“Fair question. It’s good be cautious. We can have a blood test done, but let me show you something.” He withdrew a photo from his wallet and pushed it across the table.
The woman in the photograph had the same auburn hair and green eyes, as well as the same face shape.
“That’s my mother when she was a little older than you are now. The resemblance is uncanny.”
This was her paternal grandmother. To say she was beautiful would have seemed self-serving since the two of them looked so much alike.
He removed another photo from his wallet—himself with two boys, well young men really. “That’s Wade and the younger one is Benjamin.”
Her brothers.
“I don’t want to put pressure on you. But, when you’re ready, I’d like to have a chance to get to know you, have you come to Atlanta and meet the rest of the family. Your family. I know she’s not my blood daughter, but your sister, Kellie, is welcome too. She’s your family.”
All her defenses dropped. Dangling a seemingly happy family in front of her was like holding out an offering of steak to a starving dog. She felt the tug, the pull to take hold. She slid the photographs back to him. “Thank you. It’s a lot to take in. Is there some way I can contact you?”
“Of course.” He removed a business card from his wallet and jotted an address and phone number on the back. “My home address and cell.” He gave it to her with the photographs. “Why don’t you keep these?”
“Thank you.”
“I’m sure you have things to do and I need to get back to Atlanta. If you hear from Star, will you let me know? She is sick, you know. And I’d like to help her if I can, but I have no idea how to find her.”
“You’d help her after the way she used you?”
He shrugged. “You sent her a check. Why?”
“Selfish reasons. I wanted a clear conscience.”
He grinned. “I think there’s more to it than that. You have a good heart. Please think about what I said, my invitation to come to Atlanta.”
“I will.”
They stood awkwardly at the door, then Lex reached out and took her hand between his large hands. “Thank you for talking with me. I hope we get to know one another.”
She nodded. The lump that rose in her throat prevented speaking. Leaning forward, she gave him an awkward hug. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “If you ever need anything at all, you call me.” He released her and turned to stride down the steps.
She watched as Lex—her father—got into his car and pulled away from the curb. Then she stared down at the photographs. One of her brothers looked like a younger Lex. The other had her coloring and smile. She wondered if they were happy to know about her. She wondered so much.
Alex showered and headed first to the vet to check up on Xena and her puppies.
Howard ushered her into his office. He was cool and a bit distant—professional. “The mother dog is fine. It was parvo that killed the one pup. The others are all infected. They’ll have to stay here for treatment. Two are very weak and I’m not sure we can save them. The other one might make it. You can take the mother dog back to the shelter.”
“Thanks, Howard.”
“You’re welcome.” He stood. “I have a busy morning, so….”
“Of course.”
“I’ll have Kristy bring the dog out for you.”
“Okay.”
Alex stood in the waiting room, stunned by Howard’s demeanor. She’d thought they could be friends. He had seemed to understand and had wished her well. She would have liked to tell him about her father’s visit, get his take on everything. He’d just made it clear that friendship was not an option. She felt like an emotional yo-yo—Jeff walking away from her, Evan coming into her life, a brief reunion with her mother who took off again, losing Howard’s friendship, and now finding she had an entire family she knew nothing about.
Xena was brought out in her carrier. She barked wildly, no doubt unhappy about leaving her puppies behind. But when Alex returned her to her kennel at the shelter, the dog sniffed the space, then curled up in a ball on the blankets. Alex wished there were some way to make the dog understand her puppies hadn’t been taken from her, but were getting the help they needed to get well. She sat on the floor of the cement kennel and glanced at the dog. “I’m sorry, girl. I kind of know how you feel. Lost. Confused. Alone. But things will get better. We have to believe that.”
The dog let out a sigh and closed her eyes as if to say, “You believe it.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Evan turned off the dining room lights at Amelia’s and returned to the kitchen. Business was picking up, even though still a little slow. He knew he needed to put more money into advertising and to tweak the menu a bit, maybe drop some of the prices. But he wanted to give the place a few months before he made any significant changes. He tied up the last bag of trash and carried it out the back door to the Dumpster. Walter, who was tied near the back door, paced and whined anxiously. “Relax, buddy. I’m almost finished.”
The air carried a slight aroma of burning wood. He glanced around and walked to the side of the restaurant. His heart slammed in his chest when he saw the plume of smoke spiraling from the back of the animal shelter. Racing across the parking lot and around the fenced yard, he drew his cell phone from his hip pocket and pressed 9-1-1.
When the operator answered, Evan shouted, “I’m Evan Whiting. The animal shelter in Cade’s Point, Harley’s Haven, is on fire. There are animals inside, get someone here quick.”
“What’s the address, sir?”
“210 Willow Creek Road.” He disconnected, racing around the building. Flames had begun to lick up the back wall, an addition that had been built onto the cement block building. From the inside, he could hear panicked dogs yelping and whining. A garden hose lay coiled near the corner. He picked it up, turned on the water and began to spray at the flames, all the while working his way to the back door. Which was locked.
