by Lucy Gilmore
“What time are you supposed to check in?”
“Eleven, which means I need to get moving if I want to make it on time.” His brother gulped his coffee. With an anxious inflection, he added, “It’s okay, yeah? Since I got the irrigation system up and running again, you don’t mind if Phoebe and I lope off for the rest of the day? Michael’s out of town, so she has to be my whole support crew.”
“I’ve got water bottles, salt packs, and the first aid kit ready to go,” Phoebe said. “He’s going to need them. It’s supposed to reach a hundred degrees today.”
Adam felt a pang of mingled remorse and regret. Zeke and Phoebe didn’t ask for a lot in terms of time away from the ranch—not compared to the number of days off included in a more traditional job—and he did his best to accommodate them when he could. But there was no denying that it was a strain. Days off required coordination and planning and a lot of extra work picked up late into the night.
That was something most people would never understand. Ranching wasn’t a job; it was a way of life. It was an existence, and one that included a lot of hard work and sacrifices. In fact, now that he was thinking about it, it was kind of like being a service dog. Since the moment he’d woken up this morning, Uncle had been at his feet—never in the way, of course, but on the job. He was ready to come the moment Adam called, to sniff out his boots or accompany him across the yard or even to entertain Gigi, who was both at Adam’s feet and in the way. Uncle didn’t complain, of course, and Adam liked to think that the animal was starting to feel happy and settled in his new home, but there was no denying that Uncle’s life was one of restriction and duty—would, from here on out, be one of continued restriction and duty.
“Of course you guys can go,” he said, waving them off and almost spilling coffee all over himself in the process. “I’m only sorry I didn’t remember before. I would have been up early to fix the irrigation system with you.”
Now that his blessing had been bestowed, both of his siblings showed themselves eager to get out the door.
“Nah, I thought it’d be nice you to sleep in for a change,” Zeke said. “Besides—you know I can never sleep before a race.”
Actually, Adam hadn’t known that. Between all the training and the manual labor he did around here, Zeke almost always slept like the dead.
“Make sure he behaves himself, okay?” Phoebe asked before dropping a quick kiss on Adam’s cheek. He thought for a moment that she was telling him to make sure Uncle was being good, but Dawn laughed and promised to do her best. “You laugh now,” Phoebe added, “but just wait until Adam starts talking to the grocery clerk about crossbreeding and the latest in artificial insemination methods. It’s mortifying. He sometimes forgets how to act around normal, noncattle people.”
“Ooh, that sounds right up my alley.” Uncle shifted at Adam’s feet as Dawn drew closer. He hadn’t realized how close she was until Gigi’s wet nose pressed against his forearm. “What do I need to know about the latest in artificial insemination? Please tell me it involves giant turkey basters and bulls masturbating in dark corners, or I’m going to be disappointed.”
“You’re bound for disappointment, I’m afraid,” Phoebe replied with a giggle. “It’s all very straightforward and clinical.”
“Just like me,” Adam said. It was mostly an attempt to move the conversation along, but he was afraid it came off sounding much more pathetic than he’d anticipated.
“Well, good luck to you both,” Dawn said brightly. “I promise not to sully your family name by letting Adam discuss anything but human insemination in public. You have my word on that.”
That remark, as well as a few others about wishing Zeke well on the upcoming race, had Adam’s family leaving the ranch in one of the best moods they’d been in for a long time.
“How do you do that?” he asked as Dawn shut the front door behind his siblings and returned to the kitchen. He’d already started a new pot of coffee, which was bubbling to life in the background.
“Do what? Get rid of your brother and sister as fast as possible?” Her voice dropped to a lower, coy note. “It’s not that tough when there’s such strong motivation standing here making me coffee.”
As easy—and as fun—as it would have been to let her divert the subject, Adam shook his head. “No, not that. I mean that no matter who you’re talking to or who you’re with, you always leave them in a better mood than before you arrived. Zeke. Phoebe. Marcia. Bea Benson.” He hesitated. “Me.”
The silence that greeted this filled Adam with a worrying amount of foreboding. One of the unspoken rules of their relationship was that they never veered into any kind of territory where real human emotions lived. Flirtation was fine, and insults were basically foreplay, but actual compliments weren’t something they dealt in very often.
He busied himself by brushing a hand over Uncle’s head, taking comfort in the strong, silent bulk of him.
“I think that might be the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me,” Dawn eventually said. Her voice was distant, but he knew she was standing close because he could feel the air moving around her. “Thank you.”
The sincerity in her voice unsettled him. “Does that mean you’re not going to tell me how you do it?”
“You’ve seen me in action. You probably know better than I do.”
“Not really. From what I’ve been able to glean, most of it is sex jokes.”
That made her laugh. “Never overlook the power of a well-timed and well-hung pun.” She paused. “You’re not wrong, though. People like jokes, and they like sex. If they like me, too, it’s mostly because I give them an excuse to enjoy both themselves.”
Considering how much he laughed with Dawn, Adam wasn’t in much of a position to argue this fact. Her open and honest approach to sex was, in fact, one of his favorite things about her, but that wasn’t confined to the bedroom. She was open and honest regarding just about everything.
