The Love Shack

Chapter 13

Lark was inan odd mood, and Oliver didn’t like it. He was used to her friendly chatter and smiles, but now she seemed... Shy? No, that wasn’t a word that would ever apply to Lark. But something was wrong. He could damn well sense it.

She was as sweet as ever with Handsome, telling the dog how cute he was, that he was such a good boy, praising him when he sprinkled the grass, when he darted after a butterfly and even when he led them under the shade of a cluster of trees.

For Oliver, she’d been slightly distant.

“You did a great job on Berkley’s hair.”

She flashed him a smile that wrapped around his heart. “Not that she didn’t look awesome already. She wanted a change, and I really like how it turned out.”

Since Handsome plopped down on the grass near a tree, Oliver meandered closer and leaned back against the trunk. He studied Lark. “You’ve got a little smudge of mascara under your right eye.”

“Again? Ugh.” She reached up to rub, but he stopped her.

“Let me.” He lifted his pinky finger to her lips. “Little lick.”

“Excuse me?”

He’d probably excuse her anything, but the idea of her tongue touching him had his thoughts in a riot. “To dampen the end of my finger. Then I can remove the smudge.”

“Oh.” She took hold of his wrist, her hand so small that her fingers barely managed to encircle him. He could have sworn a wicked gleam entered those gray eyes before she lowered her lashes and, bringing his hand closer, swirled the tip of her tongue over his finger.

He felt it everywhere, and almost forgot what he was doing until she gave him such an innocent look. “Chin up,” he gruffly ordered.

Dutifully, she tipped her face, staring up at the tree to make it easier for him. One small swipe, and the mascara was removed.

She still held his wrist.

If Handsome wasn’t right there, held on a leash between them, Oliver would have kissed her. Didn’t matter that they were in the shelter yard on a Sunday, or that Berkley had glanced out at them several times.

Lark might not be aware of her friend’s attention, but he was. “Did Berkley have plans? Are we holding her up?”

“No. She’s having dinner with Lawson tonight, but we have another hour before she’ll want to put Handsome in his area and lock up the shelter.”

“Want to sit, then? Handsome is done walking, I think. The ground is dry, and you’re in jeans.” Cute jeans, snug enough to hug her behind and showcase her waist. Her sleeveless top was some kind of sheer pink material that draped over her breasts and fell loosely from there.

Lark Penny had showstopper looks, but that wasn’t what drew him.

“Sure.” When she started to lower herself, he took her hand under the guise of assisting her. She smiled her thanks, and sat cross-legged.

Once Oliver sat at the other side of Handsome, the dog scooted closer, then rested his shaggy head over Oliver’s thigh. The pooch definitely knew how to steal his heart.

He was a lot like Lark that way.

“Aww,” Lark breathed softly. “He loves you.”

“I’m fond of him, too.” Much of Handsome’s fur had returned but it was still uneven. The dog gave him a gruesome smile, thanks to his perpetually squinting eye and dental issues, but it was adorable all the same. “He no longer looks panicked when I visit.”

“Are you kidding? He’s thrilled to see you.” She leaned closer as if to share a secret. “He’s your dog now, you know?”

“Yes, he’s mine.”

Brows shooting up and eyes widening, she showed her surprise.

“You thought I’d deny it?” He gently rubbed one of Handsome’s bristly ears. “I think Berkley already knows, but either way, she said she’d talk to me first if anyone was interested in adopting him. I’d like to take him soon, but until he’s gotten through his dental work, I don’t want to disrupt him. I thought I’d be putting in sixty hours or more at the fitness center, but it’s all coming together more easily than I’d imagined and my schedule isn’t near as strict as I’d anticipated.”

“Somehow, you and a strict schedule seem to fit.”

Very true. Before moving here, he’d been rigid in his work ethic, determined to get ahead, to build a name for himself, fatten his bank account and set up his future.

Here, in Cemetery, he was trying to learn to live more, plan less. There was a reasonable balance, and he was finding it here.

“Things aren’t as regimented as I’d expected.” That was in part due to Lark’s incredible marketing talents. “You can take some credit for that.”

“Me?”

“I thought I’d spend at least a month just drumming up business, but we’ve been nearly maxed out since opening. With so much clientele, I’ve been able to adapt the business hours to accommodate the busiest times. Lawson and I are doing some shared promotions, and thanks to you, I’m meeting new people through the shelter. The cat yoga was a massive hit and we’re already booked up for the rest of the summer. Now other businesses here are reaching out.”

