Page 4 of Fall Wedding With the Mountain Man
And the kind that like people.
Frankie was a people dog.
It was one of the few things about my lifestyle that bummed me out. He didn’t get a chance to hang out with people other than me very often.
Already he was licking her arm and dropping fur on her fancy peach dress.
“You like dogs?” I asked.
“I’ve never really been around them before.”
I laughed at that. “What do you mean by that?”
“A cousin of mine had a teacup Yorkie, but that didn’t feel like a real dog. It was more like an animated stuffed toy.”
“Well, Frankie has given you the seal of approval. You’re officially accepted into the clan.”
“Is that a rare honor?”
I pulled out of the parking lot and grinned at her. “Not really. He’s never met a stranger he didn’t like.”
But just as quickly, Elizabeth’s smile turned downward, and a guarded expression landed on her face. “Uh… it’s the other way.”
“Remember when I said I had one quick errand to run? It’sthisway.”
She looked a little nervous now, and I couldn’t say that I blamed her. Hitching a ride with an unshaven beast like me? She was either brave or a little stupid. Lucky for her I’m one of the good guys. I knew she didn’t have anything to be concerned about, but that didn’t remove the crease of worry on her forehead.
So I told her, “I’ve got to take a batch of supplies out to the animal shelter. My friend, Houston, got a big drop-off at his vet clinic, and I told him I’d ferry them out here for him.”
“Animal supplies?” she asked.
“Yup. One of the cattle farmers had extra formula after one of the calves wouldn’t nurse. But he finally got the calf to take the teat, so this is extra. Plus, there’s a bunch of other stuff people have donated in the back of my truck, too.”
“The Fernwood animal shelter takescalfformula?”
I chuckled. She definitely wasn’t from around here. She was a city woman, through and through. I could smell the expensive perfume wafting over from here. And her heels were spotless. They wouldn’t be after five minutes in Deer Springs, though.
Everywhere around here other than Fernwood was remote and rugged territory. All those heels would be good for is trying to fend off a bear attack.
“Yup. They’re a clearinghouse for all kinds of animal supplies.”
“Do you live in Deer Springs?” she asked, sneaking a glance at me while I drove.
“Nope. I’m further out. I live on Red Oak Mountain.”
“What’s that like?”
I laughed. “Rustic.”
We were at the shelter now. It hadn’t taken long to get here. I pulled in, stopped the truck and asked, “You want to wait or come in?”
She bit her lip, looking like she wanted to wait, but said, “I’ll come in.”
Chapter 3
Elizabeth
Frankie was playing with one of the pound dogs while I studied Hudson.
