by Codi Gary
“And I’ve been asking the rest of my family if anyone would take her in, but they just…they’re just selfish.”
“Do they know what’s going on with you?” Gracie asked.
“Yes, but…they have children of their own, lives of their own, and the rest I wouldn’t give a dog I didn’t like.”
Gracie bit her lip to keep from laughing, which would have been very inappropriate. “Are you sure you want me? What if they change their mind?”
“They won’t. I guarantee it. Besides, as her legal guardian, I plan to relinquish my rights, and as long as no one contests it, you can file for guardianship, then adoption.”
Her heart wouldn’t stop drumming. “When?”
“I’d like to keep her through the holidays if it’s all right with you,” Margaret said. “And visitation.”
“Of course, that isn’t even a question.”
Margaret gave her a small smile. “According to the doctors, you shouldn’t have to deal with me long.”
“Stop, please.”
Margaret was quiet for several seconds, and Gracie broke the silence. “Can I see her? Soon, I mean.”
“Yes, I think that would be good. We can set it up and plan where to go from here.”
“Great. Oh, I brought Pip’s Christmas present with me. I left it in the car in case…well, in case this didn’t go well.”
Margaret smiled. “Why don’t you hang on to it and give it to her this weekend? We’ll make arrangements.”
“Thank you so much.” Gracie was so filled with warmth and excitement, she couldn’t wait to tell…
Eric.
She wanted to be able to call Eric and tell him all about it, but she’d been a shit. A lily-livered coward, and all over her own mixed feelings about what they were to each other. They were friends who occasionally fought, had sex, and confided in each other. There was nothing wrong with that. She just had to remember that was all this was.
* * *
Eric wasn’t an idiot. He knew that Gracie was avoiding him, but he’d be damned if he was going to let her know that it bothered him. He’d waited for her to call, to check in on him and see if he’d gotten a call from the shelter, but she hadn’t bothered. Just like he hadn’t checked in on her coffee date with Pip’s grandmother.
So, they were both stubborn idiots. At least his pride was intact.
As it turned out, he’d gotten the call that no one had claimed the dog and he was welcome to come pick him up. He was excited and nervous at the same time. The minute he’d met him, Eric had sensed a kinship with the shy, fuzzy dog, but hadn’t been sure until he’d touched him. If the owners had claimed him, Eric would have just chalked it up to sentimentality, but here he was, parked in front of the shelter. Things really did seem to happen for a reason.
Eric got out and went inside. The place was quiet compared to the bustle of last week, and the receptionist immediately smiled at him.
“You’re Eric, right?” she said.
He was a little surprised she’d remembered who he was, until he caught the look in her eye. The one that clearly said she was available and interested.
If only he was.
“Yeah, I’m here to pick up my dog.”
“I’ll have someone grab him for you.”
She called one of the volunteers over, who then went into the back. The woman leaned onto the counter, as close as she could get to him. “Do you know what you’re going to name him?”
“Not yet. I figured we’d get to know each other and something would come to mind.”
“I understand completely. I’ve been fostering a dog for three weeks, and I still haven’t come up with a name that really fits her. She’s all black and has mange, so I was kind of thinking Vada, for Darth Vader, but nothing sticks.”
Eric saw the guy holding his new dog’s leash, and a wide grin spread over his face. As if the dog recognized him, he started to trot faster, pulling on the leash. Eric found himself with his arms full of sixty pounds of soft fur and warm, wet kisses on his face.
“You’re sure he’s not yours?” the receptionist asked.
Eric hugged the dog to him. “He is now.”
He set the dog on his feet and held on to the leash as the volunteer handed him a packet full of his papers and his microchip and rabies tag. Since he had been neutered when they found him, they didn’t have to come back for surgery. The two of them headed outside without looking back, and when he opened the passenger door, the dog jumped in, turned twice on the seat, and sat down.
Eric closed the door with a laugh, and once he got in, he received several more enthusiastic kisses as he started the car.
