Dylan leaned back against the soft cushions and closed his eyes, recalling all the renovations he’d made. The kitchen and bathroom had been a mess, and he’d gutted both, even knocking out the dining room wall so that he could have a nice big open space. Cora had given her permission to do whatever he wanted, and that’s exactly what he did. This was going to be it for him. He’d planned on staying forever…
A knock at the front door interrupted his thoughts, and he was pleasantly surprised to find Jason Michaels, the education director; Martha Miller, the animal care coordinator and wildlife vet; and Tammy Ellis, animal care and education assistant, standing on the stoop.
“We brought dinner,” Jason said, holding a pizza box up under Dylan’s nose. “It’s your favorite—extra cheese and pepperoni.”
His mood brightened as he quickly ushered them inside. “This is what I needed. And I don’t just mean the pizza.” Dylan smiled at his friends. “I’m so happy you guys are here.”
“Yeah, we thought you might need some cheering up. Actually, we all do,” Tammy said, while they headed into the kitchen with the three dogs on their heels.
A minute later, they were seated around the table, eating and laughing, as they told stories about their favorite escapades at Forever Wild, and there were enough of them to keep everyone entertained for hours. It was after eleven when his guests left and Dylan was more than ready to call it a night.
After he crawled into bed, Benny and Sunny took their places on either side of him, and Madison sprawled out at the foot of the bed. This was how they slept every night and Dylan wouldn’t have had it any other way.
He fell asleep quickly but was plagued with a series of disturbing dreams, all involving the sanctuary and Kinsley King. In one, she sold the place to a developer, who planned to build condos. In another, Forever Wild was turned into a theme park where the wolf enclosure became home to a rollercoaster.
Dylan woke in the morning covered with sweat. As he stood in the shower, the pulsating force of the water helped to wash away those awful dreams. However, he knew only too well that reality could turn out to be just as bad, if not worse. With that depressing thought implanted on his mind, he had a quick breakfast, got the dogs set, and then headed over to the feed storage facility where the new interns were learning the ropes. They’d just accepted delivery of meat from Fred’s—many of the local grocery stores supplied Forever Wild with meats, poultry, and grains with expired sell-by dates. That’s how they got much of what they fed the animals, and it helped their budget immensely. The last three years had been tough, and a lot of needed repairs had been put off. Cora had inherited a sizeable fortune when her parents died, enabling her to open the sanctuary, but a series of poor investments along with the cost of running the place had depleted it.
He watched the interns prepare the food for the animals and was pleased with the job they were doing. They had to have paid close attention to what he’d taught them. “Good job.”
“Thanks!” Chloe, a petite girl with fiery-red hair and a face full of freckles, grinned at him, but then her expression quickly soured. “We’re all worried that we might not get to finish out our term.” She glanced over at the other three interns as she spoke, and Dylan noticed they all looked worried.
He wished he could reassure them that they would do a full six months, but the truth was he had no idea how much longer they’d be here. “I’m not gonna make you a promise that I might not be able to keep, but I will promise that I’ll try my best to convince the new owner not to sell.” He picked up a large bucket of meat, then over his shoulder said as he headed toward the door, “No matter what happens, the education you’ve gotten here is priceless. Don’t forget that.”
“We won’t,” Emmit, an outgoing young man from Nebraska, replied.
The four interns that started last month were terrific—all college graduates looking for experience in their field. Forever Wild offered a stepping stone to a permanent position somewhere else. It would be a shame if that opportunity ceased to exist. With a heavy heart, he walked over to the cougar enclosure, and after that, he went to Hewey’s. The black bear had been here for over twenty-five years, and it could be difficult to find him a new home. Not wanting negative thoughts to plague him the entire day, Dylan made a mental note to stay upbeat, no matter how difficult that might be.
Between feeding the animals and showing the interns how to clean the enclosures, the morning whizzed by. Like he did every day, Dylan went home for lunch and had his usual grilled cheese sandwich. When it was time to go back to work, he brought the dogs with him. They enjoyed romping around and having the interns shower them with attention. No doubt, the dogs’ antics would keep everyone laughing and Dylan’s mind off the fact that Kinsley would arrive sometime that afternoon.
