Paws Up for Love

by Stephanie Rowe

  As if he had a chance.

  And that was assuming Evan was correct in the first place, that Buddy actually wanted her. More likely, he was here to complain that the waffle iron didn't work.

  Then Buddy saw her. His eyes widened, hope lit up his face, and a tentative smile curved his mouth. For a long moment, neither of them moved. The sounds of nearby diners, clinking their spoons, sipping their coffee, trading stories...it all faded into a blurry background.

  All that was left was Buddy.

  What a complete muck he'd made of her life.

  Josie unstuck her feet from the floor and walked across the room, barely noticing the tables she dodged. He was here. In all his miserable glory. And he even had the gall to smile at her. She reached the table. "Buddy."

  He started to stand up and reach for her...was he kidding? Did he really think she wanted a hug from him? Not a chance.

  Josie held up her hand to stop him, then slid into a chair across from him. "Sit."

  Buddy did as directed.

  Weak. He was still weak. What had she ever seen in weak, needy men? "Where's my money?"

  Buddy shifted. "Sorry about that."

  "Did you spend it?"

  "Sort of."

  All the energy went out of Josie and she slumped back against the seat. "My money is gone?" Guess she had been holding out hope that somehow she'd get it back. Foolish girl.

  "I bought you a present with it."

  "Do you still have the receipt?"

  Buddy looked sort of hurt, but she steeled herself. No more sympathy for pathetic men. The bastard was responsible for all her misery, both financially and in her love life. If not for Buddy stealing from her, she never would have met Evan and she'd be well on her way to fulfilling her three-year plan of emotional abstinence.

  "Here." He pulled a ratty paper bag out of his pocket and held it out. "For you."

  "Ninety thousand dollars in a paper bag?"

  "No. This is your present."

  Figures. She turned the bag upside down...and out fell a velvet box. The size that might house a ring. She became very, very cold. "What's this?"

  "Open it."

  "I don't think I want to." She forced herself to look at him. "What's going on?"

  "I want you to marry me."

  Oh hell.

  She must not have done a particularly spectacular job hiding her emotions, because Buddy immediately panicked when he saw the look of absolute horror on her face. "Don't say, 'no,' Josie! Hear me out."

  Don't say 'no?' She couldn't even breathe, let alone say anything. This was wrong, all wrong. No money, plus Buddy wanted to marry her.

  "I ran because I panicked. Because I fell in love with you and I had nothing to offer you."

  "You show your love for women by stealing from them?"

  "I panicked."

  Fabulous excuse. Next time she was arrested for breaking the law, she'd use that little jewel. It was sure to get her off.

  "I came back because I'm sorry. I'm sorry I stole from you, and I'm sorry I ran away in the first place. But I'm a changed man. I have a job now, working as a night custodian at an office building downtown. I know it's not much, but I can be the one to stay home and take care of our kids so we don't have to put them in daycare with a stranger. Because having parents is really important..."

  "Stop." No way could she listen to this. Everything Evan said was playing itself out. Buddy had reformed for her? Because he loved her? Evan would never ever "steal" her from Buddy now. "That's great that you have a job, Buddy, but that doesn't change what you did to me."

  He set car keys on the table. "Your car is outside."

  She picked up her keys. "And the waffle iron?"

  "Still in the trunk. I didn't even use it. I just...well...I know you love it so much so it was like taking a piece of you with me."

  "You had my car and my money. Wasn't that enough of a reminder of me?"

  Buddy seemed to shrink before her. "I said I was sorry. I'll pay you back."

  From his minimum wage job? She wanted to squirt mustard in his eye, grab her keys, and take off.

  But Evan loved him.

  And she loved Evan. "Whoa!" She sat up suddenly. She didn't love him. She could love him. Big difference!

  "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing. I just...had a disturbing thought." Yes, understatement of the year with that one. Try mind-numbing, destructive, and terrifying vision of hell.

  "I was hoping we could start over. You don't have to wear the ring now, just hold onto it. You'll see that I've changed. I can be good for you."