“Hey, I like you too, buddy, but you are in serious need of a toothbrush.”
The dog snapped his mouth closed, as if his breath would scare Eric away. Eric headed out onto the road and back toward the main part of Twin. He figured they’d go to PetSmart, do a little shopping, and head to the McDonald’s drive-through for food.
By the time Eric and his new dog got home, it was well past three. He hadn’t even written his Small Town Scandals column yet, he’d been so busy.
He sat down at the kitchen table with his laptop, keeping an eye on the dog as he explored the place. Eric realized he didn’t even know if the dog was housebroken. Crap, he hoped he was.
As Eric waited for the machine to boot up, his mind kept straying to Gracie and he grew irritated. They were supposed to be partners in this, and for some reason, he’d spooked her. Had she somehow sensed his feelings were deeper than he’d let on?
Whatever was going on with them, she’d agreed to a bargain with him and he’d kept his end. She needed to keep hers.
He opened up a Word document and tapped away, his fingers flying faster the more his annoyance took hold. By the time he finished, he had a full page written up and he sent it to Jim without second-guessing himself. If Gracie got pissed about his underhanded tactics, she’d just have to get off her butt and tell him herself.
When it was time for him to head into work, he locked the dog into the kennel he’d bought him. He hated leaving him on their first day together, but hopefully, he’d be back early.
To his surprise, his parents were at the bar when he got there, and Grant was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey, what are you guys doing here?”
“Your brother’s got the flu, and Jose had car trouble. So, we thought we’d come in and give you a hand.”
Eric was relieved he had the help. There was nothing worse than dealing with a bunch of drunks alone. “That sucks for Grant, but it’s good to see you two behind the bar. I forgot what that looks like.”
“Hey, we’ve been tending bar a long time, sonny, and we deserve to take it easy in our golden years,” his dad said.
The night went by fast for a Tuesday; the same guys who always came in to wind down after work and the same girls trolling. He went to the back storeroom to grab another case of beer and heard a sound behind him. He turned and watched his mom come over to grab another case. She lifted it up and looked at him straight on as she said, “I like Gracie.”
An involuntary smile spread across his face. “Me too.”
His mother seemed to have something on her mind, so he set the case down with a sigh. “All right, Mom, spit it out.”
She set her case down too and touched his arm. “Are you sure she’s right for you? She’s kind of a flibbertigibbet.”
He laughed at the term. “She’s got a bad track record, yeah, but she’s a nice woman. She makes me happy.”
“But does she love you? I won’t stand for her hurting my baby, no matter how good her coffee is.”
Eric turned and grabbed the case again, avoiding the whole talk of feelings with his mother. “And on that note, it’s none of your business. But I do appreciate the sentiment.”
She pinched his cheek as he walked by, and he cursed. He didn’t know why mothers felt like they could reduce their grown-ass sons to grumbling children, but Conn
ie Henderson had it down to a science.
About an hour before close, Eric handed off a lemon drop to Kirsten, and she gave him a pout he was sure she meant to be sexy but it just rubbed him wrong. “You haven’t called me, Eric. I thought maybe after Halloween, we could have made this a more permanent thing.”
Eric almost grimaced thinking about the night of the Halloween Ball. He’d been mad at Gracie for having a date with that tool Darrin, and when Kirsten had come on to him, he’d gone with it. Kirsten was nice enough, but she didn’t stir anything up inside him.
Not the way Gracie did.
“Sorry about that, Kirsten, but I’m actually seeing someone.”
His blunt answer must have surprised her, because her cheeks turned rosy and her eyes widened. “Wow, for how long?”
He shrugged. “A couple of weeks. I wasn’t trying to lead you on that night, and I don’t mean to hurt your feelings now, but—”
She interrupted him, her tone nonchalant and casual. “I get it, Eric, no need to explain. It was just a one-time thing. Who’s the lucky girl, though?”
“Gracie McAllister.”
