Or she could go home and make some notes on what she needed to do next for Eric.
There would be plenty of time to gloat later.
CHAPTER NINE
COLE HAD BEEN able to avoid any uncomfortable run-ins with Rebecca all week long, mainly because she hadn’t visited Paws for Love. He was still getting the crick in his neck because he hadn’t quite learned to relax.
But today, it was like she was doing her best to make sure that he saw her. He and Eric had finished weeding out the front beds over the weekend, so he hadn’t seen the kid except in flashes as he trailed behind Les, the veterinarian, for two days. That was fine.
Eric had been smiling the last time he trotted in to answer Les’s call.
Shelly had taken over organizing all the volunteers training the dogs, so he was free to leave on time, but he’d wanted to at least make a start at planning what he’d plant in the beds in front of the shelter. Sarah would have to give him the go-ahead and come along to write a check for any supplies, but he needed to draw something up.
When he’d started landscaping design classes inside, he’d done it out of boredom. Then he’d discovered the satisfaction of physical work mixed with the chance to build something new. Imagining what the front of Paws for Love could look like with some time, money and hard work was...fun. That wasn’t something he’d expected—to have fun while he worked. The idea made him uneasy, but he was still anxious to get started.
When Rebecca had parked, he’d suddenly become engrossed in the composition of the gravel filling the bed. Nothing was going to grow there but weeds and dust. If Sarah wanted anything green, they’d have to build beds with better soil. Coming to that conclusion took about two seconds. Waiting for Rebecca to go inside the shelter had seemed to take a lifetime. When she’d stepped inside, he’d inhaled an easy breath.
But now it was time to leave and he wanted to stop in to ask Sarah about the proposed visit to Travis to watch Prison Partners in action, but she was inside the office with Sarah. If he stuck his head in, he’d have to be polite. Since he still hadn’t recovered from his unexpected effort with Eric, he wasn’t ready to play nice.
Do the job.
Cole held his hand up to knock, hesitated, then tapped lightly on the office door. When Sarah called out, he stepped one foot over the threshold. “I’m leaving. I drew up an outline of what the flower beds out front should look like.” He held the paper between his finger and thumb as if it were covered in germs. “Should I leave it here?”
Sarah waved him forward. “Let me see.” She took the paper and the room was completely silent as she studied it. One quick glance at Rebecca convinced him that she was waiting on her chance to pounce.
“Is EW coming to pick you up today?” Rebecca asked as she crossed her legs. Today she looked like a spring garden in a flowing dress that had pink and yellow flowers on the skirt—a fairy-tale princess who’d landed in a Texas meadow. If she broke out into song, he wouldn’t be surprised.
The poetic direction of his thoughts was unsettling.
At least he didn’t say it aloud.
Cole nodded and did his best not to shuffle his feet. “Far as I know.”
“Cole and EW have been doing some fishing,” Sarah said. “Cole mentioned the possibility of a fish fry in the shelter’s future. What do you say to that?”
Rebecca blinked slowly as she considered. “Sounds delicious. I’ll make...something.”
She smiled at him and he had no words. There was nothing to say to that, but everyone seemed to be waiting for his answer. “Cookies are always welcome.”
The gritty tone made him sound like he’d slept on a bar stool. Something about her brought out the worst in him. The rumble of EW’s truck was as welcome as the song of the ice-cream truck when he was ten. He was going to escape.
“Is this a drawing of a cat with a halo?” Sarah asked as she pointed to a spot in the center of one of the beds.
Cole had forgotten he’d included that. “Yeah, there’s a place we pass on the way to the creek that has metal yard art.” He waited for her to nod. “I thought a dog and a cat would add a touch of fun to the front of the shelter.” He tugged the neck of his T-shirt and wished he’d left the drawing on her desk when she wasn’t around. “Kids would love it.”
He thought they would. What did he know about kids?
Sarah sighed. “Oh, Cole, you get me.” She tacked the drawing to a bulletin board on the wall next to her desk. “Don’t know how we’re going to convince the board of directors we need yard art, but I want it so desperately now that I’m going to get it.” She clasped her hands together and tilted her head at Rebecca.
