Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Easton

I ’m sitting outside Dusty’s Collision Repair on my lunch break when my cell rings. This is another thing Dusty has done for our family. He gave me a job and has put up with my shit.

My cell rings again. “Hello?”

“Is this Easton?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Hi. This is Bailey from Birchbark County Animal Shelter. We have a dog that’s been through some trauma. It was a rough go for a while, but he’s much better now. The problem is, if we can’t get him adopted within three days…well…”

Bailey doesn’t need to finish for me to know what will happen to him. It’s why she’s calling me.

“I know this isn’t typical, but you helped out with Pretty Girl and…hell, I just…don’t want him to be put down. He’s got—”

“I’ll take him,” I cut her off.

“Don’t you want to know anything about him first?”

“No. I’ll be down this afternoon.” It’s not that simple, of course. I’ll have to bring Pretty Girl with me to make sure they get along, and then I’ll need to fill out all the paperwork, but I damn sure am going to get that dog. I’ll steal him if I have to.

“Thank you, Easton. I had a feeling you would say that. He’ll be a good dog for you. I know it.”

I end the call because really, there’s not much else that needs to be said, before standing and going into the shop. Dusty recently got back to work after his trip to California. The whole time he was gone, I’ve been scared out of my mind that I would fuck up his business, that he would come home and discover I’d run it into the ground or set it on fire or who the fuck knows what I’m capable of. Fortunately, I got lucky and none of that happened.

“We’re getting a towed vehicle in later today,” Dusty tells me.

“Okay.” I nod. “I was going to see if I could get off early…just like an hour or so. I have something I need to do.”

I should just tell him. Everything doesn’t have to be top secret fucking information, but for some reason, with me, it does.

“It’s important,” I add. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.” I’ve fucked up a lot in this job with Dusty—been late too many times to count, had days I didn’t show up or call in and other times I called out. I started trying to be better before Morgan came back, but even more since then, and especially since Dusty thought he was going to move to California with my brother and wanted me to run his shop, I’ve been trying even harder. In some ways, Dusty has been there for me more than anyone.

Archer too , Ella reminds me.

I grin. Not now, brat.

Who knew dead sisters could try and be matchmakers? Ignoring the fact that she’s all in my head, which means…a part of me is trying to matchmake myself. I file that information away in the ignore folder in my brain.

“East?”

Fuck. I must have zoned out again. “It’s important, Dusty,” I reiterate.

“Okay. That’s fine. I believe you. Plus, you watched the shop while I was gone. I figure I can let you get off early to do whatever mysterious shit it is you’re doing.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s not mysterious.” Then why oh why don’t I tell him? “How’s Morgan? Still stupid in love with you?” I tease.

“Same as he was this morning when you asked me that, brat.”

My thoughts stumble over hearing him call me the same thing I’d just called Ella. It makes me feel close to her, which is ridiculous. I don’t understand the things that go on in my head sometimes, but at nearly twenty-eight, I’m not sure I can change them now.

“I’m gonna get back to work early,” I say.

“You can finish lunch.”

I ignore him, which makes me seem like a dick, but we both know I’m not going to do what he said. It’s easier if he thinks it’s just me being difficult like I always am than him knowing it’s because I feel bad leaving early and want to make it up to him.

I work hard to get as much done as I can. When Dusty offered to hire me, it was because he wanted to keep an eye on me, and he knew that most other people in Birchbark were tired of dealing with my shit. The thing is, I’ve somehow fallen in love with auto body work. I’ve always been good with my hands—and not as smart as Morgan, Rhett, or Gregory. I can’t think of him as the D word anymore, not since that night at the jail. I’d already been keeping my distance from him, but now that I’m not a Swift according to him, I figure it’s time to turn off whatever quiet hope I might have had. The hardest part, though, is I feel bad for Rhett. He’s always looked up to Gregory—actually, I’m not sure that’s what it is. Sometimes I wonder if Rhett is more lost than even me, needing to prove himself to a man I can’t say he ever even liked. He wanted to, wanted so hard to believe Gregory was someone he wasn’t, and I don’t understand why. Now Rhett’s barely talking to any of us, has quit his job, stopped running for mayor, and who the fuck knows what he’s doing with his life. I never thought there would be a world where I would be employed and Rhett wouldn’t.

Dusty is painting, and I sneak in to tell him goodbye, then head home for Pretty Girl. The second I walk in the door, she’s all over me, licking and jumping. I should probably teach her some manners, but I like her excitement, her joy for life. She and I have both been through a lot, but she knows how to be thankful she’s still around, and I haven’t mastered that yet. All I know is Pretty Girl is a party of one when it comes to people who are always happy to see me, who love me unconditionally and don’t look at me like I’m broken. And I know I am, but she either doesn’t see it or doesn’t care.

