Chapter 3
Three
Peter
“Alright, Alice. You ready to go home to your family?” She’s a gorgeous pittie. I’m surprised she’s as small as she is, but she’s lean and it’s all muscle.
I’m just happy I found her owner. They must have just moved to town.
The least I could do is offer to take her home.
I know if she was my dog, I’d be an emotional mess.
There’s no use in a family getting out this late to come get their dog.
It’s not like I have anyone here waiting for me to get back home. It’s just easier for me to do it.
Digging through my toolbox, I find a piece of rope and tie it to her collar as a makeshift leash. She may be small, but she’s still heavy. The last thing I need to do is throw out my back trying to carry her again.
“Let’s go girl.”
Alice walks beside me as I open the door and sits while waiting for me to lock it behind us.
“Good girl.” I give her a scratch behind the ear. I swear she sighs at the gesture.
She must be well trained because she doesn’t try to run in front of me as we head toward my truck. She stays beside me, or slightly behind.
Maybe I should get a dog. Then I’ll have something to look forward to coming home to. It’ll also force me to slow down my work hours. Pierce really doesn’t need me at the winery at all hours.
That’s a road to cross another day. Right now, I need to get this sweet girl home to her family. I’m sure they miss her.
She jumps into the front seat of my truck with ease and I shoo her to the passenger seat. Piper would lose her mind if she saw this. Me, letting an animal into my pride and joy.
I start the truck and Alice lies down in the seat as it hums to life. There’s no need to plug in the address. As soon as I saw the address, I knew exactly where this person lived. It’s Beau’s childhood home. He’ll be glad to know it’s finally sold and there’s no threat of his parents coming back.
It doesn’t take me long to pull into the driveway of Alice’s home. Except there is a truck in the driveway I recognize.
My best friend is making his way down the sidewalk to where I’m parking and is to my truck as I open the door. “What the hell are you doing here, Miles? Did you already get friendly with the new person in town?”
It’s not like it’s a stretch to think it’s possible. He’s always been someone who can hit it off with pretty much anyone.
“Gross, dude. No.” He glances behind him where a woman and what looks to be a teenager stand. “My sister moved back to town with her daughter. I thought I told you she bought this place.”
“No, I feel like I would remember that.” I comb through my memory to see if he did in fact tell me. And he didn’t. “When did they move back?”
“Over the past week. It’s why I’ve been so busy lately. I was making sure everything was ready for her.”
“Oh, well, I guess this beautiful pup is hers?” I point my thumb over my shoulder to the dog sitting in my passenger seat.
“Yes.” The sigh of relief is something I’ve never heard from him before. Not even when he was overprotective of his sister when we were kids. He moves to the passenger side and opens the door. “Come on, Alice. Alexandra is excited to see you.” Alice jumps down with her tail wagging.
Before I have a chance to ask who Alexandra is, a girl comes running down the sidewalk and Alice breaks free from Miles. Clearly this girl is Alice’s human.
“I take it this girl is Alexandra?” I really am clueless here.
“Yeah, she’s, my niece. Callie’s daughter.”
It makes sense. I haven’t seen Callie since she hightailed it out of town after graduating high school. She hasn’t been back since…until now.
“Oh.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say.
“Come on.” He slaps my shoulder. “Say hi to Callie and officially meet her daughter.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I follow Miles up the sidewalk.
There’s nothing better to do tonight. All that awaits me at home is my video game.
Plus, it’ll be nice to catch up with an old friend.
If I can call her that. She mostly tagged along when we were kids.
We wouldn’t have gotten away with half the shit we pulled if we left her behind.
She always threatened to tell her parents or mine.
“Thank you so much for finding Alice.” The girl, Alexandra, cries before throwing her arms around me. “I was so scared she was gone forever.”
My arms are out to my side because I don’t know what to do in this situation. I’m rarely around teenagers. Do I hug her back? Or stand here, awkward, until she calms down?
“It was, um, no problem.” I pat her shoulder because I don’t know this kid. “I’m just happy I was able to find her owners. Does she do this often?”
With one last sniffle Alexandra takes a step back. “No, we always lived in the city so there were never fireworks. I didn’t think she’d react like that.”
“Now you know, and you’ll have that information for this summer.” Shit. That sounds like I’m chastising her for something she had no control over.
“I mean, it’ll help you take precautions.”
Alexandra’s lip quirks up in a half smile. “I knew what you meant.”
Hopefully it’s dark enough she doesn’t see my relief. “That’s good.”
“I’m Alexandra.” She holds out her hand to shake mine. “Apparently we’re neighbors.”
“I’m Peter.” I give her hand a quick shake before releasing it. Are all teens like this? “I’m friends with your uncle.”
“And not my mom?” Now she’s crossing her arms, and I don’t understand what I did wrong.
“You’re mom, too. But I haven’t seen her in a really long time.”
Alexandra turns around and walks toward the house. I guess I’m supposed to follow her. I search for Miles for some sort of clue, but he’s already at the door.
Guess I better say hi to Callie. I have a feeling if I don’t her daughter will be pissed.
There’s no way I can do that. One because I just made her night by finding her pup.
And two, it appears we’re neighbors and the last thing I want to do is piss off a teen.
If she’s half as brazen as me and Miles were, I’m sure pranks will ensue.
I trudge up the sidewalk, several feet behind Alexandra. It’s not that I have anything against Callie, but I never thought I’d see her again. She wasn’t always the easiest to deal with when we were kids. Mostly because she was dead set on doing whatever me and Miles were doing.
