The fire that had consumed his cabin had started right outside the kitchen door, trapping Sasha away from her doggie door. If she had died, Grady could only hope she had passed out from smoke inhalation before the flames burned her to a crisp.
Blinking from an eye irritation, Grady shut the door of the bedroom he was staying at. He traveled light. In less than half an hour, he had his clothes packed. It was time for him to head back up the mountain and rebuild the dregs of his useless life.
Dogless and womanless.
Only one big problem. The dog might be gone, but the woman was definitely not gone, not by a long shot.
She was a long-legged, lusciously curved, brown-haired Gypsy-looking spitfire who occupied permanent residency in both his dreams and nightmares.
Linx Colson.
She lived near his property, as owner and director of the Mountain Dog Rescue Center.
And he couldn’t trust her as far as he could spit.
The woman was a liar, a manipulator, and the worst type of tease—as unpredictable as a wildfire snapping itself into a frenzy, egged on by a snarling wind.
Hot as a towering fire tornado.
And just as dangerous.
But still, she had what he needed—dogs needing homes. Even if he had to sacrifice his own sanity, he’d find the best dogs for the veterans he served, and that meant working with Mountain Dog Rescue.
He brought up his email app and sent Linx Colson a request for an appointment to scout out her available dogs.
The Mountain Dog Rescue Center sat on four acres of land, bordered by Sandman’s Creek on the south and a large track of forest on the east. It was on the outskirts of her hometown, Colson’s Corner, far enough so that the dogs’ barking didn’t disturb any neighbors, but close enough to walk to the town square. The plot of land was too small to be a working farm, but large enough to house twenty dogs in a renovated wooden barn.
Linx lived in a box-shaped cabin that served as both the office and adoption center. Chain-link fence surrounded the rescue center, and she had constructed several fenced-off areas large enough for dogs to run free in the meadow behind the barn.
Running a rescue center was a constant struggle between outreach, financing, pet care and rehabilitation. Right now, because of Linx’s big splurge at buying a designer wedding gown she’d never need or use, the center was running in the red and in danger of being foreclosed.
She’d already laid off staff and was at the mercy of volunteers, and every day, when the bills came, she endured nail biting stress as she borrowed from her credit cards to pay for electricity, water, and dog food.
Still, Linx loved rescuing dogs, mainly because she’d failed at every other endeavor she had tried.
Dogs weren’t judgmental.
Dogs didn’t gossip.
Dogs didn’t hold grudges.
Even the meanest, most maladjusted and abused dog could be won over by loads of patience and a smidgen of love. Unlike men—especially a certain smokejumping instructor she’d had the misfortune to train under.
She almost blushed at the “under” part of her training, but she slapped back the naughty thoughts. She’d reached too high when it came to Grady Hart, and he’d disavowed her in her greatest time of need.
Nope, dogs were way better than men, and after her experience with Grady and the horrible thing his lack of responsibility made her do, she’d decided it would be dogs over men for her, forever.
Morning came early at the rescue center as the dogs woke up and barked at every disturbance. Cedar, who slept in bed with her, rushed to the window and barked toward the direction of the barn, ready to go out and play with her friends.
Linx stumbled down the stairs of the loft and answered the insistently clanging old-fashioned phone. It was standard issue black with a rotary dial. These phones still worked in her town, and the town council’s biggest accomplishment this year was fighting the phone company to keep the payphones outside of the diner and general store.
“Hello,” she answered before the call kicked over to the tape-recording answering machine she inherited from her grandmother. “Mountain Dog Rescue. What can I do for you?”
A breathless female’s voice huffed and puffed. “I was jogging near the river bend trail, and I heard high-pitched squeals. I think it’s a newborn puppy, but I’m afraid to look. It’s stuck under a tangle of grass.”
“Is the mother dog around?”
“No, I don’t see her,” the jogger said. “We saw a couple of stray dogs at the Wildman campground, but a mother dog wouldn’t just leave her puppy, would she?”
