Man's Best Friend (The Dogmothers #5) - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,28
who suddenly seemed…distant?
“I guess bringing him here was a mistake,” Evie said when the last of the supplies were unloaded.
“Because he needs bags of food the size of a football field?” He lowered the sack of dry food to the laundry room floor. “I doubt he’ll eat it, anyway.”
“I can make him plain chicken,” she said. “No dog turns down chicken, and he needs to eat. And that’s another reason I didn’t want him crying in a crate. He’ll eat once he gets comfortable here.”
“You think he can?”
“Eventually.” She eyed him as she leaned against the washing machine, trying to decide if honesty would make him disappear for twenty years again. Because even when he got quiet and cool, she didn’t want Declan far away. “But I didn’t mean him being here was a mistake. I meant you.”
His broad shoulders rose and fell with a sigh. “I’m fine,” he said.
Really? Because he’d changed so dramatically in the last half hour. “I guess this can’t be easy for you.”
“No, no, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
He leaned over to pick up some kibble that had fallen from the top of the bag, suddenly preoccupied with cleaning up the laundry room. “Just trying to…” He blew out a breath. “Anyway, I better get back to Waterford, or I’ll miss dinner completely,” he said.
“You can have dinner here.”
He looked at her, a storm she didn’t understand brewing behind his eyes. “That’s okay. You have enough to worry about.”
“You can’t leave until you tell me why Granddaddy wanted privacy,” she said playfully, trying to lighten the mood. “He goes on these crazy kicks about things he wants to give people in his will. It won’t upset me if he mentioned dying, because he says that all the time. Did he offer you his prized fishing rod or something?”
“Something,” he said vaguely, looking at his watch.
“Okay, then.” She pushed off the washer, the sting of his rebuff zinging up her spine as she turned to walk out. “I guess we’re back to chilly exchanges and brick walls for us. Fun while it lasted, though.” As she started out the door, his fingers clamped on her arm, stopping her.
“Evie.”
She turned, meeting his gaze, which was…tortured. Why? The house? Granddaddy? Her? What could make him look so utterly torn? “What is it?”
“My grandmother was here.”
The non sequitur—or what seemed like one—threw her. “I know. I let her in, along with her friend Yiayia.”
“Do you know why?”
“Um, actually, I do. The Greek lady spilled the beans, and I understand there’s some underhanded matchmaking going on.”
“To say the least.”
“And that’s what’s bothering you?” For some reason, her heart hitched. Was the very idea of them together the thing that put such torment in his eyes?
“Your grandfather and my grandmother both had a sudden craving for croissants at precisely the same time,” he said.
She gave a soft laugh. “They enlisted his help? I don’t know, Declan, it’s kind of sweet.”
“Sweet? Evie, there’s more—”
She put her hand to his lips, the warm shock to her fingertips a small price to pay to end his obvious misery. She got it. He hated the idea.
“Well, don’t worry about that,” she said with false brightness. “It’s nothing but octogenarian foolishness. I’m not interested.”
“You’re not?”
“Of course not, Declan.”
His gaze moved over her face with a questioning look. “You’re…not?”
“You need it in writing?” she asked, but as soon as the words came out, she regretted them. Did he remember—
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “I thought you should know what they’re up to.”
“I knew.”
“And never mentioned it to me?”
She bit back a soft laugh. “We just ran into each other this morning, and we’ve been a little busy with Judah. But jeez, Dec, you don’t have to act like the idea is…toxic.”
“It’s kind of huge, don’t you think?”
She stood still for a moment, torn about how best to respond. Was the idea of them together again so freaking awful that he had to look pained by the idea?
Well, she had to remember the history. It would always be there, like a cloud hanging over them, stealing sunshine.
“I better go check on Judah.” She slipped out of the laundry room before he could stop her again, trying to will her heart to settle.
Which had no place being unsettled. She hadn’t seriously entertained any thoughts of rekindling anything with Declan, had she? Sure, she ogled his muscles and enjoyed his company and spent an extra minute or two studying his sexy lips and thinking about a friendship from long