Kirsten’s frown intensified. “I thought that was just a rumor. I always figured her and Mike Stevens would end up together.”
Eric felt that jealous worm creep toward the surface. “No, she’s dating me.”
“Oh, well, good for you. I hope it works out for you both. You know how that girl likes to get around.”
The dig wasn’t lost on him, but he let it go. “Appreciate the well wishes, Kirsten, and catching up, but I need to get back to it. That will be six for the drink.”
She handed him a five and several ones. She leaned over the bar, pushing up her breasts and fluttering her lashes. “I’ll see you around, Eric. You can always give me a call if things don’t work out with Gracie.”
Eric backed away from the predatory gleam in her eye and felt a bit like a cornered antelope when a hunter had it in their sights. “Thanks for the offer, but we’re pretty solid.”
As Kirsten walked away, shaking her ass for his benefit, he wondered what in the hell was up with the women around him. It was as though they could sense he was attached, even fake attached, and it made them crazy.
It almost made him regret the column he sent in. But he suspected that Gracie’s reaction would be worth the discomfort.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Self-preservation should always be standard in matters of the heart.” - Miss-Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.
Gracie wiped down the counter for what seemed like the fiftieth time, wishing she wasn’t so distracted this morning. She wanted to blame her lack of sleep on the late-night talk with her mother about Pip or the fact that Netflix had added Leap Year to it’s catalog. It was one of her favorite movies and she’d been up well past three in the morning watching it.
But in fact, her foggy brain was due to her lack of communication with Eric. She’d actually sent him a text this morning, asking him how he was, but she hadn’t heard a peep from him yet. Of course, he could be sleeping…
Or he’s avoiding me because I’m an asshole.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Buck and Connie opening up the glass double doors and stepping inside.
Gracie smiled warmly at them. “Hey, Buck. Hey, Connie. Where you off to today?”
Buck gave her a grin that stretched his whole face and exposed his gapped teeth. “Gracie Lou, I’m taking my sweet Connie up to Stanley for a little romantic trip. We need two of those really good caramel mochas you talked us into last time.”
“You got it.” Gracie finished their transaction quickly. “All right, I’ll have those drinks right up for you.”
Buck moved over to look at a couple of travel mugs, and Connie lingered, watching Gracie with a stern expression that made her uneasy.
“Something on your mind, Connie?” Gracie asked.
The older woman hesitated before finally speaking bluntly. “You know I like you a lot, Gracie.”
Gracie had a feeling there was a large “but” just waiting to attach itself to that sentence. Connie Henderson had total “but” face. “Thank you, Connie. You know I’ve always liked you too.”
Connie leaned across the counter and lowered her voice. “I know it’s not my place, God knows my sons are both grown men, but Eric mentioned he hasn’t seen you recently.”
Gracie swallowed, cursing Eric for talking to his mother about her avoidance. “Really?”
Connie’s mouth dipped down into a frown. “Which I find strange, since the two of you seemed really good the last time I saw you together.”
“I’ve just been really busy here and with my parents in town. I shot him a text this morning and planned to call him when I got off.”
Connie’s frown didn’t fade. “I always thought you were a girl who spoke her mind and didn’t play with others. I’d be disappointed if I was wrong.”
Gracie’s face flushed with humiliation. There was one thing she’d always hated to hear from people, and that was their disappointment in her.
“I’m really sorry to hear that, Connie, and I assure you, everything is fine with us.”
Connie finally gifted her with a small smile. “I’m glad, because I have to say, I’m not the only one who noticed something was wrong.”
“Oh? Who else said something?” Gracie asked.
“You haven’t seen Miss Know-It-All’s column this morning? It said you two were already on the rocks. Something about you having the hardest time committing and you get scared off easily.”
Gracie’s blood boiled under her skin to the point that she wanted to scratch it. That manipulative son of a bitch! It wasn’t enough that he’d dragged his mom into their business, but now he was using his column to get the whole town involved?
Forcing a smile and hoping that Connie couldn’t tell how upset she was, she handed them their drinks. “There you go. You folks have a safe trip, okay?”