“Hell.” He dropped the hose and rounded the building, finding a window on the side facing his restaurant. A garden rake leaned against the wall. Evan picked it up, closed his eyes and averted his face, and swung. The glass shattered, pieces showering over him. He used the rake handle to clear the margins of glass and peered inside. No flame was visible, but a thick cloud of smoke collected eerily in the darkened room. He hiked himself up and through the window. Once inside, he discovered he was in Alex’s office. He turned on the desk lamp which, remarkably, still worked. The power was functioning. He pressed his palm against the door and checked for heat. Feeling none, he pulled the door open. Smoke roiled into the lobby area outside the office. To his left, frantic animals barked wildly in the kennels.
He wrangled the two smaller kennels of puppies outside and moved them far from the building. Smoke thickened as he moved down the long hallway to the kennel area. Fire burned along the back wall. He started with the kennels closest to the fire, jerking open the doors and urging the frantic animals to run in the opposite direction. In the distance, he heard sirens.
One litter of older puppies caught his attention. He gathered up the four squirming bodies and ran toward the front where firemen burst through the door with hoses at the ready.
“There’s a cat room in here somewhere. I got the dogs out of the kennels down that hallway to the left. I think it’s clear,” he shouted as he carried the puppies out into fresh air. He deposited them in the back of his SUV and returned to the shelter. Then it occurred to him to call Alex.
She answered on the third ring, sounding sleepy. “Hello?”
“Alex, it’s Evan. You need to get down to the shelter right away.”
“Evan, it’s after midnight. What is it?”
“The shelter’s on fire. I already called and the fire department’s here.”
She gasped. “I’ll be right there.”
Evan returned to notice Walter, who’d broken free of his restraint behind the re
staurant. He ran past the firemen into the shelter and was ushered back out again. The dog became more and more agitated. Two firemen emerged, each carrying several kittens.
“Let’s put them in my SUV,” Evan said, directing them to his vehicle. “They’ll be safe there.”
The other dogs he had released were running around the yard and into the street. Evan attempted to corral them, but most escaped his efforts. A loud pop drew his attention back to the shelter. The back end of the building was now totally engulfed in flames.
Walter barked and raced past the exiting firemen. Evan ran to the entrance and called for the dog.
One of the firemen ordered the others to direct their efforts on the back and side of the building. Evan was shielding his face and moving closer to the front entrance when Alex’s car screeched to a stop and she ran up beside him. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I think we got everyone out. The puppies and most of the cats are in my SUV or in those kennels over by the fence. As you can see, the rest of the dogs are running loose. But Walter….” Evan pointed. “He ran back inside.”
Alex bolted for the door from which thick black smoke billowed. Evan ran after her, snagging an arm around her waist. “Wait. You can’t go in there.”
“Walter!” Alex shouted, then coughed heavily and broke free of his grasp.
The heat was so intense, Evan could hardly breathe. The cement block created an oven effect while flammable materials inside the building burned. He could hear Alex, but couldn’t see her in the smoke. “Alex!”
He bumped into her and closed both arms around her, dragging her backward out of the burning building. She fought him, crying and calling for Walter.
Evan fell backward onto the wet grass pulling her down on top of him. A moment later, Walter ran out the front door, a puppy in his mouth. He dropped the puppy in front of Alex and began to lick her face.
The puppy was limp. She picked up the small pup and wrapped a hand around its muzzle, breathing into its nose. After a few attempts, the puppy rallied. Alex cried and laughed as she kissed Walter’s muzzle.
The firemen retreated when the wind shifted. “This building’s a loss. Get some water on the place next door so these sparks don’t ignite that one.”
Evan looked up to see that the wind was carrying live sparks onto the roof of his restaurant. Dampness seeped through the seat of his pants as he sat with Alex pulled back against him, holding the puppy, and with Walter standing guard over her. In minutes, the shelter was reduced to a burning rubble. The firemen had saturated his building and saved it.
The fire chief came toward Alex, wiping sooty perspiration from his face. “It’s out. The building’s a loss, I’m afraid.”
“Do you know what happened?”
“Looks like an electrical short in that outside light on the back addition. That part of the building was made of wood and it only took a few sparks. I’ll have a complete report for you to send to your insurance company tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I’ll pick it up at the station.” Alex dragged a hand through her hair.
After the fire chief walked away, Evan said, “I thought you were going to have that light checked.”
“I was. I got so busy. This is all my fault.”
He put an arm around her. “No, it isn’t. Just be grateful it wasn’t worse.”
She shrugged out of his embrace and handed him the puppy. “Can you put him in your SUV? I have to round up as many of the other animals as I can find.”
“Sure. But where will you put them all?”
She wiped a dirty hand across her eyes, leaving black streaks. “I don’t know. I can call some of my volunteers. They’ll come and get them for the night.”
“Let me get this little guy settled, then I’ll help.” He had to admit her dedication touched him.
It was two in the morning by the time they had rounded up most of the strays. Some had taken off or were in hiding in the neighborhood. A convoy of trucks and SUVs arrived following Alex’s phone calls as her volunteers led dogs to kennels and put cats in carriers to care for them temporarily. Only the smallest litter of puppies remained in Evan’s SUV along with Walter.
“Help me get these into my car and I’ll take them home for the night.”
