Page 55 of Paging Dr. Breakup
The regret on her face as that sad smile fell hit him like a two by four.
“I never asked you for anything,” she said quietly. Too calmly.
“Except faking a relationship. Which, full disclosure, I agreed to as well.” He nodded. “We’ll keep up the pretense until I’m gone. I won’t renege on that promise.”
“If that’s what you want to do, then fine.”Fine.Her tone suggested it was anything but fine.
“I will finish our deal,” he said. “Shield both of us from friendly fire. Aim the gossip elsewhere.” Like he did last night? Hell of an aim. Sleeping with her had not been part of their plan.
She opened then closed her mouth, blotches of red blooming on her neck and cheeks. “I think you might want to head on out. You probably have a busy day.” Her words might be polite and terrifyingly calm, but he read the clamped jaw and tight lines around her eyes.
“Deirdre, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for last night?”
“No. Never.”I’m sorry I can’t be the future you need and deserve.Even now, he couldn’t speak the words aloud.
“Then we’re good.” Her lips pressed together. “Do you need me to get the front door, or are you okay closing it behind you?”
Chapter Twenty
Later that morning,Deirdre scratched behind the ears of retired sled dog Kenai until the dog left happy drool marks on her fleece-lined outdoor pants. Kenai trailed along, tail wagging, as Deirdre fed the rest of the babies. Mav had an EMS shift, and of course she had run late this morning because, hello, sex with Calvin. So, she and her brother hurried to get breakfast out for hungry guests and never-been-fed dogs.
Thankfully, the guests wanted to sleep in, so she had time to prepare their meal.
“Still want to take them on their walk?” Mav placed a bowl in front of Denali, who shook her long, luxurious tan fur. With daytime temperatures rising, the Malamute had started to shed. They’d be able to spin yarn and knit a sweater out of the amount of fur she would drop in the next few months.
She unzipped her own jacket to allow cool air to flow across her fleece pullover underneath. Even growing up in Alaska, she sometimes struggled to get the right clothing-versus-weather combo.
“Planning on it. As soon as the guests are done with breakfast. I was going to take this crew for a trot around the meadow.” She lifted her chin toward the snowy expanse that stretched between the stand of trees protecting the lodge and the hills rising in the distance.
“Watch out for Kaaktuq. He’s been especially flatulent lately. God knows what he’s been eating besides kibble.”
On instinct, she set the bowl down and stepped back quickly. Kaaktuq had only eyes for the food and shoved his head in, snorting while he ate. His big fluffy tail collected slush as it whipped wildly in happiness.
“Got it.” She put another food bowl down for Bob, who gave a lopsided doggy smile before digging in. “Meadow trails still holding up?”
“A little muddy, but they’ll be okay.”
She pointed. “Brought my mud boots.”
“Yeah, you’ll be fine, then.” He reached down to pat Bob on his irregular-looking head attached to his irregular-looking body. “These guys will love the sloppy terrain.”
“I’ll love cleaning them up afterward.”
“Yep.” Mav pulled apart a bale and replaced old hay with new in each kennel. “Anything else you need before I get out of here?”
“No, I’m good.”
He paused, his eyes inscrutable behind his sunglasses. “Sure about that?”
“Of course.”
He grunted. “Anything you want totellme?”
For the love of prying younger brothers.
She huffed, “Nope.” No way was she sharing details about her personal life with Mav.
