Page 93 of Reckless Harmony

Stark wasn’t expecting to see the sheriff’s SUV in Rayna’s driveway when he arrived home Wednesday night. Nor did he expect his immediate rush of panic. He climbed out of his car and practically ran across the front yard and up Rayna’s porch steps.

He knocked hard on the door, his stomach churning. Had that asshole Louis shown up on Rayna’s property again? Had he hurt her? He knocked again, nearly bruising his knuckles with the force.

“C’mon,” he muttered. “Answer the fucking door, baby.”

He was about to knock a third time when the door opened. He stared at Sheriff Walker, his stomach dropping all the way to the fucking ground. “Where is she? Did he hurt her? Did he -”

“She’s fine,” the sheriff said. “I’m not here on business.”

He shouldered past the sheriff, needing to see Rayna for himself. “Rayna, where are… holy shit.”

He stared in disbelief at the giant dog sitting in the hallway. His tail wagging madly, the dog stood and took a few steps forward before the sheriff said, “Tank, sit.”

The dog sat obediently, but his tail wagged even harder when Bea wandered into the hallway. The two dogs touched noses, and Bea licked Tank’s nose. Tank’s tail smacked against the wall, and Gideon sighed. “Do not put a hole in the wall with your tail, Tank.”

“This is your dog?” Stark asked.

“Yes,” Gideon said. “He’s a Great Dane, he weighs about a buck seventy-five, and he eats ten cups of food a day.”

Stark grinned. “I guess you get asked those questions a lot.”

“You have no idea,” Gideon said with a laugh.

Stark walked toward the fawn coloured Dane, holding his hand out for Tank to sniff before scratching his throat and behind his ears. The dog chuffed happily and stood before leaning hard against Stark. He braced his feet before he could get knocked into the wall. “Whoa, big guy.”

“Sorry, he’s a leaner,” Gideon said.

Bea whined happily before sitting on Stark’s feet. He leaned down to pet the old beagle and got a giant dog tongue slurping across his face for his efforts.

“Tank, c’mon, buddy,” Gideon said with a sigh. “No licking the guests.”

Stark straightened and wiped the drool from his cheek as Gideon said, “Rayna and Grace are in the living room.”

Stark followed Gideon into the living room, Tank and Bea both competing to see who could knock him off his feet first. Although he didn’t doubt the sheriff’s assurance that Rayna was fine, he didn’t truly relax until he saw Rayna in the room with a curvy, dark-haired woman.

They were both crouched in front of a long white metal cage, and he could hear weird squeaks and whistles coming from the cage. He nudged Bea off his feet and joined the two women.

“So, this one is Nadia, and this one is Penny.” Rayna pointed first to a tricoloured guinea pig and then a pure white one. “I’ve held them a few times, and they’re skittish but not bitey. You’ll need to pick up some more supplies for them - hay and pellets, and some fresh veggies - which, as a foster, you can submit the receipt for reimbursement.”

The dark-haired woman shrugged. “I don’t need reimbursement.”

“Okay, but we won’t be able to give you a donation-in-kind receipt,” Rayna said. “Not until I finish setting up Little Whiskers as a registered charity. Sorry, Grace.”

“No worries,” Grace said. “I’m just glad that Tank doesn’t see them as a snack.”

Rayna laughed. “Me too. Although, when you told me way back when that you’d foster a guinea pig, I bet you didn’t expect me to actually make you keep that promise.”

Grace grinned at her. “Maybe not, but I’m happy to help and -”

She stopped, glancing behind her as she noticed Stark for the first time. She stood gracefully and held out her hand. “Hello, I’m Grace Larken.”

“Isaac Stark.” He shook her hand as Rayna stood.

“What, uh… what are you doing here?” Rayna asked.

“I saw the sheriff’s vehicle and thought Louis was giving you trouble again,” Stark said.

“He won’t,” Rayna said. “I’m perfectly safe.”

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