Wild Open Hearts (Bluewater Billionaires) - Kathryn Nolan Page 0,108

are total opposites in every sense of the word. So different that a lot of people around us laughed when we got together. Swore we’d never make it.” She lifted a shoulder gracefully. “Of course we’ve been together for twenty-five years now, so what do they know?”

She slipped out of the car and I stared back at her, open-mouthed. She had been playing nonprofit-fairy-godmother and matchmaker.

It would have made me laugh with delight if I didn’t want to curl up in the fetal position and cry.

My phone buzzed.

Jem. She’d texted me a picture.

Biting my lip, I opened it. Heart racing. We hadn’t talked since the night Beck and I had broken up. Missing my little Lucky Dog family was like the shitty icing on the shitty cake. But I didn’t want to impose—wasn’t sure what Beck had told them.

Thought you’d want to see this, Jem said. It was a picture of her and Wes, smiling at the beach, holding rainbow sno-cones.

GIRL WHAT I texted.

Dating for two weeks now! She wrote back. We miss you!

Me too. I miss you like crazy, I sent before I could stop myself. My phone had about a thousand draft text messages to Beck that I didn’t send. I love you. I’m sorry. I miss you. Please take me back.

I don’t know if this is still on the table, but Penelope is officially available for adoption starting today, she wrote. Do you still want to submit an application for her?

I did. Desperately. I wanted a dog and I wanted Penelope specifically.

But fear held me back. Fear that I’d never be able to stop thinking about Beck when I looked at Penelope, since Beck was the man who’d rescued her.

I need to think about it. I’ll let you know, promise. I said.

Jem didn’t respond.

59

Beck

Elián and I had been looking at designs for the expansion we were now planning on our campus—adding another fifteen kennels and a second training space. At the rate new funds were coming in, I was going to be able to hire at least four new trainers and another two administrative staff to help Wes. We were already scouting out our second location near the Redlands.

It had been the most financially successful two weeks of my entire life.

It had also been the worst two weeks of my entire life.

I hadn’t truly smiled since the night of Luna’s speech, and had spent so much time grunting in response to things, Jem had thrown up her hands and said, “You have to speak with words, not sounds, Beck.” Then she’d stomped off to see Wes, which I didn’t blame her for.

The pair had been dating since Luna and I had broken up. Maybe their new love was one of the reasons why I couldn’t seem to do anything but grumble, growl and throw things around my office.

But it was Friday—exactly fourteen days after I’d broken up with Luna—and I was exhausted. I wanted a beer and my bike and the high-speed of a solitary ride to drown out my thoughts.

Instead, I was being surprised by the Carlise Foundation again.

“Albert’s not here,” the older black woman from before said, coming through my office door. “It’s just me this time. I’m Justine. I’m sorry Albert’s a giant asshole.”

I barked out a surprised laugh and she chuckled. “It’s true. I thought you’d been made aware of our arrival or I wouldn’t have hassled you with those questions. And I know I’m dropping in on you now. But it’s purely to apologize. Our visit didn’t sit right with me.

I reached forward, shook her hand. “Apologies not necessary. I was looking at our expansion plans. Elián and I were going to walk the grounds in a minute. Want to come along?”

“Please,” she said. “Lead the way.”

Although I’d been glowering about like a bastard, this was actually my fifth tour this week—and I’d spoken at a church, a synagogue and a Girl Scout troop. Each time it was hard; each time it also got a little bit easier.

“We are investing now,” I said, walking her past Penelope’s kennel. My throat tightened and I had to look away before I lost it. “We’ve had three new board members come on who have been lending their experience to set up our… stock portfolios.” That wasn’t entirely the right word but I threw out a phrase I hoped sounded smart. Justine seemed impressed and I was grateful I didn’t have to explain the nitty-gritty details. Which I didn’t really get yet, but I was happy