Knowing there was only one way he’d find the answer, he stood up and moved across the room, blowing out the candles that were still lit. Kelsey’s breathing was deep and even, inviting him to crawl in next to her again.
Instead, he grabbed a hoodie and shoes from the closet, and his wallet and phone charger from the nightstand drawer. Everything else he could do without for a few days.
He tapped his hand on his thigh, beckoning Frankie to follow him. He opened the stair gate to Frankie’s room and motioned him in. “Back to your room, guy. I’m sure your dreams are a bitch, but it’ll be morning before you know it.”
Obediently, Frankie crossed the threshold but turned and sat at attention, whining softly as Kurt locked the gate closed, this time a few inches higher. Stocky as he was, Frankie wasn’t built for jumping. It was impressive he’d made it as high as he had.
Kurt headed back into the kitchen and sifted through the junk drawer for a pen and a pad of paper. He crossed to the counter next to the sink and stared at the paper in the narrow beam of yellow light that lit the sink area.
There was already so much unsaid. How could he possibly explain? He couldn’t. He only hoped she would trust him.
After an eternity of searching for words that were too stubborn to present themselves, he filled the notepad with a few irritatingly insignificant ones.
There’s something I have to do. I wouldn’t leave if it wasn’t important. I hope to explain everything in a few days.
He signed it simply “Kurt.”
He placed it on the counter where Kelsey would see it first thing and flipped off the light. He headed toward the front of the house but stopped in his tracks twenty feet from the door. Frankie was sitting in front of it. The main floor was filled with cages of dogs, and like the cat, he’d left them all alone.
“Is this your way of telling me you need to crap?” Kurt decided to trust the dog and let him out off leash. He opened the creaky door as quietly as possible and made Frankie wait until he stepped out first. The front yard was empty of possums or raccoons or anything that might be chased away into the night. “Come on, boy,” he said, opening the door the rest of the way.
Frankie wasted no time crossing the porch and heading down the stairs. He peed a quick pee on the first bush he passed, then beelined straight to Kurt’s Mustang and sank to his haunches, waiting expectantly.
Kurt shook his head, chuckling. Leaving the door ajar, he crossed the lawn halfway and whistled for Frankie to come. Frankie did nothing more than wag his long, thin tail and look at Kurt with his lopsided grin.
Kurt crossed the rest of the way to him and sank into a squat. “Listen, boy, I couldn’t take you if I wanted to.” He stroked Frankie’s smooth shoulder. Frankie cocked his head hopefully. What did dogs know about court cases and house confinement? “How do you even know I’m going? Did I rattle my keys too loudly?”
With a sigh, Kurt stood and opened his door, raising the seat and motioning Frankie into the back. Then he jogged back into the house, grabbed a leash and a couple tennis balls, and added a few more words to the bottom of his note.
By the way, I’ve got Frankie.
He was locking the door when he changed his mind and returned to the kitchen, picking up the pen and adding one more thing.
And tonight was incredible.
Chapter 27
The bright sun streaming into the room was disorienting. So was the fur blanket covering the top half of her head. Struggling to shake out of a particularly deep sleep, Kelsey blinked her eyes open. She was on her side, staring at two impressively tall windows overlooking a beautiful oak in full-color foliage.
Her apartment bedroom faced a dark cranny between buildings and never saw direct sun, so even before memory kicked in, she knew she wasn’t home. And the hot fur blanket was obviously not a blanket. It was purring.
She slid out from underneath Mr. Longtail as memory returned. She looked around, rubbing her eyes. Kurt was gone. He’d probably gotten up with the sun. Memories of last night flooded her, along with a happy, contented warmth. Like she’d suspected it would be, the two of them being together was beautiful. It was more than beautiful. It was the most incredible thing she’d ever experienced.
The champagne and cookies sat untouched on the nightstand. She was sorry not to have enjoyed them when he’d put in so much effort, but at least the champagne was still corked. They could open it tonight.
She picked up a couple of cookies—her mouth watered at the plentiful chocolate chips encased in perfectly browned dough—thinking they’d make a nice morning pick-me-up for the two of them. At some point, the candles had gone out, but the rope lighting was still on. The closet door was open, and there was a box on the floor she hadn’t noticed last night. On top of it was a children’s book she’d never seen. It wasn’t something she’d have expected to find lying around in Kurt’s room. Perhaps the book and box had belonged to Sabrina.
After getting dressed, she paused outside Pepper’s room. The proud mamma trotted over to the stair gate, likely needing to pee. “You and me both.” Hearing the soft grunts and whines of the puppies, Kelsey clipped Pepper’s leash that hung by the door and opened the stair gate to her room. Pepper followed as Kelsey jogged to the whelping box for a peek. The sight of the cozy puppies cuddled together made her insides melt with joy.
