Summer Love Puppy: The Hart Family (Have A Hart Book 6)

by Rachelle Ayala

  “Your fire’s unrelated, obviously.” Paul grabbed a rocks glass and started polishing it. “I’m thinking it’s the Colsons. Kind of convenient for them when one brother’s the sheriff, another one’s the fire chief, their uncle’s the mayor, and the judge is married to their aunt.”

  Grady made a noncommittal sound and put down a couple of bills to pay for his drinks. “Except the guys who lost their houses all slept with Salem. Strange coincidence, isn’t it?”

  “Go to hell,” Paul grumbled and turned away from Grady.

  Tami rushed over to the Mountain Dog Rescue Center with a tub of cherry moose track ice cream. She hugged Linx tightly. “Is he gone? Did you tell him?”

  “Yes, he didn’t take it well. I mean, at first, he was understanding, or maybe just shocked, but after he thought about it, he got angry.”

  “That’s expected.” Tami hustled to the kitchen and took out two bowls. “You want chocolate sauce?”

  “Yes, with whipped cream and a cherry on top.” Linx moaned, holding her throbbing head in both hands.

  “That bad, huh?” Tami blew a tendril of her blond hair from her face and dug into the ice cream.

  “He’s pissed off that I didn’t tell him. He’s hurt. Crushed. All the things I wanted him to feel for hurting and crushing me.”

  “And?”

  “I feel like crap.” Linx cradled her bowl of ice cream and sank onto the sofa. “It’s like I got my revenge and now it’s hurting me more than him.”

  Tami sat down next to her. “He’s not as bad as you made him out to be. He has a heart.”

  “I know, and I’ve hurt him again. I keep hurting him, and now that he knows Jessie’s his daughter …”

  “Is he going to leave them alone?”

  “I don’t think so. He says he wants to fix it, then we got into a fight.” Linx twirled the chocolate sauce into the ice cream and licked her spoon.

  Ginger woke up and squealed from the playpen, obviously hungry—or maybe she heard Tami and wanted cuddles.

  Linx set her ice cream down and picked the puppy up from the playpen.

  “I’ll warm up a bottle,” Tami said, surprising Linx and getting up. “You should see the website. People are signing up in droves to adopt her. We ought to put up a webcam on her. They did that with the baby otter and tons of people watched.”

  “That’s an idea,” Linx said. “Maybe I should get security cameras, too. Then I'll catch my mom when she dumps off her latest creations.”

  Or snag an arsonist.

  Linx snuggled with the puppy while Cedar rested her head on her knee. Now that Tami was here, everything would be okay.

  Okay, for her. But what about Grady?

  She had a family to support her. She had friends. This was her hometown, and most of all, she had contact with Jessie.

  But Grady? He was locked out in the cold.

  It wasn’t fair.

  And she’d done this to him.

  Tami returned with the bottle. “Why don’t I take care of this little sweetie and you go find Grady. I know you’re not done with him.”

  “This time, we’re done.” Linx blinked as the tears pooled from her eyes. “I got the idea when he left that it was our final goodbye.”

  “What about Jessie?”

  “What about her? She’s the pastor’s daughter. He’s not going to get the adoption overturned.”

  “He’s not going to leave this town either.” Tami pursed her lips. “I’ve gotten to know Grady, and he doesn’t seem like the type of man who would leave his flesh and blood. For all that rolling stone bluster, he’s really close to his family. He has a twin sister.”

  “I know, but he feels disenchanted by the big family scene. Just like me.” Linx held the bottle for the puppy who suckled greedily. “He told me he doesn’t feel like he fits in. His twin sister’s a fashion designer and the apple of his parents’ eyes. His big brother’s a fireman and a natural born leader. His baby sister’s sweet as pie and his baby brother’s the family clown. As for Cait, well, you know how organized and efficient she is. How does a dyslexic kid who was always getting into trouble compare?”

  “Wow, you know that much about him? I thought he barely spoke.” Tami picked up her bowl of ice cream.

  “Only when he’s drunk.” Linx let out a chuckle. “That’s when the filter flies from his lips.”

  Among other things.

