| |
It was only a few yards to their house, and I followed her through a hallway and into a spacious lounge. Behind us, the guy talked to his dogs, and then a door closed. I was shivering, probably from delayed shock. I pulled my wits together as best I could.
“Did Gwen knock you over? I’m so sorry. I know they’re huge, but they’re harmless.” The woman’s cheeks were pink, and she looked embarrassed. She scooped a fluffy tabby cat from one of the armchairs. “Here. Sit down. You’re not allergic, are you?”
“No. I like cats.” I reached out one hand to the furball, and she delicately sniffed my fingers.
“This is Tabitha. I’m Holly.” She turned at the sound of footsteps. “And this is my brother, Jasper.”
It suited him. My angel-faced rescuer looked slightly exotic, albeit tired, with bruise-like shadows under his eyes.
I remembered my manners. “Caitlin. And I think I tripped. It wasn’t your dog’s fault.”
Jasper gazed at me. “Did you say you’re scared of them? You mean my mutts, or all dogs?”
I liked that he didn’t patronize me or minimize my fear. “Dogs in general. I had a bad experience as a kid, and never liked them after that.”
“I’m sorry mine upset you.” He gave his sister the side-eye. “Holly’s not so good at keeping them under control, but I can’t walk far enough yet to exercise them.”
“Maybe because they weren’t well trained to start with?” Holly sounded as though she was teasing. I got the impression this was an argument they’d had before.
“Anyway. Would you like some coffee? Or a glass of wine?” Holly smiled.
I prepared to refuse her and make my escape, but then Jasper spoke. “Any of that chamomile tea left, Hol?”
Her eyebrows shot up into her thick fringe. “I’ll check. I thought you hated that now.”
“Caitlin might like it.”
Both of them looked at me, and my longing to retreat weakened. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Sit down, please,” said Jasper when Holly left the room. “I hate herbal teas because my evil ex was always drinking them.” He shrugged. “Bad breakup. So why are you scared of dogs?” He probably wanted to be sure I wasn’t going to make a complaint about him or something.
Was I going to tell him? I’d already looked like an idiot twice in front of him today. I might as well go for a hat trick.
He shifted position, as though uncomfortable, and I felt guilty for keeping him standing.
I sank into the chair vacated by Tabitha, and tried not to watch Jasper as he eased into a deep, leather recliner. What happened to him? Good manners forbade me from asking.
“So,” he said. “Dogs.”
“I was five years old, and we were on holiday. Camping. The people in the next tent had a German Shepherd, and it was mental. It barked at everyone.” My heart beat faster, just with remembering it. “The dog slipped off its leash and chased me across the field.” I pulled a funny face, forcing myself back into my role of Caitlin-the-comedian. “Not being melodramatic, but I thought I was going to die.” I gave a little shrug. “Needless to say, I survived.”
Jasper’s eyebrows dipped into a frown, his gaze intent on me. “That would be enough to put anyone off dogs for life. Was there nobody with you?”
My fake smile was hard to cling to. “My brothers, but they were useless.” They hollered and whistled from our tent, and laughed at me.
“That sucks. You couldn’t have known running would encourage it to chase you.”
His sympathy made my chest warm, and I basked in the moment. It was fleeting. The door opened, and Holly returned, three mugs in her hands.
“Chamomile with peppermint. Is that okay?” She held out a drink to me, and I took it with a murmured thank you. “I bought these,” she continued, “to help me sleep. It’s supposed to be a soothing blend, but it doesn’t work on me.”
I cast around for something intelligent to say but came up short.
Holly smiled at me over the top of her mug. She was very pretty, like a tawny, curvy version of Jasper. “My boyfriend is in the army, and it gets stressful when he’s deployed.”
“It must be. Is he abroad now?”
“Only for the month. He’s on a training exercise in Germany. That’s better than being deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq.”
It was sweet, how her face lit up when she spoke about her boyfriend. Was I ever so enthusiastic about a guy? Even besotted as I was with Bruce, there was always the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. For the joke to be over.
“I should have asked,” continued Holly. “How do you guys already know each other? Jas knows most everyone who lives at the beach.”
Awkwardness beckoned. Would Jasper tell his sister about finding me like a beached whale? “Nah,” he said. “We only bumped into each other this morning. Caitlin’s staying in one of Sam’s cottages.”
A smile danced across Holly’s face. “Sweet. So you know, that’s how I met Zack—my boyfriend. Gwen and Lily knocked him over on the sand. Poor guy was looking for some peace and quiet, and they literally ran into him.”
“Talking of running... I was serious about giving you training tips,” said Jasper, and I froze.
How to say no without offending him? “I’m only here for two weeks.”
His dark gaze never left mine. “That’s perfect for embedding a routine.”
“I have to go out tomorrow. I’ll be out most of the day.”
“First thing, then. His lips twitched.
Jesus. I had enough of being the butt of people’s jokes. “I appreciate the offer, but I have to ask. Why are you so keen to do this? What’s in it for you?”
His face shuttered, the light disappearing from his eyes. “Honestly? I’m sick of being a gimp. I need to feel useful again.”
When he put it like that, how could I refuse?