“You do more than that,” he said, trying—and failing—to share some of what he was feeling.
“Yeah, I also remind them of a time when they were as fun-loving and carefree as I am—back in their wayward and regrettable youth.” She changed directions before he could contradict her. “Well, where do you want to go today?”
“Uh…to the south field?”
She dropped a hand to his forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Sorry. I should have been clearer. Where do you want to go that will give the puppies an opportunity to work in a public setting? Uncle has had some basic harness training, but he’ll need to learn your specific needs. Things like where the elevators are in a store or how to find a person to help when you’re somewhere new. Gigi, well…it might be too late for her either way. We’ll have to see.”
Until that bit about Gigi, Dawn’s plans had been sounding pretty good. Adam did quite a bit of his shopping online, and he was able to get around most places with his cane, but it would be nice to diversify his options. However, he didn’t much care for the implication that Gigi wasn’t fit for duty. It might be impossible to teach an old dog like himself new tricks, but Gigi was young. She had her whole life ahead of her.
“It’s not too late,” he protested. “Gigi’s been doing really well with your basic training instructions. We did sitting and staying for thirty minutes last night without a single hitch.”
He could hear the smirk in Dawn’s voice. “Okay, okay. Don’t shoot the dog trainer. I only meant that it might take her a few weeks to catch up. Sheesh. You really love that little puppy, don’t you?”
His chest clenched. Love was only the start of it. “I care about her well-being, that’s all. If you bring me a broken animal, I’m going to fix it.”
“What about broken women?” she asked. “Do you fix them, too?”
The coffeepot dinged its cheerful completion, making it impossible for him to get an accurate read on Dawn’s
tone. She seemed lighthearted enough, and she’d never given him reason to doubt her word before, but he had no way of knowing for sure.
He took the easy out.
“I have a destination in mind, but I don’t know how realistic it is,” he said as he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.
“The sky’s the limit,” she replied. “Literally. Short of parachuting out of an airplane, I can’t think of anywhere you might want to go where these two can’t follow. What’s on your mind? The feed store? The Deer Park bowling alley? Oh, I know—it’s Bea’s house. You had such a good time last week, you’re dying to go back, aren’t you?”
Adam took a long, careful sip of his coffee. “No, it’s not Bea’s house,” he said. “But if you want company the next time you head over there, say the word. No one should have to face that woman alone.”
“My white knight. So gallant.”
“It’s not gallantry. It’s basic human decency—especially since you’re only going over there for me.” He ran his free hand along the back of his neck, finding it strangely difficult to get this next part out. “The thing is, I’d really like to go to Medical Lake.”
“Medical Lake?” she echoed. “You mean, to watch Zeke’s race?”
“I know, it’s dumb. Phoebe told me once that the spectators sit there for hours just to cheer for five seconds when their racer flashes by, but I’ve always wondered what it was like. It’s supposed to be ridiculously hot today, and I don’t know if all the crowds will be good for the puppies, but—”
Dawn’s hand stole to his cheek, stopping him short. “I think it’s a great idea.”
“You do?”
“Absolutely. I mean, I don’t know how Gigi is going to react to all those people, but Uncle loves crowds. He’s like a circus strongman walking through the center of town. Everyone oohs and aahs over him, and he eats it up. Don’t you, Uncle? Your secret ambition is to be adored.”
Actually, his secret ambition was to sleep lengthwise next to Adam and Gigi in the bed rather than on the special cushion next to the door, but he wasn’t going to rat the poor animal out.
“Besides, I’ve always wanted to watch Zeke in action,” Dawn added. “He loves that stuff.”
“I know.”
“Do you? I sometimes wonder how much either of you knows about the other.” She lifted the coffee cup from his hand. He thought that was rather rude considering he’d had to brew a whole second pot for himself, but she replaced it with the warm, squirming bundle of golden retriever. “I’ve got a couple of training vests for them in the car, but we can wait to put the harnesses on when we get there. I think you’ll be surprised at how much Uncle loves it.”
No, he wouldn’t. If there was duty and obligation involved, then Adam knew full well that Uncle would rise nobly to the task like, well, the white knight Dawn had accused him of being.
“One of these days, we’re going to have to give Uncle a day off just to have fun,” he said. “You’re working that poor animal to death.”
That poor animal gave a long, happy whine and began thumping his leg—both clear signs that Dawn was scratching the back of his ears. And that he was loving it.
“You’re right,” she replied, laughing. “Uncle is definitely starting to show signs of strain.”
* * *
“So, all you have to do is hold the harness at his level like this.” Dawn put a slim handle into Adam’s hand and showed him where to hold it. “Say ‘harness,’ and he’ll walk right into it.”
“This feels an awful lot like a metal cage,” he said as he ran his free hand over the harness. It was simple in design, the handle a U-shaped piece that connected directly to the apparatus so that the animal wearing it could quickly and easily lead him in any direction. “You’re sure he won’t mind?”
“I’m one hundred percent sure. Uncle has been using one of these since he was just a few weeks old. He likes it.”
