Page 81 of Puppy Kisses

“No, but I’d like to hear it.”

There was nothing else he could say. Even if hehadkept his mouth shut that day at the poker game, the way he’d been moping around the ranch for the past four weeks would have been a serious clue.

Besides—he was tired of pretending. He was tired of holding everything inside.

“Yes. I’ve loved her since almost the first moment we met.”

Zeke’s response was automatic and underscored with a laugh. “Then you should know better than anyone that she’s not leaving until she’s damn good and ready. Dawn Vasquez does exactly what she wants to do when she wants to do it, and there isn’t a man, woman, or puppy on the planet who can stop her.” Zeke made a clucking sound with his tongue. “Hand me that ax, would you? We might as well make some headway on that woodpile while we talk.”

Adam pulled the ax from the ground and handed it to him. “Are we talking?”

He heard the thunk of a log being dropped to the splitting stump followed by a whoosh and a crack as Zeke’s aim landed dead-on. “I think we should. I’ve put this off long enough.”

Adam would have liked to have ahold of the ax sohecould be the one distracting himself with work, but he had to make do by calling Uncle over and settling onto the ground next to him. Although it seemed almost impossible, the puppy had doubled in size since the day Dawn had first brought him over. It was like sitting next to one of his cows.

“You’re leaving the ranch, aren’t you?” Adam asked.

The whiz of the ax stopped midblow. “What? How did you—?”

“Call it an educated guess. Your heart hasn’t been in it for a long time.” He lay back in the grass, enjoying the tickle of the blades against his skin. Speaking of long times…he couldn’t remember the last time he’d done this—lounging in the yard, talking to his brother about the things that mattered, the things that were in their hearts. “I wish you’d said something before I went through all the trouble of trying to oust Bea, but better late than never, I guess. Do you want me to buy you out?”

Zeke sucked in a breath so fast it whistled through his teeth. “Canyou buy me out?”

“Not out of pocket, obviously, but I’m sure the bank will step in to help.”

Zeke began talking a mile a minute. “I don’t want to put a financial strain on you and Phoebe, and we’ll have to find someone to replace me for the daily chores, but if you think it’s possible… Adam, do you really think it’s possible?”

A few months ago, the answer to that question would have been an unequivocal no. There was too much work and too little predictability, too many things that could go wrong on a ranch of this size.

But a few months ago, he hadn’t had the most amazing service dog by his side. He hadn’t witnessed one of Zeke’s races for himself. He hadn’t realized that to force someone you loved to live a life not of their own choosing was the worst thing you could do.

“I mean, I don’tlikeit, but if it’s what you want, then we’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.” He sat up, the fingers of his right hand toying with a weed. “I love this place like it’s my own child, but I can’t expect everyone to share my feelings. I’m not going to tie you down to it. I’m not going to tieanyonedown to it.”

“Uh-oh. We’re talking about Dawn again, aren’t we?”

Adam yanked the weed from the dirt. “No. I don’t know. Maybe.” There was no use pretending about this anymore, either. He heaved a sigh and tossed the weed aside. “Yes.”

The jangle of dog tags was just as much of a surprise the second time around. Since there wasn’t an ax in his hand, he was able to open his arms and catch Gigi. She was just as exuberant and enthusiastic as before, which meant Adam had to be just as stern at subduing her. Things couldn’t keep going on like this. Theycouldn’t.

“Gigi, love,” he said, giving her a gentle push back to the ground. “You can’t keep running over here. I appreciate your affections, I really do, but you aren’t mine. You never were.”

“Uh, Adam?” Zeke asked.

“I know. Dawn is probably standing right there. There’s no help for it. We’ve got to train this dog to understand where she belongs, or it’s going to keep being painful for all of us.”

“But she’s not standing right there,” Zeke said. The swish of his legs trailed off, which explained why his voice sounded equally far away. “In fact, I don’t see her anywhere.”

Adam sighed and hoisted himself to his feet. He hadn’t been anticipating a long walk between properties today, which meant he hadn’t brought Uncle’s harness with him, but it seemed he’d have to go retrieve it anyway. Under no circumstances could Gigi stay here.

“Then I guess we’re going to take in the scenery,” he said, resigned. “How could she have possibly lost control of you in the fifteen minutes since she left? Uncle, where are you?”

He snapped his fingers to bring the Great Dane to his side, but for the first time since that puppy had been introduced into his life, no large, wet nose pressed into his waiting hand.

“Uncle?” he called. “Zeke—what is Uncle doing?”

“Oh shit,” Zeke said by way of answer. “He took off. Fuck—he and Gigi both.”

Adam whirled in the most obvious direction of their departure, his ears on alert for the sounds of Dawn’s footsteps and laughter. Neither came.