“Most likely not,” Linx said, grabbing a pencil and paper. “Can you let me know exactly where you’re at?”
“Sure, but I can’t wait around. My family’s packing to leave in half an hour, and my mother told me to be back quick.”
Linx took down the location as best as the jogger could describe. The puppy had been abandoned about half a mile from the campground, and Linx would bet her eyeteeth the mother dog was already packed up and gone with her family.
Tourist season meant a spike in lost and abandoned dogs, and the upcoming Fourth of July fireworks show was pure torture for dogs and cats, causing them to run for cover and oftentimes becoming separated from their families—especially if they were camping or visiting from out of town.
“Come on, Cedar,” Linx said as she put on her boots and grabbed a small baby carrier she’d picked up at the thrift shop. Newborn puppies were born blind and toothless, and they couldn’t regulate their body temperature. She wondered about the condition of the puppy, its size and breed, but the most important thing was to bring it back and hope it wasn’t too late.
While she and Cedar hiked the mile or so up the mountainside to the campground, Linx went through the available space in the kennel. The puppy, of course, would sleep at her bedside with a hot water bottle, but the kennel was at full capacity. She even had a few dogs doubling up.
She needed to run a big promotion in the days leading up to the Gold Rush Festival ending with a Fourth of July Rescue Auction, and that meant spending money she didn’t have on advertising and social media.
She checked her cell phone for emails and frowned.
The devil always had perfect timing.
Grady Hart emailed her with his list of dog requests. He ran a charity matching dogs with veterans, and it was the perfect place for some of her more elderly guests to find homes.
But to do that meant getting reacquainted with Grady, and an acquaintance with him meant one thing only.
Bed first.
Talking later.
She’d kept him at bay by pretending she didn’t know him from before. She’d even had his family fooled. She’d flirted with him at his sister’s wedding, and she’d used up the last of her inheritance as seed money to start his charity—yep, the proceeds of that ill-fated wedding dress went to Dogs for Vets. Very reckless, but at least she’d gotten a reaction out of him.
He still hated her, of course.
And he obviously didn’t trust her.
But he’d hinted at hooking up, and she’d teased him to the hilt. They both knew what came next should they ever meet up.
Cedar let out a sharp bark as she stopped in front a giant sequoia stump. Her nose twitched, and she looked back at Linx, wagging her tail.
“You found it?” Linx stuffed her phone back in her pocket and knelt in front of the hollow in the tree.
She removed the tangle of grass and weeds and gasped at the reddish ball of wet fur. The puppy, a female, squealed and wiggled when she picked her up. Her mouth suckled on air and her eyes were closed. Her umbilical cord was still protruding from her belly button.
“Oh, you sweet little thing.” Linx tucked the cold and wet puppy into the baby carrier while Cedar sniffed and licked her. “You’re going to have a good life. You’ll see.”
The puppy snuggled close to Linx’s heart, and even though she already had a dog, and she had a rescue
center full of dogs, Linx fell in love again.
“Should I call you Sasha? Or would that confuse Cedar?”
Cedar barked and gave her a quizzical look, as if saying those were both her names.
“Not Sasha.” Linx stroked the puppy’s back, cuddling it as she walked. “How about Ginger? Cedar, you like Ginger?”
“Woof. Woof.” Cedar bounced happily and headed toward home.
Chapter Four
Grady said goodbye to his family at the end of their weekly Saturday night dinner.
“I’m headed out.” He held his hand up to wave.
His father and younger brother, Dale, barely looked up from the TV while his mother and two pregnant sisters waved him off with no interruption to their heated discussion on natural versus medicated childbirth.
Connor, the devoted father and husband, was in his own little cocoon of syrupy, sweet love with one arm around his wife and the other one cradling his baby.
Only Jenna dashed toward him, realizing this was different from an ordinary goodbye.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked, touching his arm. “You looked preoccupied.”
