Page 17 of Anything for You (Veterans of Silver Ridge #7)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Dove

D orian stood on my doorstep at six o’clock that night, a few hours after I’d dropped my nerdy little letter on his doorstep just in time to be found out by his BFFs. Rude. But also… they’d been having tea?

Had I ever wanted something more than to have tea with Dorian and Bear? If I had, I couldn’t recall what it was or when such a desire had hit me. I could practically taste it, like one of those old Listerine strips that slowly and creepily dissolved on your tongue.

“Hi.”

Yes, yes, my voice had come out all breathy and high, but I’d been lounging, moving in slow motion as I’d gotten out of the shower, having dried my hair in the buff, and consequently I’d had to scramble to get clothes on before I could answer the door.

“Hi. Am I interrupting?” His gaze slid behind me .

“No. That’s just an audiobook.” I cringed, hoping he wouldn’t hear anything too steamy because in my haste to dress, I hadn’t paused it.

He did his not-quite-a-smile look and handed me an envelope.

I made no attempt to hide my pleased grin. “Why, thank you. That’s quality turnaround time, there.”

He dipped his head, almost like an old-timey bow.

My heart, a little Victorian-era lady complete with gown and gloved hands, swooned.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye before I left Beast and Pop’s.

I struggle a bit with how long to stay and how to know when to leave.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want to see you again…

” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I came to see if you’re available tomorrow for tea. If you work, maybe another day?”

He swallowed, and I noticed he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Was he nervous? Was it possible I made this giant, sweet man nervous like he did me? Cue the lady absolutely draped over a velvet settee in some ornate sitting room.

“I’m off. Finally. And I would absolutely and completely and totally love to come to tea tomorrow. What time? What can I bring? What should I wear?” I held back from dancing a jig right there, though I’d never actually learned how, so probably best not to attempt and injure him or me.

“No need to bring anything or wear anything particular. Let’s say three o’clock?” He stepped back, the lines around his eyes giving them a fine, soft appearance.

Good grief, he was just so… unexpected. Cute and boyish were words I never would’ve dreamed of associating with the man, but right now, he embodied them .

“See you then,” I said, almost giggling with delight as he jogged back home, and I reluctantly turned back to my empty cabin.

Then I remembered his letter and opened it right there, gobbling down each word with a giddy feeling swooping around in my belly. He’d made everything he’d given me—of course he had, and yet knowing it for certain sent another thrill through me.

He was even a little playful. And he said he’d tell me why he disappeared, which he did before I even read the note. The man had follow-through, that was for certain!

And most of all, he’d known I’d say yes to tea… a little cocky, almost, and that shouldn’t have charmed me, but it did. “ And if I may be so bold, for accepting my invitation to tea.”

Well played, Sir Dorian. Well played.

Though honestly, was there a scenario in which I didn’t say yes immediately? Clearly not.

My audiobook cut off, and the too-loud ring of my phone sent me scampering for the device. Few people called me, so this had to be work or Silverton Springs.

“Unknown” flashed on the screen, and before I thought better of it and let it go to voicemail, I answered. “Hello?”

“Dove?”

I froze.

“Dove?”

My heart jumpstarted and I summoned one word. “Hawk?”

Silence practically echoed around me and I found myself leaning against the bathroom counter and staring at my own worried face in the mirror. “Hawk, is that you?”

“Yeah. It’s me, Sis.”

Like a shot of lightning, energy zapped through me. “ How are you? Where are you? Is everything okay? Did you leave?—”

“I’m calling to say you need to stop acting like a slut.”

A gasp caught in my throat, and I blinked like I’d been punched, my eyes watering as I whispered, “What?”

“You heard me.”

And the line went dead.

I stared at the electronic block, the cold materials feeling foreign in my hand.

Or maybe that was the heartbeat that’d slowly moved into my ears.

Or maybe it was my brain desperately trying to process that my only living relative outside of Nan, a person I hadn’t heard from in years, had just called my phone and accused me of something nonsensical, then hung up.

Sinking down to the floor with the device still in my hand, I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on my knees.