Chapter 3
Kinsley had forgotten what a gorgeous drive it was to the tiny town of Camille, located about thirty miles north of Woodstock. The lush green scenery was a welcome change from the city’s concrete and steel.
She turned up the radio and then leaned back against the Jag’s plush leather seat. The nearly three-hour drive was exactly what she needed to clear her head. The morning had been hectic trying to rearrange her schedule. She planned to be back sometime tomorrow, so the showings she had scheduled for Sunday were fine.
Before she knew it, she was at Robert Sykes office. It was a small cape style house. The four-car parking lot was around back. The rear door she entered through led directly into the reception area. A pleasant looking young woman immediately took her down a narrow hall to the attorney’s office. At first, she didn’t think there was anyone in the room, but when the chair behind a large oak desk spun around, she spotted a small man with a receding hairline and wire-rimmed glasses worn low on a thin hawk-like nose sitting in it.
“Ms. King, it’s very nice to meet you,” he said, springing to his feet to reach across the desk and shake her hand. “Have a seat,” he went on to say. “Would you like anything to drink? Coffee, perhaps?”
“A glass of water would be nice.” Her throat felt dry and scratchy. Probably from nerves.
The receptionist hurried away and returned a moment later with Kinsley’s drink. After taking a long, refreshing sip, she settled into a chair.
“I trust you had a pleasant trip here,” Robert remarked. “The countryside is quite spectacular.”
“Yes. It is. I did enjoy viewing all the trees.” She smiled sweetly, knowing he was just trying to put her at ease, but she really did wish he would get on with things.
“I’ve known your aunt for years. She was a very fine woman and well loved. Devoting her life to animals was quite remarkable. Everyone in Camille, as well as the surrounding towns, will miss her. The sanctuary is a valuable asset to our small community.”
She sucked in a deep breath. It was no surprise that he’d want to persuade her to keep the place, but she hadn’t expected to feel the pressure quite so soon. Kinsley cleared her throat, but before she could say anything, he placed a document on the desk.
“I’ll let you read this,” he said sliding it over to her. “But first let me briefly go over it. Cora had set up a trust years ago. All of her stock earnings go into it, and those monies have been used to run the sanctuary. It’s to remain that way if you keep the place. However, if you don’t, the stocks are to be sold and the funds used to place the animals elsewhere. I have to warn you, though, there won’t be a lot. Most likely not enough to cover everything.” His voice had turned sour as if the thought of that prospect was distasteful. “She’d been selling stocks over the years, and they’ve dwindled down to just barely covering the monthly expenses, and that’s on a very frugal budget, I might add.”
“I didn’t know Aunt Cora had been struggling,” she said softly.
“She was a proud woman and not one to ask for help. When she hired Dylan Reese, he took over the management. He was the one who kept it from going under. Quite a fine man, he is.”
“I’
m assuming it needs repairs.”
“Yes. Indeed. You’ll see that for yourself when you go over there. Am I correct in assuming that’ll be when you leave here?”
“That’s my plan.” Kinsley had hoped to take a tour so that she could then determine an asking price. She hadn’t anticipated having to put money into it, but that seemed like it would be the case.
“All personal belongings were also left to you.” He took off his glasses and set them on the desk, then began to rub the bridge of his nose.
“Is there anything else?” she asked, picking up the papers to begin reading.
“Just one thing.”
She could tell by the change in his tone that it was important. “And that is?”
“There’s a small house where the manager lives… It’s on a three-acre lot. Cora left it to him.”
Kinsley took a quick sharp breath as she set the papers down. “Is this a problem?”
“Only if you plan to sell.”
Talk about a wrench in her plans. “Where is it on the property?” Maybe she could sell all but that acreage…if it was at the far end.
“Between the birds of prey and the wolf enclosure.”
