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Our least cheerful pack brother made his feelings about Scarlett crystal clear from the moment we met her. He doesn’t believe she’s our true mate, and I’m a little worried that he’ll scare her off.
I find Scout on one of the treadmills in the gym while I’m waiting around for Rueben to finish giving his foster kitten his breakfast so we can get in the Jeep and leave.
“Oh, hey, Cap,” Scout greets me, nodding my way as he keeps his running pace steady.
“Have you seen Gus this morning?” I ask, wondering where he’s hiding.
“He was still in bed when I got up,” Scout admits, shrugging.
“Can you try to keep him out of Scarlett’s way while she’s here?” I ask.
“Didn’t he kind of promise not to take anything to do with Scarlett?” Scout asks as he starts to slow down. He hits a few buttons on the machine and gets down to a walk before the treadmill switches off and he comes to a stop.
“He did, but … I don’t know. He was kind of irritable last night.”
I trust my pack, but this might be the one thing I don’t trust Gus with.
“Right,” Scout murmurs. “You think he might do something dumb?”
“I’m not sure. Just look after her while she’s here, okay? She hasn’t been acting like herself lately.”
“Because she broke up with someone,” he adds.
“Seems like it.”
“No problem. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
I nod slowly, wondering if I might find Gus out back.
Sometimes he sits out there for the quiet.
I go into the kitchen while Scout hits the showers.
A glimpse out the window into the backyard makes me realize the grass needs mown, but I don’t see Gus out there. He wasn’t in his room when I got up, either. I guess it’s possible he went out to make himself scarce that way.
I check the lounge. Empty.
When I heard feet thundering down the stairs, I turn around to see Rueben rushing toward me.
“Ready for another day of cleaning up the firehouse waiting for a call to come in, Cap?”
“Almost,” I tell him. “Did you see Gus upstairs?”
He grins. “Of course. I gave him a job that should keep him out of Scarlett’s hair.”
“A job?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Someone has to look after Tiny Tempest while I’m gone.”
That … might actually not be a terrible idea.
I smile. “Good one.”
“I thought so. Let’s go! Sooner we leave, sooner we get back.”
“That’s not really how it works …”
He’s already out the door, the Jeep’s keys in his hand.