Evan studied her. “You’re dead tired and you’re shaking. Do you think you should drive? I’ll take you home.”
“Not necessary.”
“Alex, please don’t argue. I’m not going to let you drive like this or go home alone when you’re this upset. Besides…” He held up a set of keys. “I already have your car keys. Let me lock up the kitchen.”
To his surprise, she didn’t argue. Her shoulders slumped with defeat and she headed toward his SUV.
Evan locked the back of the restaurant and returned to this vehicle. He climbed into the driver’s seat and glanced sideways at Alex. She sniffled and swiped at her cheeks.
“I’m really sorry,” Evan said.
She turned to face him. “How did the animals get out?”
“I called 9-1-1, then went in through your office window and started to clear the kennels. The firemen arrived and did the rest.”
Her eyes widened. “You went inside a burning building to save my animals?”
“You don’t have to sound so surprised.” He shifted the SUV into gear and pulled onto the street.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound that way.” She paused. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
When they reached her house, Evan pulled into the driveway.
Alex sat with her head back against the headrest.
“Alex? Are you okay?”
She held out a hand. “Can I have my keys so I can open the garage door? Please?”
He gave her the keys and got out of the SUV.
“You don’t have to get out. I can handle this.”
“I thought I’d help. God, you are one stubborn woman.” Evan opened the back of the SUV where the puppies attempted to crawl over one another.
Alex disappeared into the garage and re-emerged carrying a large box. “We can put them in here.” She settled the puppies into the box lined with a towel.
“I’ve got this. You open the door.” Evan picked up the box and followed, Walter dancing along beside him.
Alex directed him to place the puppies in the living room next to the fireplace. She sat cross-legged on the floor and picked up each puppy to examine it, cuddle it, and kiss its head. Evan looked around at the furniture, deciding the soot on his clothing pre-empted taking a seat. He dropped onto the floor beside her. “Are they all right?”
“They’re fine.” She turned to face him. Emerald green eyes locked on his. “Thanks to you.”
Evan reached up and brushed his thumb across a sooty streak on her cheek. “You’re welcome.” He let his hand curl around her jaw. Her lips parted. But as he moved forward to kiss her, Walter stuck his wet nose between them. Doggy drool dripped onto Evan’s wrist and he pulled his hand away, wiping it across his pant leg.
Alex laughed. “It’s only spit.” She stood. “I need a drink. You want one?”
“Absolutely.”
She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two stemmed glasses. “White Zin okay?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll be right back.” She went down a darkened hallway and returned with a sheet, spreading it over the sofa. “Have a seat.” She picked up her glass and dropped onto the sofa, letting her head fall back.
Evan’s gaze fixed on her neck, in particular the pale hollow spot at the base of her throat. He eased down beside her.
He sipped his wine and leaned forward to set the glass on the coffee table. When he sat back, Alex’s body shook as she sobbed. “It’s all gone. Everything I’ve worked for is gone.”
“It’s not all gone. The animals are safe. Now you can build the shelter you really want. Right?”
She sniffled. “I suppose. I mean, I have the mo
ney. Thanks to your Aunt Amy. Kellie’s working on finding the right place. It’s just knowing how things could have turned out. I’ll have to find a place for temporary shelter, unless Kellie finds a suitable building fast. Those poor animals….”
Evan slid an arm around her. “But they’re okay. And you will be, too.”
Her head settled into the crook of his shoulder. “I know.”
The next thing Evan knew, Alex was sound asleep, breathing evenly against his chest. Not wanting to wake her, he shifted slightly and leaned back. Her body slid lower onto his and she settled. Unable to move without disturbing her, Evan picked up one of the toss pillows, placed it behind his neck, and closed his eyes.
Alex moaned and tossed her arm across his waist, snuggling her face deeper into his chest. Evan stared down at her. She really was lovely—never more so than when she was sleeping.
Feelings he’d buried now surged in him. He wanted to bend down and kiss those full lips. He wanted to lift her into his arms and carry her back to her bedroom. Then he wanted to—
All the wanting, along with the feelings of tenderness he felt for her, scared him to his core. He eased out from under Alex and slid the pillow beneath her head.
She shifted, opened her eyes and looked up at him. “I’m sorry. I fell asleep. Where are you going?”
His mouth went dry at the sight of her. “Home. I have to go home. And you need to get a good night’s sleep. Goodnight. Come on, Walter.” He hustled through the kitchen and out the back door as if his pants were on fire. Which, in a manner of speaking, they were.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Summer gave way to fall. Thanksgiving was only a few weeks away. Evan’s business was booming. His aunt’s recipes struck a chord with the locals and word had begun to spread. People were driving all the way from Jackson and down from Memphis to experience the diverse menu at Amelia’s. He’d been interviewed by Southern Cooking magazine.
He’d decided to open for dinner on Thanksgiving Day, but most of his regular patrons told him they’d be with family that day. He didn’t particularly like the prospect of spending Thanksgiving alone. Then he had an ingenious idea. He would serve a free dinner to homeless and to veterans and their families. It was a way to give something back to the community and ensure he’d have guests for dinner.
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