“I heard all about it, so you better spill.” Tami dropped by the center later that day. “You kissing Grady in front of the fire. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“So? He’s single and available, I’m single and available.” Linx sat on the couch feeding little Ginger. The puppy was starting to open her eyes, peering out of the right one more than the left, as she batted the bottle with her front paws, trying to hold on.

“Are you two dating now?” Tami’s eyes widened.

“Hardly. I told him to get lost.” Linx tucked a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. “He came over to get Sam and almost found Cedar. Thank God I’d locked myself out, and he didn’t know where the spare key was.”

“Why don’t you just tell him? What’s he going to do to you anyway?”

“Hate me forever.” Linx knew she sounded grumpy, but the rollercoaster ride her hormones had just endured was pissing her off.

She was supposed to remain in control—not him.

If she wanted to make him feel the hurt and pain she’d gone through, she couldn’t be letting down her guard.

He was the one invading her hometown.

He was the one who had to pay.

“Men don’t hate women who give them favors,” Tami said in a sing-song voice.

“They don’t respect them, either.” A niggling feeling prickled the back of Linx’s neck. “By the way, did you tell anyone that Grady was the guy who knocked me up?”

“No, I didn’t even tell my mom.” Tami said, sitting down at her desk. “Why are you blaming me? Seems like everyone already knows.”

“Someone leaked it.” Linx adjusted the bottle so the last bit of formula went to the nipple. “Last Christmas, no one was talking about it.”

“Right, but if you think hot, studly guys coming to town isn’t worth talking about, it’s because you hide here with your dogs all the time. Someone got wind of him and Paul, and now, everyone knows everything.”

The puppy squirmed as she finished the last drop of formula, so Linx put her over her shoulder to burp her. “Everyone knows what?”

“Oh, just everything.” Tami waved her hand and booted up her computer. “You and Grady, Salem and Grady, Paul and Salem. Now that Paul’s here, some of his buddies have been coming by the saloon.”

“Stop. I already heard.” Linx let herself sink deeper into the plush couch. “Which is why I’m done with Grady.”

“You keep saying it, and maybe even you’ll believe it.” Tami’s eyes focused on her computer screen. “What’s that thing sitting on your porch?”

“My mother left me her calling card,” Linx said. “Apparently, she’s been wanting to talk to all of us. Something about making amends.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

Linx shrugged as she stroked the puppy’s soft down. “I’ve got nothing but bad things to say to her, so it’s better to say nothing at all.”

“Aren’t you curious why she wants to get in touch after all these years?” Tami clicked through her email.

“Not as long as she keeps leaving trash on my porch.” Linx didn’t want to admit the tiny spark that ignited in her chest or the thought that at least her mother had sent her a gift—so to speak. “There must be strings attached to it.”

“Hey, look,” Tami said, pointing to her screen. “Kevin’s already posted Ginger’s videos and we’re getting lots of hits and people filling out applications. We even have some outright donations.”

“That’s great.” Linx perked up and got up off the sofa with Ginger. “How much?”

“Someone donated a thousand bucks, and the little ones add up to about three hundred. Can we build more kennels?”

“Once I pay off the debts.” Linx tamped down Tami’s unbridled enthusiasm. “But it’s good news.”

“Just got an email. Grady is looking for two more dogs. He wants to come by and pick them up before he returns to San Francisco. He wants to make an appointment with me.” Tami talked as fast as she read.

Linx needed to hold her ground—hold firm, especially after what her traitorous body almost made her do on the porch this morning.

“Oh no, he’s not coming around here.”

“But didn’t he come by to pick up Sam?” Tami gave her a sidelong look. “Did something happen?”

Linx gulped and walked back and forth, petting the puppy over her shoulder. “He made fun of my mother’s sculpture.”

“Oh, you nasty little liar.” Tami snickered. “You don’t give two flying figs about that sculpture. Stop deflecting.”

“It’s pretty basic. Grady plays by my rules, or he doesn’t play. You know the reason.”

“Sure, you love giving him personal deliveries with wagging tails and happy endings.” Tami did that copulating motion with her fingers. “The good thing is he’s rebuilding on that piece of land he has, and you won’t have to drive as far.”

That was another reason she couldn’t sleep.

Linx closed her eyes, willing Tami to stop bothering her about Grady. The man was a menace, and yet she couldn’t leave him alone. It was one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’t situations. Life without Grady was unbearably bleak and empty, but having Grady around grated on every nerve fiber in her body.

He disrespected her. He was rude and snide with her.

But when he was in bed with her, he made her feel like a goddess. How could something so wrong feel so right?

“I’m not going near him or to his place,” Linx said. “Unless it’s to plop that skull onto his property.”

“Ohhh … giving love gifts already.” Tami’s finger copulation sped up, making a sandpapery sound. “He calls the cops on you, you call the cops on him, just let me know to bring the popcorn—especially if Todd’s the responding officer.”

Linx threw a wet wipe at Tami. “I’ll give Todd a nudge your way.”

“You better.” Tami picked up her purse. “I’d rather he use his hot breath for something other than giving me lectures on driving too fast. Well, I’m off to my real job. Got to scout down listings for Cait and her husband. Such a wonderful couple, and now, they’re homeless.”

She whooshed out the door, wiggling her ample behind like a category four hurricane.

Linx chuckled to herself. Tami and Todd. They’d never work. Todd was a stickler for rules and preserving the town in the old way, whereas Tami was a rule-breaker and bent on modernization and redevelopment.

They’d sparred frequently at the city council meetings and were always at loggerheads. But apparently fighting led to chemistry, at least on Tami’s side.

Linx cleaned Ginger up and tucked her into her doggy bed. She had a whole list of chores to do out back, and she had no time to play matchmaker or wonder what Grady was up to.

So, he was rebuilding his cabin—the one he and Cedar had once lived in—the one Linx had spent what little time off they got splayed in his bed.

Memories she didn’t want to indulge invaded her along with the feel of the soft rug in front of the fireplace, the scent of cedar and pine, the clean crisp linens on his bed, and the warm musk of the fireman himself.

Cedar had been a part of those memories.

“Come here, girl. I’m so sorry.” Linx wiggled her fingers at her dog. Cedar ambled toward her, her head down and crestfallen. “You’re not feeling good, are you?”

Grabbing Cedar’s brush, she had her lie down for a thorough brushing. Usually, running her fingers through Cedar’s fur calmed her racing heart and gave her peace.

But not today—not when Cedar moped around like an abandoned dog—lifeless and dejected.

Guilt crawled up Linx’s throat as she brushed out sections of Cedar’s luxurious fur. It was wrong for her to keep Cedar from Grady, now that he was back in town.

It was one thing to keep her while Grady was out fighting the fires of the world, but now? What excuse did she really have?

Grady rejecting her had nothing to do with keeping Cedar from him.

She couldn’t even say he’d taken advantage of her, although he’d been her superior when they’d slept together. He was the drill instructor, and she was a rookie.

She’d wanted him the minute she laid eyes on him, and she’d worked hard to get into his bed—tempting him at every turn.

But in the end, he’d done the dishonorable thing and turned his back on her. He’d ground his heel into her heart.

He’d ruined her life.

Linx buried her face into Cedar’s furry mane. She hugged her and stroked her, and Cedar returned her affection with soft, warm licks.

Her dog always knew how to comfort her, but her selfishness had denied Grady the same canine companionship he craved.

There was only one thing to do. She had to fess up. Would he let her keep Cedar? Or would he devastate her yet again, by ripping another chunk out of her heart?

Before she could stop herself, she texted Grady. I have the two retrievers. Meet me at the All Roads Motel.