“Glad you could use some of my ideas.” She gave him a cheeky grin. “Any time you want to discuss business, let me know.”

He wanted to discuss business, all right. Among other things. Like how she’d taken all his plans and so easily turned them upside down. He wanted his new career to be a hit, but he also wanted Lark, the sooner the better. “When I came here, the very last thing I counted on was a—”

She inhaled and held it.

“Dog.”

“Oh,” she said on a long, relieved exhale.

“Or a woman,” he added, knowing that was what she’d expected.

Scrunching her nose, she said, “I did sort of push myself on you that first time at Saul’s restaurant.”

He couldn’t help that his voice lowered. “You can push yourself on me anytime you want.”

“Ha!” Her laugh startled Handsome, who could still be skittish, so she spent a minute apologizing to the dog, bending down to talk to him and hugging him—which put her very close to Oliver’s lap.

“Lark?” Settling his hand over her dark hair, he let his fingers sink into the heavy locks. She had amazing hair, not that long, but so silky it was almost liquid. He’d never paid that much attention to a woman’s hair before. It either suited her or it didn’t. He noticed redheads, but then noticed blondes, too. Lark, with her rich hair and pale gray eyes, gave off a uniquely innocent but mischievous vibe—and somehow was scorching hot at the same time. Especially with her smiles and “we will be friends” manner.

With Handsome now reassured, she peered up at him. “I’ll be on my best behavior now. I hate that I frightened him.”

“He’ll get used to you.” Oliver tugged her a little closer. “I want to kiss you.”

Nodding, she said, “I was hoping you would.”

He almost grinned, but getting his mouth on hers took precedence. They met over the dog, each leaning in, and he knew he was a goner.

Her lips, slightly parted, touched his tentatively. Their breaths mingled, each savoring the moment. When she started to pull back, he closed the distance and kissed her again, warmer, firmer. Deeper.

It went from a getting-to-know-you kiss to a prelude-to-sex kind of kiss. Everything he’d expected from Lark—a heated punch to his senses, a mere taste that made him want more—was in that kiss.

Need tensed his shoulders, but he gently brushed his thumb over the smoothness of her warm cheek. Slowly, he straightened. “I need more of that.”

“Yup, me too.”

Her eagerness made him feel guilty. “I should tell you something.”

All that warm excitement faded from her expression, and a mask of polite interest fell into place. “Okay.”

The last thing he wanted to do was overwhelm her, but it wouldn’t be fair to her to start something she might not want. So, he settled more comfortably against the tree, stared out at the yard and said, “I’m not into casual sex.” For her, though, he might make an exception—if it was the only way he could have her.

“Me, either. Go on.”

The ready agreement was promising. “I always wanted a dog.”

He sensed more than saw her confusion. “Pets are awesome.”

“I wanted a family, too. You’re right that I’m a serious-minded person, always have been. Even in college, I had an end goal in mind. Good job, house, wife, kids, all in that order.”

Behind Handsome, she settled against the tree, her shoulder touching his, her attention rapt in a way he hadn’t expected. “You want kids?”

He couldn’t tell if she was appalled or intrigued.

“Eventually.”

“So not now?”

“Pretty sure I can’t just snap my fingers and produce a baby.” By the expression on her face, his joke fell flat. “I’m thirty-four.” Couldn’t help the way his gaze dipped over her, seeing all the signs of her youth. “Ten years older than you.”

“Practically ancient,” she quipped. “Go on.”

Smart-ass. He fought a smile, because this was serious and yet, she’d just made it clear the ten-year difference didn’t factor in for her. “I thought I’d be married long before now. My brother and I grew up in this nice, upper-middle-class home. Two professional parents with important jobs, but they always made time for us. My mom was a school superintendent, my dad a lawyer. They were strict, but I think also fair.” When Handsome turned to his side and dozed off, Oliver continued to lightly stroke him. The dog responded to him, to his touch.

He wanted Lark to do the same, but in a very different way.

He definitely didn’t want her dozing off.

“Everything was going according to plan. I was a physical therapist with a six-figure income at a well-respected practice, working with college athletes and some professional players. Dating a woman in the same practice. Then my dad died.” They’d been close, and he missed his father still. “He was playing golf when a massive heart attack took him.”

“That had to have been an awful shock.”