  Honor Evan and spare Buddy's feelings? Honor herself and throw Buddy in front of a speeding eighteen-wheeler? "Do you have the receipt for the ring?"

  He literally withered in front of her. "Yes."

  She held out her hand. "Medical school starts soon, and I don't have money or a job. I need money."

  He put a crumpled paper in her hand. "Why don't you have a job?"

  "Supplies were stolen on my shift and they blamed me."

  Buddy's mouth dropped open, and his face drained of color. Bingo. That was a confession to her. As if it made any difference now. "Where's the rest of my money? This ring couldn't have cost ninety thousand dollars."

  He stared at his fries. "I spent it."

  "On what?"

  "Dunno."

  "You don't know? You've spent ninety thousand dollars in a month!" Damn it! Were those tears welling up in her eyes? Amazon warriors didn't cry. "I have to go."

  "Can I call you? Where do you live? Can I stop by?"

  "No! Don't you get it? You stole everything from me. You made me lose my job. That's it, Buddy. It's over. I don't want you back. I'll never want you. I just want my money. Get my money back or never darken my doorstep again."

  "I can't get it back," he whined.

  Whining! A man who whined! How had she even liked him for a minute? She hadn't. It had been a rebound after losing Tom to that slut doctor with the fake boobs. "Why can't you be like your brother? He might have issues, but at least he's honest and doesn't whine when he screws things up." Not that he'd ever admit to actually screwing anything up.

  "My brother? How do you know my brother?"

  Ah. Good question. She wasn't quite ready to share that info yet. Might be best to try to distract him before she had to confess that she'd been sleeping with his brother. "Do you hate your brother?"

  Buddy turned red. "No. Why?"

  "Why don't you ever talk to him?"

  "Why do you think?"

  Ah, there was the belligerent Buddy she knew. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" So I can tell your brother and get him to stop putting you first in his life.

  "Because he'd be like you."

  "Like me? What are you talking about?"

  "Never mind." He folded his meaty arms over his chest and scowled at her. A charming look he must have perfected in prison.

  "I tracked your brother down after you left." Not that she loved Evan or wanted to help him. Because she most definitely didn't. But if there was a way to make the Evan-Buddy-Josie triangle disappear, it might be worth it.

  Buddy scowled and tried to look disinterested. "What did he say?"

  "Said he had no idea where you were. Hadn't spoken to you in years." She could make it sound like it had been a one-time conversation. "What's up with you two?"

  "None of your business."

  "As long as you have all my money, I can make your life my business if I want." Not that that made any sense at all, but she hoped Buddy wouldn't notice. "For some reason I can't fathom, Evan actually wants to find you."

  "He kicked me out."

  "But you could have come back."

  "How? He said not to come back until I had a job or something. Never measured up. So I didn't go. Why do that to myself? He's not my dad." He narrowed his eyes. "You're just like him. You cop some attitude just because I steal from you. I give you a ring! And you turn me down. Why would I go back and ge
t the same treatment from him? I don't need it." He folded his arms across his chest and looked sullen. "He had all these goals for me and I didn't make them. So? I don't need to go back and show him he was right."

  "So you're ashamed of yourself?" She never would have thought Buddy had enough self-awareness to even understand what the word meant. "And you're embarrassed to see him?"

  "I totally screwed up. Why make him face me?" Buddy waved his hand in the air. "All I did to you was steal a little bit of stuff and you won't even take my ring."

  Okay, here came the pathetic, needy side of him again. She wasn't getting involved. She didn't take care of men anymore and wouldn't get sucked into feeling sympathetic. She stood up again. "At some point, you need to take responsibility for your actions. Don't get a job for me. Do it for yourself, for your own pride." Yes, please, don't get your life together for me. "And I can't marry you. I don't love you."

  He looked at her with accusing eyes. "You used to."

  Yeah, right. She'd had no idea what love was until she met Evan. She shivered. That little issue of her loving Evan was something else she needed to deal with. "Buddy, get over me and get your life together."

