Page 48 of Secret Sins

I knew Van would be hesitant about meeting Jay and spending time with him and Riley, but it was time. Besides, Heidi was there, and he couldn't stand being away from her for long. The blue Victorian loomed in front of us, and I shut off the car's engine and climbed out. Holding out a hand, I waited patiently for Van to take it before heading up the front walk to the latched gate.

The front door opened, and Heidi barreled toward us. I saw Mama framed in the doorway and winked at her. She knew this was what Van needed.

"Heidi girl!" Dropping to his knees, Van let his dog cover him in butt wags and sloppy kisses. Climbing in his lap, nearly knocking him over, she enthusiastically greeted him—and he returned the favor.

"Good thing we came when we did," I said. "Clearly, she was on her last leg."

Van glared at me, but the grin lighting up his face only made the expression funnier. "Clearly."

Nearly vibrating in her excitement, Heidi finally noticed me and pushed her nose in my hand, tail whapping the fence post. Scrubbing the top of her head and down the side of her body, I said, "Let's go inside before you hurt yourself."

Mama held her arms open, and I hugged her tightly, shifting her back from the door. She had on a bright red floral caftan, highlighting the gray in her hair she'd never bothered to dye.

"Come on in, you two. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"We had blueberry muffins," I answered, watching Van practically shrink back inside himself. Reaching out, I took his hand once more. "Van braved the bakery to bring me breakfast in bed."

"Such a sweet man. I knew you would be." She set off down the hall toward the kitchen, her clothing billowing out behind her. "Jay is having coffee, Van, if you want some."

"Sure, thanks."

When we reached the kitchen island, Jay stood to greet us. After hugging me, he held his arms out to Van. "I'm a hugger, how 'bout you?"

Though he hesitated, Van let go of my hand to let Jay hug him. It was a combination of the type of bear hug Jay gave me and a quick, manly pat on the back. Both men appeared just a little uncomfortable.

"Coffee?" I asked as Heidi settled herself on the floor.

"Help yourself, child," Mama said, picking up her crossword puzzle and sitting beside Jay.

Charlie appeared in the room, rubbing against the wall before pattering over to me. Since he wasn't allowed on the counters here, he contented himself by twining between my feet and wandering over to butt his head on Van's legs. Always more at ease with animals than people, he bent to pick him up and scratch behind his ears.

Since the two were enamored for the time being—Charlie could change his mind about accepting love in a heartbeat—I made my way to the coffee maker to pour some for both of us. Since there was a tin of hand cream on the counter, I picked it up to give to Van with his coffee.

"Are you off work today?" Mama asked.

His cheeks remained flushed, and he set Charlie down. "Yes, ma'am, or I'd be there now."

"That's right, you work early hours."

"Four to one." With a murmur of thanks, Van accepted the mug I handed him. It was emerald green, and mine was deep purple. "Um, Jay, these mugs are great. Bailey told me you make them."

"Thanks, son. It's a hobby, mostly, but sometimes I make a dime or two."

"It's a good hobby."

They fell silent, and I glanced at Riley to fill it in.

"Would you tell me about Heidi, Van? She's so incredibly well-behaved."

He looked startled at the question. "Oh, um." Scratching the back of his neck, Van glanced at Heidi, sprawled in front of the back doors. "I wanted a friend who had my back in all situations. In my previous line of work . . ."

Nobody commented as he trailed off.

"It seemed like a good plan to have a security dog. Originally, I wanted a Cane Corso because they look so fierce. But Heidi . . ." Lifting her head from her paws, she wagged her tail at the sound of her name. "She was the one I saw first at the shelter. This itty bitty ball of black fur with a pink belly. And I couldn't resist her big brown eyes. I guess I'm a sucker for them."

I might have blushed when Van glanced at me.

"Anyway, I took her for training so she could keep up with me on the streets. I learned Jiu-Jitsu from a young age, and I guess I thought it made me a badass to have a tactically trained dog to match my skills."