.”

  Stella stopped moving, looking behind Josh, staring at Darcy. Yes, she was definitely staring! “She can see you, Darcy. But she doesn’t know your face.”

  Darcy let out a little moan of happiness, crouched low on the ground as she reached the opening to the balcony. “But she knows my voice.”

  Stella took one step closer.

  “And she knows my treats.”

  And another.

  “She knows how much I love her.”

  Stella closed the space, took the treat, climbed up into Darcy’s arms to lick her face.

  “And she loves me.”

  “So do I,” Josh whispered, finally letting go of Brea, who whipped into action, snapping up jewelry from the floor and balcony. But Josh reached for Darcy and Stella, guiding them both inside to safety and wrapping them in his arms. From Darcy’s bag on the floor, Kookie barked and managed to scramble out and run to them.

  “Josh, I didn’t think I could catch her,” Darcy explained breathlessly. “One look up at the balcony and I knew I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t risk it. I hope you don’t—”

  “Shhh.” He kissed her words away, pulling her closer. “You did everything right.”

  “She can see, Josh!” She lifted Stella, who studied one, then the other, then dog-kissed their faces in unabashed joy. “She’s not blind anymore.”

  “And neither am I.” He inched back to gaze into Darcy’s eyes. “And I’m looking right at the woman I love.”

  “That’s funny,” she said with a typically sly Darcy Kilcannon smile. “I’m looking at the man I love.”

  And best of all, Stella was looking at both of them.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  “You like it?” Daniel, as Josh thought of the man after nearly four months in and around the Kilcannons, raised his brows in question.

  Josh cast into the deepest blue of the water, hearing the smooth whir of the line as his bait and hook arced and splashed into the lake at Waterford Farm.

  Turning the reel with an easy, familiar twist of his wrist, Josh couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. “Are you kidding? Never had anything so smooth. I love it. It’s a great birthday present, sir. Thank you.” He hadn’t expected any gifts, since
a Kilcannon Sunday dinner birthday celebration was gift enough. But Darcy’s father had surprised him with the fishing rod when they came home from church that morning, and they’d also left the table before dessert was served so Josh could test out the new equipment.

  “None of my boys have the patience for fishing,” Daniel said. “Oh, I’ve had them out here on many occasions, and Liam probably lasted the longest, but the rest of them don’t have whatever it takes to make a good fisherman.”

  “My dad used to say the most important thing about fishing is to respect the fish.” He laughed, remembering Pops making such a big deal about the fish. “He said they have souls, too.”

  “Sounds like a man after my own heart.” Daniel reeled in an empty hook, settling down on a bench so weathered it must have been out here for decades. As he selected some bait, he said, “In my sons’ defense, fish don’t have as much personality as some animals…” He gestured toward Rusty, sleeping at his feet, and Stella, curled on the grass under a maple bursting with autumn colors. She wasn’t quite asleep, but deep in her favorite pastime—watching Josh’s every move. “But souls nonetheless.”

  The two men shared a look over Stella’s resting body. “I really don’t know how to thank you for what you did,” Josh said.

  “Don’t thank me. Judy Walker did the work, and it looks like Vestal Valley will be the first DVM to claim immunoglobulin success for SARDS. Stella, Riley, and Ziggy are the stars.” He frowned for a moment. “That is what you’re thanking me for, right? Not a match made in heaven?”

  Josh laughed at the inside joke the two of them shared. The Dogfather still refused credit for the latest romance in the family, although no one but Josh really believed him.

  “Yes, it is, although, since you bring up the subject of matches made in heaven…”

  “Judy Walker is dating someone,” he said. “And that someone isn’t me. And I’m okay with that,” he added before Josh could say anything.

  “You know I’ve never joined the family fun in that regard.” Although, in the months that had passed since he and Darcy had been together, she and her siblings had certainly tried to rope him into the Dad Dating Game.