Catching Him(How to Catch an Alpha #1) - Aurora Rose Reynolds Page 0,35
family is a huge step, I obviously don’t say. “I don’t know. It’s—”
He cuts me off. “I had dinner with your family, and I’ll be at dinner with you this Sunday.” Then his voice gets softer. “I’m hoping you like what we’re building as much as I do. I know we’re just getting to know each other, but I know what I feel when I’m with you, and I know I want more of that. I really fucking hope you feel the same.”
Holy moly.
I already feel the same, but hearing him say he wants more—no game playing, no doubt or worrying—I know I’d be an idiot if I didn’t take him up on his offer to spend Thanksgiving with him and his parents, no matter how much the idea freaks me out.
“I think I can probably swing Thanksgiving,” I murmur.
“Good,” he grunts, giving me a swift kiss before letting me go and stepping back. He picks up the wooden spoon once more and then asks, “Are you hungry?”
“Yeah,” I answer, even though the last thing on my mind right now is food.
“I’ll serve us up, baby. Let Bruce back in.”
“Sure.” I set my wineglass aside and hop down off the counter. I walk through the kitchen, then the living room, and open the front door. I expect Bruce to be sitting there waiting, so when he’s not, I call out to him. When he doesn’t appear after I’ve called for him three times in a row, panic starts to fill me. I step out onto the porch and shout his name. Since I’ve been around, he’s never once wandered more than the distance between Tyler’s house and mine. I run down the stairs, yelling his name while heading for my house. When I reach my front porch, arms wrap around me from behind.
“He’s not here,” I cry as I search the dark for him. “Where is he?”
“We’ll find him. He never goes far,” Tyler assures me, leading me across the lawn and back to his house.
“He always comes when you or I call him,” I point out, scanning the dark street again when we reach his porch.
“He’ll be okay. He probably smelled something and took off after it. He’ll be back.”
Even though I hear the assurance in his voice, I don’t agree. My insides are a mess, and I know something is wrong; this isn’t like him. We get inside, and he places me on the couch before heading back out. I listen to him shout Bruce’s name, and more worry fills the pit of my stomach. When he comes back, I get up.
“Has he ever done this before? Taken off and not come back when he’s called?” I question.
“No.” He rips his fingers through his hair.
I get closer to him, resting my hands against his chest. “I’ll get my car, and you take your truck. We’ll split up and search the area. Maybe he wandered too far and doesn’t know the way back home.”
He looks doubtful, but still he leans down, resting his forehead against mine. “All right—get your car, and make sure you’ve got your phone on you.”
“We’ll find him,” I whisper.
“We will.” He presses his lips hard against mine, then lets me go. I watch him as he goes to the kitchen and turns off the stove. I move to the door when he’s done before running to my house and letting myself inside. I grab my car key and purse, then go get in my car and back out, and I see Tyler getting into his truck. I give him a wave while rolling down my window, and I start shouting for Bruce, driving slowly down each block, scanning the yards and the street.
Thirty minutes into looking, Tyler calls, so I answer using my hands-free system.
“Did you find him?”
“No, but I got stopped by one of our neighbors. They said they thought they saw him being loaded up by animal control.”
“What?” I breathe, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“It’s dark, so he wasn’t sure. He felt like shit he didn’t come over after he saw what he saw. Apparently, Bruce is well liked on the block, and when he’s out and about, he visits the neighbors and the kids.”
“Of course he’s well liked. He’s a good dog.”
“I tried calling animal control. They aren’t answering, and the message says they won’t be open until the morning.”
“Wouldn’t they check his collar?” I ask. I pull over to the side of the road and put my car in park.