Lauren watched Mrs. Fairbanks until she disappeared over the horizon, leaving her alone in the strange, new place that would now be her home. The house was messily kept with stray papers cluttering many a surface and a basket of laundry crowding the narrow hallway.
Would this be her job now, too?
She was here for the dogs, no question, but wondered if perhaps the man might need her even more. Had she taken on more than she could handle?
No, life with Shane Ramsey and his merry team of huskies may prove to be a challenge yet, but at the very least it would be interesting—and at best, it might help her uncover secrets about her father’s past.
And she would start by saying hello to her charges.
After fishing a knit cap from her bag, she headed out back where several long rows of colorful, flat-topped dog houses sat in sharp contrast to the surrounding mountains of snow. As soon as they saw her, the dogs began to pull against their ties, some of them jumping up on top of their houses to gain a better vantage point.
Excited barks, whines, and howls reverberated across the valley. And Lauren knew then that she had made the right choice in coming here.
Carefully, she approached the cluster of kennels and introduced herself to the first dog, who eagerly leaped up to give her kisses on her cheeks.
One by one, Lauren made her way through the grid of houses, introducing herself to each dog in turn. Her eye was drawn to one dog in particular, a red husky who stood calmly at the edge of the pack, watching Lauren with a cautious eye.
“Aren’t you a pretty one?” Lauren said, making her way over to the dog and kneeling to allow it to sniff her.
A glistening copper tag hung from the dog’s collar.
“Briar Rose, huh?” Lauren said, scratching her new friend between the ears. “Well, that’s a pretty name. And what about the rest of you?”
She turned, startled to find that she was not alone in the yard.
“I thought they were sending a professional, someone with experience,” said a man she recognized from his pictures as her new employer, Shane Ramsey. He scowled as he watched her, clearly displeased with what he saw.
“And how do you know I haven’t got any?” she demanded, rising to her full height but still standing at least a head beneath the stranger who stood supported by two thick wooden crutches.
“Every single thing about you shows you aren’t cut out for this,” he snarled.
“Can we start again, please?” She approached the gate and let herself out to stand with him in the path that had been cleared between the house and the kennels. Reaching out her gloved hand, she smiled and waited for him to accept her greeting.
“I’d rather not,” he said, gathering up his crutches and turning back toward the house.
“Now wait just a minute!” Lauren cried. The sound of her voice cut sharply through the thin air, both alarming the man and exciting the dogs.
She watched as his posture stiffened and he slowly turned himself to face her once more. As he did, however, his left crutch caught a patch of ice, and soon he’d crumpled into the snow, cursing in pain.
“Let me help you up!”
“No, you’ve done quite enough already,” he said. “Just hand me my crutch and leave me alone.”
She picked up the walking aid and held it toward him. When he reached for it, she jerked it away and said, “Not until you tell me why you’re so rude.”
He growled, making a sound not entirely human as he did. The effect, when combined with the growth on his face, gave him a feral appearance. “Because you aren’t the kind of person I wanted to hire. But seeing as there weren’t any other applicants, it seems I’m stuck.”
“Then you should be grateful I’m here. Clearly you can’t manage by yourself.”
“I’m not sure having an inexperienced little girl here is much better.”
“Don’t talk to me like that.”
He snorted and looked away.
“I mean it. I quit my job and moved a few thousand miles to be here. I may not have much experience, but I’m ready to learn. You need to treat me with respect.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then know that I have no problem standing up to you, seeing as I’m the only one with two good legs around here.” She stood as straight and tall as she could, and even though he still towered over her by a good head, Lauren saw him soften as her argument reached his ears.
Much to her surprise, that last comment drew out a smile from the otherwise sour-faced Shane. “Fine. Now can I have my crutch back, please?”
She handed it over and helped pull him to his feet. “There, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
He walked away, muttering a string of curses under his breath. Lauren and the dogs watched in silence until Shane Ramsey had let himself back into the house and slammed the door shut behind him.
“Is he always like this?” she asked Briar Rose, slipping her fingers through the fence links to pat the dog’s soft fur.
The dog didn’t respond to the question, but Lauren was quite sure she could figure out this particular answer for herself.