Because You're Mine(23)
The seconds stretched to minutes as she called gently for the dog. She was about to give up when she saw the leaves begin to rustle and a black nose poked out. “Good boy,” she said in a soft voice. “Come out to me.”
The branches parted and the dog’s head came out, and she smiled. “You’re an Irish Setter.” One foster family she’d lived with bred setters. She had a favorite once and cried for days when he was sold. “Here you go. You can have it.”
The emaciated dog crept close on his belly, then gently lifted the morsel from the ground. Alanna knew better than to try to touch him. She broke off another piece and laid it on the ground in front of him. He gobbled that up too. She continued until he’d devoured the entire piece of turkey except for one bite.
She left that on her palm and extended it. His dark, sad eyes broke her heart. When he edged slightly closer and nuzzled the bite from her palm, she gently laid her other hand on his head and stroked his ears. Those ears went back in alarm, but she spoke soothingly to him, and he crouched lower on his belly.
She ran her hands down his back and flank. “You’re so skinny, Prince. I’m going to fatten you up. Good boy, such a good boy.” She smiled when she saw his tail begin to gently wag. It was barely a movement, but she saw it. “No one will be hurting you with me here, lad.” She stroked and talked while he lay quivering.
Hattie rose behind her and approached with a bag of chips in her hand. “Poor dog. He can have these too.”
At the sound of her voice, Prince yelped and ran for the bushes. Alanna called to him, but he stayed in the bushes. Still, it was a start. “I’ll start bringing him scraps after meals until I can be getting him some dog food.”
Hattie’s dark eyes shifted toward the house, then back. “Just don’t let anyone in that house know you’re feeding him. He’ll come up missing.”
Alanna’s fingers curled into her palms. “What do you mean? Who would hurt him?”
“I’ve said more than I should.” Hattie bent down to fold up her quilt. “I must get back. Just keep it to yourself. And remember where I live if you ever need me.” With her belongings under her arm, she picked up the cooler and set off in the direction of her house. Her long strides quickly took her out of sight.
“Alanna!” Barry’s voice came from near the house.
She waved at her husband, then looked around and saw Prince running from the bushes as fast as his legs would carry him. Poor pup. Frowning, she walked to meet her husband.
He draped his arm around her. “I wondered where you’d gone, sugar. What are you doing out here?”
“I wanted to be seeing the water, but the pier doesn’t look safe.”
He turned her back toward the house. “It’s not. You need to stay off it. I’m going to have it repaired.”
“Why has this place fallen into such disrepair, Barry, when you love it so much?” When he frowned, she knew she’d gone a little too far. “I mean, your place in the Battery is in perfect condition.”
He stopped and gazed down at her. “I was waiting to marry. Here is where I want to raise a family. I wanted my wife’s input on how to restore it as well. Now that I’m married, it’s time.”
She gulped, realizing he was saying he wanted a real marriage with her eventually. When would she be ready for that? Right now it felt like never. All she could manage was a smile as she took his hand and started back to the house.
Ten
Barry left her at the porch. “I’ve got some work to do at the office,” he said. “You’ll be okay until I get back?”
She nodded. “My mates are coming out in a bit. We might practice on the porch or in the garden.”
“Fine.” He dropped a kiss on top of her head and went around the side of the house. A few minutes later, his Mercedes rolled past. He waved, then the live oaks swallowed up the sight of his car.
Alanna glanced at her watch. Ceol should be here in a few minutes. She had time to get warmed up. Opening the case, she lifted her fiddle out and grabbed the cube of rosin. After running the horsehair bow across the rosin, she settled her chin on the chinrest, closed her eyes, and laid her bow across the strings.
A reel flew from her bow, and her bare feet slapped against the floorboards. Her long hair flipped around her shoulders as she danced across the porch with the scent of roses blowing against her cheeks. It was Liam’s favorite reel, and she imagined him sitting on the swing and smiling as he watched.
Her smile faded as the music did the same. She lowered her instrument. The fiddle by itself left her lonely, and she glanced at her watch again. She thought her mates would have been here by now.
The exertion had left her sticky and hot. It wouldn’t be any better inside with no air conditioning, so she sat on one of the rockers and fanned herself as she gazed out over the lovely landscaping of live oak trees, roses, and camellias. She should have stayed out on the other side of the mansion where the sea grass waved. It was cooler there.
The place was as isolated as an island, and it was as if the city were hundreds of miles away. The sight of such beauty should have calmed her, but she felt strangely agitated.
A vehicle rolled up the driveway. Squinting, she watched it come. The vehicle wasn’t Barry’s silver Mercedes, but a familiar blue van with a Ford emblem. Alanna stood and waved at the vehicle. The van stopped by a row of azalea bushes. Ciara hopped out of the passenger side and waved at Alanna. A wild rush of joy filled her. It had only been yesterday that she’d seen her best friend, but it seemed an eternity.