“Okay,” Adam said doubtfully, but he did as Dawn instructed. Both of the puppies had been well behaved on the long drive out here, but while Uncle was now standing at attention and ready for duty, Gigi was prancing around and nipping playfully at Adam’s feet. He suspected it was his shoes she was really after, but he didn’t dare say so in front of Dawn. That woman had enough ammunition against him—and against Gigi—already.
“Uncle, it’s time to get in your harness,” he said. If he’d had any doubts about Uncle’s feelings toward it, they disappeared as a powerful surge pulled at his hand. The Great Dane had practically leaped into the thing.
“Now just slide that buckle there, and he’s good to go. Feel how he pushes and pulls on it? It’s like having a harness on a horse—you have to work together to get where you need to go.”
He gave both himself and Uncle a moment to adjust. Dawn had parked her car near the back of the parking lot, which was apparently a large dirt field in the middle of nowhere. They had plenty of room to test the puppies without danger of being run over.
“Now, Gigi—it’s your turn. Please get in your harness.”
Adam was busy holding Uncle, so he couldn’t tell for sure what kind of struggle was going on as Dawn attempted to introduce Gigi to the harness, but it didn’t sound good. There was a whimper, a cry, and the clang of metal—none of which filled him with much in the way of confidence.
“I know, girl. It’s a little strange at first. But see how nice Uncle looks, leading Adam around? So big and strong and noble.” She laughed. “The puppy’s not bad, either.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” he said, though it was a lie. He could feel himself swelling already. He wasn’t sure anyone had called him noble before. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Nothing is wrong with her. She’s just sniffing it, checking out the mechanics. Will you let me put this little part on you right here?”
An even louder cry sounded this time. Adam dropped the handle to Uncle’s harness. “Is it rubbing against her sores? Dammit, Dawn. You can’t force her into it. She’s not used to being told what to do.”
“I’m aware of that, thank you,” she said, her tone clipped. “It’s not touching her wounds. It’s not anywhere near them.”
“Then why is she making that sound?”
There was a slight pause. In the background, Adam could hear cars pulling into the better parking spots in the distance, the twitter of birds not too far behind them. It was a good reminder that they were standing in the middle of an open field, the sun blaring high above them. The puppies would need shade before long. Uncle didn’t seem to mind the heat, but Gigi had a strange dislike of direct sunlight.
“It could be lots of reasons,” Dawn admitted. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because she doesn’t like being restrained. I was afraid of something like this happening.”
Something about her tone—so matter-of-fact, so unalarmed—snagged at him. “Afraid of what?” he asked.
“It’s not a big deal.”
Uncle drew underneath Adam’s hand so he could pick up the harness handle again. “What’s not a big deal? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I warned you that she wasn’t cut out for this kind of work.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” he repeated.
“I told you time and time again that she’s more of a pet than a service animal.”
“Out with it already.”
“It’s just…” She sighed. “When I first found her, she had a chain wrapped around her neck. Like, a big one. Scary big. It weighed almost as much as she does.”
“What?” Adam was already feeling anxious, the prospect of Zeke’s upcoming race and worry about Gigi working together on his nerves. This bit of news—which would have been nice to know earlier—only served to ratchet up his tension. “Some bastard had her chained up?”
“I know. It was awful. The poor thing could barely move
with it on. She was just lying there in the heat, all pitiful and resigned to her fate.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell Marcia?”
“I didn’t think the specifics were relevant. I told you she’d been neglected.”
He knew he was misplacing his anger—that his feelings weren’t directed at Dawn but at whoever had thought it was acceptable to put a huge chain on a puppy as small and loving as this one—but he couldn’t seem to stop it.
“Of course she doesn’t want to wear a harness,” he said, putting a hand out in Gigi’s direction. She put a wet, pitiful nose in his palm before heaving a whimper designed to break a man’s heart. “It was cruel of you to even try.”
He thought it sounded like Dawn threw up her hands before dropping them to her thighs again. But when she spoke, it was with nothing but sweet submission. “You’re absolutely right, Adam. I’m a horrible monster.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I saved this puppy from her chains and agony only to force her into servitude.”
He felt a growing sense of discomfort. “Wait. I never said—”
“I wrested her from death’s door only to put her in the care of a man who’s determined to make her earn her keep. I mean, I wanted to take her home to be loved and coddled, but—”
“Dawn, that’s not what I meant!”
She laughed and pressed a kiss on his cheek. It was just like her to do that—to repay his outburst with affection, to playfully defuse the situation—but that only served to make him feel worse.
“I know what you meant, Adam, and it just so happens to be what I like best about you. You take good care of your animals. Your people, too.”
His sense of discomfort only mounted. He didn’t take very good care of his animals, obviously. Dawn had known at the outset that Gigi would struggle with things like harnesses and restraints, but he hadn’t listened.
And his people, well, just look at what a bungle he’d made of that. He’d forgotten about Zeke’s race—hadn’t even gotten up early to help with the ranch chores so Zeke could enjoy his big day. If his brother lacked the energy to win, it would be Adam’s fault for failing to see to the irrigation system himself.