Hearts Divided

by Masters, Ellie

  It’s easy to push his buttons, and she shouldn’t antagonize him, but it’s too much fun. Hell, he’d gone all stalker on her and deserves a good egging-on. She’s a nobody and doesn’t understand his interest; not when he can literally have any girl he wants. It makes her feel uncomfortable, even more so because she doesn’t do the guy thing very well.

  Ranger nuzzles her palm and provides reassurance. She rewards him with a scratch behind his ears. Her issues with men are precisely why she’s not interested in anything more than lunch. The idea of becoming another notch on his bedpost makes her stomach turn.

  Thinking back to the booth at Grady’s, she can’t help but smile. He offered to help her on the drums and she told him to fuck off. Telling the legendary drummer from Angel Fire to fuck off is funny as shit. It’s a shame, because the kids at the community center would really get a kick out of him coming for a visit, but she needs to find a way to make Sebastian go away.

  It took longer than it should have to recognize him. She doesn’t know why he’s not announcing who he is, but respects it. The fact he hasn’t come clean, stating he’s a rock legend, is something she admires. Most women would be falling at his feet for a piece of him, but he hasn’t used his notoriety to try that with her. Not that Bash, or Sebastian, hasn’t made it clear that’s exactly what he wants, but he’s playing it cool. As long as he continues to do that, she’s going to respect his boundaries.

  Ranger wolfs down his hotdog. His attention fixates on the water lapping the shore. Santa Barbara is known for its surf, with miles of pristine beach where surfers flock. Those kinds of beaches aren’t good for dogs, although Ranger is an excellent swimmer and loves playing in the waves; small waves. This cove is protected and there’s barely a ripple at the water’s edge. The waves here are measured in inches rather than feet. This is great for Ranger, because she can throw his retriever toy into the water and not worry about the surf. It floats and is easy for Ranger to find, not that he hasn’t been known to dive for rocks.

  If Duke were better behaved, it would be fun to see how he handles the water, but after the difficulty Sebastian had controlling him at the dog park, she decides it’s best to keep Duke close. She leans down and releases Ranger from his lead. Like most places she goes, the beach is dog friendly and there aren’t any issues with letting him run off the leash. Seeing how she doesn’t go anywhere without Ranger, this is a necessity. Her entire life focuses around dog friendly activities.

  She almost ditched the dog park for the beach earlier and is glad she went to the park. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have run into Sebastian. Letting Ranger play in the ocean means he’s going to be a mess to clean up, but she’s going to let the kids at the center give him a bath. Not many of them have a chance to be around dogs, and there’s something special about taking care of an animal that helps the kids relax. Besides, it’s summer and hot outside. It’s going to be as much fun for the kids as for Ranger.

  Sebastian catches up to her after finishing his hotdog. Duke’s ears are pitched forward, on high alert, as he stares at the water. Ranger races ahead, leaps into the water, and barks as he heads deeper where he can swim.

  “Ranger likes the water.” Sebastian holds his hand to shade his eyes. “Dogs are so much more expressive than I thought. I can literally feel his joy.” Duke is getting more hesitant as they approach the waterline, edging closer to Sebastian and looking up for reassurance. “I wish I could take Duke off the leash. I bet he’d have fun.” Sebastian rubs absently between Duke’s ears.

  “Um, I think Duke’s afraid of the water.”

  Sebastian glances down. “Big guy like this? I’m sure Duke’s not afraid of anything.”

  “You’d be surprised.” She digs into her backpack searching for Ranger’s orange retriever toy. Her fingers find the knobby rubber and she pulls it free. Ranger fixes on her, his attention laser focused on the toy in her hand. She reaches overhead and lobs it out onto the water, far enough from Ranger to make him work for his toy. Ranger takes off, barking and splashing, as he lunges after one of his most favorite toys.

  “Come on, Duke.”

  Duke stops at the line demarcating dry and wet sand. He sits while Sebastian tries to urge him to the water, then whines as Sebastian tugs on the lead.

  “I’d say Duke isn’t impressed with the water.”

