Gus peered up at Griff. “Go get the basket and bring it in.”
“You bet,” Griff said, grinning.
Gus looked at everyone standing in the kitchen. “Let’s all go to the living room and sit down for a moment. I have something for Sandy and I want to give it to her.”
Val led Gus to the living room, where she sat in an overstuffed chair next to Sandy’s rocker.
Gil told everyone hello, shook hands and looked miserable to Kai. He was not a happy camper being tied down like this. Since getting up this morning, Cass had wrapped that leg and given him stern orders to keep it up, to be quiet and rest. Kai felt sorry for him and gave him a sympathetic look. Gil patted the arm of his overstuffed chair, asking Kai to come and sit with him. She wanted to.
Val, Cat and Talon took places on the sofa next to where Zeke and his bed were located. They left enough room for Griff to come and sit by his wife and daughter when he returned. Cass sauntered in and stood behind Gil and Kai, towel in his hands, wearing his red apron.
“That’s a mighty pretty apron you’re wearin’,” Gus told Cass, an evil grin on her mouth. “Never saw a man wear one before you came here, Cass. You give it new meaning, young man.”
Cass chuckled and picked up one side of the red apron that had white ruffles around it. Being tall and muscular, the apron looked more like a postage stamp around his waist. “I kinda like it, Miss Gus. This is one of Sandy’s and she told me to take my pick of them from the kitchen drawer.”
Everyone chuckled.
“Well, red certainly brings out your skin tones,” Gus noted, gesturing toward him.
“Thank you,” Cass said, grinning wickedly.
Griff came in carrying a huge basket with a green cloth draped over it. “Gus? You want me to give it to Sandy or do you want to do the honors?”
“No,” Gus said, sitting back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap. “You go ahead.”
“Okay,” Griff murmured, smiling as he lifted the basket and gently placed it in Sandy’s lap and extended hands. He sat down next to his wife, his arm around her shoulders.
Zeke whined. Suddenly sitting up, his eyes were riveted on the basket.
Sandy said, “What did you bring me, Gus?”
“Oh,” she said, arching one silver brow, “take a look and see.”
Sandy pulled off the dark green cloth. She gasped. “Oh, my God!” she cried, joy in her voice.
About that time, Zeke whined long and loud.
And then, everyone saw a little golden retriever puppy pop her head up and over the basket, looking at Zeke and excitedly wagging her thin, short tail.
Sandy gathered the squirming, happy puppy that was six weeks old into her hands. The puppy whined and wildly licked at her face. “Oh, Gus! This is such a wonderful surprise!”
Everyone oohed and aahed over the wriggly puppy, whose tiny tail was going sixty miles an hour, back and forth, as Sandy took her to her breast, cuddling her gently between her hands.
Kai sighed and smiled down at Gil. He smiled up at her. Warmth went through her heart. They hadn’t had time to talk since last night. She wanted to, but there were too many other things going on this morning. The puppy was so cute and tiny. Kai loved dogs.
Talon frowned and gave Zeke a firm order to remain sitting on his bed.
Zeke whined painfully, looked pleadingly at Talon and then became mesmerized by the puppy, who was no more than three feet away from him. He thumped his tail avidly, panting, wanting to leave the bed to go smell the new doggy visitor.
Sandy laughed and began to cry as she looked over at Gus. “You shouldn’t have done this, Gus.”
“I heard through Talon that you’d gone over to look at the breeder who had puppies, but that he wanted too much for the one you had picked out.” Shrugging, Gus said, “I know you used to have a golden retriever. Val, Griff, Sophie and I thought it would be a nice coming-home gift to you.” Gus waved her hand around the living room. “We want you happy and healthy. I was able to purchase your ranch back for you. I don’t think buying a puppy is anything financially stressful on us.” She jabbed a finger toward the puppy. “It’s a female. The one the owner said you fell in love with. The runt.”
Sandy nodded. “Well, the owner called her a runt. But I don’t. She looks fit and healthy to me. So what if she’s a little on the small side? With proper food, love and care, she’ll grow up to be just as fine and beautiful as the other puppies in that litter.” Sandy freed a hand to wipe her eyes. “I think I’ll call her Daisy. When I saw her for the first time, I thought she was like a fresh little daisy out in a meadow.”