Rebecca’s easy laugh made it impossible to worry about his cat drawing anymore.
“I’m still waiting on a confirmation for the next Prison Partners graduation ceremony,” Sarah said. “I had no idea it was so complicated. I had to provide a list of names of people who’d be coming so the organizers could perform background checks. And I scanned the rules David sent over.”
David Thomas ran the state program and oversaw every graduation. Cole had worked closely with David the last few months he was in. It would be nice to shake his hand as a free man.
“No open-toed shoes. Don’t wear white. Nothing with a low neck.” Sarah glanced at Rebecca. “We’ll need to talk before we go. There are a lot of rules.” Sarah yanked open the drawer beside her. “Got your check.”
Cole took one giant step closer and reached for the check. “See you Monday.”
He nodded at Sarah, avoided Rebecca and took more giant steps until he was in the lobby. He almost took a deep breath of relief but he realized Rebecca was on his heels. Cole managed to get the door open without pawing at it like a circus bear but stumbled as he tried to keep it open for her. Smooth. He was so smooth.
Rebecca wrapped her hand around his forearm. “Are you okay? You should sit down.” Her tiny frown reminded him of all the times his concerned Mimi had placed her hand on his forehead to test his temperature. “You spend too much time out in the sun. Sit. I’ll get you some water.”
He was close enough to see EW’s face through the windshield. No way was he going to delay his escape, even if it was nice to have someone fussing over him. He didn’t need the attention.
“Just clumsy. That’s all.” Cole opened the door. “You want to talk to EW?”
She didn’t protest, but the worry was still there. Get in the truck before you break your neck, idiot.
“No, but I wanted to catch you before you left today.” She didn’t let go of his arm as a smile bloomed slowly on her lips. “I was so right. About Eric. Admit it.”
Cole glanced down at where she’d tangled her fingers through his. At some point, whatever fear she might have had disappeared. Probably about the same time she did her victory dance in the end zone.
“I blame EW for that.” Cole fought the urge to grin back at her. The wicked pleasure in her eyes was hard to resist.
“Oh, I owe him my thanks, then,” she said, her eyes alight. The little dance she did made her skirt twist around her knees, and she squeezed his hand. “Unless you want it. Thank you. That kid is glowing this week. You don’t want to get involved. I can understand that. But don’t you ever forget what you’ve done for one kid.” She tapped her chin. “I’ll have to remind you.”
When she teased him like this, he might as well be any normal guy. That was seductive.
She tugged on his hand but didn’t let go. “Now I need to tell EW thank you.”
When they reached the truck, Cole let her hand slip away and ignored the regret that hit.
“Afternoon, Miss Rebecca.” EW propped his hand on the steering wheel. “Hot enough for you?”
Since he wasn’t the focus of her attention, it was nice to watch her smile at EW.
&
nbsp; “You bet. I sure don’t want it to get any hotter.” She fluffed the curls on her neck. “Seems September ought to be nicer than this.”
“Won’t be long now.” EW’s voice didn’t betray any curiosity or impatience. Whatever life had handed the man and whatever patience he’d started with, at this age, nothing ruffled his feathers.
“Eric told me about the epic basketball game,” Rebecca said as she leaned against EW’s window. “Seems I have you to thank for our best volunteer.”
“Well, now, I do enjoy a good game, so that’s my pleasure,” EW said with a courtly dip of his head. “Far as I know, Cole did the rest.”
Rebecca lunged through the window to wrap her arms awkwardly around EW’s neck. “Very reluctantly, if that’s true, so you must be a good influence on them both.”
EW chuckled and patted her arm. “Tell your daddy he better be taking good care of that Caddy down there at the beach.”
Cole studied EW’s face, but it was too hard to tell if he was blushing. Had to be. If she’d wrapped her arms around him that way, the heat would have swamped his face immediately. Which was so stupid.
