He grabbed the back of his neck with both hands. “I’m tired and I’m no closer to finding who’s hurting the dogs. Sorry if I’ve been an asshole.”
“Uh, you’re always…” Dax’s voice trailed off under Brad’s gimlet eye, and he went back to stretching his arm through the fence for the board Gabe had kicked free. He angled his body, trying to scooch sideways through the gap, and his cargos caught on a nail.
Brad looked back at Gabe. “There’s more to this.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited. Brad was good at waiting.
“Look, I feel bad and I don’t like it.” Gabe swiped a hammer off the dirt. “But I’ll get over it. Case closed.”
“He feels bad and doesn’t like it?” Dax paused in the midst of trying to separate his pants from the fence. He whistled. “Way to go deep there. You don’t sound at all like a five-year-old. Now do you want to tell us about the boo boo on your thumb?”
Gabe looked at the hammer and told himself friends didn’t hit friends in the face with tools. Not even when they acted like jackasses. “I’m not going to sit around and braid your hair while we talk about my feelings. That’s not—”
“Gabe.” Brad didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t have to. The concern in it was enough to deflate Gabe’s temper. He tossed the hammer back down and shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s just this thing with Marla. It ended, like they do, but maybe…”
“Yes,” Brad drawled.
“Maybe it had a couple more weeks left in it. You know?” An outgoing black-and-white collie mix trotted up to him, leading a pack of three other mutts, and Gabe squatted to pet the guy.
“Maybe even longer.” The edges of Brad’s lips twitched, and Gabe narrowed his eyes. “In fact,” Brad continued, “maybe this relationship could have lasted a whole couple of months. But I’m sure after that you would have gotten bored with her.”
Gabe huffed. “Marla’s never boring.”
Dax tugged himself free from the fence and stood, hands on hips, looking up at the trees. “The sex would get old.”
“You don’t let it get old.” Honestly, sometimes Dax needed a slap upside the head. A couple might have to work on keeping it interesting, but that was half the fun. Only a kid would think dynamite sex every time was a given. And sex with Marla would never be boring. His lips twitched. Not when he had to be prepared to launch defensive maneuvers at all times.
“Well, her attitude would have gotten to you eventually.” Brad scratched his jaw. “What did you call her? A spoiled socialite with a checkbook?”
Shame lanced his chest. He had called her that. Before he’d gotten to know her. Yes, she could be irreverent and extravagant at times, but that was part of her charm. “I like her attitude fine.” Gabe cleared his throat. “I…” He looked between his two friends. “Do you think I screwed up?”
Dax tapped his nose and said, “Ding, ding, ding. I do believe he’s finally got it.”
Growling, Gabe stepped forward, and Brad scooted between him and Dax. “Easy. We have to set a good example for the kids,” he said and pointed at the dogs, who were lazing in the sun watching them.
Gabe forced his hands to relax. Fine. He could let the punk off the hook this time. But when a man was coming to some sort of epiphany, he didn’t need his friends rubbing his nose in his stupidity.
He thought of being in a relationship with no end date and he started to hyperventilate. He thought of being with Marla and his lungs slowed. It didn’t seem so frightening if he was doing it with her.
Would she want to have a no-end-date relationship, however? With him? She’d been very upfront about wanting a fling. She was a couple years older, had a much bigger bank account. She came from a family of automotive royalty while he came from a family of crooks.
He was nowhere near good enough for her. Even without his past mistakes, he was a grumpy, people-hating bastard and she was a kind-hearted social butterfly. He was all rough edges and she was refined elegance.
But she didn’t seem to mind his rough edges. Even seemed to like them. Would it be that big a stretch for her if they became a couple?
Dax’s laughter broke into his thoughts. “Dude, you should see your face. We could read you like graffiti. You’ve got it bad.” He nudged Brad with his elbow. “Hey, could you give me a hand here?”
“I don’t have anything bad…” Gabe started, but the two men walked away from him. Just as well. He was beginning to suspect he did have it bad. Which meant he needed to talk to Marla, get her on board with this long-term thing.