  “What’s so scary about it?” Sebastian gives another tug, but Duke digs in. “There’s barely a ripple.”

  “I can’t explain it, but some dogs are just afraid of water.”

  “I can’t have a dog that’s afraid of shit. The guys will tease me about having a pansy ass dog.”

  “Just remind them he was bred to chase down wolves and pull men from horses. That’s a pretty bad ass lineage. Focus on the positive.”

  Ranger comes out of the water and stops at the water’s edge to shake. Droplets fly through the air as he sheds water from snout to tail. It took longer than it should’ve to train him not to do that at her feet, but he’s got it down now. He trots over, retriever held loosely in his mouth, and drops it into her outstretched hand.

  “Good boy!”

  She praises Ranger and then throws the toy back into the water. Duke lifts halfway off his haunches, the instinctual urge to chase is nearly overwhelming, but as the toy lands back in the water, Duke sits back down.

  “You know, he may not like the water but you can still ease him into it. His fear is probably from never having seen it before.”

  “Really? How would I do that?”

  She reaches into her backpack and pulls out a tennis ball. “Play fetch with him.”

  “I thought you said not to take him off his lead.”

  “Yeah, don’t do that, but we can lengthen yours and give him a little more room to move.”

  “How so?”

  She rummages back in her pack and pulls out a length of rope. “Give me his leash.” Sebastian hands over Duke’s lead and she fastens the rope to the loop at the end. “Here you go, an extra twenty feet.”

  “And now what? Doesn’t look like he’s budging from his spot.”

  “Stand up and toss the ball away from the water to start. Let him have fun chasing the ball. You can work on getting him to fetch. Then as he gets more comfortable start throwing it parallel to the water. Ease him slowly toward the water. Does he respond to any commands?”

  “Honestly, I didn’t ask the kid I got him from.”

  “You took a kid’s dog?”

  “You make it sound bad saying it like that. I actually saved Duke from the capital crime of couch-eating.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Sebastian takes the ball from her and tosses it a few feet away from the water. Duke perks up and eagerly retrieves it, although he doesn’t give it back to Sebastian the way Ranger dropped his toy in her hand. Duke holds on to the ball while Sebastian pries it out of his mouth.

  “How do you get them to let it go?”

  She smiles and shows Sebastian where to press on a dog’s jaw to force their mouths open. Duke isn’t happy about giving up his toy, but as soon as Sebastian tosses it again, his tail is thumping.

  “How is couch-eating a capital crime?” She asks.

  Sebastian plays fetch with Duke while explaining his trip to the pound to find a dog. She loves how he’s not afraid to poke fun at himself. His confidence is overwhelming and sexy as hell. She should tell him, soon, that she knows who he really is, but stops herself when she realizes how relaxed he appears. The guy probably doesn’t get many chances to simply hang out and she doesn’t want to take that from him.

  “What you’re really trying to tell me is that you’re a hero? Saving Duke from certain death?”

  Sebastian cracks a big smile. “Definitely better than saying I took some poor kid’s dog.”

  “You know, he probably only ate the couch because he was bored. Dogs like that need room to move. I hope your place has plenty of space, unless you’re not going to keep him.” Would Sebastian dump t
he dog back in a shelter if he didn’t get what he wanted from Duke?

  “My place is plenty big, but if he’s developed a taste for couches, we’re going to need to talk. Speaking of, you seem pretty good with dogs, how about you help me train him?”

  “I don’t train dogs.”

  “But Ranger?”

  Ranger is done swimming. He’s at the edge of the water, chasing the waves as they come in, barking and biting the small ripples as they race up the beach and slide back into the ocean.

  “He’s an exception.”

  “You two seem very attached.”

  In a way, he is right. She wishes it isn’t necessary, but that’s not the life she was dealt.

  10

  Bash

  Bash can’t figure this chick out. She’s all easy breezy then clams up at the strangest things, like simple questions about her dog. A quick glance at his watch and he realizes they’re losing time. Sitting on the beach is pretty damn cool, and he could do this all day long, but still no kiss.

