A Thankful Heart (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 2)

by Melissa McClone

  “That explains it.”

  His gaze traveled the length of the leash to her hand. He didn’t think selling chocolate would be considered manual labor, but her skin looked rough and scarred. Her fingernails were trimmed short and painted navy blue with hot pink polka dots. No bracelets or rings.

  Not that he cared if she were married or engaged. She simply piqued his curiosity after only having women older than her visit since he arrived.

  “Don’t follow Rascal’s lead by showing off your bad manners,” his father said from his recliner. “Dakota introduced herself. It’s your turn.”

  Heat rose up Bryce’s neck. He was being rude, but being chastised by his dad was worse. “I’m Bryce Grayson.”

  “My son from Seattle,” his dad added, as if having the same last name wasn’t enough for Dakota.

  She nodded. “I see the resemblance now.”

  “Bryce inherited his good looks from me. The rest comes from his mother. Thank goodness.”

  For years, Bryce’s mom had called herself a DNA copy machine, but as he’d gotten older, she’d taken solace in knowing much of his personality and design talent came from her. Though she claimed he was as stubborn as his father.

  Bryce wasn’t.

  “Since my son doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to invite you in, I will. Please, come inside.” His father motioned to Dakota. “The dogs are welcome, too.”

  Say what? The man in the recliner looked like his dad, but he wasn’t acting like him. No animals had been inside his parents’ house since Spartacus, the family’s thirteen-year-old pug. His death had broken his parents’ hearts. Bryce’s, too.

  The dog had been the only one that Bryce liked being around.

  Spartacus didn’t chase, growl, or bite. He was so smart, loving, and the perfect size, unlike the monster that had just pounced on him.

  After losing Spartacus, his parents had said no more animals. Not only no dogs, but also no cats, birds, hamsters, or fish, either. His father had reiterated the point when he moved to Marietta.

  Something must have changed. But why these two? The smaller dog seemed okay. The larger one, however, was a disaster waiting to happen.

  Still, this was his father’s house. Bryce would be able to keep his distance. He opened the door wider and stepped out of the way to let them inside. He didn’t want the big dog to run him over.

  Dakota remained on the porch. She kept a tight grip on the two leashes. “Thanks for the invite. Scout would be fine indoors, but Rascal’s still learning what not to chew.”

  “Or lick,” Bryce muttered.

  “Yes, but…” Her intense, under-the-microscope scrutiny suggested she was viewing a specimen she didn’t like.

  Not that he needed her approval.

  Or wanted it.

  Still, his muscles tensed. The Jeopardy countdown theme played in his head. “What?”

  “I don’t see any permanent damage,” she answered finally.

  Germs weren’t visible, but this probably wasn’t the time to bring up the lack of cleanliness in a dog’s mouth. No doubt, her retort would make him regret saying anything. He pressed his lips together.

  “Bryce looks better if you ask me,” his dad said. “A few more rounds with Rascal, and he might not look like such a city slicker.”

  Even though Bryce was thirty-two, his father could still make him feel like a shy, insecure twelve-year-old. “Gee thanks, Dad. But in case you forgot, you used to live in Philadelphia.”

  “The suburbs. Doesn’t count.” His father’s grin spread. “I must say I’m thrilled you didn’t show up in town wearing one of those ridiculous, unmanly man buns.”

  Dakota laughed.

  Bryce fought the urge to grimace. He hoped his dad didn’t bring up his favorite boxers vs. briefs debate.

  “Don’t worry about Rascal, Dakota,” his father continued as if Bryce wasn’t there. “The pup likes getting up close and personal. That’s probably because he was on his own when he was so young and prefers having people nearby. You’ll have him behaving in no time, just like you always do.”

  “I’m trying my best,” she said.

  Bryce’s gaze bounced between the two. They seemed to know each other well. And that bothered him.

  Who was Dakota Parker and what did she want with his father?

  “You know my dream.” Dakota scratched behind the larger dog’s ear. The beast looked up at her with a severe case of puppy love.

