Protected Hearts

Startled from her suspicions, Emma listened for Sundance. She heard a faint barking from the opposite side of the yard farthest from her home. “That sounds like him.”

As she followed the barking, Seth followed her.

It sounded as though the yelping came from underneath the house. Trying to keep one eye on the man while at the same time watching out for Sundance, she crept along until she heard a whimper. “Sundance?”

The whimper grew louder.

“Where is that coming from?” Seth asked, reaching into his jacket pocket. He withdrew a flashlight, turning the bright beam on the path.

The house was on blocks, but wood skirting covered the open area. Cringing, she knew Sundance could find the smallest spot to crawl through and apparently had done just that. “I’m guessing he’s probably underneath the house.”

Seth directed the light over the closed area. “I don’t see how.”

“Terriers are bred to go to ground—to get into impossibly tight spots, then rout out their quarry.”

“Wasn’t aware there was any quarry to be hunted.”

“The house has been empty for a while. Probably field mice have found their way inside.”

“Great,” he muttered. “So, how do we get the dog out?”

“I’ll look for the spot he managed to crawl through and try to open it a little. Can I use the flashlight?”

“No.”

Fear crowded her throat and made her step back. The flashlight was more than adequate as a weapon. But she refused to let panic show in her voice. “What?”

He knelt down. Then, as she would have done, he crawled along the siding, poking for an opening. Was this chivalry? Or did he just want to get rid of her faster?

After several yards, Emma heard Sundance growl. He’d no doubt caught the man’s scent. “Quiet, Sundance.” The growl gave way to a bark, then silence.

“This must be it,” Seth announced, pulling on a flap of board that was now firmly entrenched in the soil. As the dog had wriggled through, he’d cut off his escape when the board had been pushed against some hilled dirt. Seth lifted the board and Sundance burst free.

Standing on his back legs, the dog pawed Emma’s knees until she picked him up. “You rascal,” she chided.

Satisfied that he was still at the center of her affection, Sundance yelped to be released.

“Does he do this sort of thing often?” Seth asked, dusting off his jeans.

Chagrined both by her dog’s actions and her own suspicions, Emma tried to smile as she put Sundance down. “Animals can be a bit unpredictable.” The words were scarcely out of her mouth when the dog latched on to the leg of Seth’s pants, growling again.

“Sundance!” Now thoroughly embarrassed, Emma reached out to unfasten the dog’s grip. “I’m really sorry.”

The man’s face was too shadowed to tell if he was amused or angry. “Looks like he needs to learn not to bite the hand that rescues him.”

Probably, but she didn’t appreciate the criticism. And the tartness of her feelings crept into her voice as she grabbed the dog again. “Thank you for retrieving Sundance.” She wrenched out the rest. “And…I’m sorry he didn’t seem grateful.”

“It’s all right. Now you just have to decide whether I really live here or not.” Turning, Seth left as quietly as he’d arrived.

And Emma’s fear came snaking back. Clutching her dog close, she ran. And didn’t look back.

Chapter Two

Seth couldn’t stop thinking of Emma’s face. It had been filled with fear as she had scurried back to her own house.

What were the chances that she’d live next door? Well, it was a small town. Smaller than he’d realized.

Back inside, the house seemed even emptier. Of course it was empty. He hadn’t brought anything with him from the city other than his clothes. After the divorce, he’d walked away from the house he and Carla had furnished with such optimism and promise. Every room, every object contained a memory he couldn’t bear to take with him. So he’d rented a furnished apartment. Things he had no connection with.

He intended to buy what he needed in Rosewood. But his needs were less these days, his life leaner. In truth, bleaker. But the truth wasn’t an easy companion.

Glancing around the lackluster house, he wondered if he should have bought instead of renting. Then he’d have something to do with himself. But he had no interest in reworking a house for his own use. No matter what he did with it, the place wouldn’t be a home. That was gone forever.

Seth considered his choices. Takeout from the local burger place, reading by flashlight or calling it a night. Without electricity, television wasn’t an option. Venturing back into town held no appeal.

Glancing out the kitchen window, he saw all the lights ablaze in Emma’s house. Nervous type. Maybe she was a small-town spinster, spooked by her own shadow. But when he’d looked into her eyes that afternoon, he hadn’t gotten that impression. He’d seen something he recognized.

He shook his head. He didn’t even know if she was single. She could be married or engaged.

As he opted for his sleeping bag and an early night, Emma’s face flashed through his thoughts. He doubted she was married. She seemed far too alone.

The shop was nuts. Emma had agreed to make costumes for both the local community theater’s adult production as well as their children’s play. While thrilled with the business, she and Tina were crowding each other. And they were running out of space to store the costumes. Plus, the high school’s production wasn’t too far away.

Tina squeezed one more costume on the already tightly packed display rack. “Emma, face it. Either we get more space or we have to cut back on orders.”

It was a decision Emma had been avoiding for some time. But things were coming to a head. “Which would you vote for?”

“You know me, boss. I like being busy.”

Emma felt the same way. “But what if I expand and the business falls off?”

Tina reached for a piece of chalk, marking a hem. “Executive decision, not my bag. But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Maybe just a small expansion,” Emma suggested, her tone as tentative as her words.

Tina rolled her eyes. “Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

But change was difficult for Emma. Since her life had been twisted inside out, she clung to the familiar. “I suppose.”

Tina scribbled on the tag that accompanied the order. “By fall carnival, we won’t be able to turn around in here.”

“Good point.” Emma glanced around at the familiar but compact space. Cindy had been urging her to expand for months, confident that Try It On was only going to be more successful, especially since the community theater had acquired a wealthy benefactor.

Adam Benson, a well-known oil man who split his time between L.A. and Houston, had retired to the Hill Country. He had a passion for the arts and didn’t see why moving away from a major center of culture meant he had to be deprived of good theater. He’d endowed the local community theater, donating enough to build a new playhouse. His generosity also enabled them to purchase first-rate costumes. She had enough work to keep her shop busy all year.

Emma frowned as she looked at the overflowing storage space. The community theater now staged six annual productions plus a Christmas play. That was a lot of costumes, which she was in charge of archiving. Where was she going to put them?

The bell over the door tinkled as it opened. The UPS delivery man wheeled in a dolly stacked with boxes. The cartons filled the last bit of empty floor space by the counter. She stifled a groan. Maybe she could add a room. Certainly she could get a few estimates, see if the cost was within reason.