Holden flicked his gaze to the large clock on the wall and drew in a calming breath. No eye contact was key as well as a calm state. Rules he knew better than to break. Rules he hardly ever broke.
He glanced at Sinjin and Holden, who nodded at him, taking his cue, and they visibly relaxed.
And Carter?
Holden grinned. The guy was busy helping himself to another cinnamon bun.
With the tension in the air removed, Queenie returned to her bed and settled back down.
“Sorry,” he told Emily, and temporarily shelved the conversation until they were away from the sensitive dog.
At her urging, he poured himself a cup of coffee in the adjoining kitchen then returned to sit in the vacant chair and eat one of the buns before they all disappeared. The conversation remained light as they discussed the plans for the day. The women were hoping to get two coats of white paint on the living room ceiling, as well as two coats of “whitewashed taupe” on the walls. The sample looked like a shade of cream to Holden.
With the demise of the buns, they broke into their groups. The women headed to the living room while the men went outside. He was about to step off the porch when Emily joined him outside.
“You sure it’s okay to do this?” she asked, waving at the SUVs.
“Yeah, of course. Why?”
“Well…” She shrugged, her half smile a cross between amusement and worry. “Seems like you’re awfully free with Mac’s money and Carter’s time.”
He laughed. “No, it’s all good. In fact, Mac was the one who suggested it to me in the first place.”
Her brows knitted together. “But he wasn’t at the pub yesterday.”
“No. He suggested it on Friday when Sinjin and I told him about your encounter with Perez on Thursday.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “I still don’t know what to say. The equipment is way out of my budget. But I can hardly believe it. This is going to be so amazing for the sanctuary.”
Yeah, it was going to be helpful to her peace of mind for sure…and his, because of their ability to tap in remotely. Carter also promised to configure Holden’s phone to the system so alerts will shoot to his cell as well, if anyone stepped foot onto her property.
A small detail Holden was trying hard to omit.
Guilt flickered through his chest and pulled tight again. Despite his early resolution, Holden hated that he had to go behind her back. Then an image of Queenie flashed through his head and Holden’s guilt immediately disappeared. The woman had made things much more dangerous by adopting Perez’s dog. He didn’t have time to let guilt get in the way. Now, more than ever, he needed to keep her safe and couldn’t take the chance that she’d tell them where to shove their cameras. The obstinate beauty didn’t view Perez as a damn threat like everyone else.
On Friday, Rylee and Carter had done a deep dive on the guy, using Carter’sspecialequipment and a few back doors. Perez had a record of abuse and assault that included a long history of cruelty to animals and three restraining orders as well has having served two five-year stints in lock-up.
Holden’s stomach knotted and shoulder blades pinched tight.
The man was a dangerous, unstable SOB. No damn way would he allow someone like that anywhere near Emily. Or Queenie.
“What’s wrong?” Emily asked, frowning at him. “You still upset about my dog?”
He closed his eyes and blew out a breath before opening them. “I think adopting her was admirable, but I wish you would’ve told us about it on Thursday. God, Emily, if he knew where you lived and that you had his dog—”
“He doesn’t, and she’smydog, not his. Not anymore,” she stated firmly. “If you think back to his outburst, he was insistingthat I go back to Houston with him to help him get his dog back. He didn’t say ‘give me’ my dog back. So, he doesn’t know.”
Again, Holden inhaled then blew out a breath. She was right. The guy had said that. “Doesn’t mean he won’t find out.”
She shrugged. “I’ll deal with it then. I’m not going to waste my time and energy on that horrible man. I’d much rather channel it into helping Queenie learn to be a happy, balanced dog.”
He nodded, admiration for the woman cracking open a chunk of his heart. “She seems to trust you.”
“Yeah, I’ve been taking it slow, but am pleased by the fact she’s gained over seventeen pounds in my care.” Her gaze brightened and her features softened as she talked about the Rottie.
“I noticed,” he said, a smile pulling at his lips as he stared into her happy face. The dog was still underweight, but she was a far cry from the way Emily had described her to them Thursday night. “She looks a lot healthier.”
“Thanks.” Her grin widened and a flush filled her cheeks.
