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I yanked my hand back to my lap like I’d been burned. Cal continued on with the task easily, as if he hadn’t noticed we’d touched. He set the leash on the table.
“Would you mind giving this to her?” Pepper handed him a small bowl of food.
He took it, looking uncertain, but bent to set it on the floor. Copper sniffed the contents, then turned her head away.
“Sometimes we have to hand feed them,” Teague said.
Cal sat on the floor beside me. The male dog edged closer, and my heart twisted. He wasn’t sure we weren’t going to hurt her.
What had they been through?
And how brave these dogs were.
Cal scooped a little of the food on his finger. He held it out. Both dogs sniffed, tempted yet still unsure.
And Cal let them take their time. He didn’t say words to coax them or shove his finger closer. He allowed them to do it at their own pace.
Copper slid to her belly as if she didn’t have any more energy.
I touched her back, and she flinched.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I said softly. “You’ll learn we don’t want to hurt you.”
She inched closer to Cal.
“Does he have a name?” I asked, discreetly pointing at the daddy dog.
“Brutus.” Miss Adeline smirked. “Doesn’t that just fit him perfectly?”
“At least you didn’t name him after the fireman on the calendar,” Pepper said as she gathered supplies to feed the puppies.
“Ooh. Good idea. That’s twelve names we don’t have to think of.”
“You arenotnaming a dog after me,” Teague said.
Pepper smiled mischievously. “I don’t know . . . it kind of has a nice ring to it.”
He put a hand to his forehead. “I can’t win with these two.”
Miss Adeline touched Cal’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back in this year. I missed seeing you for a while.”
He blushed. Had I ever seen him do that?
“Woman.” Pepper’s face was red too. “You’re going to run off everyone if you keep flirting with them.”
“Since when is telling the truth flirting?” she asked innocently.
“Hey.” Teague narrowed his gaze, looking suspiciously at Cal and me. “Did you two patch things up? You’re not arguing. Or glaring.” He tilted his head. “What’s that all about anyway?”
A knot formed in my stomach. “There was nothing to patch up.” Did I sound cool and detached? I hoped so.
Miss Adeline nudged Teague. “How do you usually work out your tension with Pepper?”
Realization dawned on his features. Then he was glaring at Cal. “You better not be ‘working’ anything out that way with my sister.” He stepped between us. “In fact, you’re too close to her now.”
“Teague.” It was my turn for the hot cheeks. “I’m not twelve. And nobody is working anything out.”
He pointed at me. “Maybe you need to move in with us where I can keep an eye on you. Lincoln’s been preoccupied.”