“I think we’ll get you a brother today. Would you like that?” I ask her as she slips and falls, which is due to an old leg injury. One leg is a little shorter than the other three and sometimes gives out, but she’s not in pain. I make sure of that every time I take her to the vet. Like always, she gets up again and gives me loves.

I grab the leash but don’t put it on her yet, then take her out to go potty. Once she’s done, I strap her into her dog seat belt so she’s safe while we drive to the animal shelter.

“They didn’t tell me much about him, but I’m sure he’s a good boy,” I tell her. “We’re gonna save him. He’s gonna need his big sister to show him the ropes.” I don’t even know if Pretty Girl is older than him, but to me, she’ll be his big sister.

She leans in and licks my face, which makes me smile.

I continue talking to her like she’s a damn person the whole way to the shelter. Animals and my dead sister are the only ones with whom I feel comfortable speaking freely.

When we get out of the vehicle at the shelter, I let Pretty Girl pee again before we go inside.

“Hey, Easton. I haven’t seen you in a while,” the guy at the counter says. I can’t remember his name, but I’ve seen him off and on when I come in to volunteer.

“Yep,” I reply, then tell him I’m here to see Bailey. That she has a dog for me.

They put me in a room where they take people to spend time with the dogs. Pretty Girl stays close to my side, and when I sit on the chair, she tries to jump into my lap.

“Hey…it’s okay. I’m not leaving you here. You don’t ever have to stay in this place again.” I nuzzle into her neck, pet her, make sure she knows she’s loved.

A few minutes later, Bailey, this really pretty woman with box braids, opens the door. “Can we come in?”

“Yeah, of course.” I slide onto the floor, hugging Pretty Girl close, watching as Bailey brings in a black dog with a white spot on his chest. He’s skinny, too fucking skinny. He looks like he has some Lab in him, but I’m not sure what else. He’s beat up, similarly to how Pretty Girl was, and one of his eyes is closed in a way that doesn’t look like it opens.

“He had some trauma to his left eye and lost it. It couldn’t be saved. Sometimes he has some equilibrium issues, still adjusting to seeing out of one eye, but he’s doing well, aren’t you?” She gives him loves.

He’s shaking, standing beside her on the leash like he’s not sure what to do.

“It’s okay…we’re friends.” I keep my voice low and soft so I don’t scare him. “We’re hoping to take you home with us.”

I hold my hand out, but he still doesn’t seem to know what to do. And then…then Pretty Girl takes slow, measured steps his way. Their noses touch tentatively before they start smelling each other. They do that for what feels like an eternity before I realize Pretty Girl is backing up, taking small steps until she’s beside me again and the pup is right in front of me.

She lays her head on my lap, and somehow, I know she’s telling him it’s okay. That I’m going to take care of them. My eyes begin to sting, and I want to wipe the tears before they fall, but I also don’t want to make any sharp movements and scare him.

“I won’t hurt you,” I tell him softly, and then…damned if he doesn’t lie down too, his head next to Pretty Girl’s on my lap. He’s still shaking, still scared, but he’s trusting her that it will be okay.

Slowly, I ease my hand out and pet him.

“I want him,” I tell Bailey, without looking up at her.

“I knew you would. And somehow, I knew he would want you too.”

I spend a good hour in the room with the dogs. Bailey leaves me alone with them, and I talk to them, pet them, and get the new dog used to us.

I fill out the paperwork, and now that they know he and Pretty Girl will be okay together, that means I can bring him home today.

Once everything is done, I’m walking down the hall with both dogs on leash, when I notice a guy at the counter. He has his back to me, but I know instantly who the long, lean man with black hair is. Archer Thorn. And beside him is Meadow Cassidy.

“There was a black dog here earlier,” Archer says. “I want to inquire about adopting him.”

I freeze, trying to make sense of what I hear. Archer is there, and he wants to adopt my dog.

The desk guy chuckles. “Happens to the best of us. Come in to volunteer, want to leave with a dog.”

Archer nods. “Yeah, I can’t say that was part of the plan today. But this little lady and I fell in love with him.”

“Uncle Archer fell in love first. He would be my uncle’s dog, but I can see him all the time,” Meadow says while I stand there, rooted to the floor. I can’t say why this is so shocking to me. I’ve never seen Archer here before, though. I’ve been doing a good job avoiding him since he got me out of jail, and now he’s here, with Meadow, trying to adopt my dog.

Tell him hi, silly , Ella nudges me.

He’s got his niece with him.