  “How many of these drunken bitch sessions have you had?” Tami gave her a side-eyed smirk. “Or were you two too busy making little Linxes?”

  “Always with protection, well, with one or two slip-ups.” Linx grinned sheepishly.

  “What if he’s had other slipups and all those women he knocked up were real?” Tami scratched the side of her head. “Maybe this rolling stone has left a trail of moss.”

  “Ewwee. That sounds gross when you put it like that.” Linx couldn’t help laughing.

  “Think Salem’s baby was his?” Tami recovered from the laughter first.

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t much matter now. It’s kind of sad, isn’t it?” Linx sobered up as the puppy finished the bottle.

  “What’s sad?”

  “That of all the pregnancy scares, no one had his baby except for me.”

  “Heard you almost lost it, too.” Tami had been at college when all of this went down.

  “Yes, weird, isn’t it? Salem found me on the floor with my water broken and she drove me to the hospital.”

  “She saved your life.”

  “And I saved hers by carrying her out of the fire when she got impaled by that firebrand.” Linx’s shoulders slumped as the weight of Salem’s death pressed on her. “After Jessie was born, she stopped calling and coming by. I never figured out why she broke away from me.”

  “Some friendships were meant to end.” Tami gave Linx a hug. “I know it hurts when someone you thought was a friend fades away.”

  “We never had any words, no arguments or upset. And then, she died.” A sob caught Linx’s breath, and she put her face down on Ginger and let the tears roll. “She was a piece of work, but I still miss her.”

  Linx told Tami everything about the intercepted text messages, the fake phone number Salem had given her, claiming it was Grady’s, and the fake messages she sent between them.

  “Why, that bitch! Er, sorry, witch!” Tami clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m thinking she wasn’t exactly a good friend. Maybe she was only keeping an eye on you because you had Grady’s baby.”

  “Why would she care either way?” Linx felt her heart contract and expand, pulsing and aching. “All she cared about was smokejumping and getting on the fire crew.”

  “So she could sleep with Grady, that’s why,” Tami exclaimed. “Once she had you two safely broken up, and the baby given away, and you out of firefighting, she went back and jumped what, three or four seasons?”

  Linx could only nod mutely.

  If Grady had known about Jessie, things would have been different, and he might not have slept with so many women. He might have become a responsible father.

  And pigs might be able to fly.

  But still, Grady Hart wasn’t an ogre.

  She’d seen him speaking to Jessie, reassuring her that he’d find her dog, and then later, when Grady did find Betsy, she’d noticed how attached Jessie got to him.

  She should have made sure Grady knew, because then, the blissful picture in her dreams, the one where Jessie held both their hands as they strolled down a country lane, chasing butterflies and picking flowers, would have been real and true.

  “I should have trusted Grady over Salem.” Linx bowed her head.

  “You know, it’s not too late,” Tami, the eternal optimist, said.

  “I hope you’re right, but somehow, I think you’re wrong.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Miss Jessie, don’t you look pretty today,” Tami exclaimed the next morning at the diner where she and Linx met up for breakfast.

  Linx loo
ked back over her shoulder. “Wow, Miss America, here she comes.”

  Jessie wore a little girl’s version of a Wonder Woman costume: a red cape, blue skirt with white stars, a golden headband and belt, and a red top with a big ‘W’ patch.

  She made puny muscles and smiled at her mother, Jean. “When I grow up, I’m going to be Wonder Woman just like Miss Linx.”

  “Jean, please, sit with us,” Tami said, patting the bench seat of the booth.

  “Oh, I don’t want to interrupt whatever you two are discussing,” the pastor’s wife said. “Jessie is ever so grateful you found her dog.”

  “Actually, I didn’t find her,” Linx clarified. “Grady Hart found Betsy. Is she doing okay now?”

  “She’s fine. Lost a bit of weight, and we had to take her to grooming to remove all the stuck-on burrs and dirt.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Linx made room for them. “Please join us for breakfast.”

  “Can we? Please?” Jessie asked, bouncing up and down so that her cape fluttered. “Miss Linx said me and Betsy can march in the dog parade.”

  “Is that right?” The pastor’s wife smiled and swept her flowing skirt to sit. “Will she be a bother?”

