Chapter 34
ALEX
I hadn’t slept in over thirty hours. As soon as I’d landed in Miami, I tried to get the next flight back to Houston. Everything was full, which meant I had to wait until the next day to try again. Zina must have turned off her phone because every time I called, it went straight to voicemail.
I’d screwed up. Big-time. I’d been so afraid of getting stuck and feeling trapped that I’d let it get in the way of enjoying what we’d been building together. When I heard about the shelter being condemned, all I wanted to do was go to her, offer some comfort, and figure out a way to help.
Spending twenty-four hours bouncing around airports had given me plenty of time to think.
I’d never wanted to turn out like my dad.
My parents hadn’t been together very long when my mom got pregnant with Char.
I’d always figured my dad felt trapped into marriage and given up his dream of traveling the world to get a job and support his unexpected family.
Hearing my dad talk about the places he’d always wanted to visit, with that wistful tone in his voice, made me vow that I’d never let my dreams get derailed by a moment of emotion.
But now, I realized what I didn’t know way back then.
It didn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice.
I could have both. I realized I didn’t have to push Zina away.
She wasn’t the one trying to trap me. I’d done that to myself by being so shortsighted I couldn’t see what a good thing we had going between us.
That’s why I had to get back to her. I had to tell her how I felt. Before it was too late.
The truck I’d retrieved at the airport bounced over the dips and divots in the gravel drive leading up to the Phillips House. The garland I’d spray-painted still graced the front fence line. Had that just been a couple of days ago when Zina and I were working together?
I pulled into the lot and headed toward the Phillips House. With any luck Zina would be cleaning up after the wedding and I’d find her inside. If not, I had no idea what I’d do next.
The front door opened and I made my way to the kitchen. Gramps stood at the sink with Herbie on the rug next to him.
“Hey.” I set my keys down on the counter and Gramps turned to face me. Suds covered his lower arms, up to his elbows.
“Well, I’ll be.”
“Zina around?” I asked. I could catch up with Gramps later. Right now there was only one person I needed to see.
Gramps shook his head. “Not that I know of. I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”
“She hasn’t been in to check on the dogs?” I asked.
“No. I told her she deserved a few days off and that I’d keep an eye on them. If she’s not at home, I don’t know where she’d be. Speaking of, where the hell have you been?”
“It’s a long story, Gramps.” I reached down and ran a hand over Herbie’s head. “Can we catch up later?”
“I suppose. Your sister’s coming day after tomorrow to check me in to that jail for old people. Said no way would she honor a promise you made.” Gramps turned around and muttered, “Figures.”
I shook my head. “Everything’s going to change.”
“What do you mean?”
“No Water’s Edge for you. We’ll move out to the ranch, just like you wanted.”
Gramps turned, his pale blue eyes starting to water. “Herbie, too?” The dog returned to his side, tail wagging.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Herbie and the damn bird can come as well. Zeb, too, if he wants.”
“Damn bird, damn bird,” the annoying parrot said.
I glanced over to where Shiner Bock perched on the swing hanging from the middle of his wire cage.
“Well it’s about time you got your head out of your ass.” Gramps dropped the pan he’d been scrubbing into the soapy water. A deluge of suds flew up and covered him in bubbles. “Give me a hug.”
I fought back a rise of emotion as Gramps came at me covered in suds.
I wrapped my arms around the older man’s shoulders and held him close for a beat.
This was what it meant to be there for family .
. . to hold tight, even when it meant letting go of things that didn’t seem to matter so much anymore.
“Now I’ve to go find Zina. If all goes well, Herbie will have a lot of company out at the ranch. ”
“What are you waiting for? Go.” Gramps flung a hand toward the door, sending bubbles everywhere.
I grinned, happy to be back in the good graces of my grandfather. That had gone better than I expected. One down, one to go. I feared sucking up to Zina would require quite a bit more effort.
After checking the warehouse and driving by her place, I had no idea where to go next. It was getting late. She had to be somewhere close. Unless she’d pulled a move like I had and tried to run away at the first sign of trouble. Zina wasn’t like me though. That’s what I loved most about her.
I hadn’t wanted to open myself up to major criticism yet, but with no other choice, I pulled up Lacey’s number. If anyone knew what was going on with Zina, it would have to be her best friend.
