“Were you expecting someone else?”
“No, but I wasn’t expecting you, either,” Brand said.
They shook hands. Dixie kept one arm hooked around Perry’s neck until they both sat down across from him.
“It’s great to see you. When did you get back? What are you doing here?” she asked with a big smile.
“Whoa! One at a time. Let’s see, it’s good to see you, too. I got back late last night. And I’m here checking up on you.”
“Ha! I should be checking up on you.”
Perry laughed.
“Dixie and I were just having lunch,” Brand said.
She glared at him but the twinkle in Perry’s eye lit up like a laser.
“We, uh, ran into each other. By accident,” he said gamely.
Perry looked between Dixie and Brand. “You accidentally ran into Dixie in the same restaurant and the same booth?”
Dixie poked Perry in the ribs. “That is why you need supervision.” She made a face at him. “And this is almost the only restaurant on the island.” She looked away. “That I can afford, anyway.”
Brand saw a shadow pass quickly over Dixie’s face. But it was Perry’s expression that had him thinking. Perry grinned.
“We’ll see what we can do about that.”
Dixie about-faced. “What? You’re giving me a raise?”
“In a way.”
Brand tapped a finger on the tabletop. He knew enough about Perry DeWalt to know he was a trickster. Hadn’t he managed to pay the tab at the resort? Even though Brand insisted he would pay for his own? The bartender had shrugged and smiled and later confided he had a deal at the bar. If Perry had two drinks with someone, he picked up the tab. Perry liked getting his way and stacked the deck when possible.
“I’m signing the kennel over to you.”
Brand happened to be looking at Dixie when Perry spoke. She blinked a couple of times and started to speak but gave up. She put her forehead in her hand.
“Teasing me like that is just mean, Perry,” she mumbled.
“If you think that’s mean, I wonder what you’re going to say when I tell you it comes with enough operating capital to keep you going long enough for you to get established?”
Dixie slowly lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. Brand was glad Perry was the recipient of this glare. “That’s cruel.”
Perry laughed. “Yeah, that’s me. Cruel, mean ol’ Perry who owes your parents more than he can ever repay.”
“I know they helped you—”
“Helped? They made me. If not for them, I wouldn’t have been half as successful. They saved my business.”
“Then pay them back!”
“I am! The only way they’ll let me. By the way, don’t mention this to them, okay?”
She made a sound that was remarkably like a growl. Brand was impressed.
Perry chuckled and patted Dixie on the back. “I’ve been good friends with your parents for thirty years, Dix. They worked nights and weekends for me when I started my business. And wouldn’t take wages.”
“Papa wouldn’t accept that. He did a favor as a favor, not for a reward.”
Perry frowned at her. “You sound just like him,” he mumbled. “But the work they did for me was more than a favor. And you’re right, your pa wouldn’t, and still won’t, take a cent.”
“But I should?”
“Yes,” Perry said. “I know you’re not as stubborn as your father. Your mother’s still working on him, by the way. She’s a smart woman. Both of them worked hard and long all their lives. They had three daughters and two sons.”
Five kids? was all Brand could think.
“Cash, the eldest, will get the farm, and it’s a damn fine farm. Mason is the mechanic. He can fix anything with one, two, three or four wheels. Eighteen wheels if it comes to that. Raeanne’s a homebody and she’s still seeing the Layton boy. Sue Ellen wants to decorate houses.” He shook his head. “Never could see why people would pay for someone else to pick out a comfortable chair for them. I mean, what’s comfortable for you might be a nightmare for the next guy. Anyway, it’s what she wants.”
“It is.” Dixie looked at Perry with new eyes. “I never realized you were so observant.”
Perry laughed. “I’m a millionaire with no wife, no kids, and a family I love very much.” He looked into her eyes. “So I ‘created’ a scholarship for Cash to go to the agri college, an apprenticeship for Mason, design school for Sue Ellen, and sent Raeanne to a fine arts college for her M-R-S degree.” At Dixie’s puzzled look, he chuckled. “Her Mrs. degree. Thought she’d meet a nice man there. Someone who deserves her.”
The first tear slipped down Dixie’s cheek. “And you found a kennel for me to manage, and time to see if I would be happy.”