Dax positioned Brad under the limb of an oak tree. It hung over the fence about ten feet off the ground. “Now, cup your hands”—Dax showed him what he meant by lacing his fingers together—“and hold them about knee height.”
“Why?” Brad asked suspiciously.
“Just do it.” Dax took three steps back. “And when I step in, give me a boost.”
“Wha—” Brad staggered back when Dax launched himself up into his clasped hands, but dutifully hefted Dax as he jumped and grabbed the limb.
“The hell?” Gabe cocked his head.
Dax swung along the branch like a monkey. The collie mix jumped to his feet and barked at the display. Dax lifted his knees as he swung over the fence and then dropped out of sight.
Brad peered over the fence. “Are you okay?”
The top of Dax’s auburn head popped up. “Fine. I couldn’t fit through the fence.”
“The grass isn’t any greener over there.” Brad rolled to his toes to get a better look. “Why are you over there?”
Other dogs had joined in the collie’s barking, a chorus of disapproval. Gabe turned to hush them.
“I had to get something.” Dax’s voice faded, then boomed, “Incoming!”
Gabe turned, and a blur of knotted brown and sharp edges hurtled into his face. The board dropped to the ground at his feet, and Gabe bent double, holding his nose. “Son of a bitch!”
The collie whimpered and rolled to his back, exposing his belly.
Breathing in and out of his mouth, Gabe rubbed the dog’s stomach in a soothing circle before straightening. Slowly, he turned.
Brad winced when he saw him, but it was Dax’s squirrely eyes that Gabe focused on. The bottom half of Dax’s face was hidden behind the fence, but Gabe swore he was smiling behind it.
“Uh, you’ve got a little trickle of…” Brad waved a finger at his face.
“Blood?” Gabe asked, taking a step forward, his gaze never leaving Dax’s. He pulled his handkerchief from his back pocket and snapped it open. “That’s what tends to happen when someone chucks a board at your face. You bleed.” He cracked the knuckles on his right hand while dabbing at his face with his left.
Brad got in front of him. “You try to hop this fence to get to him, it’s all coming down. It was an accident, man.”
Gabe’s shoulders inched down from his ears. “Yeah.”
Brad peered at his face. “You think it’s broken?”
Gingerly, Gabe ran his fingers down his nose, gave it a small wiggle. Pain flared, then throbbed dully. “Nah. Probably get a black eye but that’s it.” Another black eye. Flippin’ perfect.
“I’m really sorry, Gabe.” Dax’s voice was meek, but Gabe wasn’t buying it.
“Payback’s a bitch, right?” Gabe asked.
Dax curled the tips of his fingers over the top of the fence. “It really wasn’t like that. I didn’t think it’d hit your face. Uh, why don’t you go get some ice? Brad and I will finish up.”
Ice sounded good. Finding Marla for a little TLC sounded even better. She liked to fuss over his bruises. He turned to Brad. “You can handle it from here? Even with nimrod for an assistant?”
“Yeah, we got it.” Brad picked up the board and placed one end on the ground, his hands resting on top. “Hey, you coming over tonight? Izzy�
�s grilling jerk chicken. It’s awesome.”
“I see why you moved in with her. For the food.” Although Gabe saw a lot more now. That committing to one person like Brad had wasn’t an end to fun. Once a man found the right person to commit to.
“It didn’t hurt.” Brad grinned. “Grill is getting fired up at six.”
“Thanks, but I have to pass. I have other plans.”
“Don’t I get an invite?” Dax hollered over the fence.
Brad sighed. “I can’t believe you survive living with him. Or that he’s survived, more accurately. You have greater patience than I gave you credit for.”
Gabe nodded and lifted his hand in farewell. He strode across the field. Dax wouldn’t be living with him for much longer. He didn’t mind the guy much, but if he wanted to get serious with Marla, she’d be coming over on occasion. And he didn’t want his home to resemble a frat house, complete with an immature roommate.
