One Good Cowboy(14)
Author: Catherine Mann

“I’ve missed your humor.”

“Thank you.”

She’d missed a lot of things about him, which had made her question her decision more than once. Except Stone wasn’t known for his forgiving nature. While he’d made it clear he still desired her, she didn’t expect he would get over being dumped or change his stance on having children. So all this flirting was counterproductive.

“We’re getting off the subject,” she said. “Back to the Donavans, please.”

“Regardless of Troy’s past, all signs indicate the Donavans are a happy couple. But the whole reason for this visit is to be sure Gem is going to a good home. They understand there’s no promise the dog will be theirs.”

“Good.” She nodded tightly. “I have no problem leaving with her if we don’t trust them to take the best care of her.”

His full-out smile pushed dimples into both cheeks, his skin weathered from the sun. “I’ve also missed the way you get fearless when it comes to your love of animals. You never were impressed with my money. That’s a rare thing.”

His genuine compliment moved her as much as his touch and that was dangerous to her peace of mind. “Back to the dogs,” she insisted. She pulled a manila folder from her carry-on backpack. “I have questionnaires for the families to fill out to help ensure they are a good fit.”

He cocked a dark eyebrow. “A meet and greet is one thing, but you have an adoption application for them to fill out, as well?”

“I prefer the word questionnaire,” she said primly. “But yes, it could also be called an application.”

He leaned back, arms along the sofa. “You do realize they could just buy a dog.”

“They could. That doesn’t mean we have to give them Gem simply because they have money. If anything, adopting Gem will show their child that love can’t be bought.” Tapping the folder, she sighed sadly. “It’s becoming clear now that your grandmother was right to send me with you.”

“What if they’re awesome but Gem isn’t a good fit or doesn’t like them? How will you explain it to them?” he asked, appearing to be genuinely interested. “What will you tell my grandmother?”

“Your grandmother will understand. That was her reason for sending us rather than just shipping the dogs directly to the families.”

“And the Donavans?” he pushed for more.

That would be awkward but not enough to make her go against her principles. “I will suggest they go to their local animal shelter to find a forever furry friend.” She couldn’t resist adding, “Hopefully, they’ll make a huge donation while they’re there.”

“You’ve thought a lot through since just yesterday.”

She rolled her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m also trusting you to roll out that charisma to smooth over any rough patches if need be.”

“Somehow I don’t think you’re complimenting me.”

Were his feelings really hurt? He seemed so confident most—all—of the time. She unbuckled and walked across the aisle to sit beside him and oops, she hadn’t given much thought to the fact that his arms were extended along the couch, which in effect put his arm around her.

She held herself upright to keep from leaning into his hold. “Why don’t you just keep Gem? Didn’t some client give him to you?”

“He’s not really mine. He may have been given to me, but he always preferred my grandmother.” He picked up a lock of her hair. “Truth is, Gem was a gift from a guy who had the hots for my grandmother and was trying to wrangle an in with the family, since she loves dogs.”

“Run that by me again?” How had she not known that?

“After my grandfather died of a heart attack, a lot of guys made moves on Gran,” he said darkly. “She was a rich widow. Pretty. Guys were lining up. Some were genuine,” he conceded. “Some were fortune hunters.”

“Yet she never remarried.”

“She says no one matches up to my grandfather.”

Johanna’s parents had felt the same way about each other. She wanted a love like that for herself and she wasn’t willing to settle. “That’s sweet and sad at the same time, loving that much and losing it.”

He shifted in his seat. “Back to the story of how we got Gem as a puppy…”

“Not so at ease with the emotional stuff, are you?” How many other times had he dodged speaking about deeper feelings when she’d just assumed he was jaded or insensitive?

“Puppy. Gem.” His firm voice made it clear he wasn’t taking her bait. He would stay in control of the conversation, going only as far as he decided to go.

“This guy thought he was being original giving me a dog to get to my grandmother. Little did he know, he wasn’t the first dude to try that. The first guy brought a puppy—Gem number one—when I was around nine. The guy who’d given him to me to get to my grandmother… Boy, did that ever backfire on him. The puppy hated kids, had zero interest in playing ball or sleeping at the foot of my bed. He just wanted to go on lazy walks, which sounded boring to me at that age.”

An image unfolded in her head of Stone as a little boy. And what little boy wouldn’t be thrilled over a puppy? How sad he must have been to have the first Gem ignore him, reject him. He wouldn’t have understood.

She leaned toward his hand ever so slightly as he toyed with her hair. “That’s why all the family members should meet a pet first before deciding on the best fit for their family. Otherwise, it’s not fair to the dog or the people.”

“So the guy learned as my grandmother showed him the door.” He wrapped the lock of hair around his finger as the jet engines hummed in the background. “The guy offered to drop the puppy off at the local shelter, which was totally the wrong thing to say to my grandmother. She dumped the guy flat and kept the puppy for herself.” He smiled fondly at the memory, his gaze shifting to the yellow Labrador asleep in her crate. “So the next time a guy brought a puppy trying to win Gran over, we named him Gem II. Both Gems were her favorite walking companions.”

Affection for his grandmother wrapped around his every word. Saying goodbye to Gem would start that letting go, the beginning of a grieving process Johanna wished she could take from him or make easier. Even thinking about all the pain he would face watching his grandmother’s health fail squeezed at Johanna’s heart.