Page 132 of Come Back to Me

“Colt?”

“You haven’t seen him with a shotgun, Tee. Anyway, some people are born scary and some aren’t.” He wags a finger at Tee, who’s on the brink of biting it off. “We’re definitely not scary. In fact, I think we’d be someone’s bitches in prison.”

“Let’s hope you three avoid prison then, huh? But Zee, you’re not alone with the suffering. I have a shitty day ahead of me too.” I snag one of the fresh breakfast muffins Mrs. Abelman left on the counter at some point. “Elena Frobisher’s sick. Did you know, Callan?”

“Not really. Cole and I didn’t get a Frobisher buddy. What’s wrong with her?”

“Early onset Alzheimer’s,” Tee answers.

Callan winces. “Harsh.”

“How do you feel about dogs, Callan?”

The question has Callan and I sharing a surprised look.

“I was never allowed one, Tee. What do dogs have to do with Mrs. Frobisher?”

Zee ignores him. “Why weren’t you allowed a dog?”

“Clyde’s allergic.” I pick up another muffin. “Why are you asking?”

“All the more reason to get a pack of dogs then,” Tee mutters. “Filter the whole ranch with dander and he’ll never be able to come back here.”

Callan tears into his own breakfast muffin. “Why are we talking about dogs?”

Tee shows him her phone, and finally, I get to see what they were discussing earlier.

My brows lift when I read the headline:

Kindersen’s Humane Society Animal Haven Destroyed in Freak Flood

Callan’s mouth rounds. “Four hundred dogs are in danger?!”

Ah, shit.

I know that tone.

“I thought we could rehome one,” Tee concurs.

“What, one hundred?”

“No. A single dog, Callan.” She clucks her tongue. “Do you have tumbleweed in your ears?”

“Four hundred dogs need rehousing, Tee! One.” He scoffs likeshe’sthe mad person in the kitchen. God help us—I know what this means. “Leave it with me.”

With that, he wanders out of the kitchen, mumbling aboutone dog, as ifwhile juggling the baking dish housing all the muffins and a bottle of juice.

“What just happened?” Zee questions, gaping at his back.

“What just happened is you created a monster.” I sigh. “He’s either going to rebuild the shelter or he’ll bring them here.”

“Bring them here?” Tee warbles, the living incarnation of the happy-eye emoji.

“Callan’s always loved dogs,” I reason, moving closer to her because she’s too distracted to notice our proximity.

Tee blinks a few dozen times. “I hope you don’t think I was trying to take advantage of his good nature.”

“Were you?”

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