by Dylann Crush
“How about I bring lunch to you? I can stop by around noon.”
“Sure.” One less thing to have to think about. Although, holding Lacey at bay with her crazy ideas might take more effort than trying to figure out what to feed herself for lunch, so it might not be an equal trade-off.
“See you in a bit.”
Zina disconnected and slid her phone back into her pocket. As she let the first phase of pups out to the runs in back, she searched for more damage. Besides a few small drips and drops in the supply room, the back of the building didn’t seem to have any major issues. Thank goodness. She didn’t think she could deal with another crisis.
Lacey might be embracing all things having to do with Ido, but Zina couldn’t seem to get on board the crazy-train idea of transforming their tiny town into a mecca for demanding brides. Ever since last spring when they’d had that article in Texas Times, the town had been bursting at the seams with weddings and the headaches that came with them.
Lacey was in hog heaven since her sole role as mayor was to force a breath of life back into the town. But Zina, along with quite a few other longtime residents, weren’t so thrilled with having a slew of outsiders descend on their small corner of Texas every weekend. Also, the wedding business had caused an increase in the number of pit bulls being abandoned to For Pitties’ Sake. And that was something Zina vowed to fix.
By the time Lacey arrived at noon, Zina had run two loads of wet towels through the dryer and still had more to go.
“You really need to take care of this.” Lacey glanced down at the bucket as rainwater continued to drip from the ceiling.
“I put a call in for someone to come take a look this afternoon.” Zina picked up the wet towels and traded them out for a fresh batch. At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to keep up. Unless she wanted to move into the shelter and work towel patrol all weekend, she needed to figure out a way to stop the leaks.
“I got you a taco dinner from Ortega’s. That ought to lift your spirits.” Lacey reached into the brown paper bag she’d brought with her and set the food on the counter.
Zina’s stomach growled. She’d been so busy the thought of breakfast hadn’t even crossed her mind and now it was time for lunch. “Thanks. You’re always looking out for me, aren’t you?”
A grin spread across Lacey’s face. “I sure am. That’s why I think you need to take me up on my offer. It’s easy money.”
Zina shook her head. “No way. Pimping my pups out so you can make a buck off some bossy bride isn’t going to help.”
“I don’t see how you can say that.” Lacey clamped her hands to her hips. Her wedding ring caught the light from the fluorescent overheads and sent sparkles all over the walls, reminding Zina of how much her friend’s life had changed over the past year.
“I know you think it would be helping, but I don’t know how any of these dogs would react if we dumped them into one of your gussied-up wedding ordeals. With my luck some drunk bridesmaid would get bit and then I’d have liability issues in addition to the leaks I’ve got going on now.”
“But you could pick some of the most laid-back dogs. Like Buster.” Lacey pointed to a square dog bed set up in the corner of the office.
A giant pit bull lifted his head at the mention of his name. His tail thumped against the linoleum, once, twice, before he let out a rush of gas.
“You want to clear the ceremony?” Zina asked as the stench of Buster’s explosion wafted through the air. “Because if you’re looking for a way to run off the wedding party, Buster’s your dog.”
Lacey wrinkled her nose and then pinched it between her fingers. “Okay, so not Buster. But surely you’ve got another option. How many dogs do you have here right now?”
“Too many.” Zina gathered the brown bag with one hand and waved the other in front of her face, trying to fan away Buster’s stench. “Let’s go sit out front.”
“There have got to be a few sweet ones.” Lacey followed her to the picnic table in the shade of a giant live oak.
Zina handed her a towel to dry off the plastic bench. “I just don’t feel comfortable with the idea.”
Or any of the ideas Lacey had been coming up with lately. Transforming the town into wedding central had been bad enough, but Lacey kept trying to up the stakes. Zina had made multiple attempts to try to talk her down, but Lacey was hell-bent on putting Ido on the map.
“Fine. I’ll come up with another idea.” Lacey bit into her taco with more force than necessary. The shell cracked, dumping half of the contents onto the paper wrapper.
“Careful. Don’t take out your aggression on the taco supreme.” Zina grinned.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re impossible?”
“You know you’re the only person in town who thinks so.”
“No one else knows you as well as I do.” Lacey narrowed her eyes as she took another bite—a gentle bite.
Zina held back a response. Lacey might have a point, but holding her ground was the only thing that had ever worked for her. Until it hadn’t. The one time she’d let someone else talk her into not listening to her gut, she’d almost ended up with a hole in her head. Granted, life in Ido was much different than the time she’d spent on active duty in the Middle East. But still, she couldn’t be too careful, especially not with the crazies who kept dumping pit bulls around town.
As if she could read her mind, Lacey finished a sip of her soda and turned to Zina. “You have any more incidents?”
“Hmm?” Zina tried to pretend she didn’t know exactly what her friend meant.
“Vandalism. Bodie told me he was out at your place earlier this week. Someone took a baseball bat to your mailbox.”
“Nope. Nothing since then. They pretty much chalked it up to some kids with too much free time on their hands.”
