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But she had to get rid of his key. She couldn’t have any connection between them.
Ironically Madison chose that second to give her a kick, too close to her bladder for comfort. She’d named the lumps on either side of her. Madison was left. Morgan was right. For all she knew, they switched. And it wasn’t like she’d know which one was which when they came out. But for now, the names worked.
Naming them had made her babies real.
She had two daughters.
She just hadn’t been able to hold them in her arms yet.
Madison kicked again. And Mallory got the message.
The key she was dropping off was not the only connection between her and Braden Harris.
But it would be one less connection.
She took the elevator up and went straight to his door without a pause. It was like she had a demon at her back, pushing her to get inside his space.
It had only been a little over a week since she’d seen him. She’d gone a lot longer than that before, and she was now facing an entire lifetime without him.
Being in his condo meant nothing.
And yet it meant everything.
The second she unlocked the door she knew she’d made a mistake. The place carried a waft of his scent. Or so it seemed to her.
She remembered the last time she’d been there. She’d eaten lasagna off his plate. And she’d wanted so much more.
But that was back before she’d known for sure how messy it was going to get. How complicated.
How impossible.
Looking around, she started to tremble and then to cry.
Leaving his key on the kitchen counter, she quickly let herself out, locking the door behind her.
* * *
Lucky needed a place to sleep. And someone to watch over him, at least for another week or so. Braden couldn’t possibly provide either. But he could pick the dog up from the veterinary hospital as instructed and watch over him for a night.
Which was why, Monday night, he found himself back on the road to San Diego with a dog curled up asleep in a kennel that was strapped into the seat next to him.
He couldn’t take Lucky to the hotel, but he owned his condo, managed the property in which it resided and knew for certain that he allowed pets. Laura had given him some pads that she said Lucky was trained to go on, and instructed him to keep them by the door for Lucky to do his business for the first few days. Just until he acclimated to his independence a bit.
Braden had no intention of owning the dog for a few days. He’d keep him for one night and then he’d make some calls. Lucky was a great dog—a purebred, Laura thought. She’d have kept him herself if she hadn’t already had two dogs at home.
People paid a lot of money for purebred shepherds. No doubt he’d be able to find someone who’d be happy to give him a loving home for free.
The condo felt off to him the second he unlocked the door. The dead bolt wasn’t locked. Leaving Lucky’s kennel just outside the door, he stepped inside to check the place out. Had he been robbed?
The security system was set, as he’d left it.
How had someone been inside without setting it off?
Two more steps in and he knew who’d been there. He could smell her perfume. She’d been using the same subtle spray every morning after her shower since before he’d ever met her.
Another couple of steps and his suspicion was confirmed. There, on the counter, was his key.
* * *