After the Henderson’s left, she turned to Tanya, slipping her apron off. “Tanya, I’m heading out for a bit. Can you and Renee handle things?”
Tanya’s grin split her chubby face. “Sure, Gracie, we’ve got it.”
“Great. I’ll see you in a few.” She grabbed her purse and jacket from the office and walked out the back door, ready for war.
* * *
Eric pulled out another crate of Haskin’s Pumpkin Beer, stepping over a sleeping Dog, who’d decided sprawling in the middle of the floor was just about the best spot he could find. The bar wasn’t open, and he’d wanted to come in early to restock everything. He’d left early last night to be with Dog, and his parents had been slammed hard if the angry texts from his mom had been any indication. He figured at least this way, they’d be ready later for when shit hit the fan.
His brother, Grant, had seemed to make a miraculous recovery and was busy wiping down tables. Eric went back into the storeroom for another case of Bear Island beer. He’d convinced his dad that spreading out and bringing in local vendors of spirits would help boost the economy of Rock Canyon and surrounding cities, and it definitely had. And with Hank’s sucking up some of their business with karaoke contests and shit like that, the local beers and wines that Rock Canyon locals couldn’t get anywhere else but Bucks kept them coming back.
Eric couldn’t figure out why anyone found a bunch of drunk people butchering classic songs entertaining. He’d been thinking about going by to scope the place out but hadn’t gotten around to it. It wasn’t as though the two bars couldn’t coexist together. Although if one more place opened up, he might get a little uncomfortable with all the competition.
“Hey, Eric!” Grant hollered from the barroom.
Eric came out of the stockroom with the case of beer, still walking down the hallway. “What?”
When he finally came into view, Grant gave him a sly grin and pointed. “Someone here to see you.”
Eric saw her before Grant finished his sentence. She stood just inside the doorway in a l
ong black coat, her blonde hair clipped back from her face, making her narrowed eyes and thin lips stand out more. Eric wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and kiss her until those hard eyes softened, but he had a feeling if he tried anything, she might kick his nuts straight up between his shoulder blades.
“Well, hello there, Gracie Lou. Long time no see.”
Gracie gave him a look that could have fried fungus. “What in the hell is wrong with you? Siccing your mother on me! Have you no balls?”
Eric looked over at his brother, who started whistling and scrubbing the tables again. “Hey, Grant, why don’t you take off and get us a couple of burgers from Jensen’s Diner?”
Grant grinned at him, unashamed to be enjoying his big brother’s discomfort. “Sure, bro. It was good to see you, Gracie. You look smoking hot, by the way. Too good for my idiot brother.”
Eric shot him a warning look, and Grant sauntered out the door with a swagger. When the door closed behind him, Eric turned the full force of his irritation onto Gracie, slamming down the case of beer in in his hands. “Now, what was it you were blathering about?”
Gracie’s acidic look matched her tone perfectly. “I was blathering about how your mother stopped by and let me know how disappointed she was that I had hurt your feelings, and how even Miss Know-It-All had noticed our strained relationship.” She pulled a paper from inside her coat and smacked him on the shoulder with the rolled-up parchment. “Really? You had to put it in the goddamn paper? You couldn’t come and talk to me like a man, but you had to use the whole town and your mother to bend me to your will?”
Eric’s whole body lit up with rage. Who was she to come in here after avoiding him like the plague and start shit?
“Look, I didn’t say anything to my mother, but if that column got you to do the adult thing and come talk to me, then obviously I made the right call.”
“Except real adults don’t need to use underhanded tactics and manipulation to get what they want.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, scoffing. “And you know all about being a mature adult, huh? You get a bug in your bonnet about something, and instead of coming to me and talking about it, you avoid me like I’m the dorky guy in high school about to ask you to the prom?” Eric shook his head, refusing to pull any punches. “You’ve always been an immature little brat. Why I thought age would change you, I have no idea.”