Forty Candles (3 page)

“No, Ma, you’re hitting the dial pad with your face. Here, let me click it to the home screen,” Ellie answered. He heard another beep then his mother returned.

“Well?” she demanded.

“I don’t remember the chin scar. How old was I when we had the horny dog, Ma?” At least she wasn’t asking about Chloe.

“Two? Maybe three? I don’t know, you were small enough that he thought you were his type.” Her chuckling laugh still made him grin, even if she was talking about a horny dog.

“Nope, I don’t remember it. I’ll bring the dog I found by if I end up adopting him. Well, I have to get the horses fed and—” There was a click on the other end of the line, so he asked, “Ma?”

“I’m in the closet so Ellie can’t hear me. Are you dating her again? Or still just dancing around each other like two moths at a bug zapper?” Her whisper was loud enough that Jack bet his sister could hear regardless of the closet door.

“Why are you hiding in the closet?” Laughter escaped between his words, although he’d tried to hold it back.

“Stop laughing at your mother. It’s disrespectful. And Ellie doesn’t need to be gossiping about you, but a mother has a right to know these things.”

He didn’t bother disputing her logic. “I promise if I adopt a dog, I’ll bring it by to meet you. If I get a wife, same goes. That work?”

Her snort came right before more beeps. “Damned phone. Did you hear what your sister did?”

“Which one?” Leaning back, he closed his eyes and let his mother’s familiar voice wipe away his worries about the past.

Seeing Jack’s pickup truck pull in, Chloe snapped the camo-colored leash she’d picked for him onto the large black dog. “Well, Fluffy, time for you to go to your new home.”

Over the past couple days, the Aussie had grown on Chloe. A sweet animal, if slightly neurotic, the big furry canine would be missed. Better, though, that he was leaving the kennel. Fluffy, as Chloe had been calling him, got really nervous around other dogs as Jack had expected. The search for whoever lost him wasn’t going well. Calling Jack today, Chloe advised he come pick up the animal and take him home until the owner turned up.

Although, with each day that passed, it looked worse for Fluffy. People just didn’t usually rescue big black dogs.

“Chloe.”

“Jack.” Not looking up at him, she worked to control her pulse. It seemed lately, every time he was around, she fought a primal reaction to him. Always a testosterone packed punch to the gut, memories seemed fresher of late, drowning her in remembered glimpses of his flesh against hers and other things better left buried in the past.

Disregarding her own frustrating hormones, she faked a polite and businesslike tone. “So, I’ve been feeding him the more expensive dog food since it doesn’t contain fillers and he is a chubby guy to begin with. Probably you should stay with that and I recommend you not feed him more than two full bowls a day. Also, try to avoid giving him human food. He just doesn’t need the calories and a lot of human food is bad for dogs anyway. You can Google more on that, if you want. I brought out a fifty pound bag of the food I’ve been giving him if you want to buy it. He’s up-to-date on all of his shots and healthy, though as Meredith mentioned when you brought him in, he’s not microchipped. I even checked to see if it floated into his armpit or something, but nada.” Pausing for air, she shrugged. “I just groomed him this morning, and his nails are trimmed. I’m not charging you for that, since you are nice enough to give him a place to stay until his owners are found, but I want to make sure you understand that there is a really good chance you aren’t going to find them. He really needs someplace that won’t mind giving him a forever home if they aren’t found.”

Finally glancing up, she saw he wore a tee shirt with the sleeves cut off, emphasizing the tattoos that ran down his arms like dark art writhing on muscle. Most of the time, his uniform hid the tats, but she had this weakness for big muscles decorated with art.
Gah, he looks good enough to bite.

Clearing her throat, she ruffled the dog’s fur and tried to banish the image of that tee shirt pulled tight across his perfectly sculpted chest from her mind.

“If we don’t find his home, I think I will keep him. Right, Stark?” Bending, Jack came into her peripheral vision as he petted the dog, who seemed to recognize him as he slurped Jack’s shoulder.

I wouldn’t mind licking that shoulder myself.

Clearing her throat again, Chloe forced herself to meet his azure gaze. “Stark?”

“Like the superhero from the movies, the one in the metal suit. Figure he is a strong dog.”

Nodding, Chloe smiled. “I’ve been calling him Fluffy.”

