Chapter 9 #2
“Please, Mom. I promise I’ll be good.” Kevin sat up as straight as he could in his chair. “Benny needs me.”
It didn’t escape April that Kevin’s focus had shifted from protecting her to watching over the scrappy little puppy. That could only be a good thing, right?
“All right, if you pinkie swear you’ll listen to Shane and Alex and Kyle and anyone else who’s training dogs.”
Kevin’s hand was up, pinkie extended before she could finish. April hooked her little finger around his and they swore on it.
“Shane, I have another idea how to help Benny.” Kevin launched into yet another elaborate scheme to get the puppy to learn new tricks.
April barely touched her food. She let herself just…watch. Kevin was still buzzing from the morning at Watchdog, words tumbling over themselves as he explained his ideas. Every time she looked at Shane—his easy smile as Kevin spoke, the steadiness in his eyes—her chest tightened.
Her heart ached with pride as she remembered the morning.
Kevin had lit up in a way she hadn’t seen in months, maybe since the drive-by.
He’d stood taller, shoulders squared, voice steady as he’d worked with Benny.
He’d been bold and bright and brilliant, and Shane had been right there, listening like everything Kevin said mattered.
But her pride in her boy had teeth that threatened to sink into her heart.
Kevin was eating up all the attention. He was puffing himself up at the table, recounting one more time how he was the only one to get through to Benny.
Him. His grin was turning smug, his voice too self-assured, and for a heartbeat April’s stomach twisted.
She caught the echo of Kevin’s arrogant father, and it made her skin prickle.
He’s acting a little too much like Vince.
Except Kevin’s joy was sweet, pure, nothing egotistical or selfish in it.
Right?
“Kev, sweetie, don’t brag,” she said gently. “Benny listened to you because you were kind to him. That’s the important part.”
Kevin shrugged, unfazed, and reached for another potato chip beside his sandwich.
Shane gave her a small smile across the table, one that said he understood, maybe more than she wanted him to. And that was the problem, wasn’t it? A part of her wanted him to let Shane into their lives, especially after yesterday and today.
He left me.
Abandoned her at the bus station with all her hopes and dreams packed in a thrift-store suitcase.
The rational part of her knew he’d grown, changed, that he’d matured into a responsible man.
Knew she was older now too, wiser, strong enough to walk away if she had to.
But the voice in her head whispered cruelly.
You’re doing it again, April. Falling for the bad boy who’ll break you.
She took a sip of her soda, as if that could wash the thought away.
It wasn’t only about April’s heart anymore. If Shane ever walked away from Kevin, she didn’t think she could ever forgive him.
Or myself, for letting Shane into our lives and breaking my son’s heart, too.
The next day, Saturday, sunlight spilled like honey across the hills, warming the road that climbed toward Watchdog Security. It was the kind of May morning that made Colorado feel like heaven—blue sky stretching forever, wildflowers just peeking over tufts of new grass.
Kevin had been practically vibrating on the way up to Watchdog that morning—baseball cap slightly askew, lunch packed like he was heading off to boot camp.
She loved the change in him—excited, carefree.
And best of all, fearless. He’d dropped right off to sleep the night before, tuckered out from his day.
She’d been checking on him in the middle of the night ever since she discovered he was afraid for her.
He’d been restless, but last night when she peeked in, he was smiling in his sleep.
“Benny’s gonna be the best dog ever, Mom!”
April grinned at him in the rearview mirror. “I’m sure he will.”
“You want him to be, right?”
“Of course.”
“I have a proposal.”
“Uh-oh.” She tried to hide her smile and failed miserably. She knew what was coming.
“All the other dogs in service training live with families so they can acc…accli….”
“Acclimate?”
Kevin beamed. “Yeah, that’s the word Shane used. Acclimate to being around people all the time. Right now, Alex, I mean, Mr. Hoff, is caring for all the Jets. That’s what the litter is called. Each litter has a name to keep track of them.”
April laughed softly. “I get it. Benny and the Jets.”
The musical reference flew right over her son’s head and he was too invested in his proposal to ask about it. “Mr. Hoff and his wife already have trained dogs at home, but no kids. And service dogs need to get used to kids, just in case they get assigned to one.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Yup, she knew exactly where this was going.
Kevin’s shoulders sagged for a moment—he knew that tone and it didn’t bode well. So he spoke faster, as if rushing the words out would help his case. “So, for Benny to be the best service dog ever, he needs to be around a kid.”
“I see.”
“And just think how great it would be if he was around a kid he trusted, who understands him.”
“That would be something.” April turned onto the stretch of road that snaked up a hill to the Watchdog guard house and front gate, still marveling at how her son had managed to bypass all the cameras.
“And Alex…Mr. Hoff, said it would be alright with him if it was okay with you.”
“What would be?”
“Mom.” Kevin frowned. “You know what I’m getting at.”
This time, April laughed. “Yes, I do. You want us to foster Benny.”
“Mr. Hoff said it wouldn’t be full-time, just a couple days here and there. So, can we?”
“That depends. What is this proposal?” She slowed down as she approached the gate. The guard saw her coming and slid his window open.
“I’ll take full responsibility for Benny. I’ll feed him, and take him for walks, and train him, and he can sleep in my bed. I’ll even pay for his dog food. I’m good for it since Shane’s working pro bono.”
April stopped at the window and showed the guard her pass. He wished her a good morning and opened the gate. “You’re forgetting the biggest responsibility.”
“Right. I’ll give him tummy rubs and make sure he knows he’s loved.”
Oh my God. That went straight to her heart. How could she ever think Kevin was anything like Vince?
“Okay, that is the most important thing. But I was thinking of something not so…fun.”
“Oh, you mean the poop? I’ll scoop it all up, I promise.”