Funny how I’d thought maybe we could talk.

But I wanted to talk to my brother, my friend.

Yet, he’d grown into exactly the man he’d been trained to be, the way all the men from the cult came out…

and certainly not someone I knew anymore.

It niggled at me, this thought, but I couldn’t brush away the suspicion that Hawk wasn’t anything close to my beloved brother any longer.

I spent the night crying, as I tended to do when things were stressful or hard or I was exhausted, and then I made myself get up and go for a walk. It was a beautiful cool morning and the September air was lulling me into a fallish mood I couldn’t help but delight in .

I was exhausted, yes. But feel that breeze!

My crap brother had proved himself to be unchanged and maybe even worse than the last time I’d heard from him? Get a load of that autumnal scent in the air.

My career felt like a dead end and I didn’t know what to do about it? I have tea with Dorian this afternoon.

Well, okay. That last one wasn’t fall’s fault, but I was so grateful to have something to look forward to. Yes, we’d have book club next weekend and I’d already marked myself as completely unavailable on all of my various schedules, so I’d be there.

But tea with my mysterious and kind of cute next-door neighbor?

Why, don’t mind if I do!

After my walk, I did some boring adult chores like laundry and tidying up.

I’d made a habit of avoiding going into town on days off since I spent days at work in town and could easily do groceries or other errands then.

The more time I spent tucked away at this little cabin in the woods, the more I wanted to be here.

Especially if I had a decent chance of running into my landlord.

By two-thirty, I was pacing around in a blue tea-length dress and flats. Wearing a dress was overkill, of course it was, but I couldn’t help myself.

I tended to dress up whenever I wasn’t working or truly grunge-ing at home. I loved sweatpants as much as the next girl, but I spent most of my days and sometimes my nights in scrubs, so occasionally dolling up and feeling a little more… human, or something, was key to my mental health.

My long hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a cute blue ribbon to match the dress, and I’d applied light makeup—again, just enough to make me feel like I’d done more than crawl out of bed.

Nervous energy tumbled through me as I rang his doorbell. Why did this feel like a date? It wasn’t, obviously. We were becoming friends and that merited nerves, too. Totally normal to have some antsy feelings.

“Hi, welcome. Bear—” He swiped for Bear’s collar, but his big beast of a dog was already out of the house and trotting around in a circle at my feet. “He loses his mind when you’re here.”

I bent down and told him what a good boy he was, petting his head and loving his wolfish face with that bright smile. “I don’t mind being met with enthusiasm.”

When I stood up, Dorian was watching with a patient, pleased expression.

“Ready to come in, or do you two need a little more time?” he asked, failing entirely to sound irritated, especially when he had a half-smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Straightening to my full height and with chin high, I nodded. “I’m ready if Bear is.”

A breathy laugh escaped as he shook his head, then stepped back and gestured for me to enter. Bear blundered past me and trotted inside, and I followed. Dorian shut the door behind me, and I lingered in the entryway, taking in every detail.

Much like the cabin, this appeared to be clean and stylish. I could see beadboard paneling and cool tones in a dining room to the right, but when Dorian murmured, “Just through there,” I followed the trail Bear had blazed into an open kitchen and living room.

“This is really nice,” I said, enjoying the gray marbled countertops and stainless appliances.

There was a deep farmer’s sink and a butcherblock kitchen island along with a small bar.

I was so flustered that very first night when I’d broken in, I hadn’t appreciated how nice everything was.

The living room had a warm tone to it, but everything faded when I noticed the stunning setup.

“Have a seat. I thought we’d be informal. It’s what I do for the guys, if you don’t mind.” He waved a hand toward the coffee table where a half-dozen small plates held all manner of tiny, beautiful bites.

“This is amazing,” I said, more breathless than I had been when I said hello last night. Because it was beautiful.

And I now knew he was the one who’d been sending food to our book club. And then I remembered the things I’d said about whoever was responsible for that food… Heat burned in my cheeks and I said a silent prayer. Here’s hoping Jo didn’t actually tell him what I said all those months ago!