all that silk falling around her shoulders and brushing the tops of her breasts. “I know it sounds stupid, but I need you.”
It wasn’t anything he would have expected from her, but family could drive a person to do things they normally wouldn’t.
Daisy finished her business and bounced their way. He fished a treat out of his pocket. “Good girl. And yes, I’ll help you out.”
A long sigh came from Roxie. “Thank you. I promise it’ll be quick.”
The back door had come open and Roxie’s mother strode out. Mrs. King wore slacks and a crisp white button-down shirt, her hair cut in a sensible but stylish bob that hit right at her chin line. She was a woman who took excellent care of herself. “Roxanne, your brother is cleaning up. I told him he couldn’t treat dogs around here like New York dogs. They’re here for different reasons. Dogs down here have to fight off wild animals.”
And she obviously rarely left the city. “Mrs. King, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out a hand, which she shook. A little too long. “I’m sorry about Daisy here. She’s new to our little family and she’s just getting trained.”
Daisy was trying to climb up Roxie’s body. Roxie stared down at the dog and the puppy sat.
Oh, that puppy knew who her momma was. Now it was merely a question of fitting himself in there. And it would start with this fabrication of Roxie’s that he was about to take to a whole other level.
“I’m Zéphirin Guidry, Mrs. King,” he said before Roxie could introduce him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope our little Daisy here didn’t cause too much trouble.”
Mrs. King looked at her daughter. “I thought you said his name was Armie. I thought that was an odd name, but it certainly didn’t start with a Z.”
For once in the whole time he’d known her, Roxie looked like she had no idea what to do.
Luckily, he did. He slid an arm around her shoulders. “Baby, you didn’t tell her what that mean old Armie did to you?”
“No, I didn’t,” she said in a tight voice. “But I guess you’re going to.”
It was all the permission he needed. “It’s no big thing. You know how it goes. They thought it could work but it kind of fizzled out. No real chemistry there. And then Lila Daley waltzed into town and stole that man right out from under Roxie’s nose. They got married real quick. But have no fear. I swooped in and dried all her tears.”
“I didn’t cry. Like you said, we didn’t have any chemistry. It didn’t last long,” Roxie replied, letting a little of her irritation flow.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Roxie’s mother asked. “I mean it’s not like you can be ashamed of him. He’s an attractive man.”
“It’s not that serious,” Roxie tried.
But he was going to block her. “We recently moved in together. She’s a cautious one, your daughter. She likes to go slow. A lot of people around here didn’t even know we were dating at all until recently. She wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to leave her for the first big-city chick who waltzed in and opened a clinic. I told her she was the only big-city first responder I was interested in, but it took her a couple of months to understand I’m a one-woman man.”
“And such a handsome one at that,” Mrs. King said. “You should call me Pamela. I want to know everything there is to know about you.”
“I think Zep should go in and put on a shirt.” Roxie gave her mother one of her patented stern looks. It was the kind that got even him standing up a little taller and hoping she didn’t carry through with the threat in her eyes. “Mother, you don’t have to stare at his chest.”
“But it’s a nice chest. Your father never looked this good, and honestly your brother is getting a little pudgy in the middle. I’ve told Shawna she needs to fix that. Since he moved up to lieutenant, he’s let himself go,” her mother said, giving Zep a bright smile. “It’s obvious you’re not going to do the same, sweetie.”
“Why don’t you tell me why you’re here,” Roxie said.
“For your birthday, of course. We haven’t seen you in two years, Roxanne. You never come home anymore so we came to you. We have a whole celebration planned at the bed-and-breakfast. It’s so quaint, and there’s a