Declan’s eyes widened. “Let’s go. I’ll get the crew.”
As they ran into the station and Declan sounded the call, Braden didn’t bother to ask his brother if they could bring Jelly Bean. He was as important on this call as the two other EMTs that piled into the truck.
It wasn’t until the sirens screamed and they went careening toward Dogwood Lane that Jelly Bean finally quieted, satisfied that he’d done his job. And Braden had never loved him more.
Chapter Twenty-four
Braden drove straight to Waterford Farm when his shift was over, having gotten the text that both Cassie and Yiayia had been released from Vestal Valley Hospital the night before while he was working.
At eight in the morning on a Sunday, Waterford would normally be deserted, hours away from the weekly dinner that would bring everyone together. Today, the driveway was filled with every car and truck he recognized from all three families.
In times of trouble, the Kilcannons and Mahoneys—and now the Santorinis—gathered, no planning necessary. He wasn’t the least bit surprised to see them all in the big kitchen, spilling out to the den and even the central hall when he walked in with Jazz and Jelly Bean.
But he was surprised as hell to see Jace Demakos sitting at the island counter sipping coffee like he belonged there.
Braden swallowed his emotions and braced for the resounding greeting he expected from the family. And he got it—loud, exuberant, and joyous…for Jelly Bean. Amid the hoots and cheering, the exclamations came fast and furious. Even Jazz barked, as if she knew her pal was the star of the day.
“There’s our hero!”
“All hail King Bean!”
“Hands down the best dog ever!”
“Move over, all other dogs!”
Barking, circling, and wagging his tail so hard he hit a few people, JB reveled in the attention, accepting treats and rubs and praise from everyone. Once they were done, Braden was finally acknowledged with hugs and high fives from the guys, kisses from the girls and Gramma, and one bone-cracking embrace from his uncle.
“Thank you for training him like that,” he said to Braden. “Thank you for believing in that dog.”
Braden gave a solid pat of gratitude to his uncle, then leaned back to ask, “How are they? I heard Yiayia did not have a heart attack, which we kind of figured based on her vitals in the ambulance.”
Katie came up to him and added her own squeeze and a kiss of gratitude, tears spilling from her dark eyes. “Yiayia has costochondritis.” She said the word like she’d just learned it and still was getting comfortable with the pronunciation. “The doctors think she must have injured cartilage in her ribs from lifting something too heavy. The symptoms feel exactly like a heart attack, especially familiar for someone who’s had one before, which…” Katie wrinkled her nose to show her displeasure. “She never told us she had. Can you believe that?”
Braden shook his head. “And only one broken bone in Cassie’s foot?”
“Yes, thank God. A slight concussion, but nothing…” Katie closed her eyes and hugged him, overcome with emotion. “It could have been so much worse, Braden.”
He blew out a breath, remembering the moment he’d found her and Yiayia and pieced together what had happened. This gathering could be for a far darker reason, which was why the mood in the kitchen was celebratory.
“Six weeks in a cast,” Uncle Daniel said. “Six weeks in a boot.”
“But she’ll dance at our wedding,” Katie added, wiping a tear. “All thanks to Jelly Bean.”
He glanced at the dog, licking peanut butter directly out of Ella’s hand. “Cassie and Jelly Bean might be the two most resourceful creatures on earth.”
“Weimaraners are action dogs,” Uncle Daniel said.
“Which makes JB a perfect match for Cassie,” Braden joked, his gaze shifting past Katie to the man at the counter. When their eyes met, Braden gave a nod, and Jace lifted a coffee cup in greeting.
“I just came over to check on her and let her know the job will wait for her,” the other man said.
That was met with a rousing, massive dead silence.
Jace gave an embarrassed laugh. “And that, due to unforeseen circumstances, no winner was chosen for the Family First treat contest.”
From across the kitchen, Gramma Finnie raised her fist like a warrior. “Watch out for us next year!”
That brought the levity back, but Braden couldn’t laugh with his family. He was still thinking about that job. If Cassie didn’t take the offer, he knew it would be because she’d been injured and her dreams had been derailed. Not because she’d chosen Braden and Bitter Bark over the job.
“Can I see her?” he asked Katie.
“Of course.” She slid her arm around his and guided him out of the kitchen. “We’ve set her up in the downstairs guest room, where she’ll be staying since there’s a flight of stairs up to her apartment. Yiayia is resting in Pru’s old room right now, but she’s going to be fine and will head back home tomorrow.”
“And when do we start building a set of stairs to code in that house?”
Katie snorted. “Josh has already volunteered one of his construction crews.”
“That’s great. I’m glad to hear that.”
As they walked through the center hall to the other side of the house, Katie squeezed his arm. “Cassie’s a little loopy from the painkillers,” she warned him. “The concussion is slight, but she did get her bell rung. Not sure she’ll even remember later what she says to you.”
In other words, declarations and promises should be taken with a boulder of salt. “Got it.” He nodded as she opened the door and stepped back, letting him enter the dimly lit room alone.
“Hey, cuz,” he whispered, going to the bed where her foot was raised and covered in a cast.
She fluttered her eyes open. “Einstein.”