Miles beckons me inside as soon as I’m at the front door. “Come on.”
There are half empty boxes inside the room as soon as I walk in. It looks like they’ve made progress in unpacking. I wouldn’t know. I moved from my parents’ house to the house I have on Starlit Fields property. Moving is something I never had to experience.
“Callie, I’m sure you remember Peter.”
She’s standing in the middle of the living room, eyes wide. But I don’t miss the way the travel over me from head to toe. She’s not at all like I remember her. Her hair is much longer and she’s not the awkward teen she was before she left. She’s grown up into a beautiful woman.
“Hey.” The word is raspy like she couldn’t find her voice. Not completely. “I mean hi. Sorry for the mess. We’re still unpacking.”
“How have you been?”
She studies me again. No doubt wondering if I’m being sincere. Her brother and I weren’t always so nice to her when we were younger. Her next words are hesitant, almost like the weight of them is too much. Maybe they are. “Good. Just trying to get settled in.”
“If you need any help, let me know. I’m literally right down the road.” I point my thumb over my shoulder as if that will indicate the correct direction.
“I think we’ve got it.” Miles shoots her a glare at the tone change.
Okay. That was a switch up. I’m sure she’s stressed. She just moved back and had a hell of a time with her dog. I’m trying not to take it personally. Especially after dealing with all the shit with my brother.
“Well, the offer stand should you need it.”
Callie takes a moment to plaster a smile on her face. It’s the same fake one she wore when she told us she wouldn’t tattle to our parents over something dumb Miles and I were about to do.
“Thank you. And thanks for finding Alice.” The relief in the last sentence only confirms what I thought. She’s trying to be strong for whatever reason. It’s not really any of my business, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. “I don’t know what we would have done if she was lost forever.”
“It’s no problem.” I reassure her. “If anyone here would have found her, they would have done everything they could to find her owner. You know how the community here is.”
“Yeah,” she grumbles.
What the hell happened to make her dislike her home town? If it was something bad, I’m certain I would have heard about it back then. I graduated a few years before her, but word travels fast when there’s something to talk about.
I’m not going to meddle. The best thing for me to do at this point is get in my truck and drive home. I returned Alice to her family. Now I can go home and start my new year off the way I intended, playing games and crashing.
“Oh, I gave her a bath after I found her. She had leaves and grass all in her fur.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” She shakes her head. “We would have given her one as soon as we found her.”
“You can just say thank you.” Her eyes cut to mine. “Besides, it was a pretty rough night for the sweet girl and nobody, not even a pup, should ring in the new year without looking their best.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize it’s the wrong thing to say.
Callie glances down at her oversized sweater and leggings.
At least, I think that’s what they’re called.
Piper wears them to work all the time even though Pierce tells her not to.
I probably should have left that comment to myself.
“Sorry, I-I didn’t mean you don’t look your best. I just meant—” I don’t even bother finishing the sentence. I know when I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth. This time I did it in such a bad way there’s no redeeming myself…at least not right now.
“It’s fine.” I don’t miss the sadness in her voice. Whatever she’s going through it must be hard, and I didn’t help anything by saying stupid shit at the wrong moment. “Anyways, thank you. I’ll let you know if we need anything. I’m sure you have much better things to do with your night.”
I don’t, but she doesn’t need to know that. Hell, if it wasn’t for my need to be away from people, I’d still be at the bar with my brothers and sisters. It was too much, and I needed to get out.
“I really am sorry. I didn’t mean anything by what I said.” I run my hand through my hair and study every empty wall in the room. Anything to not have to look her in the eye. Stupid shit just seems to flow out of my mouth at the most inopportune times.
She waves away my second attempt at an apology. “It’s been a long day. Now that Alice is home, safe and sound, I kind of want to crash.” Miles moves to sit on the sofa and she shoots him a glare. “You, too, Miles.”
“But I thought you wanted me to help you unpack.”
“I love you dearly, brother, but it’s well after two in the morning. Please get out of my house.”
“Fine. I’ll be here bright and early in the morning since I don’t have to work.”
“You probably shouldn’t lie to your sister.” I can’t help the small dig. I need someone else to feel the brunt of Callie’s ire. Even if I really stepped in it.
He grins before shaking his head like he can’t believe I called him out like that. “Let’s get out of my sister’s hair.”
With a quick wave, I follow my friend out of the house. “Why didn’t you tell me your sister was moving back? I could have helped with it.”
“I swear I mentioned it. Anyway, she’s not in a great space and will need all the support she can get it. Does your offer still stand for unpacking tomorrow?”
“Sure, I’m not doing anything else. Maybe everyone can come over for lunch at Mom and Dad’s. You know they have their traditions.”
“Sounds good.” He opens the door to his truck and glances over. “Do I still have clothes and stuff at your house? I’m certain I’ve forgotten some there at some point.”
“Yeah, you can crash on the couch too. It doesn’t make sense for you to drive in the opposite direction to the ranch when you’re coming back.”
“Thanks, man.” He gets into his truck and turns it on. He gives me a thumbs up before pulling out of the driveway and turning left toward my house.
I take one last glance at Callie’s house. It’s odd seeing her after so many years. Not too long after she moved away, I sent her a friend request on social media. She may have been annoying, but I needed to make sure she was okay in her new surroundings. It’s still in the pending section.