  “A forever home for all the animals,” his dad said. “How did Lori like your proposal?”

  Dakota lowered her head. “She didn’t. I need to rewrite it before she’ll take the plan to the board. Not sure I can.”

  “You can, and you will, for the animals at Whiskers and Paw Pals.”

  The missing piece clicked into place. Bryce’s fingers curled. “You work at the chocolate shop and the animal shelter.”

  She nodded. “I’m a volunteer adoption coordinator and chief gofer.”

  His jaw tensed. No wonder she was visiting. She must feel guilty. “You were there when my father fell.”

  Dakota’s smile faltered. A serious expression crossed her face. “I was.”

  “Good thing I didn’t crack open my skull. That would take longer to heal than my legs.” His dad knocked on his forehead as if this was a big joke and he hadn’t been seriously injured. “Can’t wait to get back to work on my project.”

  The corners of Dakota’s mouth curved upward in a soft smile that made her seem like she genuinely cared about his dad. “Which one?”

  “I do have a few going.”

  “Only a few?” she asked with a playful tone.

  Bryce’s temper spiraled at his father’s exchange with this woman.

  Dakota might be—okay, she was—attractive, but she was also part of the problem with his father living in Marietta. No one was looking out for his dad.

  “Why didn’t you stop my dad from climbing the ladder?” Bryce asked.

  She flinched. “Excuse me?”

  “Bryce,” his dad warned in a stern voice.

  Okay, maybe Bryce shouldn’t have worded his question that way, but still…if the shelter workers had showed as much compassion for his dad’s safety as they did for animals’ well-being, his father would be able to stand and Bryce would be home in Seattle.

  “What kind of projects have you done there?” he asked his dad.

  “Exterior and interior improvements. I added a room of dog kennels with access to an outdoor run and various things for the cats.”

  “Your father’s a huge asset to Whiskers and Paw Pals,” Dakota added. “He’s our most recent volunteer of the year.”

  Bryce scratched his neck in confusion. “I thought you’d been hired to do a job there.”

  “I volunteer, too.”

  He tried to make sense of what he was hearing. Tried and failed. His dad had never volunteered in Philadelphia. When he worked, he got paid. If his father wasn’t working, he was at home. “You volunteer?”

  “You betcha.”

  His father sounded so pleased. Had he forgotten about the two broken legs under the blanket?

  “How long have you been doing this?” Bryce asked.

  “About a year and a half. Love the people and the animals.”

  Dakota’s smile widened. “We love you, Walt.”

  This made no sense. Unless…

  His dad must be lonely.

  Loneliness would explain working for free at a shelter filled with animals that no one wanted when he could get paid doing similar things for clients.

  Moving to Seattle was the best option for his dad. No doubt. “Why didn’t you tell me what you were doing?”

  His dad shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Just something I do in my free time.”

  “Something you do very well,” Dakota said. “You’ve got the place looking so much better.”

  “Wait until I can do more,” his dad said.

  “I can’t wait to see what you have planned
, but having you back on your feet is all that matters right now. You need to rest and heal.”

  Dakota sounded sensible, but she rubbed Bryce the wrong way. A woman her age should be at happy hour or out on a date, not walking dogs in the cold and visiting old men. Could she be after his father’s money?

  The larger dog pulled against the leash. Her knuckles turned white.

  No wonder she had such a firm handshake and rough hands. She must lift weights to have enough strength to control the beasts she worked with.

  “Rascal’s restless, but before I go…” Dakota reached into her hoodie’s front pocket with the hand holding onto the smaller dog’s leash. She handed Bryce a bag. “These are for Walt, but there’s enough for him to share.”

  Bryce didn’t want any. Still, bringing something for his father was a nice gesture. Unless she had an ulterior motive behind her friendliness. “Thanks. My dad plans on giving away the chocolate I bought earlier. Now he has some for himself.”