She was enthusiastic. And beautiful. But mostly, she was grateful and determined.
Eric was lucky to have her pushing behind him, and Cole was relieved she had a new project to work on.
“Oh, I will tell him, Mr. EW.” Rebecca patted the truck door as she stepped back. “Thank you.”
Eric and Les walked out of the shelter. Through the windshield, Cole could see Les grip Eric’s hand in a hearty shake.
“We taking the kid home, too?” Cole asked.
“Nope. Fishing.” EW grunted with satisfaction at Cole’s shaking head. “Gonna need the help if we’re doing up a fish fry.”
As Cole slid out of the truck to let Eric climb into the middle, Les propped his arms on EW’s door. “Kid’s a natural. Whoever directed him this way did us a favor.”
Neither he nor EW answered and Eric rubbed his forehead in response.
Rebecca stuck her head in the cab. “A natural? Assisting with medical procedures?” The gleam in her eyes was focused as she switched from Les to Eric, and Cole could already see the wheels turning. “What do you have to say to that, Eric?”
The kid’s shrug might as well have a bashful grin. That was all boys that age knew to do with that pleased and horrible feeling of flattery and happiness. Cole could vaguely recall the sensation.
“I haven’t done much.” Eric pulled hard at his dirty T-shirt.
“You know Major? Dog loves this one.” Les pointed excitedly. “And he was so patient with Snowball. She ate too much after we found her in that abandoned lot. Threw up all over him. Kid calmly sponged off and went back to scratching her ears and telling her she was a good girl. That’s something you can’t always find.”
Silence filled the cab of the truck, but Rebecca was nearly vibrating with her pleasure. If the kid thought he wanted to be a veterinarian, he was out-of-control dreaming, but she could already see it in her head.
“Puke happens,” Eric mumbled.
“Yes, it does,” Les said firmly. “Good doctors don’t let that stop them. Neither did you.” The older man raised his eyebrows. “I’m just saying...”
He stepped away and raised his hand to wave. Rebecca did, too.
EW backed away from the shelter. Cole watched Rebecca through the windshield. When she mouthed, “Thank you,” he felt it like a shot to the gut. He hadn’t done anything. There was no need for thanks. He wasn’t getting involved.
At the highway, EW cut a glance at him out of the corner of his eye. “You two cozying up?”
Cole snorted. “Nope. Never.”
EW’s “mmm-hmm” made the corners of Cole’s mouth curl.
“Different to see you and little Rebecca Lincoln on the same side.” EW passed the trailer park. Eric pretended he wasn’t there.
“Little?” Cole asked. She wasn’t. She had a year or two on him and he was ancient these days. Naive? Yes, but a fully grown woman capable of making trouble wherever she went.
“Remember her swaying to the music in my shop while her daddy waited for his oil change. Seemed like an angel then, never cried or whined like other kids. And I swear the waiting room was neater after she left than when her and her daddy walked in.”
“So she’s always been perfect.” That didn’t surprise him, but some of the weird warmth he’d felt at the connection between them disappeared. He was as far from perfect as he could get and still be free. If she was a warm sunny day, he was black clouds and a cold front. How long could the two of them move in the same space without causing a storm?
“Naw, just been told she should act perfect. Kids is kids on the inside.” EW stretched. “Hope this one can bait his own hook.”
“I can, but I ain’t no kid,” Eric said as he straightened in his seat. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking I am.”
EW snorted. “Mad enough for a grown man, too.”
“Maybe I am,” Eric mumbled.
“What you got to be mad about, young fella?” EW asked.
“Life,” Eric mumbled.
“Wise man once said ‘puke happens,’ and this wisdom you can’t argue with,” EW answered. “Might as well brush it off and get on with living, you know?”
Cole could feel Eric’s building eruption, and it was too much for him. “Puke happens. It’s not the worst motto I ever heard.” He couldn’t contain his laughter at the way Eric grinned and ducked his head. “Tattoo that somewhere so you won’t forget it.”