She tried to picture where that was. Her memory was foggy but good enough to know this could be a huge problem. “That would place it right in the middle of the sanctuary,” she said with a gulp. “Cora didn’t happen to move those enclosures, did she?”
Robert pursed his lips. “No. Nothing’s been moved. The middle of the property sounds about right.”
A pit formed in her stomach. She hadn’t anticipated any issues. “Do you mind if I read the will later?” Kinsley picked up the papers.
“Not at all. They’re yours to keep. I just need your signature in a couple of places, and we’re done unless you plan to contest something.” He raised a brow at her.
She might be a sharp businesswoman capable of cutthroat deals, but when it came to family and the people she loved, she was a pushover. If Aunt Cora wanted to leave her manager a house and a little bit of land, how could Kinsley go against her wishes? “No. I’m not going to contest anything.” With that said, she took the pen from his hand and signed in the designated spots.
“Before you leave, I need to quickly go over Cora’s funeral directions.”
“She left directions?”
“Indeed. She was quite specific.”
Kinsley leaned back in the chair. “What are they?”
“She was adamant about not having a wake. Didn’t like the idea of people viewing her dead body. She wanted her funeral to be a celebration of her life, not a morbid display of her death. Cora also requested a simple ceremony to be held at Camille Christian Church, so that’s what I’ve arranged. I thought you already had enough on your plate. Pastor Mitchell will be presiding over it. Dylan will give the eulogy. And she asked that instead of flowers, that mourners send a check in her honor to their favorite wildlife charity.” Robert pushed his chair back as he stood. “I think that’s about it.”
“When is the funeral?”
He rapped his knuckles on the desk. “How did I forget to tell you that? Next Friday at ten in the morning. However, guests will be allowed to say their goodbyes before the service begins.”
“Thank you for handling everything. That was very kind of you.”
“Cora was a dear friend. It was an honor to do it. And I want you to know my job isn’t done. I’m here for you too. Your aunt loved you very much. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”
The lump in her throat made it difficult to speak, so the only thing she could croak out was, “Thank you. I will.”
Kinsley sat in her car for a while, trying to fully digest the fact that her aunt was gone. It hadn’t totally hit her until the attorney went over the funeral arrangements. The other thing she was having trouble with was the shocking discovery that she didn’t own the entire sanctuary. How in the world was she going to sell the property with a parcel of land sitting smack dab in the middle of it? There were only a couple of options. One was to get Dylan to sell his inheritance to her. The other was to find a buyer who’d be willing to keep Dylan on as manager. Both could present quite a challenge.
Chapter 4
Dylan saw the sleek black Jaguar as soon as it entered the sanctuary and watched as it took a left toward Cora’s big old Victorian. He had no doubt who was behind the wheel. Kinsley King was here to inspect her new inheritance.
The dogs, who’d been playing in the pond next to Hewey’s enclosure, spotted it too, and before he could stop them, they were off at full gallop.
“Hey, guys! Get back here. You know you’re not supposed to chase cars.” Of course, they paid no attention, and it didn’t help that his words were swallowed by the wind as he bolted after them.
When the car door opened, a gorgeous blonde in a tight-fitting skirt and stiletto heels got out and was greeted by sixty pounds of muscle. Sunny jumped up, placing his wet, muddy paws on her chest, pinning her against the Jag, while Benny and Madison barked behind him.
Fear, stark and vivid, glittered in her dark eyes and her peach-tinted skin paled to white. “Help,” she gasped.
“Off!” Dylan commanded. This time Sunny obeyed, and then all three dogs quickly came to sit beside him. “He wouldn’t hurt you. A mouse is fiercer than this fellow.” Dylan rubbed the pit bull’s ear.
“Tell that to my racing heart,” she said.
“The breed gets a bum rap.”
“I wouldn’t know about that,” she retorted curtly.
Dylan followed her gaze as she looked down at her once spotless white shirt now splattered with dirt. It was evident that she wasn’t amused. “Sorry about that. He gets a little too excited.”