“What do you want?” Lacey’s tone didn’t just hold an edge of a chill. I felt like the tip of my ear might actually suffer from frostbite, just from hearing her speak.
“I’m looking for Zina. Do you know where she is?”
“No. But even if I did, why would I tell you?”
I sighed. “I messed up.”
“Yeah, you did.”
“But I’m back and I want to fix things.”
“You’re back in town? I thought you took off. Your sister said you were headed to Cuba or something.”
“Grand Cayman. But then I came to my senses and hopped the next flight back. Now I need to find Zina and apologize.”
“You hurt her, asshole. She’s better off without you.”
“I know.” Lacey spoke the truth on both counts. I’d been a giant dick and I didn’t deserve her. But I had to try.
My agreement must have caught Lacey a bit off guard. Her voice wasn’t quite so frosty when she asked, “So, if you know, why do you want to find her?”
“Because I need to apologize and see if she’ll give me another chance.” I was wasting time. “Do you know where she is or not? I’ve checked the house and she’s not at the warehouse. It’s late and I’m worried.”
Lacey let out a huff. “Don’t make me regret telling you. If you hurt her again, I’ll hunt you down. I’ll rip out your heart and feed it to the penguins for breakfast.”
I chuckled. “Aren’t you on strict bed rest?”
“I’ll send Bodie. If you’re not scared of me, you ought to be scared of him.”
“I have no intention of hurting her. She deserves an apology. After that, what happens next will be entirely up to her.” I’d already decided if she told me to leave her the hell alone, I’d abide by her wishes. But I planned on doing my best to convince her that we needed a second chance.
The silence seemed to drag on forever. Finally, Lacey sighed. “Did you check the shelter?”
“I thought it was condemned.”
“Yeah. But if I know Zina, she’s probably over there trying to salvage what she can before they bulldoze it to the ground.”
I hit the heel of my hand against my forehead. Of course. “I haven’t been over there but I’m going to swing by now. If you hear from her, will you let me know?”
“Yes. And Alex?”
“Yeah?” I was already moving toward the door.
“Don’t be a dick.”
“I promise.” I disconnected and shoved my phone in my pocket. If I wanted to make things right with Zina, I’d need to show her I was willing to commit. She wouldn’t believe me if I made more hollow promises.
With the tiniest seedling of an idea sprouting in my mind, I headed back to the warehouse to grab a few things before I tracked her down.
Zina
“Come on, Aurora.” I still couldn’t believe I’d let Alex’s niece talk me into naming the dog after a princess, especially a cartoon princess.
Thankfully, I’d cleared most of the supplies from the shelter over the past few weeks.
Once the announcement they were condemning the building and going to raze it to the ground came out, someone must have broken in and taken anything left worth saving.
The walls were still standing, at least for now, but the spirit of the rescue had disappeared when I had to move the dogs.
I knew in my heart I’d done my best to rehome and relocate as many of the dogs as possible, but I still felt like I’d failed them.
I’d spent so much time and effort on that wedding that I’d neglected what really mattered.
Being around Alex had blinded me. I’d been so caught up in finally feeling like I had something worth working toward with him that I’d lost track of my priorities.
With Alex out of the picture and the loss of the shelter, it was too much.
My brother seemed to be in a good enough place now that maybe we could find somewhere else to go.
Listening to Alex talk about his adventures made me realize I didn’t have to stay put.
I could load up the couple of pups I had left, and Zeb and I could try to find a job somewhere, anywhere, as long as it was far from Ido and gave me the chance to work with animals.
Bottom line was, there wasn’t anything or anyone but Lacey holding me to Ido now. And with her and Bodie about to have their first kid, I wouldn’t even have a chance to spend much time with them anyhow. Seemed as good a time as any to pick up my shallow roots and try to plant them somewhere else.
I’d almost finished gathering the few things worth saving when a noise came from out front.
Sounded like someone was pulling into the lot.
There was no need for anyone to be out here, especially this late.
I crept to the front office and felt around in a desk drawer for something I could use to defend myself.
Coming up empty, I wrapped my hand around the first thing I grabbed—a stapler—and held it at the ready.
“What now?” I whispered to the dog. Aurora’s ears perked, and she cocked her head one way, then the next. “Some watchdog you are.”