  “Not at all. We’d love to have her and Betsy in the parade,” Linx said. “Everyone who has a dog can march under our banner.”

  The Annual Fourth of July celebration started with a parade around the town square, before the festivities that included the pet rescue auction and a town fair.

  “Can you march with me?” Jessie slid into the booth next to Linx and tugged her sleeve. “Can you also be a Wonder Woman?”

  Linx hadn’t even thought that far ahead, given all the Grady craziness. “Only if it’s okay with your parents.”

  “She’s in her superhero phase,” Jean said. “But don’t you Colson girls usually show your father’s horses?”

  “I’ll let Joey and Vivi do the honors,” Linx said. “We have a big push for adoptions going on at Mountain Dog. We’re pretty overcrowded right now, and we’re hoping Ginger will bring in a lot of donations.”

  “I want Ginger,” Jessie said, tapping her mother’s arm.

  “No talking out of turn.” Jean gave Jessie a stern look. “What do you say?”

  “Sorry.” Jessie clapped a hand over her mouth.

  “As I was saying, you look lovely, Miss Jessie,” Tami said, easing over any awkwardness. “I’ll tell you what. If it’s okay with Linx, you can help us with the auction on stage.”

  “Of course, it’ll be okay,” Linx said, peering at Mrs. Patterson. “As long as it’s okay with your mother.”

  “What exactly will she do when she shows the dogs?” Jean asked. “I want to make sure it’s safe for her.”

  “We wouldn’t ask her to hold dogs or anything,” Linx said. “Dogs tend to get too excited at these auctions, so we leave them in the kennel and show pictures of them. Only prequalified people can bid and we don’t actually close any sale until they come to the center to take their dog home.”

  “In that case, it sounds harmless.” Jean said, as Joey poured coffee for the grownups and placed a glass of milk in front of Jessie.

  After everyone gave their usual orders, Jessie raised her hand. “Mama, remember you said I could get a puppy?”

  “I did, sweetie, but only if we didn’t find Betsy,” Mrs. Patterson replied.

  “Betsy’s lonely. I bet she’ll love to have a puppy to play with,” Jessie said with the cute earnestness only little kids could muster.

  “Betsy has you,” Mrs. Patterson said firmly. “She’ll never be lonely.”

  “Where do you think Betsy went when she ran away?” Tami was always good at conversation. “Do you think she lived in the forest?”

  “She did! She lived deep in the woods in a fairy wagon.” Jessie bounced in her seat. “Next time Betsy runs away, I’m going with her.”

  “Remember how worried and scared you were when Betsy ran off?” Linx asked Jessie, patting her back. “Your mommy and daddy will cry and cry and be worried and scared.”

  “I don’t want Mama and Papa to cry.” Jessie crossed her arms and looked at her mother.

  “No, you don’t.” Linx stroked the girl’s silky hair. “You and Betsy need to stay home so everyone can be happy.”

  “Okay.” Jessie nodded. “But we’ll be happier if we have a puppy or a baby brother or sister.”

  Linx glanced at Mrs. Patterson who pursed her lips and placed her napkin primly over her skirt.

  Jessie didn’t know that her adoptive mother was unable to have children, and she couldn’t fault the little girl for being lonely.

  “Tell you what,” Linx said. “Next time you come to the center, you can teach Ginger to eat dog food.”

  “Can I?” Jessie raised her hand and beamed at her mother. “Please?”

  “Sure, you may.” Jean flashed her daughter an indulgent smile. “You can help Miss Linx as much as you want.”

  Even though Linx was glad for Mrs. Patterson’s trust, her gut cringed at the thought of Grady taking it all away from her. But then again, if he actually won custody of Jessie, would he let her visit and spend time with Jessie?

  “Mama, can I say grace?” Jessie raised her hand.

  “Of course, darling.”

  Linx lowered her head and closed her eyes as little Jessie prayed.

  “Father, bless our food and bless our home. Bless Miss Linx and all her puppies. Bless our town and bless everyone. Thank you for bringing Betsy back. Amen.”