“He was gone before the ambulance arrived. It’s been a little more than a year now. My mom was lost. They’d been a team for so long that she couldn’t seem to get her footing back. She retired from her position, and I think it gave her too much time to focus on her loss.” He huffed a quiet laugh. “That sounds heartless, doesn’t it? I don’t mean it that way. She’d always been a doer, but after losing Dad...” His mother became a sedentary stranger, almost a recluse. “She ignored invitations from her friends, and when I visited her, she barely seemed to know I was there.”

Resting her hand on his arm, Lark sympathized. “Almost like you lost both parents.”

That was how it had felt. “My brother’s been hurt more by it. He’s a few years younger than me. Always the baby, you know?” Imagining how Gordon would react to being called the baby, he half smiled. “Not that he wasn’t a great guy. He just relied on Mom more. Losing Dad was hard enough on him, but Mom withdrawing like that... I’m not blaming her. Please don’t think that.”

She waved that off. Interested and concerned, she leaned closer. “You said your brother was a great guy?”

So she hadn’t missed that emphasis? He hated thinking about it. That was a problem, too. He’d shut them all out, all their struggles, so he could focus on his own life and moving forward, sticking to his plan. He’d own up to it now, because he was done turning away from problems, especially his own.

“Gordon is married, has a sweet baby girl, everything to live for...but he started self-medicating.” What a shitty way to describe drug addiction. “That’s what my mother called it at first. She thought it’d be a simple problem to fix and she wanted me to do something. So did my sister-in-law. Gordon spiraled out of control so fast that it took us all by surprise. I talked to him so many times, trying to get him to see a specialist. Nothing I said mattered, but then, I was a physical therapist, not a professional who deals with emotions.”

“You do pretty well with emotions, too,” Lark said, nodding at Handsome.

“Animals are easier than people.” No one expected them to understand. But a grown man? Yes, he’d had expectations for his brother. “Instead of seeking help, Gordon turned into a hothead, blowing up on everyone.”

“Including you?”

“Me, his wife, our mother.” Frustration gathered, making his temples pound. “He got fired, started mixing drugs and alcohol. The last time my sister-in-law called me, I didn’t want to go.”

“But you did anyway.”

It had felt pointless. And in the end, things would have been better if he hadn’t. “Gordon was out of control. He had the car keys, planning to go out. When I tried to stop him, he took a swing at me, and I...” He tightened his jaw.

Lark filled in for him. “You swung back? So? Was he a little guy?”

“My size, but stockier.”

“Oliver.” Gray eyes conveyed acceptance and understanding. “For a fit guy like you, I imagine it was almost instinct.”

“That’s no excuse. Especially because it made everything worse. He went wild, throwing things, cursing my sister-in-law when she tried to calm him down. The baby woke up screaming, but he didn’t seem to care about that, either.” His hand on Handsome stilled, and his free hand curled into a fist. God, he’d wanted to pound his brother. By sheer force of will, he hadn’t. “It was one of the most disgusting displays I’ve ever seen from a man. Honest to God, it shamed me that he was a Roth.”

Lark leaned against his shoulder, her expression both understanding and sympathetic. “I can see why.” After a thoughtful moment, she added, “You’re his brother and you love him. You, too, had lost your father and you were worried about your mother. You wanted the best for Gordon, and the all-consuming destruction of drug dependency wasn’t it. Plus I’m sure you love your sister-in-law and niece.”

“Very much.” He missed them, especially his niece. She’d be three soon. Would he get to see her for her birthday? Didn’t seem likely. “Over the next month, his addiction got worse, until he completely bottomed out. Mom claimed he was only grieving, like her.”

“Sounds like he needed some tough love.”

That’s what Oliver thought, but no one else had agreed. “Mom didn’t understand how I was functioning fine with everything. She accused me of just carrying on as if we hadn’t lost Dad.”

“Oh, Oliver,” she said softly. “I imagine she was hurting, so she verbally struck out at you, but she should have known that falling apart isn’t your way.”

The words, stated with such confidence, drew him like a lifeline. “You’re sure about that?”

“Of course. You loved your father as much as the others. You love all of them, I can tell.” She rubbed his arm. “Everyone’s grief is different. I bet you stayed busy and tried to be productive.”

How could she already know him so well? “It was the only thing I knew to do.” He’d pushed through, refusing to let himself dwell. “I didn’t want to add to Mom’s upset.” He’d thought he was doing the right thing, only to find out he was wrong.