“If it happens again call Bodie first. He told me you called the sheriff’s department and it took forever for them to send someone out.”
Zina shrugged. “I don’t want anyone to accuse me of taking special liberties.”
“You’re practically family. That’s not taking special liberties, that’s just what it is.”
Practically family. The thought of Lacey with her blond hair and blue eyes fitting in with Zina’s mix of Mexican, German, and Scottish heritage brought a grin to her face. Her friendship with Lacey was one of the only things she enjoyed about being back in town. That and the dogs.
She’d wished she could pick up and leave it all behind more than a time or two over the years. But her deeply ingrained sense of obligation held her back. Lacey would be lost without her. And Zina loved knowing she was actually making a difference in the lives of the dogs she was able to save. But if she were being honest with herself, like, really, truly, gut-wrenchingly honest, the main reason she stayed was that she could never leave her brother.
“Hey, are you going to be out by the Phillips House anytime today?” Lacey asked.
“I can be. I need to pick up some more towels at home and take Zeb to an appointment. What do you need?”
Lacey’s eyes softened at the mention of Zina’s older brother’s name. “How’s he doing?”
“Better.”
“Remember, hon, it’s me you’re talking to. You can tell me the truth.”
Zina set her taco down. “He’s doing fine. I just wish he’d find something to live for again. He’s lost that light he used to have, you know?”
“He’s lucky he has you looking out for him.” Lacey nodded. “He’ll find his way.”
“I hope so.” As much as Zina might dream about leaving Ido, she could never move away from her brother. Zeb had enlisted in the Marines right out of high school and spent five years on active duty before the transport he was in rolled over an IED. When he came home, he was a different person than the young man who’d left with stars in his eyes and the desire to fol
low in their dad’s footsteps.
“Just give it time. Time heals all wounds, isn’t that what they say?” Lacey dipped a chip into her guacamole.
Time. That was one thing she never seemed to have enough of nowadays. “You asked about running to the Phillips House. What do you need?”
“Oh, I’ve got some linens I picked up from the dry cleaner from last weekend’s wedding that need to be put away. If you’re out that way, would you mind dropping them off for me?”
“Sure.” It was the least she could do. Lacey wouldn’t hesitate to do her a favor. All she ever had to do was ask.
two
The unseasonable heat of a late-February afternoon drifted over Alex like he’d walked into a steam room. Unaccustomed to any amount of humidity, he tried to suck in a breath as he exited Houston’s Hobby Airport. In the past twenty-four hours he’d experienced a change in time of nineteen hours and a temperature shift of over seventy degrees. In his time away, working in one of the coldest places in the world, he’d all but forgotten how he’d almost melted during his childhood in Texas.
He tightened his grip on the handle of his bag. His fingers slipped a bit. He was already sweating and he’d barely stepped outside. Maybe taking this opportunity was a mistake. Before he could go too far down that path, a horn sounded. A huge pickup truck screeched to a halt in front of him, and Charlene hopped out of the driver’s seat.
“If I wasn’t looking at you with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe you’re here.” Before he could reply, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight.
His throat constricted at the sight of his sister. It had been too long. “Good to see you, too.”
She pulled back and he caught a hint of tears in the corners of her eyes. He’d let her take on too much. She never should have had to deal with Gramps on top of everything else she had going on.
She flung her arm around his side and guided him toward the truck. “Have I told you how happy I am that you’re here?”
He hugged her close. “How’s Gramps?”
The smile faded, her mouth turning slightly downward. “He’s still at the nursing home right now. But I’ve got to get him out of there. He’s so unpredictable.”
“I don’t know how you do it. Raising four kids, practically by yourself. You’re incredible, you know?” He had nothing but the utmost respect for his older sister. When her husband signed up for another tour of duty, she’d done everything she could to hold things together. Being so far away, Alex had no idea what kind of toll that took. But now that he saw the worry lines etched into her forehead, how her clothes hung from her thin frame, and the dark smudges under her eyes, he vowed he’d do what he could to ease her burden.
“So tell me about this job you landed. What kind of opportunity brings a guy who’s spent the last six months working in Antarctica back home to Texas?”
“I’m not sure you’ll believe me if I tell you.” When he talked to Munyon’s attorney about the job, Alex thought it was a joke. He still didn’t believe it himself.
“Go on, try me.”
“Okay.” He waited for Char to climb into the truck as he buckled up. “I got an offer to take care of a small group of penguins.”
“At the aquarium?”
“No, that’s just it. They’re redoing the exhibit, so I have to relocate them.”
“Where?” Char asked.
“I’m not sure yet.” That was the only kink in his plan.
“We don’t have room for penguins. So help me, Alex, if you think you’re going to—”
He twisted in his seat to meet his sister’s gaze. A few years ago, he might have strung her along for a bit, just for a few laughs. But in her current situation, he didn’t want to risk sending her over the edge and having to take on all of her other responsibilities in addition to Gramps.
“Don’t worry, they’re not coming to your place.”
“Promise?” Her voice squeaked.
