Linx spent a sleepless night tossing and turning on her futon. By now, Grady had already called his family, and they were all on their way back.

He probably regretted joining forces with her, or maybe it had all been a lie, his usual modus operandi of saying and promising sweet things in bed to enhance the experience, and then disappearing without a trace.

Damn, was she stupid.

She rolled off her bed, disturbing Cedar who groaned and shook herself before settling back onto her vacated pillow.

Picking up little Ginger, she took her downstairs.

“You’re so adorable.” Linx kissed the sweet little fluff ball who licked her with a tiny tongue, wiggling all over.

The online bidding to adopt Ginger had gone over two thousand bucks, and the center needed the money. It was going to be excruciatingly hard to let her go when the time came.

Linx flashed back to the weeks and months after she let Jessie go. The adoption counselor hadn’t encouraged her to see Jessie or speak to the adoptive parents, but since Jessie was the pastor’s daughter and everyone in the congregation got to see her, Linx had gone to church and tortured herself every Sunday until she’d had an emotional breakdown, crying nonstop for an entire week.

It had been too much, too soon, so she and Salem had joined a ground crew far up in Alaska. Fighting fires and living in the hell of grief and regret beat burning in her biggest mistake every Sunday.

By the time fire season was over, Linx came back to the property she inherited and threw herself into rescuing dogs and reuniting them with their owners.

She stayed away from Jessie and from church until two years ago when the pastor and his wife visited her and invited her back into Jessie’s life.

They were so kind and accommodating, letting her babysit and be her big sister. She’d kept her part of the bargain—promising never to talk about her relationship to Jessie.

She’d respected their wishes and their plans to tell Jessie when she turned eighteen and had agreed that it was best for the little girl to grow up loved and pampered by her adoptive parents.

And now, Grady made plans to upset the entire applecart. If he won, would she be a part of Jessie’s life? Or was he using her to get early access? To make friends with Jessie before he dropped the sledgehammer?

If he lost, she’d lose her friendship with the Pattersons and risk Jessie’s future hatred of her for hurting her family.

A pinching headache constricted like an iron band around Linx’s temple and she groaned, squatting to the floor as she encouraged Ginger to relieve herself on the newspaper.

Talk about a no-win situation.

By the time Linx opened the center, she was fortified by coffee and breakfast, but feeling no better.

Tami sashayed through the door with her eyebrows raised. “Where were you last night?”

“I delivered another dog to Grady.” Linx figured it would all come out anyway.

“Oh … do tell. Was it a happy ending dog delivery?”

By now, nothing about Grady could make her blush. She’d been around the block so many times with him that she’d worn permanent grooves in the pavement.

“It was nice,” she muttered, unable to suppress a warm smile from tickling her cheeks.

“Good. That’s progress.” Tami beamed at her as if she were a particularly bright student. “So, no ugly words were exchanged. He’s cool with you snooping through his things, bringing his family up to his private place? Don’t think I didn’t know about you holding onto his phone.”

Linx’s face heated, and the tension returned to her neck and throat. “He wants to get Jessie back.”

“Wow! I didn’t know he wanted to take responsibility.” Tami set her bag down and turned on her computer. “What’s he going to do? Be a single dad?”

Linx took a seat at her desk. “I think he wants to raise her with me.”

“You sound scared.”

“Yeah, I am.” She wiped her hair back from her forehead. “I don’t know if I’m a good enough mom.”

“You won’t know if you don’t try.” Tami’s eyes were large and sympathetic. “Besides, I’ve a feeling you’ll be the very best mom a girl could want.”

Linx forced a smile. “You have to say that because you’re my bestie.”

“Guilty.” Tami blinked. “The question is, do you want to be her mother? Better think fast because Jessie’s coming to spend the day with the puppy.”

“Don’t say anything to her.” Linx took a deep breath, but couldn’t dislodge the tightness clamping around her chest. “I want her, but it would be a betrayal to the Pattersons. I signed long ago.”

“Yeah, but Grady never signed.”

Tami’s words hung in the air until midmorning, when Jessie and her mother showed up at the center. The little girl wore denim overalls and a pair of cowgirl boots and a straw hat with a red bandana, and she greeted Linx with a tight hug.

“Can I take Ginger for a walk?” she asked, bouncing up and down with a wide smile on her face.

“She’s a little young for a walk,” Linx said. “But she’s getting stronger every day. Would you like to brush her?”