“It’s obvious that’s how you coped. You couldn’t understand your mother and brother, just as they couldn’t understand you.”

Grateful that Lark so easily understood him when his own family hadn’t, he nodded. “We haven’t even spoken in so long.”

“I’m sorry.” She drew a breath. “You’ll be in touch with them soon, or they’ll contact you. I’m sure of it.”

“Tonight,” he said. “I’ll call Mom tonight. It’s been two months since I left.” And for a month before that, they’d been at odds, barely speaking.

Too damn long. For all of them.

“Does she live far?”

“A few hours south.” He dropped his head back. “After things fell apart with my brother, I wanted out of there. I gave up my job, emptied my accounts, sold everything and came here.” To start over. “I wanted a complete change from the city. I know drugs are everywhere, but this town feels...”

“Wholesome.” Lark smiled up at the oak leaves overhead, at how the sunshine left dappled shadows everywhere. “Safe and welcoming. The air is fresh, everyone knows everyone else, and the sunsets on the lake are inspiring.”

“That’s about it.”

“Fewer reminders here, too.”

Another bull’s-eye. “You’re pretty perceptive, Lark Penny.”

Her slim hand curved around his jaw. “How is your brother doing now? Do you know?”

“He OD’d, damn near died, but thankfully pulled through.” That was what had sent Oliver packing. He couldn’t stick around and watch his little brother kill himself. “He’d been drinking all night, hooked up with a woman in a bar, took a pill someone gave him...”

“Oh, no.”

“So damned irresponsible.” Oliver had thought it then, and he thought it now. How could a man—his own brother—dishonor his wife like that? Risk his life when he had a child to care for?

No, he didn’t understand, and sadly, he never would. He’d be there, he’d help if he could, but he knew he didn’t have the knowledge to help Gordon get through addiction.

“Your poor sister-in-law.”

Yeah. “Once he got out of the hospital, Gordon had court-ordered rehab, and he hated it, and he hated life.” The entire thing had been ugly, but Oliver knew he couldn’t help his brother. Whenever he’d tried, it’d just made it worse. “For a while, she blamed me. So did my mom.” You should have done more for him. You could have tried harder. So many things he should or could have done.

Skipping right past that, Lark asked, “Are they still together?”

“Last I heard.” But he knew it was dicey, understandably so.

“Who’d you hear it from?”

“My sister-in-law, but she was still dazed and hurting. Her parents are terrific. She was going to stay with them for a while.” It was a relief to him to know his niece would have others looking out for her. “Once he finally got out of rehab, Gordon was going to stay with Mom.” Closing his eyes, Oliver said, “At least Mom started seeing and feeling again.”

“She’d had to, to take care of Gordon.”

It had given her a new purpose. “She insisted he’d be fine, that they’d work through things together.”

Gently, Lark said, “I hope that’s true.”

“At that point, I knew I needed a change. I wasn’t going to be a help to anyone.” A sad truth. “So I walked away.”

She rubbed his shoulder. “What else could you do?”

“I don’t know. That was the problem. I had no idea what to do. Still don’t.”

“So you decided to live.” She said it decisively, and with admiration. “This is your way, Oliver. Here, you can help people without the family strife. You’re offering physical fitness for an outlet, for others, and for yourself.”

Exactly what he’d told himself. “Or maybe that’s just a cop-out so I don’t have to go back and do the hard work for my family.”

Lark heaved a sigh, then rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s not a cop-out. It’s reality. I think Gordon needs professional help.”

“Me, too.” He’d suggested it, but the idea wasn’t well received.

“You’re here, a wonderful, smart, talented man with so much to give to the community and a lot of life ahead of you. Making yourself miserable won’t help anyone.” She went quiet, then straightened again to ask, “What did you say to them all when you left?”

“That I wouldn’t be far, I loved them, and if I could help, if they needed anything at all, to let me know.”

Soft understanding filled her eyes. “That’s wonderful, Oliver. A generous offer and the perfect way to leave things.” She brushed a quick kiss to his mouth. “Now that a little time has passed, if you’re feeling like you need to connect with them again, I vote for a plan of action. If you wouldn’t mind my input—”

“I would love your input.” He drew her hand from his jaw to his mouth, pressing his lips to her palm. “Got a marketing plan for me? A way to salvage my family ties?”

“I’m positive your family ties are as strong as ever. You don’t need any help with that.” Lower, she muttered, “And I wouldn’t be the one to give that advice anyway.”