“You betcha.”
She hugged Perry hard. “I can’t thank you enough, for me or for my family.”
“You can thank me by keeping this between us.”
“Why?”
“You’re the only one I’ve told. And I don’t want them to know.”
“Why not? Don’t you want—”
“No, he doesn’t want,” Brand said. “He’s the nice Machiavelli. He’s sneaky and kind, sly and generous.”
Perry raised his eyebrows. “How do you know?”
“The bartender tattled.”
Perry laughed again. “I’ll have to have a little talk with him.”
“Don’t blame him. I pushed. A lot.”
A waitress approached. “I didn’t see you slip in, Mr. DeWalt. What’ll you have?”
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
Brand groaned. “Don’t call me when your throat’s on fire later tonight.”
* * *
Dixie got out of her car. Her head was still reeling from Perry’s revelations about apprenticeships, tuition and free kennels. She felt a need to call her parents and a need to keep Perry’s secret. Parents. Perry. Parents. Perry.
Perry got out of his own car, walked up to her and closed her car door behind her.
“Thanks.” She laughed without mirth. “I seem to be saying that a lot lately.”
He grinned. “Only to me. I noticed you didn’t say it when Brand insisted on picking up the check.”
She felt her face heat. “I was in shock. I’ll thank him later.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Okay. What do you want to do now?”
“I have some work in the kennel.”
“Good. I’ll get to see the doggies.”
She chuckled. “Doggies?”
He opened the kennel door to the crescendo of barking, baying canines eager for company. “Ah, that’s better than the opera any day,” he said, raising his voice to be heard.
“All right, boys,” Dixie called. “Calm down.” The volume decreased infinitesimally.
“Let’s take them out for a run.”
Dixie smiled. Perry was, as ever, like a kid with a new toy. “Sure.”
They started opening kennel doors. The dogs leaped and yipped with joy then headed to the fenced area where they could play and run. Dagger and Dervish cavorted into the play area and pretend attacked the throw toys scattered on the ground. Baby tried to keep up. Blues stuck by Dixie’s side, marking his territory by his presence. She was happy he never felt the need to pee to mark her as his. She realized Champagne wasn’t in the yard.
“Champagne? C’mere, boy.” His head was in the doorway and she could tell he was wagging his tail because his head waved back and forth like a sail in the wind.
“He’s cute,” Perry said. “Why’s he staying inside?”
“He’s afraid. His owner says he tucks tail and runs at the slightest noise. Thunderstorms are particularly bad. Come on, Champagne.”
“With a name like that I’d be afraid of the playground, too.”
Grinning, Dixie headed for the door.
Perry clapped his hands. “Come on out and play, Champ!” He was grinning and patting his thighs. Champ, the dog formerly known as Champagne, trotted out and went right up to Perry who praised him. He tossed a ball across the yard and Dixie was pleasantly surprised when Champ chased it and brought it back to him. Perry didn’t appear surprised at all with Champ’s behavior.
“Will you look at that?” Dixie asked. “You’re amazing, Perry. Are you sure you want to give away the kennel?”
She had said it with a smile and no thought to offending her benefactor. But he did get annoyed.
“I am sure.”
“Perr—”
“I bought it hoping it would be the perfect place for you.”
“It is!”
He turned away and took the ball from Champ’s mouth.
“Perry—”
“Just let me do this for you, okay?” He turned to her. “I love you like the daughter I don’t have. I love your whole family.”
Dixie walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. “We all love you, too. And not because you’re a millionaire.”
He hesitated a moment then hugged her back. “I know.”
She pulled back to look him in the face. “Do you really think I can make a go of it?”
He grinned. “Yes, I do. Or I wouldn’t have bought it for you.”
“You shouldn’t have—”
“Of course, I should have. Besides, I wanted to.”
Dixie was stumped. How many times could she say thank you? How much could he—would he—give her that needed a thank you?
“Um, thank you?”
Perry pinched her cheek like he’d been doing as long as she could remember. “You’re welcome, little girl.” He grinned. “I’ll just let you two figure things out.”
She looked over to the fence where Brand leaned. He held Galli’s leash and wore a welcoming smile.