She shot him a look he couldn’t read. Not that he was goodat reading her—or any woman—though he found himself wanting to sign up for hercourse.
“You’re not. Since you’re staying, more coffee cake?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” He rose, handing her his plate ashe put eyes on the dogs, each indifferently sniffing in a separate part of theyard.
She cut him another piece and placed it on the table, and heretook his seat, following it as surely as one of the dogs would trail arabbit’s scent.
“Thanks again for referring me to Paige Miller. I’m meetingher in two days,” she said.
Delight took him by surprise. “That’s fantastic. You’ll loveher. Smart lady, and she’s super chill.”
Natalie leaned against the counter. “How do you know her?”
“Paige?” He swallowed a bite, mumbling around it. “She’smarried to a buddy of mine.”
Eyebrows furrowed in astonishment. “Wait. Isn’t she marriedto Beckett Miller?”
T.J. stopped chewing. Oh shit. “Uh, yeah. You’veheard of him?”
Now her eyebrows shot to her hairline. “Are you kidding? Wait’ll I tell my brother! He’s Drew’s favorite defensemanin the entire NHL. Drew’s a D-man himself in a rec league, and he studies theguy’s moves. Of course, he’s in a totally different class.”
T.J. registered little of what she said. He was too busy freakingout over the brother whose dogs were presently in her backyard—the brotherwho’d show up sooner or later and probably recognize him. “Are Annie andMeathead here on a set schedule?” More bewilderment on herfeatures. Yeah, he’d shifted gears pretty quickly on her. “I only askbecause Ford really seems to be enjoying himself, and it would be nice for himto play with them regularly.” Smooth, Shanny.
“It’s random, although lately they’ve been here a lot.Drew’s an IT consultant, and he’s been spending more time at client sites. Hehates leaving his pups alone.”
“So Drew follows hockey?” T.J. was proud of how casual hesounded over his jackhammering heart.
“Oh God, yes. He knows each player on every single team andcan recite their stats. He’s a tad obsessive.” She used air quotes on the lastword and added an eye-roll.
Shit, shit, shit!
“He must be thrilled you’re dating a hockey player.”
“I guess so.” Her expression grew wistful, as though she’dtraveled someplace distant. A story lurked behind that look, and he winced,imagining that story had to do with the fact that said hockey player was lyingin a hospital.
“How’s he doing, by the way?”
She seemed to wake up. “Hmm? Kevin? He’s coming along.” Notpromising. Her sad half-smile yanked at heartstrings thathad only recently been put into play. They’d either been rusty ornonexistent until he’d met her, and now they hurt for the workout they weregetting. He swallowed another bite, though it now tasted like sawdust.
She glanced out the window. “Looks like Ford’spassed the test.”
Joy, mixed with relief, swelled inside him, making himforget the brother. “So I can sign him up?”
“Let’s do it.” She plucked a form from a folder on thecounter and handed him a pen. “Just fill this out. And don’t forget to includeyour work number so I can reach you in case of an emergency.”
He scanned the form, then flickedhis eyes to hers. “My cell is my work number.”
“Oh. What do you do?”
His brain froze. Unease rushed up from his gut,stomping on the pleasant feels, and wedged in his throat. Though he’d practicedthis, his mouth was temporarily stuck. He mentally swiped imaginary sweat fromhis forehead.
“I’m in the entertainment industry.” Her questioningexpression pulled more practiced parlance from him. “I, ah, sell sports.” Heplowed on before she could fire another question. “Which reminds me. I’m on theroad a lot. Do you do sleepovers?” His hand shot to his nape, and he shook hishead over his blunder. “For dogs, I mean.”
Her eyes lit with mischief, and her full lips quivered asthough she held back a laugh. He couldn’t help but dip his gaze to them.
“Yes, I do dog sleepovers.” Her brows converged in anappraising look. “Are you gone for long stretches or just overnights now andagain?”
Shit. This slope gets more and more slippery. If hedidn’t navigate carefully, his twisting truths would augur him into the ground.
“A little of both, though I don’t expect to be traveling fora while.” Not for another few months anyway.
“How about we cross that bridge when we come to it, then?”
He pulled in a relieved breath and got to work on her form.“That works.”
.~* * * ~.
Natalie suppressed the happy danceher feet were itching to break into. A new client! Who was paying in advance!And his dog was sweet and fit right in. For now, she was okay with not knowing exactlywhat he did for a living because … he was paying in advance!
Tyler jarred her from her daydreams. “All done.” He slid theform over the tabletop. “Can he start tomorrow?”
She shoved her hands in her front pockets to keep them fromfidgeting. “Of course. What time?”
“Is seven too early?” He seemed to cringe. “I can pick himup by three.”
“Not at all, if you don’t mind me taking him along on myrounds. He’ll stay in the Durango while I do my thing.”
“What about your hospital visits?”
“I’ll work something out until Ford’s comfortable staying onhis own, if you’re okay with that.” Hopefully she could finagle shortening hervisits without upsetting Kevin—and Grace Guilt would keep her judgments toherself.
Tyler rose and seemed to consider. “I wouldn’t want to takeyou away from time with your boyfriend.”
A distinct possibility, though she’d never tell Tyler.“They’ve increased his therapy, so he’s more occupied as it is.” Not a lie, butnot the entire truth. They had stepped up Kevin’s therapy, though itgenerally didn’t conflict with her visits.
Grace Guilt shook her head in disdain; Natalie couldpractically hear her.
“Works for me, then. But do you trust Ford in your vehicle?”
“Puh-leeze,” she chuffed, drowningGrace out. “There’s nothing he can damage.”
Tyler beamed at her. “Okay, CPA. Calculate what I owe you.What’s your