What was that? Was Lark also at odds with her family? He wanted to ask, but then she continued.

“How about some objective thoughts from an outsider instead?”

“Objective is good.”

“Sometimes family is the best of us, and the worst of us.”

Coming from experience, no doubt. Cradling her hand in his own, Oliver teased the pad of his thumb over her delicate knuckles. She was small in stature, but he had a feeling Lark was strong where it mattered, in her loyalty, her convictions, her honesty and her pride.

“Invite your mother here to visit. Cemetery—the name alone, right?—is a topic starter. Make it a casual, open-ended invite and tell her you’ve missed her.”

“I have.” A lot. “She might be intrigued by the town.”

Cautioning him, Lark added, “She’ll either agree to come or not, but you’re connecting either way. Then get hold of your brother, tell him you’ve been thinking of him and you hope he’s doing well.”

“Also true, but the last time I tried that, he blew up on me.”

“Last time, he hadn’t yet hit rock bottom.” A wealth of sincerity darkened her eyes, showing her vulnerability. “He hadn’t yet lost you.”

Oliver frowned. Who had Lark lost? Hopefully there wasn’t a guy he didn’t know about. “Have you—”

She cut him off. “If he loves his wife, and I assume he does, hopefully he took rehab seriously and is trying to get his life in order. It won’t be easy, but it’s on him, not anyone else. You said he was a great guy before sorrow and drugs got the better of him, so I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. By now, I’m sure he has a lot of regrets.”

Regrets. Everyone had them, right? Surely, he wasn’t alone in that. There’d been a time where he and Gordon were buds as well as brothers. “Family was always important to all of us.”

“And your family took some hard blows.” Her gaze tracked over his face, his eyes, his jaw, his mouth—where she lingered a moment—before returning to meet his gaze. “Don’t apologize to him. That’s the wrong road to go down. Even if he isn’t receptive, just tell him you’re wishing him well. Nothing deflates anger faster than someone who doesn’t reciprocate.”

Was that why Lark stayed so happy? To deflect any negativity? “Thanks for the great suggestions. I appreciate it.”

“He’s your brother,” she said. “So if he’s anything like you, he has to be pretty awesome. He’ll come around.”

Talk about reciprocal... “Does that mean you like me?”

Wearing a “get real” expression, she said, “I more than like you, and you know it.”

A lazy smile curled his mouth. “Good to know, because I more than like you, too.” He tugged at a lock of her hair. “Now that we’ve cleared up our interest, will you tell me about your family?”

The heartfelt groan conveyed her feelings on that.

He was disappointed, but said, “If you’d rather not—”

“How about the shortened version?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable sharing.”

Suddenly talking at hyperspeed, she said, “My parents and I love each other, that’s not in doubt, but I went through a miscarriage and we were at odds over the pregnancy, and like you, I came here for some space, for time to work out my feelings.”

The rushed explanation hit him like a sucker punch. Of all the family issues she might have shared, that never factored into his thoughts. “You were pregnant?”

Still avoiding his gaze, she nodded. “My parents were concerned, but we differed on what to do. It...caused a lot of conflicts.”

Emotions bombarded him, concern first, and then a touch of possessiveness. Using two fingers, he stroked along her jaw, then nudged up her chin until she met his gaze.

Worry-filled gray eyes stole a chunk of his heart.

“The guy?”

One shoulder lifted in dismissal. “He was history before I lost the baby.”

“He knew you were pregnant?”

A smirk came and went. “That’s why we split up.”

Meaning it, he said, “I’m sorry.”

“That he took off?”

“No.” Good riddance to him, as far as Oliver was concerned. “I’m sorry that he let you down. That you went through that.” And it sounded like she’d handled it alone. Instinct made him want to gather her close, but they had a small, needy pooch between them.

Memories softened her tone. “It was an unpleasant eye-opener for sure. Until then, I’d been without direction. Just enjoying life day by day, with no thought of the future or what I really wanted.”

“You’re young. No one expects you to have it all figured out.”

Her sunny smile didn’t quite meet her eyes. “Old enough now to know that I want to be with people who matter.” A nudge, shoulder to shoulder, made it clear that she included him in that. “I love my job, I love the people here, and someday I’d love a family.”

If she thought that would scare him off, the opposite was true—it encouraged him. “That day you were upset, after cat yoga, it’s because you saw the kittens?”