  Duke loses interest in playing fetch, deciding instead on digging toward China, at least until the hole he excavates fills up with water. Now, he’s staring at the hole, head cocking left then right. It’s a great mystery the dog can’t seem to figure out. Ranger is happy, barking as he chases the tiny waves rolling in. Beside Bash, Holly leans back and tilts her face to the sun. Her eyes close and she looks like an angel. He can’t help himself and leans in for a kiss.

  Her lids fly open. Her eyes widen and she gives a gasp. Duke decides this is the perfect moment to jump inside the hole he’s dug. Bash jerks back as Holly scoots away. She’s up and on her feet, adjusting the backpack over her shoulders, and whistling to Ranger. Ranger comes to her side as Bash regains control of his dog. She holds her stomach like she’s about to get sick.

  Screw this shit. He stands and brushes the sand off.

  “Um, I gotta go,” she says.

  He’s ready to let her walk out of his life. No chick is worth this much trouble. He shrugs it off. “No problem.” No way is he chasing her down again. Not when she’s throwing off the weirdest vibes.

  “It’s just…I have a class.”

  He gives a wave toward the road. “Guess you’d better go.” He makes no effort to get her to stay, or to waste any more time with him. Duke rolls in the wet sand, having the time of his life. He gives one of his very rare woofs almost as if asking Bash to join in on the fun.

  Bash turns his back on Holly, but doesn’t miss the look of surprise on her face, or the indignant expression as she turns away. Ranger bounds up beside her, well-behaved as always, and the fiery redhead walks out of his life. In the meantime, Duke decides water isn’t that scary and leaps for the ocean, pulling the rope out of Bash’s hand.

  “The fuck,” he mumbles as he goes in chase.

  By the time he retrieves Duke from the water, Holly is long gone. Duke is a sopping wet mess and Bash isn’t much better. He trudges back to the hotel and gives the doorman a hundred dollars to take care of Duke, then he calls Noodles. While Duke is getting a bath, curtesy of the hotel staff and a hefty tip, Bash heads upstairs to clean up. A few minutes later, he’s back in the lobby and headed out to buy clean clothes to wear. Next time, he’ll remember to pack a bag.

  When he returns, Noodles is lounging on the couch in their suite.

  “Epic day dude. The waves were speaking to me. This has been an awesome trip.”

  “Has it?”

  “Not for you?”

  “No.”

  “Did you get your sticks?”

  That and more. He’s frustrated as hell, pissed off, and can’t get his mind off Holly.

  He points to Noodles’s bag. “You packed?”

  “Yup, board’s already tied down to Baby. Ready to roll when you are.”

  “Let’s bounce.”

  Noodles gives him a look, but says nothing as they head downstairs. When they exit the elevator, Noodles turns left to the parking garage.

  “Hold up, I gotta get Duke.”

  “Duke? Who the hell is that?”

  “My dog.”

  “You got a dog? I thought you were buying sticks.”

  “I was.” And he did, and now he’s taking back a bag of sticks and a dog nearly as large as a small horse. The doorman sees him coming and gives a wave to someone outside.

  “Sir,” he says, as Bash approaches. “He’s all cleaned up. Anthony is bringing him now.”

  Noodles stands beside Bash, rocking back on his heels. “A dog?” His brow arches up.

  “Yup.” He’s not going into the story behind Duke. What he should do is take the dog back to the shelter and give it back to the kid, but doing that consigns Duke to an untimely end. Besides, the dog is growing on him, in a kind of goofy doggy way.

  “Holy mother of…” Noodles points toward a shaggy, but clean, Duke. “What the hell is that?”

  “That’s Duke.” Duke’s eyes brighten upon seeing Bash and his tail wags wildly. He tugs at the end of his leash, eager to nuzzle. His entire back end goes a mile a minute as his tail sets his entire body to shaking. Duke can’t seem to get enough of Bash, whining, nuzzling, licking, and rubbing up against him.

