It Had to Be Him (28 page)

Josh’s jaw tightened. “If things don’t work out? I thought—” Eric came back inside, so Josh took her arm and guided her to the bedroom. He shut the door behind them. “I thought we were on the same page here. Clearly we’re not.”

He was angry too. But holding it together better.

Haley’s puppy was going to be one more thing they’d have to share for years to come. Bonding them even tighter. Half of her liked the idea, but her other half was terrified.

Meg sank to the edge of the bed. As she opened her mouth to try to explain, he said, “I’m in this for the long haul, Meg. I thought you were too.”

She stared into his eyes; they were swimming with pain and frustration.

The girls had all ganged up on her the night before, telling her she needed to deal with her trust issues. Those junior shrinks concluded it had started with her dad, and then Amber made it worse when she’d suddenly turned on her. That’s why Meg had kept most people at arm’s length and picked emotionally remote men whom she expected to dump her.

Until she’d met Josh. He was the first guy she’d allowed herself to trust. Then he’d left her too. But, unlike the others, he’d come back. That had to count for something. People make mistakes; she’d certainly made her share.

Casey had admitted she actually liked Josh, thought he was good for Meg.

If Casey liked him, then maybe he wasn’t the usual type Meg always picked. Casey’s approval made the decision easier. Maybe it was time to break the cycle and get over it. He’d changed, so maybe she could too.

“I’m sorry. What I should’ve said was that when it comes to Haley, we need to start making decisions together—especially something as big as getting a dog, Josh.”

He cringed. “Well, then maybe I’d better tell you the rest. About Eric. But first, I’d like to tell you what it was like for me growing up at the ranch.”

Josh opened up for the first time about his past. It was a subject he’d never wanted to talk about, so she’d never pressed. It had made it that much easier not to tell him about her past either.

She couldn’t imagine Josh as a skinny kid, getting beat up regularly. There were few who’d take him on now. No wonder he was so good about going to the gym and keeping fit. It must have given him a sense of control he never had as a kid.

By the time he’d finished his story she felt so sorry for Eric, there was no way she could be angry at Josh for taking the kid away from the pain and the bullying.

But keeping a kid and four dogs at the lodge while it was being renovated was no small thing and he should’ve at least called her. “Fine. Eric can stay for the summer. And one pup. I vote for the little pirate. But no more decisions like this without talking to me. Got it?”

“Yep.” He smiled so sweetly it weakened her defenses, as usual. “How about I lock the door and we finish making up?”

“Or, how about you go out there and make breakfast for that crowd while I take a shower and try to figure out how to find homes for those other three dogs before Haley gets too attached?”

“Or I can do that.” He stood and opened the door. “Thank you, Meg. I knew you’d understand. You have a big heart under all that bluster. It’s what I love most about you.”

She opened her mouth to deny it, but when he quirked a challenging brow, she stopped. He’d always seen right through her. That’s what had made her fall so hard for him when they first met. How he seemed to know her and understand her so quickly. Like no other man ever had. It’s why she’d let her defenses down for the first time and allowed herself to love him.

She rose from the bed and gave him a hug. Laying her forehead against his hard chest, she whispered, “That I didn’t kill you over this probably means I love you too.” She gave him a squeeze. “I might know for sure if you make me French toast.”

Chuckling, he gave her butt a light smack. “I’ll get a straight-up confession of love out of you yet. But I’ll take this one for now, even if it is French toast blackmail.”

She rolled her eyes at his bad joke, then crossed to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

She was all in now. Hopefully she hadn’t made a big mistake.

Again.

B
ecause it was Saturday morning and sleeping in might be involved for those lucky enough to be able to, Meg waited until ten o’clock to set out on her mission to find the puppies a good home. She knocked on Tara’s front door, juggling the basket on her hip with two wiggling pups inside. Hopefully it hadn’t been the wine talking when Tara said she wanted a puppy last night.

When the door swung open, Tara stood before her in cute jogging attire and a little white towel slung around her moist neck. Her lips slowly tilted. “Josh brought
all
the puppies home? Is he still alive, or are you here for an alibi? Your brother Ben is more my type, but I guess I could be persuaded to say you and I spent the whole night together.” She reached inside the basket to pet the dogs.

Meg laughed. “You’d totally be my type if I were into women. Especially if you look this good after a run. That’s just not right.”

Tara smirked. “Lie to me. Butter me up so I’ll take a pup. I’m on to you, Megan.”

No lie. Tara was the prettiest woman Meg had ever met. It was just a bonus she was nice too. “Which one would you like? Or if you just can’t decide, why not take both?”

Tara grabbed the basket and then stepped aside, inviting Meg in. After leading the way to a living room right out of an interior
decorating magazine, Tara took the dogs out and played with them on the shiny wood floor.

“I’d like to take both and then give one to Sarah as a gift. She wants one so badly, but I got the impression her husband holds all the power in their relationship.”

That was the understatement of the year. Ed was a downright bastard sometimes. “Yeah. Nice thought, but when Ed’s unhappy, Sarah pays for it.”

Tara frowned as she stroked the pup curled up in her lap. “I hate to hear that. Sarah deserves better.”

Sarah deserved Ryan, but too late for that.

The other pup made a run for it, but Tara stretched out and grabbed it. Her shirt rode up, exposing some nasty, jagged scars on her stomach and back. Not wanting to stare, Meg quickly looked away.

But Tara noticed.

“Those are a story for a future girls’ night. Suffice to say, I totally understand your reluctance to trust Josh again after being hurt.” She brought the sleepy pup from her lap up to eye level and smiled. “I’ll take this little cutie.”