For some reason, that just broke his heart into a million pieces. “I brought your favorite dog. He’s in the kitchen, being showered with love.”
“Well deserved,” she said with a smile that looked like it took all her strength to give him. “C’mere, honey. I miss you.”
He approached the bed and propped on the side, careful not to disrupt her peaceful position. But he couldn’t help reaching out and stroking her hair and cheek. She’d been in and out of consciousness when they’d arrived, and he had no idea if she even remembered him talking to her as they carried her stretcher, or holding her hand in the ambulance when tears of pain rolled down her pretty cheeks.
“How you feeling, gorgeous?” he asked.
She made a face. “Like I tripped on a leash and went flying down basement stairs.”
He flinched at a vivid, horrific mental image.
“Totally my fault, not his. Jelly Bean is…unbelievable.”
“Pretty sure he’s been named the King of All Dogs forevermore.”
“Mmm. And I live to serve my king. Remind me if I ever think he doesn’t like me again that he’s big on grand gestures and that whole ‘showing and not licking’ thing.”
He gave a quick laugh, amazed that she never lost her sense of humor, even when her one-liners were slurred.
He caressed her face again, which made her eyes grow heavy. “You want to sleep?”
“I want to tell you…something.” She took a deep breath, wincing.
“It hurts to breathe?” he asked.
“Every cell in my body hurts,” she said. “Especially…” She pressed her hand against her heart. “This one.” Then she moved that hand to slip it around his. “Braden, I wasn’t going to leave,” she managed to say. “I swear I wasn’t. I didn’t get a chance to tell you…or Jace.”
Oh, how he wanted to believe that. With every fiber in his body, he wanted to believe that. But something deep inside wouldn’t let him, because he’d seen the look on her face, he knew what she wanted from life, and he had no doubt that when he’d left the house twenty-five hours ago, she’d been scribbling her Chicago To-Do Li
st.
And then, in an instant, life changed. A brush with death, a mild concussion, and no doubt a little shock from the fall might make her think she wanted to stay now, but in a few weeks? When her head cleared and Jace was still waving management positions in a big city?
“Well, he’s out there with his offer.”
“He’s here?” She tried to roll her eyes. “Send him in, and I’ll tell him right in front of you.”
“Cassie, listen, this accident doesn’t have to change what—”
“Braden.” She tried to sit up a little, but he put his hand on her shoulder to keep her still. “I made this decision before I fell.” She frowned. “I know I did, but the whole day is…fuzzy.” She tried again to push up. “But I know I did.”
“Shhh. Just rest.”
“You don’t believe me.” The frustration came through her weak voice.
Did he? Was wanting to believe the same as believing? “I…I think that it’s hard for a person like you who likes to make things go her way and then the universe or fate or God—whatever—throws a monkey wrench into your plans.”
“So you think I’m just saying I was going to stay because I have to?” Her voice cracked, and instantly he shook his head and quieted her. “But that’s not—”
“Babe, what happened happened. And it throws you off your plans, but you’re not going to change your whole life because you fell down the steps.”
“I’m going to change my whole life because…” She lifted her lids and looked into his eyes. “Because I love you.”
The words were so airy and soft, he barely heard them, but they had the same impact on his heart as if she’d screamed them from the top of a mountain.
“I don’t want to live without you,” she said, her eyes welling. “I don’t want Chicago or a high-rise or a job if there’s no Einstein by my side.”
For a whole lot of heartbeats, he just looked at her. Held the words against his heart and reveled in the peace and hope and completion they gave him.
And then he remembered that these were the very promises and declarations Katie had warned him not to trust. They were fueled by sedatives and numbed by a mild concussion. The fact was, Cassie might not ever remember these words had come out of her mouth.
But he would. Forever.
And it would be so easy to say the same three words back to her. Because he did. He loved her with everything he could and some he hadn’t known he had. Which meant he had to say something else completely.
“Cassie, you’ll never forgive me or yourself if you give up your dreams.”
“I have other dreams now,” she said, her voice cracking and her words slurred. “I can prove it. I swear I can. I just can’t…remember how.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant, but he understood why she’d say it. “You took a bad fall. You’re on some strong drugs. Your mind and memory and even your emotions are out of whack.”
She winced, not liking any of that, but he just rubbed his thumb over her knuckles for a minute. “I’m going to give you some time to think and…” He gave a smile. “Make your action plan.”
“Time, I got. The woman of action is sidelined for a while.”
“Not for long. Not if I know her.” He patted her hand, knowing she wasn’t going to love what he was about to say. “And you’re going to be pampered like a queen here.”
“Mom will pounce on my every need,” she agreed. “Think she’ll mind if you sleep here?”
He swallowed. “I’m not going to sleep here.”
She stuck out her lower lip and glowered at her foot. “Hate this cast, but then you better plan nice long visits.”
“I’m not going to be in Bitter Bark for a while.”
She blinked, her eyes clear for a second as that sank in. “Where are you going?”
“I got a call today that the North Carolina ATF arson squad has an opening for three weeks of ADC and handler certification training. I’ll board there with Jazz and complete the course.”
“Oh…three weeks? Is it far?”
