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“I fed them again,” Daniel said, “then took them outside to do their business, and they’ve gotten a couple of catnaps in too. They seem a lot friskier today.” He knelt on the floor next to her. “The vet was able to squeeze in their appointment this afternoon before the holiday weekend.”
Up here all alone, she sometimes lost track of what day of the week it was. She’d completely forgotten that it was Memorial Day weekend. “Thank you for doing that. You should have woken me. I could have helped.”
“I’m glad you got a good night’s sleep,” he said. “It’s been my pleasure, Tasha.”
The way he said pleasure heated her skin, as if he were whispering delectably naughty things in her ear, especially after referencing her night spent in his bed.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem to have a clue about her jumbled emotions as he picked up Spanky and Froggy. “Look what I taught them.” Setting both puppies on the floor, he reached into his jeans pocket and brought out a nugget of puppy food. “Sit, Spanky.” Before he could tap the puppy’s behind, the little guy sat. Froggy did the same, although he did need a tiny reminder with a gentle finger placed on his bottom.
She could hardly believe her eyes, especially when the two puppies got their treats, then began to scamper about, rolling over each other and wrestling.
“They’re so smart, and so much better! After just one day.” She stroked Darla’s head, then put her on the floor. “Did you teach her too?”
Daniel retrieved another bite of kibble from his pocket. But Darla didn’t sit. Instead, she began to relieve herself.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Daniel set her on a thick layer of newspaper Tasha hadn’t noticed before. After the puppy was done, she trotted toward her gamboling brothers. “She’ll be fine,” he told Tasha, looking for all the world like a proud papa. “She just needs to build up her strength.” He gestured to one of the folding chairs he’d put by the makeshift table. “And so do you. Eat before everything gets cold.”
He’d set out maple syrup and raspberry jam for the pancakes, along with butter, but Tasha placed an egg on top of her pancake and broke the yolk, letting it drizzle down.
“You’re even great at making breakfast on a grill,” she said after swallowing the first bite.
She was grateful for the delicious food. For his help with the puppies and the feather-soft bed. But all the longing inside her told her it was long past time to get out, so she practically shoveled down the rest of the egg and pancake.
And almost spat it out when the front door shook with a loud banging.
“Who the heck is that?” Daniel said.
Tasha sat frozen as he rose to answer it. Oh God, had the investigators changed their minds? Had they decided she was as bad as her father? They’d surely send her to prison, where she would rot for being so weak, for never questioning her family, for always seeing only the good in them, and for being stupid enough to succumb to Eric’s lying charms.
But the four men barreling through Daniel’s front door weren’t wearing uniforms or dark suits. Instead, they were dressed in jeans, T-shirts, and flannel.
And each of them was as gorgeous as Daniel. Well, nearly as gorgeous.
“What are you guys doing here?” Daniel asked as he exchanged friendly backslaps and manly hugs.
Tasha’s heart was still jumping in her chest, though it was obvious these were his friends.
“We couldn’t let you spend the holiday weekend all alone,” said a member of the handsome bunch, this one with hair so dark it was almost black.
That was when another of Daniel’s friends spotted her. Pushing up his sunglasses, he smiled. “Looks like you’re not alone, after all.”
Her fear vanished, replaced by embarrassment. Here she was having breakfast with Daniel, her feet still bare, as if she’d been here all night. Which she had been, but—
What would they think?
But she already knew—they’d assume she was their friend’s secret mountain lover. From everything she’d heard, they’d be protective of Daniel, ready to swoop in to save him from a gold digger.
“This is Tasha,” Daniel told them. “She lives up the hill, and her roof sprang a few leaks last night in the storm.” He winked at her, obviously trying to put her at ease. “More than a few, actually.”
She rose and said hello as Daniel made the introductions. Will Franconi was the dark-haired one who’d explained their arrival, and Matt Tremont had first spied her at the sawhorse table. Sebastian Montgomery had devil-dark good looks. Evan Collins, wearing slacks and a polo shirt, was the last to shake her hand.
They were all tall and fit and vibrant, filling the house with so much more than just their size. They each shook her hand firmly, but she was certain they must be wondering what a scraggly woman like her was doing with the magnificent Daniel Spencer, if not trying to con him out of his money?
Lord knew she had plenty of experience with that. Con was her family’s middle name, after all.
Spanky barreled across the living room, Froggy hot on his trail, both of them knocking into Matt’s legs. He went down on his haunches.
“Who the heck are these guys?” he asked as Spanky launched himself at Matt’s shoelaces and began a tug of war.
