one leg bent and the other stretched out, Corbin smiled at her—until he saw the bandage on her arm. He was on his feet in a nanosecond. “What happened?”
She stepped in around him. “It’s nothing. A small dog bite.”
“That’s what kept you?” He took her wrist and carefully lifted her arm, his brows knitting as he traced a fingertip over the bruises visible around the bandage.
Touched by his concern, she smiled and gently explained, “I bruise easily.”
“Stitches?”
“A few.”
Justin moved closer to see. “A dog really bit you?”
She smoothed away a smudge of dirt on his cheek. “Yes, he really did. He was horribly afraid because someone had been mean to him. He didn’t yet know that I wanted to help, so he reacted out of fear.”
Taking her hand, Justin moved closer. “He’s okay now?”
“Yes. He’s with my friends who run an animal rescue. They’re wonderful people. You’d love them, and you’d probably really love their farm, too. There are so many cute animals.”
“Many that you’ve helped?” Corbin asked.
She hedged her answer by saying, “Autumn and Ember carry the burden of the rescue, so I donate my veterinarian services.”
He brushed a kiss over her lips. “I keep saying it, but Sunset is a wonderful place to be, and you are a wonderful person.”
She was about to explain more when they all heard tires on the drive.
Justin raced to the window and looked out. “It’s a guy.” Turning back, he added, “I think it’s the guy we saw at your office.”
“Geoff?” It was Ivey’s turn to hurry forward to take a peek. Sure enough, Geoff had just stepped out of his car and was headed for the front door. “What in the world?”
“Maybe if we hunker down and stay real quiet, he’ll go away.”
She laughed at Corbin’s hopeful expression. “Don’t be silly.” She called out through the window, “We’re up here, Geoff. Be down in a second.”
With an eye roll, Corbin went to the door. “I’ll go first.”
Nudging Justin, she said, “He means in case one of us falls. Guess he thinks he’s more sure-footed than us.”
Justin grinned. “That’s okay. I’m faster.”
“You are, but we’re not going to race down the ladder, okay?” Ivey ruffled his hair, let him go second, then she came down...with an audience of an ex, a current and a ten-year-old cutie.
Everyone looked at her. She pasted on a smile and said, “Hey, Geoff. What’s up?”
His gaze dropped to her arm, which prompted him to come forward. “You got bit again?”
Brows up, Corbin asked, “Again?”
Sending him an impatient frown, Geoff explained, “She’s been bitten a few times over the past two years. Usually on the arm, but once on the leg, too.” Giving his attention back to Ivey, he touched her hair—then dropped his hand. “Are you okay?”
Wow, talk about awkward. Her gaze skittered over to Corbin, but with his arms crossed and his expression enigmatic, she couldn’t gauge his mood. Justin just stared owlishly, as if he could sense the adult tension.
Shaking herself, Ivey said, “I’m fine.” With a tip of her head, she asked, “What are you doing here, Geoff?”
His mouth compressed, but not with irritation for her. Leaning closer, he asked, “Can you send the kid inside?”
She stared at him. “Why ever would I do that?”
“Because I need to talk to you and his father, and it’d probably be better if he wasn’t listening in.”
“Um...” She chewed over the dilemma, trying to anticipate what Geoff might say, but not a single idea came to mind. “Give me a second.” Striding over to Corbin, she whispered Geoff’s request in his ear.
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t deny her. Voice calm and controlled, he said, “Justin? Could you go ask your Uncle Lang to heat up some dinner for Ivey? And check on the dogs while you’re in there.”
“Okay.” He grinned at Ivey. “We had fried chicken with mac and cheese.” With that announcement, he took off in a jog.
Corbin put his arm over Ivey’s shoulders. “All right, let’s hear it.”
Running a hand over the back of his neck, Geoff shifted. “Look, I didn’t particularly want to come here, okay? But Ivey’s involved, and then there’s the kid...”
Sensing something really was wrong, Ivey reached out to him. “What is it?”
“There was a woman in town asking about him.” He nodded at Corbin. “She said you had her son and wanted to know where to find you.”
“Jesus.” Corbin’s eyes, his face, the set of his mouth all went hard. “You told her where I live?”
“No. I wouldn’t do