He went straight to the shelter’s restroom and cleaned up. The bruising under his eyes was faint so far, but his nose had a scrape across it and was an angry-looking red. He blew out a breath. So much for appealing to Marla with his looks. He’d have to rely on feminine sympathy.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialed her number as he hotfooted it to the parking lot. He paused by his car when her voicemail came on. He hesitated, not knowing what to say to a machine, and hung up. No, if he was going to convince her to take a chance on him, it had to be face to face.
He slid behind the wheel and cranked the engine.
Time to hunt down his honey.
Chapter Nineteen
Marla stretched the gas hose, and the nozzle just made it to her fuel tank. Night had fallen quickly and a gust of wind sliced beneath her jersey wrap dress. She tugged her bolero jacket tighter across her chest.
Headlights slashed across her body, and the throaty purr of a V8 tickled her eardrums. A Fathom Blue Chevelle pulled in behind her. Her stupid heart bounced like a rabbit in her chest while her stomach twisted.
Gabe’s boots hit the pavement and he clambered out of the car. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a navy cable-knit sweater that molded to his torso. His dark hair was disheveled, and he ran his fingers through the thick locks, mussing them up more. The gas station’s overhead fluorescent lights illuminated the inflamed bridge of his nose. He slammed his door and stalked toward her.
“There you are.” He stopped a foot away from her and planted his fists on his hips. “I’ve been calling, texting… I even drove to your house.”
“Jesus.” Marla reached toward his face but stopped just short of touching him. “What happened to your nose this time?”
“Two-by-four. Now, why haven’t you been answering me?”
Marla’s head spun. He’d been calling her? After days of silence? “Is there some reason I should be at your beck and call?” This could be bad. The only way she’d been able to convince herself that a clean break with Gabe was the right thing was because he’d been ignoring her. She was going to have to dig deep for strength if he wanted back in her bed. Because she liked having him there. But a relationship that had no future was best ended, the sooner the better.
“Were you ignoring me?” he asked.
“No.” She blew out a breath. He was over six feet of determined male. Ignoring him would be impossible. “I turned my phone off because the battery was at five percent.” She lifted her chin. “But if I chose to ignore your calls, I could.”
“I know you could.” His voice was annoyed, which was nothing new when he spoke with her. But the hint of petulance wasn’t something she’d heard before. She was probably misreading him. “But…” He narrowed his eyes and scanned her up and down. “You’re dressed up. More than usual. Do you have a date?”
Yep. There was definitely more than a hint of a boy losing his toy in his voice that time.
Jealously should not be cute, Marla told herself. It was a destructive emotion, and one completely undesired by her. Not now. Not when she’d convinced herself that their relationship should be over.
But her mouth decided to poke the bear, wanting to see how deep his green streak ran, before her brain could stop it. “I do have a date. With two men, actually.” The gas pump clicked off and Marla replaced the nozzle.
Gabe grabbed her gas cap from the top of her trunk, holding it hostage. “You need two men to replace me, huh?” He swallowed. “Tell me you’re not going out with that suit again.”
“My father should only be so happy,” she said sarcastically.
“Then who are you seeing? It’s not serious.” He raked his hand through his hair. “It can’t be after only a couple of days.”
She decided to stop playing. “I’m seeing my deda and his best friend. There’s a singles’ mixer at Golden Acres tonight, and I promised each of them a dance. Why would you care if I was dating?”
His whole body deflated like a punctured tire. “I’m not too late.”
Maddie barked and Marla leaned through the open driver’s window to pet her. “I know. He’s confusing me, too. Talking nonsense. Ignoring my questions. In his defense, he’s been hit on the head multiple times recently.” Hoover hopped into the driver’s seat and stuck his paws on the window sill.
“What the hell?” Gabe bent down and got a tongue to the cheek as his reward. “You’ve dressed Hoover up in a tux? And is Maddie…” Gabe straightened and sighed. “For the love of God, she’s a dog, not a doll. I think the tutu and the tiara are a little much, even for a poodle.”