“Pinkie promise?” She watched Kevin’s entire face light up in the mirror.
“Does that mean yes?”
“Only if it’s totally all right with Mr. Hoff.”
“Yes!” Kevin stretched his arm toward the front seat, pinkie extended.
April could see the kennel parking lot up ahead—and Shane casually leaning against a pillar waiting for them outside. Cargo pants, t-shirt stretched tightly over his sculpted chest and muscled arms, mirrored sunglasses, and that old familiar sexy-cocky smile from high school.
April let Kevin’s arm hang in the air. “One more thing though. And it’s another biggie.”
“What?” Kevin huffed.
Shane took off his shades and April met his gaze evenly as she tried not to let her tummy fill with warmth. “Just remember, he won’t stay with us forever. When the time comes, you need to be ready to let him go.”
Kevin’s hand didn’t waver. “I know, Mom. I’ll be ready.”
April parked the car as Shane pushed off from the pillar to meet them. She half-turned and stuck out her pinkie to hook Kevin’s when he pulled his hand away.
“What?”
“I just thought. Benny’s easy to love. You’ve gotta be ready to let him go, too.”
April smiled softly. “Don’t worry about me. I have plenty more experience letting go than you do.” Her smile brightened. “And besides, we’ll still have each other, right?”
“Right. Thanks, Mom.”
They hooked pinkies.
Shane opened her door.
“Good morning,” Shane said in the sexiest, early-morning gravelly growl as he extended his hand for her to take. She hesitated.
Come on. I can handle this.
April gripped his hand, trying to resist the shiver his touch sent down her arm. There was something about his firm, sure grip that drove her wild. She stepped out of the car, uncomfortably close to him. She wished he’d kept those sunglasses on because the look in his eyes was positively sinful.
In the meantime, Kevin had unfastened himself from his booster seat in the back and climbed out. “Shane! I’m going to ask Alex about keeping Benny.”
The look in Shane’s eye disappeared like it had never been there as he turned his head. “Keep or foster? Remember, there’s a difference.”
“I know. He’s gonna have a big, important job to do one day. Mom and I already talked about being ready to let him go.”
Shane glanced at her, making her cheeks redden. “And you’re fine with it?”
“I am. No choice, really.”
He cleared his throat as he gestured for them to go inside. Kevin ran ahead.
“I can bring Kevin back to your place after the party, no problem,” he said casually, like he wasn’t offering to walk straight into the most private corner of her life. “Save you some driving time.”
No problem. Right. Except for the part where letting Shane Foti onto her property felt like handing over the last unguarded piece of herself.
But when he looked at her like that—like the fate of the world hung on her answer—she’d never been able to say no. Ironically, Kevin had the same expression—the one he saved for when he really wanted something.
Like a bodyguard for his mother.
“Sure, why not?” She gave Shane a tight-lipped smile and started toward the kennel entrance.
“Or, I could drive him up to their cabin and we could do a handoff.”
No way!
“No, it’s fine. My house is fine.”
Shane caught up with her. “I get the sense it isn’t.”
She kept walking.
He brushed her arm. “April, hang on.”
“Kevin’s inside. I’m sure he’s getting into trouble already.”
“Jodie’s in today. They’re probably already working on a puzzle.” He moved in front of April, blocking her way. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he demanded, concern filling his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” She shook her head. How could she even begin to explain?
April’s little house sat along the St. Vrain, built before automobiles and still stubbornly standing through every flood and winter the mountains could throw at it.
The white paint was fading to cream, and one corner of the deck still bore the scar of the pine that had fallen during the last big storm.
You could roll a marble down the hallway where the floor had settled unevenly over the years—it creaked and groaned during every storm—and she absolutely adored it.
She’d bought it during a market crash for a price that made her father shake his head in admiration, and now it was worth four times that.
Sonny still called it her fortress and refused to let her refinance a single board to pay for anything at Riversong.
You earned this one outright, kid. Don’t tie it to the business.
She loved him for that, even as it broke her heart.
And now Shane would see her house if she said yes.
“Shane, the first time I ever drove up to your parents’ place, do you know what I thought? I thought I’d made a wrong turn and ended up at a ski resort.”
“April—”
“Your mother bragged to me about how your seaside cottage was twice as big as ‘this little log cabin out in the woods.’ Like it was something Abraham Lincoln grew up in.”
“That’s impossible. Lincoln grew up in Illinois.”
“Shane!” April put her hands on her hips. “Now is not the time to tease me.” She frowned at the curve of his lips and the dimples she knew would pop out if she gave it a second.
“Babe, I fail to see what my mother’s stuck-up, overblown bragging from years ago has to do with me dropping Kevin off at your place.”
She sighed. “I don’t live in a ‘little’ log cabin in the woods. I can only imagine what my house would look like through your eyes.”
Shane shrugged. “You think the size of your house matters to me at all? I can guarantee it’s beautiful because it’s full of love. That makes a shack outshine a castle.” He looked away.
“Shane, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring anything unpleasant up.” April shook her head. “You’re trying to do something nice for me, and I’m acting ungrateful.”
He looked at her. “You’re not, I promise. Your whole family has suffered thanks to mine.” He started forward and this time, April grabbed his arm.
“So did you. I remember. You aren’t anything like them. You turned into a better man than they could have hoped for. Better than they deserve.”
Shane’s expression softened. “Thanks. Just so you know, you put every woman in this town to shame.” He winked at her and just like that, he was back to being the sexy-cocky boy she remembered.
But all grown up, filling out his shirt like a dream.
She grinned and shook her head. “Whatever. Fine, yes, please, come over tonight after the party.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He held her gaze just a beat too long. “Go home, take some time for yourself, get ready for the party. Have fun and relax for once.” He jutted his chin toward the entrance. “I’ve got him.”