“Fluffy is a name for a poodle. Not a big butch dog like Stark, here. Right, Stark?”

Stark rolled and presented his belly, just in case anyone was interested in rubbing it.

“Fluffy likes belly rubs,” Chloe laughed.

“You’re sissifying him, Red.” Jack shook his head. “I’m going to have to take him fishing and look at porn with him. Get him manned back up.”

The old childhood nickname made her bite her lip. She knew this man, knew him better than she knew herself sometimes. She’d never been as easy with any other guy, but she’d also never kept a friend so long as she’d managed to keep him. It’d be a shame to mess that up. Meeting his smiling gaze, Chloe felt heat pool low in her body as her lady parts reacted to that grin with hyper speed. “If you think you can man him up, please, feel free to try. You’re the guy who wore a tutu to the senior talent show.”

“You dared me. Not my fault you said hairy legs looked sexy in pink. I’ll take the dog food, and thanks for all the advice.” Lips still upturned in a smile, with his eyes crinkled like that, it seemed imperative she lean over and press her lips to his.

Which is crazy.
He was an ex. And he knew things about her that were better forgotten.

Licking lips gone dry, she forced legs gone to jelly to straighten, moving away from him. “Any other questions about proper care of your new furry friend, Jack?”

“Actually,” Meredith popped a head out from the back, “Chloe? Could you pop over and check and see how the animal is settling in some time in the next day or so? I would do it but I am headed out of town tonight and you’re on call, not me.”

“Uh—” They were a small town vet, so running out and doing house calls was pretty common. Still...

“Chloe knows where I live,” Jack inserted before she could come up with a good excuse not to stop by. “I’m not far out of her way. If you head over ’round dinner time, I have a nice pork roast in the slow cooker and you could have some with me and Stark if you’ve not yet eaten.”

“Perfect,” Meredith smiled at him. “Take care of it Chloe.”

“Uh—”

“See ya later, Red.” He mumbled the words in an undertone only meant for her ears, but it meant he got even closer and the scent of him—all man and Jack and delicious—flooded her brain. She had to struggle, actually struggle, to make sense of his words. Surprisingly, her belly was twisted with nervous flutters as if she was some teenager talking to her crush.

Picking up the dog’s leash, Jack headed out the door after buying his dog food, leaving Chloe wondering how she was going to battle her raging hormones in a private setting when they were going rampant in a public one. She headed to the back of the office, figuring cleaning dog pens for a while might cool her libido. By the time she made it out front again, she’d put Jack and his new dog out of her mind.

Mostly.

 “Chloe?” The familiar voice knocked her out of her introspection and she turned to see Jack’s sister—which one was it again? Ellie? Stella? It couldn’t be the baby—Mellie was off at school and the oldest, Deena, moved out to Oregon a while back, hadn’t she? They all looked the same—dimples, five foot nothing, like tiny versions of Jack if he hadn’t been shaving the remains of his hair.

“Yes? Hey, how can I help you?” Since none of Jack’s four sisters usually bothered to talk to her, not to mention recognize her existence, she refused to feel guilty for not knowing which of the Leonard Four she faced.

Although she
did
feel guilty, even as she tried to convince herself she wasn’t.

“I was thinking of getting a cat. Which ones are available?” Pointing at the kennels, the sister—whichever one it was—smiled a winning smile which didn’t manage to hide the rabid speculation in her gaze.

“None of those. Most of our cats are here for medical treatment, rather than adoption.”
Since this is a veterinary clinic, not a pound.
She didn’t say the last out loud, even if the sight of Jack’s sibling made her feel as awkward as a twelve year old girl bra shopping for the first time.

“Oh. Well, I—” The sister shuffled and Chloe chewed her lip in new guilt. It wasn’t her fault Chloe slept with her brother about a thousand years ago. It also wasn’t her fault if Chloe projected her own guilt onto their lack of interaction, assuming they were judging her or something. Maybe they just never ran into one another…

“Look, I’m sorry. Let me start again. None of these cats are available, but we do have a litter of kittens and one orange tom looking for homes. Would you like to meet them?” She didn’t bother trying to guess the name, figuring she’d look like an ass if she picked the wrong sister.

“Great. I’m Ellie, by the way. I think you know my brother, Jack? Didn’t you guys go to school together or something?” Ellie smiled a smile that Chloe would bet her last dollar was fake. She wasn’t here for a cat—she was snooping.