“I like the name,” Gus said, pleased. “Daisy sure likes you.”
Sandy gave the puppy a fond look, touching her small, silky golden head. “She’s priceless, Gus.” Looking up, tears in her eyes, Sandy said, “You are such a fairy godmother to all of us. I don’t know what we did to deserve you, but I’m so grateful.”
Zeke whined long and loud, looking at Talon and then longingly over at Daisy. His tail was thumping so loudly at this point that everyone was looking at him.
Talon had opened his mouth to say something when, suddenly, Daisy slid off Sandy’s lap and plopped down right in front of Zeke’s front paws on his bed.
Kai heard Cat gasp, sitting up, fear in her face.
Talon snapped a Dutch command to Zeke.
Instantly, the Belgian Malinois froze and didn’t move.
Daisy jumped playfully around on his soft bed and started pawing and playing around Zeke’s legs.
Talon moved swiftly, his gaze riveted to his combat assault dog. His face was hard and tense.
Kai remembered too late that Zeke had not been around many other dogs. Talon was worried his dog would kill another dog if they got too close. Cat was sitting up, anxious as Talon closed the distance.
Talon gave Zeke another command and leaned down, scooping up the puppy.
“Why doncha let Daisy play with Zeke?” Gus demanded as Talon placed the puppy back into Sandy’s lap.
Talon petted his dog, murmuring praise to him. He turned, his hand resting on Zeke’s neck. “Because Zeke has not been around many other dogs, Gus. I couldn’t be sure if he’d kill Daisy or not. And he could,” Talon told her grimly, remaining standing between Sandy and Zeke, like a barrier.
“Oh,” Gus said, brows raising. “I didn’t know…”
“No one does,” Cat said sympathetically, her shoulders dropping, the fear leaving her expression. “Zeke had been so highly trained for military work for three years before he ever got out in the field.” She gave Talon a sympathetic look, her husband clearly upset and worried the dog might hurt Daisy. She returned her attention to Gus. “When Talon was assigned Zeke, they worked together for six months before going to Afghanistan. There, he worked with Talon taking down the enemy for three years.”
“Yes,” Talon said, starting to relax a little, his hand on Zeke, “he’s been trained to take down a tango,” he told the group. “He’s highly competitive—he sees whatever comes at him as something to compete against. And he’s been specially bred to want to win every time.” He pointed to the puppy licking and chewing on Sandy’s finger in her lap. “I was afraid he might see the pup as an enemy, a tango.”
Gus snorted and shook her head. “Talon Holt, where has your common sense gone?” She wagged her finger in his direction. “You can’t tell me Mother Nature can’t smooth that one over? Zeke’s a he. Daisy’s a she. Both are dogs. Did you ever stop to think that biology might make Zeke very happy to have her around? The opposite sex?” She grinned and looked around at the riveted group, who were watching the puppy and Zeke. “It can’t be lost on any of you that opposites attract. Look at all of you! It ain’t no different between any species of animals, if you ask me. Zeke is not gonna rip Daisy apart! You saw him. He froze when you told him to. And if he was really that competitive, he would have chomped poor little Daisy anyways. But she’s female. He’s male. No way is he gonna do
anything but cuddle with that cute little girl.”
Talon managed an embarrassed look toward Gus. His cheeks turned ruddy. “You’re probably right, Miss Gus. I’m just a little jumpy because I’m working at slowly getting Zeke out of military mode. It takes time and a lot of patience.”
“Humph. You ask me, I’d say put those two dogs out in your front yard and let them run around like happy kids. Zeke is not gonna hurt that little pup. Look at Daisy! You see how she’s pining away to get to see Zeke again? And look at Zeke. He’s absolutely hypnotized by Daisy! You think Daisy is a morsel for him? Nah,” She chuckled and shook her head. “She’s company for that poor, lonely dog of yours.”
Talon nodded. “I don’t disagree with you, Miss Gus. For right now, I want to keep them apart. Maybe tonight, if things go all right, I can introduce Daisy to Zeke and make sure he doesn’t think she’s food.”