  “I thought you meant a dog, not a horse. Where the fuck is he going to sit?”

  “Back seat.” He hopes Duke is smart enough not to jump out of a moving vehicle. One look at his dog and Bash decides they’ll be putting up the top for the drive back to Insanity.

  Noodles shakes his head as they head to Ash’s Jeep. Putting the top up means Noodles has to untie his surfboard. Duke plops on the cool cement while the two of them put the top up. While Noodles secures his board to the top of the Jeep, Bash opens the door and gestures for Duke to hop in. The dog leaps into the front passenger seat, then steps over to the driver’s side.

  “No you don’t, boy. You get in the back.”

  Duke’s not budging. Bash pushes and yanks on his collar, making little progress in getting the large dog into the back seat.

  Noodles laughs. “You know, they actually make dogs you can carry. Much more practical.”

  “And yippy.”

  “And practical.” Noodles leans over and whispers into Duke’s ear. The dog gives Noodles a look, then steps between the seats to lay down in back.

  “How the fuck did you do that? You the fucking dog whisperer?”

  “Magic.” Noodles says with a smirk.

  “Whatever.” Now that his seat is empty, Bash jumps into the driver’s seat. They’re back on the road and headed home, but as he drives out of Santa Barbara he can’t help but feel he’s leaving a part of himself behind.

  “So, you going to tell me about the dog?”

  “No.”

  An hour later, he tells Noodles everything, beginning with Grady’s Music, stalking Holly, getting Duke, and everything that happened on the beach. The aborted kiss is painful to recall. Noodles says nothing, merely absorbs it all. Five minutes later, Noodles tilts his seat back and drapes an arm over his eyes.

  “When are we going back?”

  “Weren’t you listening?” He’s never going back.

  “I listened to every word.”

  They spend the rest of the trip in silence, stopping once to let Duke out to stretch his legs and take a piss. Bash keeps looking over his shoulder, his thoughts a twisted mess.

  11

  Bash

  They arrive back at Insanity with Bash’s guts churning and his heart aching. These are feelings he doesn’t understand. She’s just a girl. Briefly, he wonders if the no-name groupie with the red hair is still around, but then gives a shake of his head. He doesn’t want a nameless fuck.

  Duke leaps out of Ash’s Jeep and noses the collection of supercars, leaving slobber to dry on the pristine paint. Forest is going to have a cow if Duke puts a mark on one of the Daytonas. While Noodles puts away his surfboard, Bash attaches the lead to Duke’s collar and heads inside. He doesn’t say goodbye to Noodles; there’s no need.


  The dog is excited, tugging on his leash and smelling everything and anything. They run into no-one as Bash leads Duke to his suite of rooms. The entire band lives together in one communal estate. They all have private suites, but share common areas. He realizes walking Duke is going to be a problem. It would be great if Duke were as well behaved as Ranger, responding to voice commands. He knows nothing about training dogs and spends the next couple hours online learning what to do.

  Other than the main security fence lining the road, it’s not as if Insanity is a fenced in dog park. There are acres in which Duke can run and run and run. Which means acres in which to chase the damned dog.

  “What am I going to do with you?” Duke plops at his feet, sprawls out and goes to sleep with his head leaning on Bash’s foot. A song is brewing in Bash’s head, a deep gut wrenching song about heartache and loss. It makes no sense why Holly is under his skin, but she is. The woman crawled right in and wedged herself in deep. He can’t shake the memory of her.

  When are we going back?

  Noodles’s words are prophetic, because Bash knows he will go back, but until he figures out why he’s obsessed with Holly, he’s not going anywhere near Santa Barbara.

  A hard knock on the door brings Duke to instant alertness. The dog gives a low, rumbling warning growl and scrabbles to his feet.

  “Easy boy.” Bash stands and grabs the back of Duke’s collar. “Who is it?”

  “Yo!” Forest’s deep voice is unmistakable. “You not getting your texts?”

  “What texts?”

  The door creaks inward.

  “The ones I’ve been…whoa! What the ever-loving fuck is that?”