After a cup of coffee, some pain medication, and a hot shower, she felt much better. It was noon by the time she arrived at his house. She knew he had lunch there, so she was surprised when he didn’t answer the door. It took five rings of the doorbell and his dogs going crazy before he opened it.
He looked awful. His hair was poking up in odd places like he hadn’t even bothered to comb it. It was evident he hadn’t shaved either. And it looked like he’d slept in his clothes.
“Haven’t you been to work yet?”
“What do you want?” he snapped, not bothering to answer her question.
“I wanted to talk to you before I left.”
He glared at her through narrowed eyes. “I think you said enough last night.”
“No, I didn’t. Not even close.”
“I have to disagree.” He was about to slam the door on her when a police car came flying down the driveway. “What’s this? Are you having me evicted too? Have you forgotten this is my house?”
“No. Of course not. I don’t have any more idea what’s going on than you do.”
A uniformed officer raced over to them. “Man, you look awful,” he said to Dylan.
“What’s going on sheriff?”
“I got a call from Peggy Allen down the street that a black bear was on her back porch eating the plants in her flower pots. When she opened her window to yell at him, he just looked at her and continued eating. By the time I got there, he’d moved on. Your black bear doesn’t happen to be missing, does he?”
“Of course not. Hewey’s never gotten out.” But before Dylan had even finished speaking, he’d taken off running toward the enclosure.
Kinsley took off after him, as did the sheriff. When they got there, Dylan was standing by the open gate. “I don’t know how this could’ve happened. Someone must not have closed it securely.” He raked his hands through his hair in frustration. “The one day I take the morning off, and this happens. I’ve got to find him. He’ll never survive in the wild.”
“I’m coming with you,” Kinsley said as she followed him back to the house.
“I don’t have time to argue with you. Get in,” he ordered, opening the passenger door to the truck.
“I’m going to check out the neighborhood,” the sheriff said, as he got into the cruiser.
“We’ll be at Peggy’s. I don’t think he’s gone far.” Dylan tore down the driveway with tires screeching.
They got to the house in less than a minute. “Wait here,” he barked at her as he jumped out of the truck and ran around back. Woods lined the yard. She assumed that must be where Dylan was headed.
Kinsley waited a minute before opening her door. She wasn’t doing any good just sitting there. She came to help find the bear. Her feet had barely touched the ground when from the corner of her eyes, she saw something big and black moving toward her. She bit back her fear, remembering how Dylan had told her if a bear approaches, it’s usually out of curiosity. But in Hewey’s case, it’s because he loves the attention.
It took all her courage, not to jump back in the truck and slam the door, but if she did that it might startle the bear and make him take off into woods, and then they might never find him. If she could just stay calm long enough for Dylan to come back, everything should be fine. “Hi there, Hewey,” she said softly and with a slight tremor. The bear lifted his broad head and perked up his small rounded ears as he listened to her. “You know your name don’t you, Hewey?” He cocked his head to the side and studied her. “You’re not going to hurt me, are you?”
Just as she said that the sheriff came running toward her with his gun drawn and pointed at the bear.
“No,” she screamed. “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot.”
“Put your gun down,” Dylan ordered the sheriff, stepping between Kinsley and Hewey.
“I can’t do that,” he replied.
“Oh, yes, you can. Hewey hasn’t hurt anyone, and he’s not going to.”
“Then at least let me tranquilize him.”
“Can’t let you do that either. He’s got a heart condition. Could kill him.”
The sheriff groaned. “Well, then how are you gonna get him back to the sanctuary?”
“Just like he got out. We’re going to walk.” Dylan handed his truck keys to Kinsley. “I want you to drive about ten feet behind us. And I want you, sheriff, to drive in front with your lights on but no sirens. Don’t want to spook Hewey.”
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Positive. I know this bear as well as well as I know my three dogs.”
“Okay. But if anything goes wrong, the blame’s on you.”
“Understood.”
The sheriff put his gun in his holster and then got in the cruiser that was parked across the street. Kinsley waited until everyone was in position before climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.
It was a slow drive, as Hewey didn’t seem to be in any hurry. It was like he and Dylan had simply gone out for a walk. As they passed by houses, residents opened their front doors to wave.
When Hewey was safely back in his enclosure, Dylan thanked the sheriff for having faith in him and agreeing to do things his way.
Once the police car’s lights disappeared from view, Kinsley said, “Do you think we can talk now?
“That depends on what you want to talk about. If it has anything to do with last night, then I’m not interested.”’
“I understand your anger, but seeing as I helped you with Hewey, you can at least listen to what I have to say.”
There was a pensive shimmer in the shadow of his eyes, and she wasn’t sure if Dylan would agree or not. She became increasingly uneasy the longer he remained silent, but her spirits were soon lifted when he took hold of her hand and led her over to a huge red oak tree, away from any worker’s curious ears.
He leaned up against the trunk, let go of her hand, and then folded his arms against his chest. “So talk.”
