going to be fine. She just needs time, too.”
Dan rubbed his hand over his chin. He didn’t have time to give Brooke. He looked at Brooke and his insides shifted like the pins on a safe lock dropping into place. But surely that was only Dan’s natural response and his first-responder training to assist people in need. He wasn’t built to walk away without helping.
Well, he’d helped Brooke and Archie. That was certainly more than enough of his time for one day. Besides, after Valerie had left and the divorce had been finalized, Dan had locked up a part of himself, deleted the combination and moved on.
Dan checked his watch, calculated he could still get to the pharmacy for his dad and run into the grocery store for dinner before he picked up Ella and Ben. He glanced into the cat room. Brooke was already settled in with Rex.
She hadn’t invited Dan to join them. He hadn’t asked. She was a stranger. A stranger with a soft heart and compassion for wounded animals. She’d help heal Rex and any other rescue inside Sophie’s pet store.
But Dan wasn’t wounded. He didn’t need to be rescued. Not now. Not ever.
Dan stepped outside The Pampered Pooch and inhaled. The city rushed by: the bus brakes squealing a block away. Drivers honking. Pedestrians skipping the crosswalks for faster routes. Dan blended into the crowd and found his balance again.
BROOKE ESCORTED THE sibling pair of Yorkshire terriers into their kennel, then checked on Bennie, the corgi, and Astrid, the beagle, in the neighboring kennels. The dogs slept curled up in the fluffy blankets Sophie had given Brooke earlier. If only Brooke could find the same easy contentment as the rescue dogs.
She glanced into several other kennels, searching for a restless soul like hers. Surely one of the rescues wanted another quick run in the small play yard. A treat. A distraction.
Yet the only one desperate for a distraction was Brooke.
She was less than half a mile from the accident site. She’d lied about not knowing her way around and avoided leaving the pet store. After all, she was needed inside these walls. Outside, she would need to run.
Was it wrong that she just wanted to keep pressing Pause inside the safety of the pet store?
Brooke left the dog room—she didn’t want her discontent to disturb the calm animals.
“You, my dear, need this and this.” An older woman with chin-length white-gold hair peered at Brooke. Her expressive eyes were magnified by a pair of sleek trendy eyeglasses. She pressed a hot cup into one of Brooke’s hands and a muffin into the other. “I’m Evelyn Davenport, but you can call me Evie.”
“Thanks.” Brooke inhaled the steam from the cup, drawing in the warmth.
“We usually keep the Irish coffee for after hours.” Evie tilted her chin at Brooke’s cup. “But there are times when only Irish coffee will do.”
“Thank you.” Brooke sipped the coffee, certain the hot liquid would finally soothe the chill inside her.
Evie wrapped her arm around Brooke’s waist and guided her into the storefront. “You couldn’t have taken the time to eat what with worrying about Archie.”
Brooke’s mother used to embrace Brooke the very same way—one steady arm around her that Brooke had believed would always anchor her. Always support her. Brooke was grateful for Evie’s kind gesture. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the simple support. First with Dan. And now with Evie. Still, she let it last for only a minute. She’d stood on her own for too long to stop now.
“Sophie filled me in about Archie’s condition this morning,” Evie continued, her voice infused with the warmth Brooke sought. “Dr. Iain Porter is an excellent vet and somewhat of an animal whisperer, even though he’ll deny it. You came to the best place.”
“Thanks to Dan.” Brooke had been panicked and lost. Fortunately, Dan had pulled into the driveway. Once again, a Sawyer had come to her rescue—she owed them.
“Dan and Rick are like family. We take care of each other.” Evie picked up another muffin from the tin on the counter.
“But I’m not...” Family. Her family was four-legged and carried deep scars like Brooke. They were all she needed. Her fingers curved around the coffee cup as if searching for Dan’s touch. His hand had been even warmer wrapped around hers. But she’d given up wanting to hold hands with a man. And she was more than fine with her decision. She was fine.
“You’re here with us now.” Evie peeled the wrapper off the muffin. “And already caring for our rescues like they’re your own.”
Sophie arrived and took the cinnamon-streusel muffin from Evie’s hand. “Evie’s day isn’t complete or successful if she hasn’t fed everyone.”
“I wouldn’t have to hover and chase you down if you’d only stop and eat like a person should.” There was scolding in Evie’s voice, but the affection lit up her eyes.
How long had it been since someone looked at Brooke like that? Since someone hovered over her just to make sure she was all right.
“Why would I do that?” Sophie hugged Evie. “Then I’d miss out on these bites of deliciousness, which are some of your best by the way.”
When was the last time someone had hugged Brooke? Not as part of the protocol for a grieving widow. But a good-natured, I-just-want-to-share-my-affection-with-you, feel-good embrace that gave as much as it received? The urge to retreat to the calm area seized her. Surely, if she took a moment to herself, all her wishful thinking would cease. Surely, she’d believe she was fine by herself. Surely, she’d remember the danger in opening her heart.
Besides, there was safety in that comfy corner in the quiet room she’d put together for Rex and the other dogs. Rex had already crawled across the floor earlier, edging close enough to touch Brooke with his nose, craving the affection but too fearful to reach for it. She could relate. He’d given Brooke the smallest tail wag for her efforts. That was enough for Brooke. Animals had been enough for Brooke these past five years. They were all she wanted now.
“This batch really is quite tasty.” Evie grinned and replaced the lid on the muffin tin. “What do you need me to do today?”
“Thanks to Brooke, we’ve worked with all the canine rescues.” Sophie toasted Brooke with her muffin. “Dan came back with the kids and he’s going to help me upstairs with the cat kennels. If you could run things in here that would be terrific.”
“The best part of my day is meeting new people.” Joy spread across Evie’s face. “I like to help them discover the things they didn’t know their four-legged loved ones absolutely needed. Want to join me, Brooke?”
Brooke wanted to forget the support of Evie’s arm, the talk about family, the almost too easy camaraderie with Sophie. She wasn’t there to build something in the city. She wanted to escape.
A year’s worth of therapy sessions after the accident, and Brooke was declared ready for the next step of her life. Brooke had stepped into a cabin on a remote mountain, surrounded herself with rescues and healed.
