He battled the urge to rush out and sweep them both into his arms, an eternity seeming to pass before Brook Lynn and Hope made it to the porch, a dog in each of their arms. Both animals were of indeterminate parentage. Brook Lynn’s had salt-and-pepper scruff and a lower jaw that protruded over the upper. Hope’s was solid black with half an ear missing.
“I called,” he said, his gaze drinking her in. She had never looked more beautiful to him, illuminated by the golden light of the moon, as if cut straight from a dream. “No answer.”
“Oh,” Brook Lynn replied. “My bad. I turned the cell to silent.”
“The barking made her ears hurt,” Hope said matter-of-factly.
He released what remained of his fear and panic on a long, heavy breath and decided not to waste another second feeling that way. There were other things he could be doing. “Do your ears need to be kissed all better?” he asked softly.
Hope heard and cringed. “Gross!”
Jase fought a smile. “By the way, I bought you something.” He pulled a can of pepper spray from his pocket and stuffed it in Brook Lynn’s purse. “Never leave your house without it.” The dog squirmed in her arms. “Now. Who do we have here?”
“This is Steve,” Hope said, proudly grinning at Half-ear.
“And Sparkles,” Brook Lynn said.
Sparkles?
“The names were chosen long before we arrived, and I’m thinking Sparkles belonged to a toddler princess.” Her gaze moved to his daughter and softened. “Thank you for going with me. I had fun with you.”
“Me, too.” Hope cuddled her dog close and peered up at Jase. “Brook Lynn said I could ask you if I could keep him, and if you say no she’ll take him home with her. But can I keep him? Please. He wanted a home so bad. He cried when I tried to leave him. Please, Daddy.”
Daddy.
He basically liquefied into a puddle at her feet. “Of course you can keep him.”
“Uh, I’m not so sure about that,” Daphne said, approaching his side. “Dogs hate me. All dogs. There are no exceptions. You know this, Hope.”
As though wanting to prove the validity of her claim, both Steve and Sparkles growled at her.
“See!” she squealed, paling and backing up.
“I think they smell your fear,” Brook Lynn said.
“Just don’t be scared, Momma. Please.”
Daphne shook her head, her gaze never leaving the dogs. “I’m sorry, baby, but that’s impossible.”
Jase hated watching Hope’s features fall. Unable to bear it, he chucked her under the chin. “Don’t worry. Steve can live with me. You’ll get to visit him whenever you want.”
Hope unveiled the toothiest, cutest grin he’d ever seen.
Brook Lynn reached out and ruffled the girl’s hair. “Whenever you want to set our doggy date, call me.”
“I will!”
The sight of Brook Lynn interacting with his daughter... Yeah. If he hadn’t already been in love, he would have fallen in that moment.
“There are dog supplies in the trunk of my car,” she said.
Both dogs began to wiggle, wanting to be put down. Daphne raced to the couch and jumped up. Steve managed to work his way free of Hope’s arms. When he landed on the ground, he took off like a bullet and ran circles around the coffee table in front of Daphne. Hope tried to wrangle him, but he leaped onto the couch and nipped at Daphne’s ankles. As she screamed, he lifted his leg and peed on her foot.
“This is my nightmare!” she shouted, diving over the side of the couch.
Beck rounded the corner. He was shirtless, his hair mussed, and there were scratches all over his chest. Well, well. He’d clearly smuggled a female through his window. “What’s the racket?” he said, just as Steve tried to rush past him. “A dog? Seriously?” He grabbed the animal by the collar, stopping him. “No. Absolutely not.”
Steve licked his hand and settled at his feet.
“Suck it up, Beck, and help me get the supplies,” Brook Lynn said.
“But—”
She clapped her hands, all chop chop. “Now! Don’t make me start counting. If I get to three I will never bake for you again.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Beck followed her outside.
Jase swallowed a laugh. “Hope, why don’t you take Steve to my room?”
Hope gathered up her dog without any more problems and disappeared down the hall.
“Stay in Strawberry Valley,” he said to Daphne. “Let me buy her all the animals she wants.”
“I—”
“Please. I will pay your bills. You won’t have to worry about anything.”
Daphne seemed to roll the possibility through her mind. “We’ll see.”
Beck entered the house with a big box in his arms and several sacks hanging from his wrists, but there was no sign of Brook Lynn. “She told me to give this to you,” he said and handed over a folded piece of paper.
Jase read the note. Don’t forget your nights belong to me. I’ll be waiting...
* * *
BROOK LYNN MOTORED down the winding country roads, dirt blowing behind her tires. What a day! Hope had warmed up to her and told her stories about the kind of dog she’d always and forever dreamed of having. A white puppy with blue eyes she would name Snowflake.
They’d spent hours at the shelter, going through the different rooms, petting the different dogs. Even walking some. Brook Lynn had to stave off tears more than once—and the desire to try to abscond with every single animal. It had just been so sad, all of those dogs desperate for a home, looking at her with a mix of fear, hope and loneliness. It had affected Hope, too, and she’d decided a puppy wasn’t what she wanted, after all. Instead, she’d asked the employees to introduce her to the dog most in need.