  “Typical Walt,” she said. “He brings in cupcakes or donuts whenever someone’s celebrating a birthday.”

  Interesting. Bryce had never seen that side of his father. His mother had taken care of holidays at their house.

  Dakota gripped the large dog’s leash tighter. “He’s so kind and keeps us from getting into trouble.”

  “Don’t listen to her,” his dad said, using his fatherly tone. “Dakota is the one who watches out for everyone. Humans and animals. She’s the definition of caring and nice.”

  “Aw, thanks, but I bet you say that about everyone who visits,” she teased.

  He didn’t. But Bryce wasn’t going to say that aloud. Something about her left him feeling…off-kilter. But he didn’t know why. He wanted her to leave.

  His father laughed. “Only the ones who bring chocolate.”

  She tilted her head. “I’ll remember that for the next time.”

  “Please do.” Hope filled his father’s eyes. “You’re always welcome.”

  Bryce’s jaw tensed. He had a feeling his dad was more interested in Dakota visiting than her bringing over chocolate. Were they friends or was something else going on? The hair on the back of his neck stiffened.

  “I heard Gladys has been by and some of the other blue-jacket ladies, too,” Dakota said.

  “They need me back on my feet so I can change lightbulbs and get their houses prepped for winter, but Bryce can always do that before he leaves.”

  Bryce nodded, but he was confused as well as concerned.

  Back home, his parents were friendly but kept to themselves outside of work and attending church. Their circle of friends was close but small. Here in Marietta, his dad seemed to be an integral part of the community and have more friends than Bryce could count. Two things that had never seemed important to his dad before moving here.

  Once again, loneliness would explain that. Surely, his dad would see moving to Seattle was the best option for him. Bryce had a spare bedroom in his condo. If his proposal was accepted, his design firm would take off. He would be able to buy a house with a big yard or even land. They could build a place in the back if his dad wanted his own space.

  The song “Who Let the Dogs Out” played. The music seemed to be coming from behind Dakota.

  “Excuse me. That’s the rescue’s ringtone. They wouldn’t call at this hour unless it’s important.” She pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and held it to her ear. “This is Dakota.”

  Her face paled. “What?”

  Lines creased her forehead. Her shoulders sagged.

  The distraught look on her face made Bryce want to reach out to her, but he didn’t know how the dog would react, so he kept his arm at his side.

  “I’m walking the dogs.” Dakota sounded stressed. “I’ll take them home and then head over… Yes, I have extra crates in the garage… Okay, see you soon.”

  She disconnected from the call. “A pipe burst at the shelter. They’ve called a plumber and the insurance agent. Water is on both floors, and it sounds bad.”

  His dad straightened as if he were getting ready to stand. “Let’s go.”

  Bryce rushed to the recliner. “You can’t go anywhere.”

  His father frowned. “There’s a brief time frame before mold will start to grow. Furniture and other items will need to be cleared out. The animals, too. I have a wheelchair.”

  “Yes, you do,” Dakota said before Bryce could answer. “But you need to heal. That’s the most important thing you can do. I have a feeling we’re going to need you more than ever.”

  “Okay, but you need help.” His father gave Bryce a look. “Go with her.”

  He flinched. “Me?”

  “You understand buildings. You know how water can compromise a structure. You can help them. Make sure whoever shows up is doing what needs to be done. Drive my truck in case tools are required.”

  What his father said made sense, but one thing stopped Bryce from agreeing. “I’d go, but I don’t want to leave you alone.”

  His dad picked up his cell phone. “I’ll find someone to come over.”

  Nothing would stop Walt Grayson once he made up his mind. That was the kind of man he was, and had always been.

  Bryce had no doubt one of his dad’s many female friends would love to help out. They offered daily to come over if Bryce wanted time to himself.

  If he went to the shelter, his father wouldn’t feel the need to get involved himself. At least, not tonight. “Okay, I’ll go.”

  Dakota shifted her weight from foot to foot. The dogs pawed at the porch. “I have to get home.”