“Making plans. I’ve troubled you and Larry long enough.”
“I didn’t mean for you to leave. You know you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”
“It’s time,” he said. “You were right about me moping around.”
“Where are you going?” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “You’ll keep in touch, won’t you?”
“I will.” He tried to extricate himself and make an escape, but Jenna’s actions drew the attention of Cait, who felt it was her duty as eldest child to meddle with all of her younger siblings’ lives.
She waddled over with her pregnant belly leading the way. “Grady Hart. No sneaking out before the card games.”
“Sorry, but I have to get going,” Grady mumbled with his hand on the doorknob.
Cait narrowed her eyes and assessed his body language. “You’re as twitchy as a long-tailed weasel in a room full of rocking chairs.”
Grady rocked from foot to foot, as Cait’s loud voice drew the attention of his mother.
“Leaving so early?” Mom asked. “Do you want to take some food?”
“No, it’s not necessary.” Grady’s palms started to sweat. He should have simply snuck off without attending the family dinner and game night.
“You’re running away, aren’t you?” Cait concluded, picking up on his nervousness.
“Oh? Running away?” Mom inquired, tilting her head. “You can stay with us as long as you want.”
Now that Cait spilled the beans, Grady opened the door and said. “I can’t stay. I have to keep moving or I’ll rust.”
This opened the flood gates as everyone dropped what they were doing and charged toward him.
Dad wanted him to go back to firefighting, while Mom thought he should settle down and get a permanent job, preferably close by.
Connor wished him luck with his wanderlust. “Gotta get it out of your system before you start a family.”
Meanwhile, Jenna made him promise to text pictures and updates of his travels. Melisa wanted postcards for her classroom, and Nadine wanted him to kiss his niece and to be back for Melisa and Cait’s joint baby shower.
“Where are you going?” Mom asked. “I’m concerned you’re not putting down roots.”
Roots were the last thing he needed, and he could never imagine himself sharing the same type of warm, gooey love his parents, and now most of his siblings, were wrapped up in. Cozy, too cozy, and so stifling. Of all his siblings, only happy-go-lucky Dale was a free man, but for opposite reasons.
Dale always thought there was someone better out there. He was an eternal optimist, flitting from one pretty girl to the next.
Grady knew better. He was realistic. Love wasn’t for him, and even if it were—it always ended unhappily.
The only sure thing in life was death, and if it wasn’t death, it was deception.
He hugged his mother and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom, I won’t be far. Just have to get some fresh air.”
“Don’t stay away too long,” Mom said, tearing up. “We enjoyed having you here since Christmas. I knew you’d eventually go back to the fire lines. It’s in your blood.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sitting the year out. Trying something new.”
“You need to get back on that horse,” Dad said, coming up to him and roping him into a man-hug. “The sooner you’re back fighting fires, the better. Don’t put it off too long.”
Larry clapped a hand on his shoulder. “If you ever need to talk, I’m a good listener, and I’m not a Hart.”
“So am I. You have any questions about women, you come to me,” Cait offered, even though she was technically a Hart—although she’d belatedly taken her husband’s surname, Wonder.
“Grady’s given up on women,” Jenna said to Cait. “He doesn’t even want a dog.”
“You’ll need companionship.” His mother patted his arm. “If you stay with us, you can even get a dog. I’m taking allergy shots now. I don’t want there to be any excuse why we can’t have our entire family, including our fur and feather babies here.”
“I know that, and thanks.” He gave his mother a kiss and turned toward the door.
“Here’s a list of fire chiefs I know.” Dad shoved a piece of paper into his hand right before he stepped out. “In case you want to apply for a position.”
“Don’t worry, everyone.” Grady waved to his large and utterly adorable family. “I’m taking a time-out, but I’ll be back. No need to act like I’m going off the end of the earth.”
“If you happen to go by Colson’s Corner because of a certain female, tell her ‘hi’ from all of us,” Cait, the most nosy of all his sisters, said as a parting shot.