“We sure did!” Putting false cheer in her tone, Chloe waved for Ellie to follow her. “The cats are right through here. I really think you’ll like the tomcat. He’s a sweet boy, just needs the right home.” Chloe lied and figured it was fair play, considering Ellie had to be scouting because of some gossip she’d heard. The tom in question, Brutus as they’d dubbed him, was meaner than piss. He had ragged ears, one fang that hung out of his mouth too far making him drool nearly constantly, and a practically feral nature. He’d scratched every one of their techs—Chloe twice. “What do you think?”

Ellie chewed her lip and considered the fat and somewhat evil looking feline. “Uh, sweet? So, I heard Jack came in here with a dog…did you manage to find his home?”

Pulling on gloves, Chloe reached into the cage to withdraw a mostly calm, evil cat. “Not yet, no. Actually, your brother was just here and took Stark home with him.”

Ellie, seeming determined to continue the conversation, reached out to try to pet Brutus, who took a swat at her. Withdrawing her hand before he could grab her, Ellie squeaked and yet didn’t back down. “Yeah, I thought I saw his truck. Look, you got me. I don’t think I want a cat after all. I want to talk about Jack.”

Chloe nodded. “What about?” Shifting Brutus to her hip, she absently began to pet him. He calmed and considered Ellie with interest. Whether it was interest to be petted or considering whether or not he could eat her remained debatable.

“When you two dated, you really messed him up.” Ellie straightened, putting her hand out with more determination. Brutus, fickle bastard that he was, rubbed his head into her touch and began a drooling purr. “I wanted to tell you not to hurt him again.”

“Me? Hurt
him
?” Squeaking the words startled Brutus, who began to struggle. Shocking Chloe, Ellie reached out and took the large animal and began to croon to him.

“Yes, you hurt him.”

“Or what?” Damn Brutus for purring like a docile house cat and damn Ellie for making Chloe feel like she had to answer for a past that wasn’t all her fault. After all, Jack’d been the one who wanted her to be something she wasn’t, even when she’d proved with her own failings that she wasn’t fit for marriage. Jack’d been the one to paint castles in the air about their happily ever after while Chloe’d saved him from the eventual misery of divorce and who knew what other trauma.

“Or nothing. I’m not here to threaten you, Chloe. I’m here to tell you not to hurt my brother. Woman to woman, I’ll tell you that my brother isn’t nearly as badass as he seems.”

Chloe snorted. She’d never seen Jack as badass. He was a giant teddy bear, hence her protecting him. “Your brother doesn’t seem badass…and I’m not picking a fight by saying so. He’s got a huge heart, all squashy marshmallow inside. I’m not sure why you think he seems badass, but—”

“Huh.” Brutus still purred in her arms, butting his head into Ellie’s chin for more love. “Maybe I misjudged you. Most people see his size—cowboy cop and all that—and assume he’s prickly or tough and he’s not.”

“No.” She never would have guessed she’d end up laughing with one of Jack’s sisters, but they both chuckled at the idea of a badass Jack. “I never made that mistake.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to ask you to tread gently.”

Chloe wanted to defend herself. She wanted to tell his sister to not be a nosy bitch. She would have told Harper to say just that if she were in the same situation, as a matter of fact. She wanted to say that Jack’d taken a good strip out of her hide throughout the years, that she’d shed her share of tears over him, too. Instead, she just stood, staring at the tiny female version of Jack holding the meanest cat she’d ever met, and didn’t say a thing.

“You don’t know me, and if Jack knew I came in here, he’d shove his foot up my ass sideways, but I figured I’d talk to you, ask you to be careful with him.” She shrugged. “He’s my only brother, after all, and someone has to look out for him.”

I’ve always looked out for him. Everything I did, it was to protect him. You don’t understand how much divorce hurts, you with your perfect family who cares about each other and who can tame evil cats without trying. You don’t know what it’s like to be the one left behind.

But Chloe didn’t say any of that, either. She only blinked and nodded.

“I think I will adopt him. He’s a good guy. Looks rough, but once you get past that, he’s got a lot of love to give, don’t you think?”

Chloe didn’t have an answer for Ellie, so she simply filed the paperwork and decided to try to forget the whole exchange.