“You wait and see. You follow Miss Rebecca’s advice. Everything’s gonna work out.” EW glanced over at Cole.
“Which one of us are you talking to?” Cole asked.
EW smiled and hummed a happy tune.
Eric met Cole’s stare and they both shook their heads.
“The guy’s never wrong,” Cole muttered, and ducked his head to let the hot breeze ruffle his hair. If he’d had to guess how this week would go down, none of the last hour would have been involved. Holding Rebecca’s hand. A pretty girl’s teasing. Laughing. It was nice to know that life could send a good surprise now and then.
CHAPTER TEN
REBECCA DID HER best not to stare out the window as she stacked up the new T-shirts she’d ordered for everyone who’d be working the first adoption drive in the town square, but it was nearly impossible. The weather had turned to fall in a snap, and all her volunteers were feeling the relief of cooler temperatures and the excitement of the upcoming event. Outside, Cole was running a doggy boot camp, drilling Shelly and the volunteers on their commands with each new group of dogs that made it out in the play yard. And he was a benevolent drill instructor.
That was the part that was so surprising. She’d expected him to snap and frown and send her sensitive teenage girls into meltdowns. Instead, he corrected gently. From her spot in the window, she couldn’t hear what he had to say to the kids holding the leashes, but more than once, she’d seen an eager nod and a grateful smile on a face after he’d walked away.
And the dogs loved him.
“Good thing those tails don’t sprain easily. We’d have an epidemic out there.” Les braced a shoulder against the wall. “Guy’s good with volunteers and animals.” He whistled. “Would not have guessed that the first day I met him. He didn’t have much to say.”
Rebeca shifted the neat stacks she’d made and pulled out a large. As she offered it to Les, she said, “I know Sarah and Shelly are glad to have him around.”
“Hard to imagine him doing something so reckless as robbing a gas station,” Les said.
Rebecca glanced at Les and then at her neat piles as she tried to decide whether she agreed with him or not. She’d seen anger and impatience on Cole’s face.
But she’d als
o witnessed his incredible patience. And stacking both on opposite sides of the scale, the outcome was heavily in patience’s favor.
Did that mean she trusted him? Rebecca considered the group in the play yard again.
She must believe he was in control of all that power because she trusted him to speak to her kids without monitoring every word. Shelly was out there, but that would never have been enough to keep Rebecca away.
She wanted to trust him.
When had she changed her mind about him?
Rebecca paced as she considered that change of heart. Eric. It had to be connected to the way Cole had reached out to Eric. What man at the end of his rope would make time for a kid because an irritating poodle like her was nipping at his heels? A good man.
She believed Cole had a good heart. That made all the difference.
As the training session ended, so did the silence. The door opened and the group of chattering teens and excited dogs ended all conversation. As soon as each volunteer returned his or her dog to the kennel, Rebecca handed over a shirt.
“Everyone’s got the outline for Saturday’s event, right?” Rebecca waited for every head to nod and watched Cole try to sidle around the edge of the room. “Cole, I have your shirt.” He froze in the doorway and then slowly turned back. She picked up a shirt and held it tightly. “Volunteers, make sure you sign your sheets for the week. We want everyone to get the credit for the work.”
Shelly clapped. “Follow me, team!”
After Shelly and her workers filed out, Rebecca waved the shirt. Cole held out his hand.
“I should have done this earlier,” she said. “I’ve been trying to catch you all afternoon.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, you have me.”
“Try this one. It’s the largest size we ordered, but if it doesn’t fit, I’ll have another one made for you. You won’t have it for tomorrow, but it will make a great uniform and it will be nice to have when we go to the prison. We’ll look extra professional.” And I’m babbling. The discomfort of talking about his shirt was ridiculous. She’d have said the same thing to any other volunteer, but something about their previous conflict made her sorry to call out his size. At some point, the fight-or-flight response had tempered, but she couldn’t help reacting strongly to his presence. Now when she caught sight of him unexpectedly, she might still have trouble catching her breath, but she wouldn’t call her reaction fear.
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