“Good call.”
“—but is there someone else who might be worried? Someone you’d want to reassure?”
“Nope.” She popped the p. She held my gaze. “I didn’t have friends, Brooklyn. My one non-wacko school friend moved to Canada two years ago. I was completely ostracized by the rest because I didn’t respect their crazy-ass beliefs.”
Neither had I, so I understood. “But you couldn’t wait until you turned eighteen? The day of your birthday, I could’ve been on your doorstep with a plane ticket—if that’s what you wanted.” Would’ve been a hell of an expensive gift, but if she’d asked, I would’ve swung it. Done whatever was necessary.
“I couldn’t wait.”
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?” Because semantics were important.
“Couldn’t.” Her eyes turned flinty. “Don’t ask, Brooklyn. You won’t like the answer.”
“We still have to deal with the fact you’re underage and you ran away.” I wanted to believe her when she said she wasn’t pregnant, but I’d lied a time or two out of desperation back home. What else could be that urgent? I rubbed my face. “Maybe we’ll brainstorm when Arthur comes home.”
“What’s the deal with the two of you?”
“Cheyenne.” I injected as much warning as I could. Although I urgently wanted more from Arthur than what we’d done last night, sharing that little tidbit with my baby sister wasn’t the answer to getting there. How he’d acted around Cheyenne reinforced the impression Arthur was shy, and I knew how she could tease.
“Fair’s fair.”
I pursed my lips. “Hardly the same thing. We’ll put this discussion on hold. Before lunch, let’s organize a grocery delivery.”
“I can cook, you know. I didn’t want to be domesticated, but Mom insisted I learn and Dad didn’t make that optional. So maybe I can stay here in exchange for, like, cooking and cleaning?” She eyed my floor that had, admittedly, a lot of dog hair in the corners.
Cleaning hadn’t been the priority this week. When I wasn’t doggie-sitting for my clients, I was trying to take care of Arthur without appearing to take care of him. Not hovering, of course. Watching for obstacles, moving things to where they’d be more convenient. Making sure he had something to drink if it was time for his meds. Suggesting he rest when the crease between his ginger eyebrows got deep. Stuff like that.
“I’m not going to turn down your cooking,” I said. Cheyenne appeared to need to feel useful. God knew, if I was healthy and staying at someone’s house, I’d want to contribute too. “I want to get you a pay-as-you-go phone first thing, though. For safety. We can put it on my credit card.” Another expense, but worth it. “Even so, I’d prefer you not leave the house without me. There’s always a chance the cops might be looking for you. We need to deal with all this mess.”
“When Arthur gets home.” She rose. “I’ll check out what you’ve got in the pantry and the fridge, then I’ll make a list of everything I need.” She was at the baby gate before she turned back. “Thank you.”
She looked so heartbreakingly young in that moment. Whatever it took, I swore I’d protect her. “Of course.”
After holding my gaze for several moments, she nodded and headed back to the kitchen.
A long time passed before I got up off the floor to arrange midday snacks for the grateful pooches and a treat or two for the cat.
CHAPTER 11
ARTHUR
“You got shot!”
I held the phone farther away and frowned at Shane’s small image. “Yell louder, why don’t you?”
“Fuck you.” Shane glared at me from across the ocean. “‘I had a minor incident,’ you said. ‘Everything’s fine,’ you said. A bullet is not fucking minor. And I had to find out about it from Nina.”
“Um.”
“She assumed you’d told me, like you should have. She was showing me video of Foxy, and then she said, ‘It’s a good thing I took her, since Arthur has his hands full with being shot and all.’ I dropped my damned phone.”
“What kind of video?” I asked to distract him. “Was it cute?”
“Oh, no, you’re not getting off that easy. What the fuck happened? Spill it, Arthur.”
I reluctantly told him the basics, emphasizing that the gun was small, the wound was healing, and leaving the concussion as “rung my bell, but no fracture or anything.”
When I was done, Shane said, “Holy shit. I’m glad you and Kevin are okay. Did you ever find the dog? Is it safe?”