“Yes! I love her!” Jessie shouted. “My birthday’s coming up, and I want a puppy, pretty please?”

Mrs. Patterson cleared her throat and cupped a hand around one side of her mouth. “Have you seen how high the price is for Ginger?”

“The highest bidder may not get the puppy,” Linx said. “We have to qualify the owner, check references, and make a call.”

“I hate for her to be disappointed,” Jean said, bending down to her daughter. “Mommy will be back later. You listen to everything Miss Linx and Miss Tami say. This puppy already has a special boy or girl.”

“Awww …” Jessie’s face drooped. “But she’s so cute.”

“Yes, she is. But you’re here to learn how to take care of a puppy. You already have Betsy. You wouldn’t want to take this puppy away from her special boy or girl, would you?”

“No, they’ll be so sad.” Jessie shook her head resolutely. “I don’t want anyone to take Betsy away from me.”

Linx swallowed and bit her lip as turmoil churned in her belly. How would Jessie feel if she and Grady took her away from the only parents she knew?

“Bye, now, and be good.” Mrs. Patterson gave Jessie a hug and rose.

“I will!” Jessie jumped up and down. “Bye, Mom!”

Linx had Jessie feed Ginger from the bottle, then brush her fur, and change her papers.

Jessie played ball with the puppy, rolling it around and letting Ginger chase it with her tottering little steps, and she handfed Ginger soft puppy food.

“You’re real good with dogs,” Linx praised Jessie when she cuddled the puppy and put her down for a nap. “Let’s go out back and visit the other guests.”

“I love dogs, and I want to be just like you when I grow up.” Jessie hooked her thumbs around her overall straps and sauntered through the kitchen to the back door.

Linx showed her the kennels and the storeroom where they filled the food and water bowls. Together, they swept and hosed off the runs, and fed the dogs. Linx taught Jessie how to approach strange dogs and not to assume a dog was friendly. She understood the importance of giving a dog a friendly and safe distance and not patting it on the head or raising a hand.

Jessie was a quick learner, and soon, she understood doggy body language and posture, whether a dog was fearful or curious, and how to speak to them.

Linx’s chest filled with pride as she walked around the compound with her little shadow, her “mini-me” following her around, chitchatting nonstop.

She didn’t want to lose any of this, but at the same time, her greedy heart yearned for more. She wanted to be the one who tucked this sweet child in at night, wanted to be the one she ran to for comfort, wanted to read her stories, to take her hiking, horseback riding, and be the one in the delivery room with her when she birthed her first baby.

“Come, let me show you the system of gates we open to get the dogs to their exercise yard,” Linx said, taking Jessie’s little hand. “I move them in between the zones by shutting this gate first, then opening this one, and shutting the one behind it.”

True, it was like the way they moved prisoners, but it helped her gather the dogs in an orderly fashion.

“Can I go into the yard and play with them?” Jessie asked.

Linx shook her head. “Not right now. Some of them are new, so I have to watch how they behave. But later on, we can take the old bulldog, Bob, out for a walk. He’s slow but very lovable.”

“Yay! I always take Betsy out for a walk. Do you think Bob wants Betsy for a friend?”

“Maybe.” Linx bent down and gave Jessie a hug, unable to help kissing her. “You’re my best little helper. Want to help me open the gates?”

Jessie headed for the first gate as Linx unlatched it. She motioned to Jessie to push a button to open the wheeled gate nearest the barn. Cedar followed close behind, but her ears perked and she pranced toward the front gate, barking and panting excitedly.

Car doors slammed, and a horde of footsteps and voices advanced up the gravel path with Grady leading the way.

It was the entire Hart family.

“Are you saying that’s your dog?” Grady’s father pointed to Cedar who whined and turned circles, eager to get to Grady.

“She was,” Grady said, then turned to wave at Linx. “But Linx saved her from a forest fire, and since I was out of the country, she took care of her for me.”

That was certainly a nice way of putting it.

Giving Grady an appreciative smile, Linx opened the gate and Cedar charged forward, leaping all over him.

If the Harts resented Linx for keeping Cedar or the even worse crime of giving Jessie away, they didn’t show it.

Cait waddled up to Linx and hugged her warmly. “I’m so glad you’re talking to my brother again.”

Jenna, Grady’s twin, gave her an air kiss. “My brother needs someone like you.”

His two brothers, Connor and Dale, shook her hand and complimented her on the dog center.