“When I first came here today it was to give you all the reasons why I had to sell the sanctuary, hoping you could at least understand.” She paused to catch her breath, but when hostility crept into his expression, she quickly went on by saying, “But that’s all changed now. The way you handled Hewey…and the sheriff, it made me realize you are Forever Wild, just like Cora was. No one could handle the animals like you. Even if I could find a buyer, it wouldn’t be fair to you to have to work for someone who didn’t have the knowledge or caring that you do. And to sell it to a developer has been off the table for a while.”
Some of his anger seemed to evaporate. “What are you saying exactly?”
“That I’m not selling.”
He looked at her with bafflement. “You’re not?”
“No.”
He took hold of her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. “So that means you’re staying.” Hope lit his eyes.
She scrunched up her face, hating to have to disappoint him. “No. My business, my life… They’re both in the city. Yours is here. After I leave today, I’m giving you this.” She took the key to the Victorian out of her pocket.
“Your house?” His tone reflected his bewilderment.
“Yes, to use as long as you’re here. Think of it and the sanctuary as yours, and me simply as a silent partner, funding whatever needs to be done.”
“So you’ll be back?”
“Rarely. Only if it’s extremely important. Look at what these last few weeks have done to my business. I nearly lost a client. I can’t afford to have that happen again. But if you need me feel free to call.”
“Call?” he asked, flatly.
“Yes.”
He let go of her shoulders. “Anything else?” His voice was cold as ice.
“I thought you’d be happy.”
“Without you?” His cobalt-like eyes were filled with disbelief.
“Dylan, we’re opposites. Besides, neither one of us is ready for a relationship. This is your home. Not mine. I have a lo
ft in Tribeca that I love. Girlfriends that I have dinner with every Thursday. I’m from the city. You’re from the country. They don’t mix.” She bit back a sob. “I’ll leave the house key under the mat. You can pick it up there later.” Kinsley didn’t wait for him to answer, afraid that the tears she’d been holding back might let loose. She didn’t look back as she walked away. She didn’t need to. There was no doubt he watched her until she disappeared from view.
At the Victorian, she quickly packed up her things. No use in dragging this out. She took one last walk through the house and hoped that Dylan would decide to move in. He’d played as big a role in renovating it as she had. She felt a crushing pain in her chest and knew it was time to leave.
The last thing she did before getting into the Jag was to put the key under the mat.
Chapter 16
Dylan felt like Kinsley had put a bullet through his heart. In one breath, she’d lifted him to the moon, by saying she wasn’t going to sell the sanctuary. In the next, she sent him plummeting back to earth, where all his dreams had just been shattered.
He didn’t blame her, though. She’d never led him on by making him think that she’d be staying. That was his fault. He’d misconstrued her enthusiasm for the house for something it wasn’t. It was simply wishful thinking on his part.
She’d even been honest when he’d kissed her by saying it had been a mistake. He should’ve listened to her, but he didn’t want to. It was too late for that. He’d already lost his heart to her. Despite telling himself not to let that happen, his warnings were no match for her charisma. She had him right from the start when she got out of the Jaguar wearing that tight short skirt and those stiletto heels. He just hadn’t known it at the time.
The more he got to know her, the harder he fell. Memories whirled through his head, and when he thought of the incident in his backyard where she’d saved him and his dogs from the coyote, he sank down onto the Victorian’s front porch steps.
Where did he go from here? Back to the way his life had been? How was that even possible? There were memories of her everywhere. In every part of the sanctuary…even at Shorty’s Restaurant. He’d never be able to eat ribs again without thinking of her.
It had taken him a long time to get his life back on track after Tori, and his feelings for her were minuscule compared to those for Kinsley.
Tomorrow he’d get up and make his rounds to all the animal enclosures. Somehow he’d find a way to get his life back on track, but today he just wanted to wallow in his sorrow.
He forced himself to get up and get the key Kinsley had left under the mat for him. He’d been putting off doing that because once he had that key in his hand, it would be proof that she wasn’t coming back.
Dylan hadn’t planned on going inside, but as he was about to leave, something compelled him to do so. As soon as he opened the front door, he caught a whiff of her intoxicating cologne, and his stomach twisted into a knot. This wasn’t how things were supposed to turn out. Kinsley was supposed to stay. How could she not have wanted to? After everything they’d been through together, and all the new things she’d experienced here, why couldn’t she have found a way to make her business work and still spend time at the sanctuary…time with him?
He could barely remember her reasons for leaving or what he’d said to her in return. He’d been so angry and numb, anything could’ve come out of his mouth. What did it matter now anyway, though, what he or she said? Kinsley was gone. That was a reality. The past had no meaning.
Dylan wandered from room to room, remembering little things about her that he loved, like the way her beautiful, oval face lit up when she was excited, or how her smooth, peach-tinted skin turned a dusty rose when she was embarrassed. As he climbed the magnificent staircase, he could almost hear her laughter, and it was music to his ears, but when he turned around, she wasn’t there.
