Page 76 of Fierce Love
“Me either,” Maren says. “I’m tempted to ask Mom, but I don’t want to drag her deeper into Sawyer’s life if I can help it. Heischarming, and he does seem to be well-liked at the palace. Brice, Nick, and even Alex, speak highly of him. Fair, funny, personable—which should all be good things.”
“So…” I hedge. “Maybe it’s just you?”
“Maybe it’s just me,” Maren says with a sigh. “Why am I like this?”
“Your ex-husband,” I say. “Ruined your trust. Brice has been working on restoring it, and you’re just not there yet.”
“And I thought my radar was warped when I married Enzo,” Maren says, and the puppy whimpers in the carrier. “Apparently, that ‘bad guy’ radar still might be off-kilter.”
“What do I do with him?” I ask, gesturing to the puppy. Once I’ve got Kinsley, I’m taking her to the pet store to get everything we’ll need. I’m letting her lead the way, but until she’s with me, I’m a bit fucked. I’ve never owned an animal, let alone a puppy.
Maren reaches into her bag and pulls out some folded material. When she sets them on the island, I recognize what they are.
“He’ll pee on those?” I ask, skeptical even though I’ve seen it.
“He’s a pro,” she says. “Honestly, the best pup in the litter. Kinsley has good taste.” She pats me on the chest. “I need to go oversee all the other pickups. Videotape Kin’s response, will you? I’d love to see it. Ten dollars says she bursts into tears of gratitude.”
“I don’t want her crying!” I call after Maren as she heads to the door.
“Too late, brother. You’re going to make her heart too big for her chest with your infinite kindness.”
When the door clicks closed, I put the pee pads down, and I stare into the carrier. For as long as Kinsley is on the island, this little guy will be hers. And if they really do leave us both behind, well, he’ll become mine.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Hollyn
When Posey drops me off at the house after we’re done shooting for the day, Nate greets me outside the circular driveway, and immediately, all my insides tense up. He’s more the type to be in the house watching sports or on his computer rather than outside when I arrive.
“Is everything okay?” I ask as I shut the door to Posey’s car, and give a quick wave to her as she drives away. The security that’s constantly tailing me sits at the end of the long driveway, and I clock the other security person who often patrols the exterior of the house coming around the corner at a leisurely pace.
Nothing unusual about any of that, and I relax a tiny bit. Nate’s expression doesn’t look worried either. But there’s definitely something off.
“Yeah, fine,” he says with a slight head nod. “I just wanted to talk to you in private before you went in the house.”
“Did something happen to the house?”
He bites his lip and stares at me for a beat, and I can tell he’s measuring his words again.
“You can just say it,” I say.
“Kinsley fell in love with one of the puppies, and I adopted it. It’s in the house.”
“Youadopted it?”
“I did.”
“Without consulting me?”
“SinceIadopted it, and we’re not technically a ‘we,’ I didn’t think I had to.”
There’s a hint of challenge in his voice, which I wasn’t expecting, but he’s also correct. We’re not a “we.” Sometimes I forget we can’t be more than we already are when we’re all in this house together. A brief prick of sadness threatens to penetrate and spread. If he wants to adopt a dog—even if it’s a thinly veiled gift to my sister—I can’t really say much.
“Congratulations on your new puppy. I hope the two of you are very happy together,” I say before trying to step around him.
“Hols,” he says, grabbing my arm. “I’m keeping him, so there’s no pressure on you to take him with you or stay here with him. It’s a neutral thing.”
“Neutral? You think adoptingthisdog is neutral? Have you met Kinsley? She already loves the dog. What do you think another few weeks or months is going to do? She’ll be attached, and I’ll be the horrible, terrible, worst sister ever—again. Which is how I was hoping to have my time in Bellerive end when I have to leave—right back where I started.” Two hearts breaking for different reasons.