“Thanks, I owe you one, Tara.” Meg wanted to ask who or what had done that to her. But it didn’t seem Tara wanted to talk about it. Might be one of the reasons a young dentist would move to such a small town where she didn’t know a soul, when she could probably make a whole lot more money in Denver. “Are you coming to the Founder’s Day dinner later?”

Tara shook her head. “Nope. Looks like I have a date tonight with my little man here.”

“We’ll miss you, but staying home means you won’t have to endure my dad and his windy speeches about the history of Anderson Butte. I’d skip too, if I could.”

As Meg rounded up the other wiggly puppy into the basket, Tara said, “So, I’m dying to know. Did our pep talk work last night? Did you finally commit, and are you and Josh on speaking terms today?”

“Yes, but I really should have made him work a little harder for it. Not only did he bring all the dogs home, but he also brought home a ten-year-old boy who’s going to stay with us for a few months. Speaking of that, Eric got into a fight the other day and finally admitted to Josh this morning his front teeth are still hurting. Do you have time to see him on Monday?”

Tara’s brows spiked. “If he’s in pain, I’ll see him right away. Let me get cleaned up and I’ll meet him at my office. Forty-five minutes?”

One of the benefits of living in a small town and not Denver anymore. People did favors because it was the right thing to do. Tara was going to fit right in. “Do you take puppy chow in payment? Josh has a truck bed full.”

Tara laughed. “I think we can work something out.”

Meg walked to the front door. “Thanks, Tara. Now I owe you twice.”

Tara snuggled with her new puppy and sighed. “This little guy makes us even.”

She’d have to remember to tell Ben that Tara thought he was cute. He needed to quit dating bimbos and get serious for a change. Tara would be perfect for her brother.

Just as Tara was about to close her front door, she said, “Wait. Mrs. Jenkins was in to see me last week. Her dog died recently and she’d seemed pretty upset. Maybe she’d like another?”

“I’ll stop by there next. Thanks.”

Meg texted Josh about Eric’s dental appointment and asked him to bring along dog food, then reluctantly headed up the hill
to a quaint little cabin with a blue metal roof, nestled among the trees.

Mrs. Jenkins, a widow, the leader of the Three Amigos, and Meg’s former principal, was not Meg’s number one fan. Hopefully the pup would soften her up a bit.

Meg spotted her struggling with a wheelbarrow full of weeds. “Need a hand?”

The old woman stopped and wiped her brow. Then her eyes narrowed. “What have you got there, Megan?”

“A puppy who needs a good home.” Meg laid the basket at Mrs. Jenkins’s feet and then lifted the wheelbarrow. “Where did you want this?” She’d let the puppy sell itself.

Mrs. Jenkins stood with her hands on her hips, lips pursed as she peered down into the basket. “Around the back. I’m making a pile to burn later.”

Meg found the pile and dumped out the contents, then hurried back. Mrs. Jenkins was still staring at the dog. “You think giving me a puppy will make up for all the grief you’ve caused me over the years?”

Always back to that with her. “No, I don’t, but Tara mentioned you’re missing your dog, so I thought this little girl would cheer you up for a few minutes, even if you don’t want to take her in.”

Mrs. Jenkins picked up the pup, then brought it to the porch steps and sat down. Tears welled in her eyes. “I do miss my Bella. This sweet little girl is cute, but I’m not sure I’m up for another dog quite yet.”

“I understand. I’ll go fill this up again while you take a break.”

Meg went to the garden to pull weeds. It was the least she could do after all the crap she’d dealt the poor woman years ago.

Luckily, there weren’t many weeds left, so she picked up a pair of dusty gloves that lay on the fence post and set in. Pulling weeds
in her grandmother’s garden was one of Meg’s usual punishments as a kid, so she was well trained. And darned fast because it was boring.

Must be lonely living all alone like Mrs. Jenkins. No one to talk to before she went to sleep at night or when she woke in the morning. Meg had missed that after Josh left. It’d been nice to have that back. The great sex made it even better.

After the wheelbarrow was full, she dumped it along with the other weeds in back and then went to find Mrs. Jenkins. She had the puppy all set up with a bowl of water and a chew toy on her front porch.

“All done. You have a nice garden going, Mrs. Jenkins.” Meg put the wheelbarrow in the shed, then made her way back to the house. “We’ll get out of your way now.”

“Thank you for finishing up my weeding, Megan. I appreciate it, but you know, a simple apology goes a long way.”

“That would make a difference to you after all this time?”

“If you really meant it.”

Meg sat on the porch and let out a breath. “Looking back, I realize now why I acted out so much. It was meant for my dad. I never set out to cause everyone else so much misery, it just always seemed to turn out that way.” She stared into the woman’s rheumy eyes. “So I hope you’ll accept my apology for all the trouble my bad behavior caused you and the school, Mrs. Jenkins.”

“Wait until I tell Edna and Mable.” She slapped her knee and laughed. “They’re never going to believe those words came from your smart mouth. Apology accepted, Megan.” She picked up the pup. “And thank you for bringing me my new little Bella. I’m keeping her.”

That she might finally be forgiven by one of the Three Amigos sent an unexpected wave of relief through Meg. “Awesome. Going to the dinner?”

“Yep. I’ve got a crate to keep this little one out of trouble while I’m gone. But it looks like rain. We’ll probably end up eating supper in the gym again. Coach Wilson is going to hate that.”

Meg glanced at the gathering dark clouds above her head. “I’m sure Coach is already there, laying down that thick paper to protect his precious wood floor.”

“I imagine. Say, Amber asked me for some old photos and such the other day. She’s been asking everyone, so maybe she has something nice to entertain us with this year.”

Nice? Fat chance of that.

“Maybe.” Meg gathered up the basket and gave the pup one last pat. “See you later. And thanks, Mrs. Jenkins. For everything.”