“Too far to come home during the training, which is intense and you cannot miss a day, but when it’s over, Jazz and I will be fully certified for accelerant-detection training.”
She sighed and nodded. “Wow. That’s what you want. That’s your dream. I’m happy… What about Jelly Bean?”
“JB will revel in his hero status and board here at Waterford.”
“Board schmoard. He’s never leaving my side.” She managed a loopy smile. “I bet I could train him to bring me my crutches.”
That made him smile. “Sure. He’s yours while I’m gone.”
“And…what about me?” She found his hand and tried to squeeze. “Am I yours while you’re gone?”
Searching her face, he was very quiet for a moment, not wanting to share all the thoughts that had tormented him that day. Like the fact that he’d almost lost another person he loved, almost missed another last goodbye, almost had to go through unimaginable grief all over again, and he wasn’t at all sure he could stand that.
So, the reality was, it wasn’t his life he was worried about, but the person he loved the most. Love meant…loss. Hadn’t he learned that at thirteen?
“I need time, too,” he said honestly. “I think a complete break is good for us.”
She let her eyes close as that hit. “I wasn’t going to take the job,” she whispered. “And you’ll never believe that now.”
He wanted to tell her she was wrong, but he couldn’t. “You just get better. Heal that foot. Figure things out.”
“I already figured them out, Braden.” Her voice rose and so did her shoulders, the pain flashing in her eyes along with determination to make her point. “I love you. I realized it yesterday and…and…”
“Shhh, Cass.”
She fell back on the bed, tears escaping. The problem was, he’d never really know if she would have made that declaration twenty-four hours and one catastrophe ago.
“I’ll be back in a few weeks.” He smoothed her hair again. “You’ll have time to get better, and I’ll…”
She closed her eyes and let out a ragged sigh. “It hurts.”
“I know, babe.” He closed his eyes and leaned close to her. “It could have been so much worse,” he whispered as the harsh reality punched him for the twentieth time that day. “You literally could have died. And I honestly do not think I could have…” His voice cracked, making her look up at him, searching his face and waiting for him to finish. “I know life is fragile,” he said in a rough whisper. “I see lives lost way too often. But when it’s someone who is your very reason for…for breathing.” He blinked back the moisture in his eyes. “Cassie, I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“I’m your reason for breathing?”
He didn’t answer, but held her gaze long enough that she had to see the truth in his eyes. Finally, she bit her lip and nodded. “Then you come back to me.”
“I will,” he promised.
“I’ll be here…” Her voice started fading, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open. “I’ll never leave…” Her breath grew steady and deep. “I’ll stay…forever…Einsteiiii…”
He watched her sink into sleep, wondering if she’d wake and think she’d dreamed this conversation. Maybe she wouldn’t remember it at all.
But he’d replay it a thousand times.
After a few minutes, he tucked the comforter under her chin and leaned close to her ear.
“I love you, agapi mou.” That was probably redundant, and bad Greek, but he didn’t care. It was true.
Chapter Twenty-five
Pru came flying into the back office of Bone Appetit, her eyes as bright as her smile. “Done with station seven!” she announced with a clap. “Beggin’ for a Slide is scavenger hunt perfection!”
“How did it come out?” Cassie asked, shifting her ideas notebook to the side to reveal her fundraising list notebook, homing in on the name of the organization she’d chosen to get money
for tomorrow’s event. Since they’d lowered the entry fee to ten dollars and made it far more fun than serious, close to a hundred dog-and-people teams were now signed up to participate in Lost and Hound. “Because we need this money.”
“The Beggin’ Strips are buried by the playground with one of Gramma Finnie’s cute little paw signs cleverly hidden on the rock-climbing wall,” Pru said, throwing a grateful look at the two grandmothers side by side on the sofa in front of a card table covered with poster board and colored markers. “And once they find the Beggin’ Strips, they’ll locate the clue to ‘climb every mountain.’” She sang the last three words in her best Sound of Music imitation, making them all laugh.
“The mountain is the slide?” Cassie guessed.
“Bingo. But they have to take a video of going down the slide with their dog and then find the next clue, which will send them to station eight.” She took a breath and dropped into the chair. “Which I hope Ella and Darcy are setting up right now outside of Bushrod’s and not sitting inside Bushrod’s day drinking.”
“I used to love day drinking,” Yiayia muttered to Gramma Finnie. “Bad habit, I know, but it sure helps improve a game of canasta.”
Gramma’s little shoulders shook under her cardigan. “Oh, Agnes. I know my daughter keeps a wee bit of Jameson’s in here.” She gave her best friend a sly smile. “Might make the poster art a tad more interestin’.”
“And it might make us miss the deadline of this scavenger hunt,” Cassie warned. “And we cannot let down the fine people at Anything’s Pawsible.” She tapped the page covered with notes and ideas she’d written one morning about two and a half weeks ago when she’d come out of her fog and started to…buzz.
The first thing she’d done was gather a crew of family and friends to help her breathe new life into the scavenger hunt, then she started researching potential nonprofits to reap the benefits. When Daniel mentioned an organization dedicated to training dogs who had failed service school, but still needed a purpose in life, she knew where the funds should go.
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