Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,57

wouldn’t have to load the baby, Beau, and pup all up to bring him herself. Now, he has to get back to work and can’t wait any longer.

His frustration is warranted.

I explain that I passed out at the new house after working all day. I hadn’t meant to stay there, so I didn’t have an alarm set or a change of clothes. I apologize profusely and offer to come by his house this weekend and vaccinate Cowboy.

That appeases him. He says he has some paper in his truck and offers to scratch a note down and put it on the door for me, letting others know I will be in shortly.

Then, he asks, “Why isn’t Bells here?”

My mind goes completely blank, and all words fly from my head.

“Doc?”

Then, a chuckle comes over the line.

“Right. See you this weekend.”

Then, he hangs up.

I shoot Bellamy a warning text before I run upstairs to comfort a very put out Lou-Lou and jump in the shower. Myer is surely going to make it back to Stoney Ridge before she can escape.

I get dressed quickly and run down to open the office. I stop dead when I see my mother standing there, looking at Myer’s sign in her hand. She looks up at me with confusion, and quirks an eyebrow at me in question.

“Mom, I didn’t expect you back until Thursday,” I say.

“I was ready to come home. So, I caught an earlier flight. Doreen picked me up this morning.”

“I would have come to get you,” I say as I round the desk and embrace her. Happy to see her.

“Well, I thought you would be hard at work, so I called and asked if she could come get me at the airport.”

“I slept late,” I only half-fib.

She looks at me in surprise.

“I know. I’m shocked too.”

“Where’s Bellamy?” she asks.

There it is again.

I shrug.

“She isn’t here yet, so she must have slept late too.”

I know that sounds nonsensical, but it’s all I’ve got.

Her perceptive eyes come to me, and she starts to speak. Thankfully, the bell above the door chimes, and our ten o’clock appointment walks in, saving me from any further explanation.

For the moment at least.

Bellamy

I dress as fast as I can and come skidding to a halt in the living room when Myer walks through the front door with Cowboy on his heels.

Uh-oh.

I turn to go out the back when his voice stops me.

“Good morning, Bells—or should I say, good afternoon?”

I slowly turn to face him. He has a hip propped against the island and a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Hey.”

Cowboy trots up to me and barks a greeting as well. Then, he plants his paws on my thigh and stands there with his tongue out and tail wagging, waiting for my affection.

“Good morning to you too, Cowboy,” I coo as I scratch between his ears, and he closes his eyes, pulling his head to the side in puppy ecstasy.

“I’d be careful. He missed his vaccination this morning, so if he nips at you and you start foaming at the mouth later, it’s not my fault,” Myer states just as Momma comes in from her Monday morning breakfast date with Dottie.

“There’s no way he has rabies just because you missed his vaccination appointment, Myer,” she says as she brushes past him and bends to pet the dog.

He quickly abandons me and follows Momma to the counter, where she opens a treat jar and tosses him three.

“Momma, we give him treats when he goes outside to potty, and he only gets one, not a handful,” Myer gripes.

“That’s the rule at your house, not at Grandma’s house. At Grandma’s house, you get treats whenever Grandma wants to give them, and you get as many as she wants to give you.”

Cowboy looks at Myer and barks, as if to say, Yeah, what she said.

“Rotten kids and rotten dogs—that’s what we’re going to have,” Myer mumbles at the pup.

I take the opportunity to try to make my escape out the door.

“Bellamy, why are you home at ten, dear? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Um …” I start.

“She overslept. I showed up and woke her up,” Myer lies.

I mouth, Thank you, to him.

Momma looks confused. “I thought your truck was gone when I left this morning.”

“You must have missed it.” I shrug. “Well, I’m late. See you later. Love you both.”

I rush out the door, and Cowboy starts barking and runs to the screen.

“I love you too, Cowboy,” I yell as I hop in my truck and get gone before