Gus relented, seeing Talon was seriously concerned. She knew he wanted his mother to have that puppy. “It’s okay to be extra cautious,” she soothed. “Maybe put Zeke in your bedroom and we can let the little puppy run around to all of us out here?”
He nodded. “Good idea. Come on, Zeke,” he said, and tugged on the dog’s leather collar.
It was as if Zeke understood English, heard the entire conversation. He whined and lay down, a sad look on his black-and-tan face, his gaze pinned on Daisy.
Cat laughed a little. “He’s never done that before,” she told Talon.
Grimacing, Talon crouched down, hand on his collar. “You’re right. Maybe he’s more socialized than I thought. He’s never disobeyed me before.”
“You ain’t a little female puppy, either,” Gus said pointedly, cackling.
Everyone laughed and it broke the tension in the room.
Cat said, “Just be patient with him, Talon. He really looks so happy to see another dog. Maybe he’s been terribly lonely?”
Patting his dog’s head, Talon said, “Yeah, from the looks of it.” He gazed over at Cat. “Bring his leash to me? It’s hanging around the bedpost.”
“I’ll get it,” she said, rising off the couch.
Sandy smiled at her tense son. “It’s going to be all right, Talon. If Zeke didn’t snap at her when she hopped up on his bed and played between his legs, I really don’t think he’ll hurt her.”
Grudgingly, Talon muttered, “You and Miss Gus are probably right, but I don’t want to take any chances. We’ll introduce them slow and easy over time.”
Cat returned with the thick leather leash and handed it to Talon.
Zeke looked up and then gazed longingly at Daisy. He whined, his head sunk between his paws, his eyebrows moving up and down.
“Oh,” Kai said softly, “he knows he’s going to be banished.”
“I swear,” Sandy said, studying Zeke, “he looks like he’s going to cry.”
Talon snapped on the leash and stood, giving Zeke the order to stand. “He’ll be okay.” Instantly, the Belgian Malinois got to his feet. But his eyes never left Daisy, who was whining now and wagging her tail, looking adoringly up at Zeke.
“I think they’re in love,” Kai said, and sighed. “Look at them.” She smiled sympathetically at Talon. “Kismet. Star-crossed lovers, maybe?”
Managing a grudging smile, Talon said, “It sure looks like it. I’ll be back in a minute.” He led Zeke out of the living room and down the hall to their bedroom.
Cat sighed and smiled. “Kai, I know you’re right. Those two just looked at one another like long-lost lovers.”
Kai twinged inwardly and she slanted a glance down at Gil. Were they star-crossed lovers, too? Last night she realized that maybe…just maybe… She swallowed hard, afraid to think it much less say it. Had she, a long time ago, started falling in love with Gil? Even though she was married to Sam? It caused so much confusion in her, not to mention guilt, that Kai wasn’t ready to go there. And she wasn’t sure she ever could. But when Gil glanced up, as if sensing her looking at him, the warmth in his blue eyes for her alone, she swallowed all her questions and misgivings. Kai tried to remind herself that Gil wanted a new chapter between them, and so did she.
But where would it lead? What would be the outcome? Was it possible to fall in love twice? Looking over at Sandy, whose face was suffused with joy over Daisy in her lap, Kai recalled that Cat had told her she’d had two husbands. She’d loved both of them fully and completely. Touching the area of her heart, Kai wondered if she did. Sandy’s husbands had died and neither of them had walked out and left her like Gil had. There was such a Grand Canyon between how she felt toward him and their jaded past. No matter what Gil had said, Kai could still feel the hurt, the abandonment, waking up that morning and finding his side of her bed cold, only an impression of where his body had once lain next to her. And he’d left without saying anything or leaving her a note of explanation. It played too closely to what her dad had done to her. He’d abandoned her, too.
Pain drifted through her because the look Gil exchanged with her made Kai want to melt into his arms and be held by him once again. He had always made her feel as if she were a queen to be worshipped. Her lower body gnawed at her, reminding her how long it had been since she’d had sex. Or an orgasm.
Looking away, breaking contact with Gil’s gaze, Kai tried to remain immune to him. She was so unsure of herself. And of him. Kai could see he was trying to bridge that gap between them. And with just one private look for a few seconds, he had turned her knees to jelly and she felt shaky once again. Just as she’d felt the first time he’d made love to her at Bagram.