  After breakfast, Linx dropped by the post office to mail off her bills. She hadn’t heard head or tails from Grady, and he hadn’t sent anyone to claim the dogs he had lined up for the veterans he was helping.

  “There you are,” a female voice called out to her after she dropped her letters in the mailbox. It was Cait, Grady’s sister. “Last I heard, Grady had a date night with you. Have you seen him since? He hasn’t returned any of my calls or text messages.”

  Linx put her hand over her forehead and shook her head. “I screwed up badly. He’s hurt, and he’s skipped town. I’m surprised he didn’t say goodbye to you.”

  “What happened?” Cait clutched Linx’s sleeve. “How did he get hurt? Is it physical or emotional?”

  “It’s emotional, and it’s a long story.” Linx blinked and averted her gaze. “I’m not sure I should be the one to tell you.”

  “If Grady’s missing, how’s he going to tell me?” Cait put on her elder sister tone. “I’m really worried about him.”

  “I’m sure he’s okay,” Linx reassured. “Probably working at his homesite. We can go up and check.”

  “Great. Let’s go now.” Cait threw her letters down the mail slot. “On the way, you better tell me what happened.”

  “I don’t even know where to begin,” Linx said, feeling a knot bury deep in her belly. “I really think Grady should be the one to tell you.”

  Cait screwed up her eyebrows and glared at Linx. “Okay, then tell me what’s up with you. You don’t look so happy. In fact, you look like your heart’s broken. Did Grady do it? Did he hurt you? I told him not to fool around with you if he has no intention of … Never mind.”

  “Grady and I hurt each other.” Linx swallowed dry rocks in her throat. “We’re the type of people no one should ever get involved with. The ones you keep away from anyone you care about.”

  “Why would you say that?” Cait’s green eyes widened. “You’re both strong and self-sufficient, but you have tender hearts inside. I mean, look how you care for the dogs, and Grady, well, he might be gruff, but he cares for his family.”

  “Right, except all we do is hurt each other. I feel like he’s quicksand or something. I can’t live with him, and I can’t live without him. It hurts too much to be with him, but it hurts worse to let him go.”

  “Human quicksand, eh?” Cait quirked an eyebrow as she unlocked her car. “Are you sure it isn’t love?”

  “It’s not love,” Linx hastened to cl
arify. “Love shouldn’t hurt like this.”

  “No, it shouldn’t, but it does when you’re not on the same page.”

  “We’re never on the same page.” Linx got into the passenger seat. “I’m sure he hates me right now. I really screwed up.”

  Cait started her engine and backed out of the parking spot. “Since you won’t tell me what’s wrong, you don’t get to tease me with riddles. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

  “Yes, we are.” Linx glanced at the generous woman who always stopped by with treats and good cheer. “I suppose you’ll get it out of Grady anyway.”

  “Darn tootin’ right,” Cait chirped. “You might as well spill. What did you do that was so bad to Grady other than keeping his dog?”

  Linx swiped her face with both hands and blinked, her heart racing and pulse speeding. “I kept his daughter from him.”

  Errrrr! Cait slammed on the brakes and jerked to a stop. Linx braced herself for the rear-end slam, but fortunately there was no other car behind them.

  “I knew it. That picture was a dead giveaway.” Cait shrieked so high-pitched, it stung. “Why didn’t you tell us? My family would have adopted her.”

  Great. Now she’d not only hurt Grady, but also Cait and the entire Hart family. The first grandchild for their parents was given away without them having had a chance to claim her.

  There was nothing she could do for them than to admit the whole truth. They’d hate her and she’d lose Cait’s friendship. But then, psychopaths like her didn’t deserve the kind of love and acceptance normal people enjoyed.

  “I gave her away for adoption.” Linx’s voice was as flat as steamrolled roadkill. “She’s the pastor’s daughter now.”

  “And you never told Grady?” Cait’s voice was accusing. She pulled off the road and glared at her.

  “I tried to tell him, but my messages were intercepted. When he finally called me, it was already a done deal, so I told him I was never pregnant.” Linx stared out the side window. With a heaviness inside her chest, she relayed the entire story to Cait, about Salem, the missed messages, and all the years of hiding.