Everyone had something nice to say to her, shouting over the chorus of barks and yips. They surrounded Linx with questions and invitations to lunch, dinner, and getting together. Even more unbelievably, they seemed genuinely happy to see her, acting like she was someone special.

“Would you like something to drink? Tea or orange juice?” Linx to the kitchen door. “Or a tour?”

“We’d like to see the dogs,” Cait said. “I’m still looking for one big and strong enough to handle these backwoods.”

“I might want one too,” Melisa agreed. “A small one who won’t scare my birds.”

“I’ll need a few dogs for the teen center,” Dale said to Linx. “Did Grady tell you I’m volunteering at Salem’s Kids?”

“Great, follow me to the barn,” Linx said. “We’re going to let the dogs out for exercise and that’ll give you a chance to look at them.”

As the Harts headed for the barn, Jessie came running out, waving her hands. “I opened all of the gates and let the dogs out! Wanna see?”

“On no!” someone shouted. “She opened the front gate, too.”

“Woof, woof, woof, woof.”

Linx’s hands flew up as a tidal wave of dogs made a run for the front gate and freedom.

Two things happened at the same time. The male Harts, Grady, Connor, Dale, and their father chased the dogs, and the female Harts, Cait, Jenna, Nadine, Melisa, and their mother gasped and gaped at Jessie.

“Sorry.” Jessie shrank behind Linx’s legs. She peered shyly at the female Harts who clasped their hands and bit their lips.

“It’s okay,” Linx reassured the little girl. “All those guys are firemen and they’ll round up the dogs in no time.”

Melisa was the first to stop staring. She got on her knees and said, “What’s your name, sweetie? I’m Mrs. Reed and I teach kindergarten.”

“I’m Jessie and I’m five and a half.” Jessie put up five fingers. “My birthday’s July Fourth just like Uncle Sam’s and I’m going to be six.”

“Born on the Fourth of July, that’s awesome,” Melisa said. “Do you like fireworks?”

Jessie nodded enthusiastically. “I like to wear red, white and blue, and when I grow up, I’m going to be Wonder Woman just like Miss Linx.”

Grady’s mother bent over and held out her hand to shake. “Miss Jessie, I bet you’re a real good helper here.”

“I’m good with dogs,” Jessie said. “But not so good with gates. Do you want to see Miss Linx’s puppy?”

“Sure,” all the female Harts squealed. “We love puppies. Lead the way.”

As soon as Jessie turned her back, everyone cast meaningful looks at Linx. By now, the entire family knew her and Grady’s secret, but they were considerate enough not to say anything in front of the little girl.

Melisa and Jenna ohhed and ahhed over the puppy, distracting Jessie as Cait and Mrs. Hart hung back, obviously wanting to pump Linx for information.

“She’s adorable,” Cait whispered.

“My stars.” Mrs. Hart fluttered her hand. “She looks just like Grady. Whatever are we going to do?”

Linx swallowed hard as a weight pressed her shoulders down. She’d forfeited her parental rights.

“There’s nothing I can do.” She blinked back tears. “I wish I’d known all of you back then.”

“Oh, Linx, I wish you did, too.” Cait tugged her into a hug. “We don’t blame you. None of us.”

“You were so young and all alone,” Mrs. Hart said. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s my son.”

“No, he was duped. It’s a long story, but his cell phone was intercepted and our communications were altered by a person I thought was a friend.” Linx bit her knuckles, overwhelmed at the kindness pouring from Cait and her mother.

“Whatever happens, we have to handle this with care,” Mrs. Hart said. “But Linx, darling, you are one of us now. Heart comes first before anything else.”

“Grady loves you,” Cait pronounced confidently. “He’s real sorry and admits he’s had his head up his ass for too long.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Linx blubbered. “Not a day goes by that I don’t regret what I did.”

“At least you gave her life,” Mrs. Hart said, patting her arm. “You gave her a chance. These days, that’s special and commendable.”

“I wanted her to have a better life. I wanted her to have everything: a complete family, love, stability. I wish I’d tried harder.”

“Miss Linx,” Jessie shouted from inside the cabin. “We’re taking a picture with me and Ginger, and I want you to be in it. Please?”

God help her. Being so close to Jessie, holding her in her lap along with the puppy, watching her chat with the family she didn’t know, shredded Linx’s already wounded heart.

No doubt, the Harts would treasure the pictures taken today, and Linx couldn’t help wondering what Mrs. Patterson would think if she knew they’d been visiting with Grady’s family—especially after Grady sued for custody.