Self-conscious about it, she rolled her shoulder again. “The babies dredged up the memory. Someday, with the right guy—”

“With commitment and love.”

They stared at each other, until she continued lightly, “As you said, I’m only twenty-four, so I have time.”

Which meant he had time to win her over. “How would you feel about dinner?”

Gaze warm and direct, she asked, “How would you feel about a sleepover?”

“My place or yours?”

The quick reply parted her lips. “Really?”

That deserved a laugh. “Did you honestly think I wasn’t interested?”

“I don’t know. You were talking about your grand plan and everything.” Her eyes widened. “Not that I expect you to rush me into marriage or kids or anything like that.”

A little rushing sounded fine to him. “How about we see how it goes?”

“Right.” Pragmatic, she said, “I’d like a chance to fall in love with you, instead of merely in lust.”

Just seeing her lips form the word lust ratcheted up his temperature. He touched her mouth. “One step at a time.”

She was nodding when Oliver closed in, his mouth taking hers, soft and easy for, oh, two seconds. Then he angled for a better fit and she did the same, the kiss turning ravenous.

Hearing heavy footsteps, Oliver glanced up sharply.

“Damn.” Lawson stalled midstep. “Sorry to interrupt. I can just—” He started to pivot toward Berkley’s house.

“It’s fine.” Scrambling, Lark got to her feet and brushed off her backside with more energy than necessary.

Heaving a put-out sigh, Oliver gathered the dog into his arms and got to his feet, as well. “We were walking Handsome.”

Deadpan, Lawson said, “Exactly what it looked like.” He reached out to scratch the dog’s chin. “How’s he doing?”

Handsome tucked up against Oliver’s chest, cowering but also wagging his tail.

“Mixed signals, bud,” Oliver said, gently sheltering him. It was the first time he’d held Handsome, but the dog appeared to like it.

Lark said, “I didn’t hear you pull up.”

“I walked over through the woods. My house isn’t that far from here.”

“That’s convenient,” Oliver said. “And actually, I’m glad you’re close by.”

Eyebrows lifting and suspicion clear, Lawson waited for an explanation.

Seriously, he’d just been devouring Lark, so Lawson had to know where his interests lay. “Look around. This place is isolated enough that I didn’t hear you until you were already close. As you just pointed out, she has woods around her instead of neighbors. Some guy from Berkley’s past is looking for her and he could walk right up on her without her knowing until it was too late.”

“Too late?” Lark repeated. “You really think he’s that dangerous.”

Lawson’s dark, level brows came together. “Berkley doesn’t, but neither of us have seen him for damn near a decade. He was worse than a cowardly creep back then, and I have serious doubts that time has improved him any.” He did his own survey of the area. “You’re right. She needs more lights out here, and probably a better security system.”

Snorting, Lark turned away. “I’ll let Berkley know that the menfolk are taking care of her problems for her.”

“Hey.” Lawson fell into step with her. “Don’t make it sound like that.”

She tossed an impish smile over her shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll understand the concern.”

Shaking his head, Oliver followed along. “I’m only offering advice. Wouldn’t you do the same for someone if they had a hair question?”

“A hair question?” With both men now following her, Lark snickered and hastened her pace. “I wouldn’t presume to tell someone how to wear their hair.” She shot Lawson another look. “If they asked, I’d be happy to share suggestions.”

Lawson had to lengthen his stride to keep up with her. “Racing, Lark?”

She grinned and jogged the last few steps to the door. “You have a surprise in store and I want to be there to see it.”

“A surprise?” He looked back at Oliver.

“Hair,” Oliver said, earning a scowl from Lark. “Well, you’re worrying him for no reason.”

“Not worried,” Lawson denied, but his frown darkened.

After a quick knock, Lark ducked inside the house and shut the door. Oliver had to admit that he liked how she teased. Liked how she ran, too. And how she defended Berkley.

He stood there, holding Handsome, smiling, until his thoughts circled back around...

She’d lost a baby.

Knowing Lark now as he did, he could imagine how difficult that had been for her. She had an open way about her, a contagious enthusiasm and optimism, and she freely offered help wherever she could.

Who had been there to help her?

Going forward, he would.

Lark Penny, a tenderhearted woman with a positive way of looking at life, hadn’t factored into his plans. When he’d set out for Cemetery, a new relationship was the last thing on his mind, especially with his already established relationships in tatters.

But now he knew her, and he wanted her.

Plans changed. With Lark, they changed for the better.