Page 23 of Seaside Cowboy's Marriage of Convenience

Well, mostly.

Today, it didn’t work out quite as intended.

“Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.” He cringed afterward. A new sledgehammer pounded his chest as he stared at her while she dried her ponytail with a towel. He averted his gaze from her T-shirt where the beagle had splashed some water as well, but thankfully not as much water. “I should’ve known it would create such a mess.”

“It’s okay. Both dogs are looking good now, though the sad look in their eyes breaks my heart.”

“Mine, too.” He carried the schnauzer-Yorkie to the kennel while she did the same with the beagle, then filled their kibble and water bowls.

Both dogs refused to eat, and his heart sank. He glanced at the wall clock. It was getting late, but he couldn’t leave the poor critters who might think they were abandoned again. It seemed neither could she.

She took photos of the dogs and kittens with her phone. “I’ll post these in the hotel lobbies.” Then she sat near the beagle mix.

As much as he wanted to be near her, he sat on the hard floor near the schnauzer-Yorkie and leaned against the wall and stroked the fluff, the fur now soft under his fingertips. “It’s going to be all right, buddy. We’ll find you a good home.”

How would Caramel react if Austin fostered new arrivals? Then he remembered he’d never asked the question she’d seemed to want to answer. Or was it rude to ask?

Man, working with animals was simpler than trying to figure out people. “Um, who’s going to inherit everything?”

“My uncle and a few charities. I’ll leave smaller sums to a few loyal employees, including my current assistant, Mason. Of course, none of them would try to cause me an accident.”

The dog moved closer and put his head on Austin’s lap, and Austin claimed the small victory. But unfamiliar distrust stirred. Kennedy trusted her uncle, blinded by love. Austin didn’t have the same trust for a man he didn’t know.

“Doyouhave a will?” she asked, moving her fingers along the beagle’s coat. The dog didn’t react but didn’t move away, either.

The floor felt cold, hard, and unforgiving, so it might be the same for her. He got up and brought her a blanket.

Then he sat on the floor again and scratched behind the dog’s ears. “I haven’t given it much thought, so I didn’t create one. My brothers will get everything. Not that there’s a lot to inherit.” Which reminded him again about the differences between them. “Well, I’d love to leave something for the shelter. But I’m sure my brothers will take care of it regardless.”

His rib cage constricted. He had a large close-knit family while she was an only child with just an uncle. “My family would take you into their fold in a heartbeat. If you’re open to it. I know it’s not the same as your own family. But I just wanted to let you know.”

“What if we’re... Never mind. Well...” Her trailed-off word hung in the air like a sheet drying on the clothesline.

He sensed she wanted to share something. He petted the dog once more, then let his hand rest on his side.

When she didn’t, he filled in the pause. First, he already knew she wasn’t the talkative type, and second, his stomach was still clenched over the near miss. “What did the police say about the accident? If someone messed with the brakes near your house, there should be footage from the camera.”

She grimaced. “Looks like Mason took my car to his girlfriend’s after the oil change. He apologized to me and said he wanted to show off the car and impress her. She doesn’t have cameras at her house and lives on the outskirts of town with no close neighbors. The police found fingerprints on some of my car parts, but they belong to the local mechanic.”

“It is possible your assistant was the target, not you?”

“The police are looking into it, but I doubt it.” She sighed. “My uncle is looking into this, as well, and is very concerned. He wants to hire a bodyguard, but I’m refusing.”

“Maybe it’s not a bad idea.” It wasn’t. Still, everything in him protested the thought. He liked this time alone with her too much.

She shook her head, and a strand escaped her ponytail, giving him the ridiculous urge to tuck it behind her ear. “I prefer my privacy. It’s important to me.”

He hugged the schnauzer-Yorkie, needing the support the pet provided as much as the dog needed his. The dog didn’t return the affection like Caramel would, but then it wasn’t a playful naïve puppy but an adult who’d been hurt deeply.

Austin sensed the same hurt in Kennedy. After all, there was a reason she’d been reclusive for years and a reason for the sadness in her gray eyes.

Okay, he’d be more vigilant on her behalf. That said, he wasn’t a trained bodyguard but a veterinarian, and his stomach clenched again.

Finally, she said, “I used to have a cousin. Zoey.” She paused again and didn’t move for a while. Didn’t even twitch. Only the clock ticking and the kittens tussling interrupted the silence.

He heard about her little cousin’s disappearance many years ago. Normally, he’d chime in. But he forced himself to stay quiet, afraid to spook her, to stop her from continuing.

Once again, she seemed like an ice statue, beautiful and fragile, with the risk of breaking if he pushed too far. He had no clue how to behave with someone like that. In his family, jokes and teasing were exchanged easily, and everything was at face value. Well, except for his father’s actions and words, but best not to think about that.

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