  "I'll win you back."

  "No!" She leaned on the table, hovering over him, donning her best Amazon warrior glare. "You don't love me. I'm not the reason you finally got a job. You're doing it for yourself, because you realize you don't want to grow old in prison."

  He sulked at her. "Are you going to send me to prison?"

  She could only imagine how Evan would react to that. "I won't tell the police where to find you." That was all she could concede, even for Evan.

  Buddy grinned at her.

  Grinned? What in the world did he have to grin about?

  "See? You do still have feelings for me. Otherwise you'd have me arrested."

  Argh! It was her feelings for his blasted brother that was keeping him out of prison! "I'll never marry you, Buddy. Never. Do you hear me? Do not love me."

  The jerk just sat there grinning at her.

  That was it.

  She was leaving before her head exploded into a zillion pieces of frustration, anger, and aggravation.

  Chapter 27

  Tell Evan.

  Don't tell Evan.

  Tell Evan.

  Don't tell Evan.

  Argh!

  What to tell Evan? She had no idea. Josie paused outside the front door, wondering if she could get to her bedroom without running into him. Quietly slip the key in the lock, smoothly turn it, and gently push open the door.

  The door flew open and Evan stood in the doorway, the phone in his hand.

  "Oh...um... Hi. I didn't want to wake you."

  "It's nine fifteen."

  "You looked tired when I left." Yes, she was a wonderful liar. Did she really think she could keep tonight's little escapade from Evan?

  He held up the phone. "Monica wants to speak to you."

  "Monica?" Hmm... "I must have left my jacket in her car."

  "You didn't wear a jacket."

  Why did this man have to be so observant? She grabbed the phone and headed upstairs. With a bit of skill, she could manipulate the phone call into bed and be spared dealing with Evan until morning. "Monica? What's up?"

  "Just got a call from the clinic."

  Josie sat down on the side of her bed and kicked off her sandals. "That bastion for pain and suffering that fired me?"

  Monica chuckled. "That very one. Apparently, Buddy went over there tonight, found Alice, explained how he stole all the supplies and arranged to work there for free until he paid off the five thousand dollars. He'll be cleaning cages and stuff."

  Josie slumped. "You're kidding."

  "Nope. So Alice called me and wanted your number. I didn't give it to her in case Buddy was leaning over her shoulder."

  "Why does Alice want my number?"

  "Because she wants to offer you your job back."

  Josie cursed under her breath and flopped back against her bed. "I can't believe this."

  "Alice really did feel bad about firing you. That's why she was so excited to call you right away. She's been aching to have you back."

  Buddy had confessed to his crime and was making amends. For her? This was so not good. She smacked herself in the forehead. Of course this was good! What was her problem? Wasn't her life and fiscal security more important than whether Evan ever held her in his arms again?

  Stupid tears.

  "Josie? Are you there? Why aren't you leaping for joy? You're employed now!"

  "Yes, and Buddy will be working there."

  "Oh." Monica sighed. "I hadn't thought about that...but I'm sure Alice would schedule you opposite hours from him."

  Yes, she probably would. "I'm really happy to have a job again."

  "You don't sound happy. What's wrong?"

  "Nothing." Except that Buddy was not helping her case with Evan. This was all wrong. Why couldn't Buddy have had this major turnaround before she'd met Evan, or at least before she'd decided to fall in love with him? And the more staunchly he defended Buddy, the more she loved him, because his devotion to his family was one of the things that was so lovable.

  And the fact that he'd been deprived of a family. Even though he didn't realize it, he needed love and security himself. He needed her.

  And with Buddy resurfacing playing his reformed rake role, he was ruining everything.

  She took a deep breath. Buddy wasn't ruining anything. Because the only thing in her life that needed attention was her finances, and he was fixing it.

  Evan doesn't matter.

  "So, are you going to come back? Please come back."

  "I guess." Josie scratched her fingers on the bedspread, trying to attract Zeus by creating a juicy-sounding target. She needed some love right now.