Last December, Cait and Brian had spent time in the mountains renewing their marriage and had gotten to know Linx Colson when they found two lost chow chow dogs.
“Come back here.” His youngest brother, Dale, finally realized he was leaving. “We’re setting up the poker table. At least stay until you lose all your money.”
Dale was the prankster and joker of the family, and all he cared about was having fun. Nothing ruffled his feathers, and Grady doubted he had a serious bone in his entire body.
“Don’t you ever feel like jumping on a motorcycle and riding off to parts unknown?” Grady asked. “You should try it sometime. Let’s you know the real you.”
“Sounds fun. I might join you if they don’t stop trying to push me into firefighting,” Dale said, laughing.
“Actually, it’s more fun if it’s just you and the open road,” Grady grumbled, but allowed himself to be steered back to the Hart household.
He had considered taking his brother along, but they were opposites, and Grady could only take so much of his brother’s jolly bonhomie.
Nope. Grady was a loner and there was nothing more remote and undisturbed than the site of his burned down cabin.
Hours later, after playing Texas Hold’Em, Spades, Hearts, and Hand and Foot as well as two rounds of Clue, Grady made his final escape and checked into a motel in Sacramento for the night.
The next morning, after renting a used fifth-wheel trailer, he pulled it up the mountain and found his plot of land. Weeds had grown rampant over the burned-out foundation of his cabin, and the forest had taken back the clearing.
Grady unhitched the fifth wheel and set it up under a spreading pine tree for shade. He spent the rest of the day clearing brush and whacking weeds. Instinctively, he put up a firebreak between the forest and the foundation of his cabin. He dug a trench and planned to fill it with gravel. It was hard work, and it took the edge off of his restlessness—a little.
Would he put down roots in this remote mountain cabin? He’d been happy here once, long ago. During the weekends he had off while training smokejumping rookies, he’d come here under the canopy of tall trees to enjoy the solitu
de.
One day, a tiny puppy had crawled out from behind the woodpile, and Grady was no longer alone. He’d named her Sasha, after his crazy red-headed jump partner in Siberia who washed everything down with vodka. His Sasha went with him everywhere: to the creek, on long hikes, and even skiing where she eagerly pulled him at fast speeds down cross-country trails.
It had all ended with a fire.
Grady stared at the place where the woodpile had been. If he had ever had a desire to put down roots, this small piece of mountain would do. It was as if Sasha had sprung out of the earth and then gone right back to it, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
A warm settled feeling came over him, and he felt her presence. Everywhere he looked, he saw her. Her favorite spot next to the fireplace, the way she ran around the yard, and the place where she once treed a bobcat.
Closing his eyes, his mind took him back to another female who still haunted this very location. A wild and tempestuous woman who’d trained to fight fires, who’d shared his passion for preserving the forest, who’d climbed peaks with him—and who’d kept his bed ablaze and his heart on tether hooks.
He’d been running from her long enough. She’d been haunting him for way too long.
It was time to exorcise her hold on him, and for that, he would have to make her tell him the truth.
Was there a baby, or was it all blackmail?
“How many online applications did we get for the adoption event?” Linx sat in her sister’s diner across from her best friend and most loyal volunteer, Tami King.
The two of them went back to elementary school, and had only lost touch when Tami went to college.
“I’m still going through them to remove the flakes and trolls,” Tami said, checking her notepad. “But I’d say we have a good seven or eight. We also have that guy who’s running Dogs for Vets …”
Tami’s voice trailed as her eyes quirked with mischievous interest.
Linx shrugged and stared at her reflection in her black coffee. “He’s asking for older dogs, and God knows how hard it is to place them.”
“Why would he want geriatric dogs when they don’t last as long?” Tami asked as she picked up a breadstick and munched on it.
Summer Love Puppy: The Hart Family (Have A Hart Book 6) Page 2