Marla straightened Hoover’s bow tie. “And now he’s telling me how to dress you guys. Don’t listen to him. You look beautiful, Mad, and you”—she scratched Hoover’s jaw—“look most distinguished. It’s a good thing we’ve stopped seeing him or I’d find his opinions quite annoying.”
“Yeah, about that.” Gabe rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it’s been a couple of days since I’ve called.”
“And I haven’t called you, either.” Seeing he was distracted, Marla stole the gas cap from his relaxed grip and brushed past him. She screwed it in. “It did seem lucky that we both recognized we’d reached the end of our affair at the same time. It’s always awkward when it ends first for one person.”
A car rolled in behind Gabe’s.
“I’d better go.” She gave him a bright smile. “Someone’s waiting for a pump.”
Gabe grabbed her elbow. “He can wait.”
The skin beneath her coat tingled where he gripped it. He smelled of musk and fresh-cut lumber, and she drank him down. She closed her eyes. Each of these goodbyes was like a spike to the heart. Why couldn’t Gabe let her be? “Maybe he can wait, but I can’t.” Gently, she tugged her elbow free and opened her door. She guided Hoover back to his seat. “There are two men I adore waiting to spend time with me.” She slid behind the wheel and snapped the door shut.
Gabe gripped the window frame. “If you’d only listen—”
The car behind them honked and Gabe scowled at the driver.
Marla turned the ignition and wished her Jag was louder than its well-maintained purr. Anything to block out Gabe. If he wanted to rehash the reasons why he hadn’t called, she didn’t need to hear them. If he wanted to prolong their affair, her heart didn’t have the willpower to refuse him. And she needed to refuse him. Seeing him again, she felt the familiar hollowness spreading in her chest. No good ever came from a woman wanting a man more than he wanted her.
“Gabe, there’s nothing left to say. We had a good time. Now it’s time to move on.” And putting action to words, she shifted into drive and put as much distance as she could between herself and the man her heart couldn’t stop craving.
* * * *
Marla’s taillights disappeared as she took a left out of the gas station. Gabe blinked. “Huh.” That hadn’t gone at all the way it had in his head. He’d thought she’d be ex
cited at the idea of getting back together. A sexy kiss or two. Her arms around his neck in a hug. Something.
The horn-happy Buick pulled around his Chevelle and backed into the space next to the front pump. Gabe quick-stepped out of the way of the rear tire. He smacked the roof. “Hey, watch it.”
A grizzled man stepped out, his shoulders about as wide as his hood. A tattoo swirled around his neck and disappeared beneath his khaki jacket. The close-cropped hair was more gray than brown, but Gabe still took a step back.
“Problem?” the man asked.
Gabe huffed out a short laugh. “Yeah, but it’s not with you.” He walked backwards to his car. “Have a good night.”
Well, his mouth could get him into trouble, but could it get him out? He needed to talk to Marla, needed her to listen. If he had to hogtie her to do it, he would. Jumping into his car, he sped after her.
He pulled into the parking lot of Golden Acres just as Marla entered the building. Maddie and Hoover pranced behind her in their ridiculous outfits. Finding a spot near her car, he parked and loped after her.
He followed the sounds of music and laughter to a large social room off the lobby. Marla was already the center of attention. People flocked to her like bees to honey. She turned and grasped an older woman’s hand between both of hers.
Gabe’s lungs froze. Yes, she was pretty. With those big blue-green eyes and soft red lips, how could she be otherwise? And yes, she was sexy. Her dress draped between her breasts, clinging to her hips and thighs, and ending at her knees. It was tied in a large bow at her waist, and Gabe wanted nothing more than to take her home and unwrap her.
But it wasn’t either of those things that stole his breath. It was something he couldn’t describe. Her essence, he guessed. It was like Marla always came with a spotlight shining down on her, or that she was somehow lit up from within. She drew everyone into that light, made them feel warm and bright in her presence.
Unbidden, Gabe’s feet drew him to her. A moth to her flame. There was a high chance he was going to get burned if he pursued this idea of a relationship with her.
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