The hardest part of the house to get through was the upstairs because that’s where her bedroom was. When he sank down onto the bed, her sweet fragrance was all around. It was on the bedcover, sheets, and pillows. He wanted to wrap himself up in them, thinking that might bring him some comfort, but he knew that wouldn’t happen. Nothing would help. Only time could ease his pain, and it would take a lot of that before he felt relief.
As he looked around the room, at the newly painted walls and restained floor, he remembered what a mess it had been before. He visualized the old velvet-textured wallpaper that must’ve been there for a hundred years and how the floor had been so scratched that he hadn’t been sure it could be repaired. However, the room had turned out beautifully. The project he was most proud of, though, was the bathroom. It had taken him a while to find the right pedestal sink for Kinsley, but when he spotted the claw-foot tub with the lion paw feet, he knew immediately that she would love it, and she had. Kinsley loved everything he had done. Her smiling face had made all the hard work more than worth it.
A war of emotions raged through him. Along with his disappointment and sadness were understanding and compassion. He didn’t begrudge Kinsley for not wanting what he did. He hoped she’d be happy in the city and have a wonderful life. But that didn’t stop the acute sense of loss that overwhelmed him.
When he got up to leave, he noticed the two pictures on the wall beside the bed. They were the photos of Cora with Hewey and Nadia. Kinsley had hung them in the Victorian, after all. Part of him regretted having asked her to do so, and another part—a selfish part—was glad that he had, and equally glad that she had complied.
He studied the photos with his gaze repeatedly going back to the one with the wolf. The connection Cora had with the animal had been unique and rare. Dylan had done his best to console Nadia while she grieved and immediately knew that she could return the favor by being there for him in his time of need.
Dylan left the house feeling slightly better than when he’d arrived.
The interns were in the enclosure playing with the wolves. The pups were there too. They were chasing each other while running around the legs of the adult wolves.
Chloe spotted Dylan as soon as he entered. She scooped up one of the pups and ruffled the fur on his neck. “Look how big they’re getting, and their eyes have changed. They’re golden now,” she called over to him with a huge smile on her face.
He sent her a small smile back. They would all be ecstatic to learn that they no longer had to worry whether they’d be able to finish out their term here since the sanctuary wasn’t going to be put on the market. However, they’d have to wait until tomorrow to discover that. Today, Dylan wasn’t up for a conversation, even though it contained good news.
He sat down on the same bench that he’d shared with Kinsley the day he introduced her to Nadia. The wolf looked at him, her golden eyes locked with his as if reading his mood before she made her way over to him. Her tail wasn’t wagging as it usually was whenever she came to greet him. She was much more subdued.
She sat down in front of him and placed a large paw on his lap. Her front paws were larger than her back paws by a couple of inches and had a fifth toe, called the dew claw. That’s absent on the hind paws. Wolves also have webbing between their toes. It helps them in the snow, similar to how a snowshoe would. Dylan’s knowledge of the animals was vast, yet his intelligence hadn’t been able to help him hold onto Kinsley. “What else could I have done?” he asked the wolf, as he ran his fingers over her paw.
Nadia’s eyes were just inches from his, and he felt like she was peering into his soul. She stared at him for a long time, after which she placed her narrow muzzle on his shoulder so that he could feel her warm breath on his skin.
Dylan wrapped his arms around her thick neck. With one hand, he stroked her tawny brown fur, banded with black, white, and gold, as he hugged her.
The interns had stopped playing with the other wolves and were watching in awe his interaction with Nadia. He didn’t care that he had an audience. All that mattered was that this strong animal had come over to comfort him, as he
had done for her so many times since Cora’s passing. Their bond had been growing stronger every day. Today it had reached its peak. They could communicate instinctively now.
Dylan sat there with Nadia, long after the interns left. It wasn’t until the shadows of night crept over the enclosure that he went home. His dogs greeted him at the door, as they always did. After he fed them, he made himself a dry cheese sandwich for dinner, not even bothering to grill it.
A little while later, he collapsed on the couch. Benny wriggled his way between the two bigger dogs to jump up beside Dylan, getting his favorite spot. Once Madison and Sunny were settled on the couch too, he leaned back against the worn cushions and closed his eyes. His heart might be breaking, but his life wasn’t over. There were a lot of animals who needed him. A whole sanctuary full. And for that he was grateful.
Chapter 17
“Sue, were you able to book that second showing for Baylor?” Kinsley asked, rubbing her temples. Yesterday had been one showing after another, and today was pretty full too. That didn’t matter though, if she didn’t get the property sold, her client would really cancel the listing this time. It had taken hours of fast-talking last week to keep him from doing it then. She’d even been able to convince him to lower the price, which he should have done weeks ago when she’d first asked him to, then he wouldn’t be biting his nails wondering if the place would ever sell. “Clients,” she moaned. “If they’d just let me do my job, everyone would be much happier.”
“I agree.”
She spun her chair around to face the door.
“In answer to your question about Baylor,” her assistant said, poking her head into the office. “The second showing is booked for today at three.”
No Time for Love (The No Brides Club Book 1) Page 10
