“About what?”
“About us.”
“Ursula, there is no ‘us.’ I’m sure Dixie or Dewey can take you if you can’t find someone else.”
Her mouth flattened into a thin line. “Vail was over a year ago! I can’t believe you haven’t moved past it, especially after I apologized.”
“Ihavemoved past it. This isn’t about Vail,” he ground out. It was about all the times that came before. Vail had been the last straw, the final wake-up call, the key that unlocked the prison cell and let him see the light. “And just when did you apologize?”Ifan apology had come, it must have been so faint he’d missed it. Not that it mattered now.
Chance whimpered, snagging Noah’s attention. The dog’s worried eyes bounced between him and Ursula. He was probably picking up the tension vibrating between the two humans.
Why were they even having this conversation? Noah pointed at her. “Time for you to leave, Ursula. You’re upsetting my dog.”
“What’sthatsupposed to mean?”
“Pretty self-explanatory. You’re a clever girl. Figure it out.”
Creaking on the stairs gave Noah pause. What if Hailey chosenowto walk in and got the wrong idea? Once more, his mind darted to what Ursula had said to her, but he didn’t want to give his ex the satisfaction ofknowing the question was nagging at him. His single-minded purpose became getting Ursula out of there; all of him wanted her gone more now than he had when she’d first walked in.
In one explosive move, she sent the derby sailing, and it knocked over the empty YETI water bottle he’d placed by the side of the sink. The clatter startled him and drew a sharp bark from Chance.
“What the hell did you do that for?” he spurted. Picking it up, he examined it for dents. He’d forgotten her propensity to throw things at him.
“I don’t want it anymore. I’ve been wasting my loyalties on the wrong guy.” She jutted out a hip and slammed a fist on it. “You’re acting like a jerk.”
His barely tethered temper flared.“I’macting like a jerk? That’s rich!You’rethe one throwing shit and fucking up my day. You’re also the one who had no qualms about sleeping with someone else at a weddingItook you to. Would you agree your loyalties are a little jacked-up, babe? That was a rhetorical question.”
Her brows crashed together, and she opened her mouth, but he cut her off. “No. Just. No. I don’t want your lame excuses. I don’t want anything from you but the sight of your back as you leave.”
The door opened, and Noah’s heart jumped into his throat, only to settle back down the moment he laid eyes on Reece poking his head through the opening. “Oh, sorry. I just wanted to check on the dog.”
Noah waved him in. “You’re fine. Come in. Ursula was just leaving.” He gave Ursula a pointed stare.
“Except I don’t have aride,”she threw back.
Reece’s gaze moved from Noah to Ursula and back again. “Actually, I’m leaving in just a few, Urse. I’ll take you.”
Noah didn’t counter his brother, and she let out a defeated sigh she directed at Noah. “Have it your way.”
Noah mouthed a thank-you to his brother. Reece sent Noah a wink over his shoulder as he followed her out.
When the door closed, the air felt lighter. Noah looked down at Chance and snorted, “Notice she didn’t ask for more details about you or thank Reece for taking her home? Just so we’re clear, this’ll be the first time I’ve ‘had it my way’ since I’ve known her. And that’s one hell of a long time.” Fatigue weighed heavy in his bones.
The dog whimpered again, and Noah gave him some reassuring pats. “You’re right. I gotta stop letting her get under my skin, but she’s kinda holding some cards right now that affect me. And you too. It could cost you in kibble if I can’t turn this boat around.”
Chance’s worried eyes darted between Noah’s face and the ground, and Noah thought he could read what was going through the mutt’s mind … which was weird. When he’d first walked in and discovered Chance on his couch, he’d been ready to admonish the pup and order him to get down. But that anxious sheen in his brown eyes plucked a heartstring, and Noah caved.
“Okay, but just for now. When the bar closes, which isn’t looking like much longer, you’re curling up somewhere besides my good couch, got that? I have big plans for this couch that include eating and drinking, watching old Westerns, and making out with a tavern wench. I can’t have it covered in dog fur.” Noah stared him down, and Chance averted his eyes and shivered.
Noah sighed. “I still don’t know what insanity possessed me when I decided it was a good idea to take on the responsibility of another living being. I can’t even take care of myself.”
Now the pup cowered, and a reminder from Neve about sustained eye contact with dogs sparked in Noah’s brain.Whoops.He cast his gaze toward his darkened window for somewhere else to park it. Movement beyond snagged his attention. As he made his way across the room for a closer look, he absently apologized to the dog. “Sorry, bud. Didn’t mean to freak you out by staring at you. This whole night has to be freaking you out.”
Peering out the window, Noah spotted a long line of bundled-up people snaking between buildings, walking from the street parallel to Bowen toward his bar. They stopped when a van with symbols on its doors blocked their way. “What the hell is going on?” His words fogged the glass.
Laughter rose up from outside, and his alarm bells quieted. Whatever these folks were up to, they were happy about it.
Preparing to leave, he paused to pet Chance one more time. “Tell you what. I’ll go find Hailey and have her visit you. Iknowthat’ll make you feel better. She’s the ultimate Chance whisperer.”