  How about that? She needed some love. She was turning into the needy, pathetic one in the relationship. Or maybe she was finally finding the middle, healthy path, a relationship where both sides could help each other. Too bad it was at the wrong time with the wrong man. "I'll call Alice tomorrow."

  "Tomorrow? She's waiting by the phone."

  "Let her wait. She fired me, remember?" So she was a little bitter. This situation was not bringing out her good side. She should at least try to be a decent human being. "Thanks so much for calling, Monica. I just need a little time to figure all this stuff out."

  "Figure what out?"

  "The Buddy situation."

  Monica made a noise like she was choking. "You aren't thinking of taking him back, are you?"

  If only she could do that. Fall in love with Buddy. It would make everything work out so smoothly. Except she'd be miserable being married to him and she'd have to hide all the account numbers, or he'd bleed them dry. "No, I'm not. But I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

  She disconnected the phone and tossed it on the bed. Still no Zeus. Didn't anyone care that she was sinking into a pit of misery and loneliness?

  A solid knock sounded on the door.

  Since she'd never taught Zeus how to knock, it had to be Evan. Josie rolled off the bed, ran to the bathroom, jerked on the shower, and slammed the door shut, barely remembering to catch it at the last minute and close it softly, as if she'd been in the shower all along.

  "Josie?"

  Yeah, right. As if she could hear him while she was in the shower with the water cascading down around her. Granted, she was sitting on the edge of the tub fully clothed, but still...he didn't know that.

  A light rap sounded on the door of the bathroom. "Josie?"

  "Go away."

  "Can we talk?"

  "I'm a little busy." She sat down on the floor and stretched her legs out in front of her. She could outwait Evan all night.

  The door opened suddenly, and Evan stuck his head inside the bathroom. He glanced quickly at the shower, then peered around the door, lifting an eyebrow to find her stretched out on the carpet fully clothed. "What are you doing?"

>   "Have you no sense of privacy? I could have been naked."

  "That's what I was hoping." Evan walked into the bathroom, and shut the door.

  She was trapped. With a running shower and a sex god. Nice. "What do you want?"

  "To find out what's going on with you."

  "Why does anything have to be going on? Maybe I had a nice girls' night out with Monica and now I'm tired and I was going to take a shower before..."

  "Before you realized that the floor looked way too comfortable to pass up?"

  "Exactly."

  He sat down on the edge of the tub and waited.

  "Should you really be leaving Max alone like this?"

  "Zeus adopted him. They're curled up together in my bedroom."

  "Oh. Well. Isn't that sweet." She was really losing her mind if the thought of Zeus and a dog playing snuggle-bunny didn't make her swoon. Twenty-seven and she was already turning into a bitter old hag. "Can you go away?"

  "Where did that junk heap in my driveway come from?"

  "Ohh...that." Hadn't exactly thought of hiding the thing.

  "Yes, that. What is it and where'd you get it?"

  "That's...my...car..." If she spoke slowly enough, maybe she could lure him into a trance. If only she had a pocket watch she could swing back and forth, then she could hypnotize him into falling madly in love with her, and forgetting all obligations to his family.

  "Your car? The one Buddy supposedly stole?"

  So much for the trance. Evan's inner strength obviously made him immune from her talents. "I hate it when you use that word. It sounds so condescending."

  "Supposedly?"

  "Yes. It makes you sound like Detective Smarmy."

  "Detective Smarmy?" A grin pulled up the corners of Evan's mouth. "The guy at the law firm?"

  "He's the only detective I know. Did I mention his full name is Detective Smarmy Comb-over?"

  Evan grinned. "Remind me to shave my head when I start to go bald. Wouldn't want to give you any ammunition against me."

  As if she'd still be around when Evan started to lose his hair. Whoa. That thought was way too depressing to entertain—not being around him, that is. Him losing his hair? As if she'd care about that. He could lose his head and all his limbs, and she'd still think he was a hottie.