So?

What if he doesn’t want me around her because of the shit I do? Or what if Cass doesn’t?

“Unfortunately, he was just adopted. Oh, look. There he is behind you.”

Do I have time to run? I probably would if Meadow wasn’t there, but she and Archer turn around to look at me, his eyes going wide when he sees it’s me.

“Mr. Easton!” Meadow exclaims. “You have two dogs? I don’t have any. Dad’s not sure about the dog thing yet, but Uncle Archer was going to get him.” She walks over, Archer beside her. “Can I pet them?”

I nod. “Pretty Girl for sure. He might be a little nervous, though.”

“He let me pet him earlier, but I’ll be careful.” She kneels, and Pretty Girl immediately goes to her. It takes a moment, but after he sees how Meadow is petting Pretty Girl, and that it’s okay, he eases her way too.

“You adopted my dog.” Archer crosses his arms, but there’s a smirk on his face. He’s…too fucking sexy. I try not to think about it most of the time—his full lips and square jawline; the way his dark hair hangs over his forehead, his eyes either full of mischief or heart. Not the love kind, just the one that says he’s a good guy who cares about everyone.

My initial reaction is to tell him to fuck off, that the pup is mine, but I wouldn’t say that in front of Meadow, and I know Archer is teasing me. Instead, I find myself cocking my head, looking at him while trying to make sense of this. “You wanted him? Even the way he is?”

“He deserves love too. Hell, I probably wanted him because of the way he is. I hadn’t planned on getting a dog, and it shouldn’t be a spur-of-the-moment decision, but there’s something about him. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.”

My stomach twists up. What he said, that’s a good thing, and I shouldn’t be surprised, not with Archer, this man who saw me losing my shit in the woods and held me all night…and then again the following year… But it’s a struggle to trust the good in people, to believe it can be real. “Mr. Perfect,” I say, trying not to show my conflicting emotions.

“I mean, I’m not going to argue with that.” He winks.

“Why did you volunteer here?” The question had been teasing the edges of my thoughts. “I’ve been doing this for years, and I’ve never seen you here.” Is this another of his save-Easton ideas? Or is he trying to find a way to get close to me for… Actually, I have no idea why he does that other than he thinks I need it, need him.

“You volunteer here?” The way his forehead wrinkles up, I can tell his question is genuine. He really didn’t know, so this isn’t part of his weird plan to fix me.

“Never mind.”

“It doesn’t surprise me,” he replies. “But Meadow likes animals too, and I thought it would be a good lesson for her, learning to volunteer and things like that. I told Cass I would bring her.”

He does stuff like that with her. I’ve seen them together before. It’s so strange to me, something I don’t understand, which makes the truth come out. “My dad never wanted to spend time with us, especially me.” But Archer wants to, with her. This girl who isn’t even really related to him.

The second I realize what I said, my mouth clamps closed, jaw tight. Why the fuck did I give him that? Give him that piece of me, and then…my gaze darts down, but Meadow is in her own little world with the dogs, not paying us any attention.

“Hey.” Like he’s done before, Archer reaches over and takes hold of my chin. “Your dad is a fucking bastard. That says more about him than it will ever say about you. You deserve better.”

Archer got the part about Gregory right, just not the one about me. I pull out of his hold. “I gotta go. I’m taking the dogs to the park before I go home.” I hate taking them away from Meadow, and her from the dogs. I’m sure they would much rather play with a kid than be with me.

“Can we go too?” she asks. “Would you mind, Mr. Easton? Dad is working late, so I’m hanging out with my uncle tonight.”

Say no, say no, say no.

Meadow looks up at me and smiles.

Say yes , my sister tells me.

I’m sure Tripp doesn’t want his daughter around me.

Then there’s something wrong with him. You’re the best guy there is.

You don’t know many guys , I reply.

“As long as you don’t call me Mr. Easton.”

She stands.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s weird.”

Archer laughs. “You can call him Easton. Your dad won’t care since that’s what he wants to be called.” He puts his arm around her, and for some reason it’s hard not to watch him with her.

When he glances at me, I turn away.

“What park are we going to?” he asks.

I give him the name.

“We’ll meet you there.”

I nod, then stand there with my two dogs as Archer and Meadow head to his truck. This is different from the other times I’ve been with him. Those were all because he stalked me in the woods or bailed me out of trouble.

Part of me wants to go home, to get out of here and never talk to Archer again. He doesn’t treat me the way other people do. He doesn’t talk to me the way other people do.

But Meadow is expecting me, and I wouldn’t do that to her…or the pups. “What have we gotten ourselves into?” I ask them, but no one answers. Not even Ella.