Page 59 of Chasing Shelter

I turned and stalked toward the SUV, trying to rein in the ugly stew so Keely wouldn’t see it. Swallowing all that ugliness cost me something. But I’d pay it over and over again for my daughter.

16

ELLIE

I woketo a phone ringing and a dog licking my cheek. “Gremlin,” I mumbled, trying to grab him and fumble for my phone at the same time. I failed at both. The dog dive-bombed my face, and my phone clattered to the floor.

“Oh, God. Gross, Gremlin. That was my mouth.” I tried not to gag as I swung to sitting and swiped my phone off the floor. “Hello?” I greeted without looking.

“Are you okay?” Linc demanded. “You didn’t answer, and you’re out of breath.”

“In overprotective mode much? I wassleeping.”

“Oh. Sorry for waking you.”

“Told you, Cowboy,” I heard Arden say from the background. “Not everyone likes to rise at dawn like you.”

“And not everyone keeps vampire hours likeyou,” he shot back.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Gremlin must’ve liked the sound because he barked and jumped, spinning on the bed.

“What was that?” Linc demanded.

“Breathe, ConCon,” I said, swiping up Gremlin and sliding myfeet into bright, fuzzy purple slippers covered in hearts. They’d been an impulse purchase in town, and I loved them. “I got a dog.”

“A dog?” he parroted.

“I want to meet him or her,” Arden called over the line.

“Would you put us on speaker?” I asked with a laugh as I headed downstairs, not bothering to put on anything but the oversized T-shirt I was wearing—a T-shirt that was the perfect amount of worn. One that was just the right level of softness to sleep in. A tee that still smelled like sandalwood and black pepper. Trace’s shirt.

“Fine. Putting you on speaker,” Linc grumbled.

“I want to see the baby,” Arden called.

“One sec. I’m taking him out.” I unlocked the back door and stepped out onto the porch, making a beeline for the grass. “There you go, buddy.”

“What kind is he? Where’d you get him?” Arden kept going with a rapid-fire list of questions.

I laughed as I watched to make sure Gremlin did his business. “I’m not sure, but he’s little. And he found me. He was under the dumpster outside The Mix Up.”

“And you just took him home?” Linc barked. “He could have diseases.”

“You sound like Trace,” I grumbled.

“Then Trace has some sense,” Linc shot back.

“Trace has met him?” Arden asked, but I heard a hint ofsomethingin her tone.

“I ran into him right after I found Gremlin. He took me to the pet supply store,” I explained as I snapped a picture of my pup.

“Suddenly, the photo you sent yesterday makes more sense,” Arden said, a smile evident in her voice.

“Gremlin?” Linc asked, sounding appalled.

I sent the photo to Linc’s phone so they could see.

“Oh my goodness. Those ears,” Arden cooed.

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