  “Don’t worry, Dakota,” his father said. “Even though we don’t always know why, things happen for a reason.”

  Her nod contradicted her concerned gaze. She looked at Bryce. “You might want to change out of your nice clothes and into something you don’t mind getting dirty. Sounds like we’ll be walking into a wet mess.”

  With that, she turned and hurried down the porch steps with the two dogs.

  Bryce closed the front door. She’d said his clothes were nice, but he didn’t think she meant that as a compliment.

  “Anything I should know about the building?” Bryce asked.

  “It’s a two-story residence that was converted for commercial use. The rescue hasn’t been there long. The building is old and in need of updating. I’ve been doing what I can, but the rescue’s had budget issues.”

  “Is that why you volunteer? To save them money?”

  “I have skills that can be put to use, and it gives me something to do between jobs, but I volunteer because I enjoy spending time with good people who love animals,” his father said. “The rescue has insurance. The agent is local. But who knows what they’ll find if they open the walls or the ceiling due to water damage. Given the age of the building, there could be asbestos. Do what you can to help.”

  This seemed important to his dad. Maybe if Bryce helped out with this emergency tonight and then finished whatever projects had been started at the rescue, his father would be more willing to move to Seattle. “I will.”

  “This will be hard on Dakota. She loves those animals. Keep an eye on her.”

  That was an odd request. “She’s old enough to take care of herself.”

  “Yes, she turned twenty-eight on her last birthday, but in Marietta, we look out for each other. Especially with those who don’t have any family around.”

  Those like Dakota and his father.

  One more reason why his dad needed to move to Seattle. Bryce would look after him better than a bunch of strangers.

  Especially one whose smile tempted him to grin back in spite of her misbehaving dog.

  Chapter Three

  Now that the sun had set, Dakota stood in the Whiskers and Paw Pals parking lot with only one dim lamppost and car headlights to illuminate the area. People kept arriving to help, so many she couldn’t keep track of who was who. A few volunteers helped prepare the animals for transport. Some filled white plastic t
rash bags with food and information sheets for each animal. Others placed the bags next to the appropriate crates.

  Dakota stood nearby with her cell phone in hand. She phoned vet clinics, rescue groups, fosters, and friends to try to locate temporary housing for the animals and crates they could borrow for transport. She spoke over the barks and meows—not unusual sounds at the rescue—coming from the rows of crates already filled.

  The goal was to clear the rescue and transport the animals in an organized fashion, but she couldn’t stop wondering what was going on inside the building. Bryce might know. He was here. Somewhere.

  Walt’s truck was parked next to the plumber’s van, but she hadn’t seen Bryce. Maybe he’d taken her advice and changed clothes. She might not recognize him in casual attire. Strike that. Wearing grubbies wouldn’t change his looks.

  His gorgeous eyes appeared front and center in her mind.

  Not what she should be thinking about after he’d stared at her as if she were a piece of moldy bread at Walt’s house. When Bryce had figured out she volunteered at the rescue…

  Her muscles tensed.

  The accusation in his voice cut deep. As if she or anyone else at the rescue would do anything to hurt Walt.

  Whatever.

  Physical attractiveness said nothing about a person’s insides. She knew better than to be charmed by a pretty face and sweet words.

  Been there, done that. Never again.

  She’d believed her ex-fiancé Craig when he said he wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. She’d planned a wedding, bought a dress, and thought they’d love each other forever.

  Yeah, right.

  He’d lied.

  She doubted he’d ever loved her.

  Dakota rolled her shoulders to loosen her tight muscles. She needed to concentrate on her work here. If all went according to plan, the rescue would have no animals inside when the doors were locked tonight.

  “Be careful what you wish for,” she muttered.

  “I beg your pardon?” Veronica Keller asked. She was one of the volunteers who’d shown up tonight to help. Twice a week, she walked dogs at the rescue. She also worked as a receptionist at the Copper Mountain Animal Hospital.