“Not exactly the welcome I’d envisioned.” Her full lips thinned with irritation.
“But one you’ll remember.”
Her eyes darkened to ebony as she held his gaze. “You’re certainly right about that.”
“I’m Dylan Reese, by the way. And you must be Cora’s niece, Kinsley.” He extended his hand to her, and when she shook it, he noticed the softness of her skin. I’ll bet she’s never washed a dish in her life or done any housework at all for that matter.
“Nice to meet you and your dogs… I think.”
“They’re usually much better behaved.”
“I’m sure they are, but you might want to keep them on a leash.”
It was probably best to ignore her remark. He’d already gotten off to a bad start. “You must want to change. Especially, your blouse. And get settled in the house. After that, I’d love to show you around.”
“There’s not much settling to do. I’m only here for the night. But thank you. I’d like that. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”
Too long. It would’ve meant a lot to Cora if you’d come to visit. “Will an hour give you enough time?”
“Plenty.”
“Okay. I’ll be back then.” Before he left, his gaze dropped down to her heels. “It would be a good idea to wear sneakers.”
She waggled her left foot at him. “You don’t think these are a good choice for walking around the sanctuary?”
“Not unless you enjoy blisters and maybe a sprained ankle.”
“I’ll find something more suitable to wear.” She reached into the backseat, pulled out a large tote bag and then went inside the house without looking back.
“Nice going, guys. This wasn’t exactly the way to get on her good side,” he said to the three dogs as they headed home.
Once there, Dylan caught a glance at his reflection in the hall mirror. Sweat lined his brow and spotted his shirt. His short dark hair was poking up in odd places, and a smudge of muck ran the length of his right cheek. The daily grind consisted of hot, dirty work and it left him looking and smelling less than fresh. Kinsley wasn’t the only one who needed a change of clothes. He did too, along with a shower. It was going to take a whole lot of convincing to get her to agree
to keep the sanctuary, and that meant turning on the charm, something he hadn’t needed to do lately. It had been a long time since he’d been in the company of a young, attractive woman. His thoughts unwillingly shifted to Tori, causing his chest to tighten as it always did whenever she entered his mind. It had been over five years since their break-up, yet she still had an effect on him. He’d thought moving to Camille and becoming engrossed in the sanctuary would cure him of that and it had to some degree. Maybe this was the best it would be… Maybe she’d always be the thorn that would prevent him from having another relationship. It really didn’t matter, though. Love was the last thing on his mind. All of his energy was directed at work, and up until Cora’s death, he’d been relatively happy. Dylan wanted that happiness back and was willing to do whatever was needed to make that happen.
Chapter 5
As Kinsley stood in the foyer of the three thousand square foot Victorian, memories of her childhood surfaced. Her gaze scanned the magnificent cherry staircase, then moved down to the cupboard under the stairs where she used to play. She opened the door and looked inside. Generations of kids had signed their names, and hers was there amongst them near the upper left corner. She ran her fingers over the carving, remembering how upset her parents had been that she’d used a steak knife from the kitchen. She’d been about eight years old, and the grand 1885 home had been a magical place to explore—very different from the stark, modern penthouse where she lived. Never had she imagined that she would someday come to own it.
This place was way too large for one person. Her aunt might not have minded it, but Kinsley sure did. A big family was what was needed here.
She strolled through the dining room, living room, front parlor, and library, noting that nothing had been updated since her last visit. The kitchen still had the black and white checkered floor and original pocket doors. It would take a lot of work and money to make the house ready to put on the market. With a sigh, she headed upstairs to the master bedroom, dropping her tote bag on the huge four-poster bed. It was a spacious room with lots of floor to ceiling windows and a stone fireplace that was badly in need of a facelift. She’d strip away the old floral wallpaper and have the room painted a soft latte. White trim, ceiling, and fireplace would give a crisp edge to the room. When redone, it would be gorgeous.
No Time for Love: No Brides Club, Book 1 Page 2