“Yes, I promise.”
“So where are you going to put these penguins?” she asked.
“I haven’t quite figured that part out yet, but I’ve got a couple of ideas and a few months to make it happen.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. How many penguins are you talking about?”
“Six. A nice half dozen.” Alex’s blood pressure notched up as he thought about it. There should be a few things in life that money couldn’t buy. Evidently a bridal party made up of penguins wasn’t one of them. According to the attorney, Munyon’s daughter had dreamed of her big day as a little girl. And been changing her mind ever since.
She’d started with a wedding on a private island in the Caribbean. But in the last month she’d shifted gears and now she wanted penguins. As the only daughter of a man with more money than God, she’d have exactly what she wanted on her big day, no matter how ridiculous it seemed or how much it cost.
Char let out a laugh. “I guess those summers you spent working at that marine life park are finally paying off. Where are you going to house half a dozen penguins?”
“I’m not sure yet. Know of anywhere nearby where there’s room for a huge wedding and space to set up a temporary habitat?”
“You know they’re putting up that wedding place over in Ido,” Char volunteered.
“Ido?” Alex asked.
“I don’t think I mentioned it, but Idont changed their name to Ido last year.”
“Why the hell would they do that?” The only thing Idont had going for it was Phillips Stationery and Imports. That place had been around for over a hundred years and was the backbone of Idont’s business.
“You remember Lacey Cherish?”
At Alex’s nod, she continued. “The Phillips family shut down the import business, so she went and turned the Phillips House into a venue for weddings and events. Got the whole town to rename themselves Ido. If you ask me, that girl’s got a few screws loose.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Business is booming. Although it’s a pain in the ass to try to get around town. She’s got a couple of weddings every weekend. Traffic can get pretty backed up along the highway.”
“What’s she doing with the warehouse?” Alex asked. If there was a place nearby that might fit the bill, it would save him days, maybe even weeks, of research.
“I don’t know. Storage, maybe?”
His first day in Texas, and things were already looking good. “Think we can swing by the Phillips place on the way home?”
“Sure, I’ll have Jordan keep an eye on her sisters when they get home from school. What do you have in mind?” Char asked.
“Just an idea. We’ll see.”
* * *
* * *
Zina hung another tablecloth on a hanger in the upstairs closet at the Phillips House. Lacey had been using the historic Victorian as a venue to host all kinds of events, although most of them were weddings. As she folded up the empty bag and slid it into the bottom of the antique armoire, tires crunched on the gravel drive outside.
She glanced out the window, surprised at the sight of a blue pickup truck. Usually prospective brides and grooms set up appointments directly with Lacey. Zina waited as a couple got out of the truck. The man and woman stood outside their vehicle for a moment, and then the man headed for the front steps.
Probably a couple looking for a wedding venue. She let the curtain fall back in place. The doorbell chimed as she made her way down the grand staircase to the foyer. She’d just hand them one of Lacey’s cards and get on with her day.
But then she opened the door. She wasn’t prepared for the sight of the man standing on the other side. Although, she wasn’t sure a woman could do anything to prepare for a man like him showing up on her doorstep.
He towered over her, just like he probably stood a head taller than most other men. Granted, she was on the shorter side
since she’d inherited her height from her mama’s side of the family, along with her curves. His broad shoulders filled the doorframe, blocking out the light behind him.
But it wasn’t his height or his build that made her take a step back. It was his eyes. Somewhere between blue and green, they locked onto her, holding her mesmerized in their grip.
She cleared her throat and held tighter to the doorframe. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Lacey Cherish. Is she around?”
His voice vibrated through her, the deep baritone rumbling from her toes to the tips of her curls. Zina shook her head. “She’s at the office. Are you looking for a place for an event?”
“Something like that.” He grinned, and the corners of his eyes crinkled.
Good Lord, was that a hint of a dimple peeking out at her from his left cheek? She’d been lost in those eyes, but when he smiled, his lips quirking up into a grin, her insides churned. Who was he?
“I could show you around if you’d like.” She tilted her head, inviting him to step into the foyer.
“Thanks, but I’m mostly interested in the warehouse. Do you know if she ever rents that out?”
“The warehouse?” What kind of event would he want to hold in the warehouse? “I don’t know, but I can give you one of her cards.”
“That would be great.”
“Here you go.” As Zina handed him the card, her fingers brushed his. Her whole arm quivered. She shook it off, uncomfortable with the sensation.
No need to get her panties in a wad over some stranger. Especially one who was off the market.
“Thanks.” He glanced to the card, then back to her. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”
“No. I’m sure I’d remember.” The words spilled out before she had a chance to shut herself up. As she tried to compose herself, she thrust her hand at him. “Zina Baxter. I’m one of Lacey’s friends.”
“Baxter . . .” His hand curled around hers. Tingles shot up her arm. “You’re Zeb’s little sister, aren’t you?”
“You know my brother?” Who was this guy? And how did he know her older brother? Zeb hadn’t gotten out much since he returned from his tour of duty a couple of years ago.