“Well,” Cass said genially, waving his hand toward the kitchen. “Time to giddyap and canter to the table to eat!”
Kai followed Cass into the kitchen to be his helper once again. The noise level was low, but the laughter and chatting were infectious. Gil was the last to come because he had to walk slow and easy. The set look on his face told Kai he hated his incarceration. Grateful that Jordana McPherson had put the fear of God into him, threatening him with surgery, which he clearly did not want, Kai pulled his chair out at the table. Today, it was Miss Gus at the head of the table and Sandy at the other end.
Talon had come back from putting Zeke in the bedroom and he helped Sandy with Daisy. He gently held the puppy in his large hands, found a nice, large cardboard box and placed a small blanket in it. Talon set the box next to his mother’s chair so Daisy could see her mistress. Then, he walked into the kitchen and got a small bowl and filled it with water for her. He also stole some cooled turkey from the platter.
Crouching down, he spoke quietly to Daisy, patted her tiny head and put the water in one corner of the box. The puppy drank thirstily and then eagerly chewed on the breast meat Talon held in his fingers. Daisy was more than happy, her little tail thumping rhythmically against the box. Cat was sitting next to Sandy and she leaned down, petting Daisy.
Kai sat down at Gil’s elbow. This time, she didn’t mind how close he was to her. She gave him a small smile when he looked over at her as he passed the bowl of stuffing her way. Their fingers met. Before the ER last night, Kai probably would have jerked her hand away, not wanting contact with Gil. Now, as their fingers briefly met, she felt tiny skitters of tingles through them. Her heart opened with longing. She tried to ignore it because the look in Gil’s attention was for her alone and it was turning her into melted butter. It wasn’t a sexual look. But it was definitely a man who wanted his woman. The banked tenderness she saw deep in his eyes made Kai’s heartbeat pick up in anticipation.
The people around the table were hungry, and conversation ebbed and flowed between bites of savory sage stuffing mixed with chopped chestnuts, gravy and turkey. Everyone praised Cass and thanked him for the delicious meal. Kai felt herself go all gooey inside when she caught Cass with yearning in his expression for a fleeting second as his gaze alighted on Sandy. There was no question in Kai’s mind that Cass was falling in love with her. That would be wonderful if it happened, but Kai also wondered if Sandy
had the heart, the courage, to try to love a third time around.
She knew how much it had taken out of Sandy as each of her husbands had died, because they’d had conversations about it. Kai also knew that Talon felt strongly that the loss of her second husband had sent her into a grief spiral that shocked her body so deeply that she’d developed breast cancer. Talon had once told her he felt health was connected to a person’s emotional state. Kai believed him. She was at an impasse with Gil precisely because of her emotions.
As she ate the mouthwatering turkey and gravy, Kai wondered if she had the emotional strength to try to narrow that gap once more with Gil. Could she risk her heart again with him? It had hurt her so badly the first time he’d left. After being abandoned by her dad, Kai just didn’t feel strong enough to throw caution to the wind with Gil. Maybe he was right: to just let things develop slowly and naturally between them. See what, if anything, was there.
The food was so good she ate until she felt she was going to burst. With the Holt and McPherson families surrounding her, Kai had never felt as happy as right now.
She remembered times like this when her mother was alive. The happiness between the four of them at the dinner table had been wonderful. Olivia’s cooking was equally delicious to what Cass had made for all of them. The chatter. The laughter. Even her father would crack a joke every now and then. And remembering back to that time when she had memories as a six-year-old, Kai saw love in her father’s eyes for her mother. It was always there. Always present. And he’d been warmer to his children at that time, too. Not anything effusive, but he had patience with them, he stopped to help them, he smiled every now and again. And sometimes, he would come in and kiss them on the brow and tell them good-night at bedtime.
Kai starkly recalled those warm, fuzzy days. Each time had been so special for her—when her father would lean over and she could smell the clean Wyoming sage and dried sweat on his skin as he kissed her good-night. He tucked her in, touching her small cheek, smiling down at her with love in his eyes for her.
Throat tightening, Kai drew in a ragged breath. She’d lost her appetite. Slowly, she pushed the blue-and-white plate away from her.
Night Hawk Page 19
