Page 85 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Come on, Lucy.” She clapped to draw her in. The puppy gazed at her with big brown eyes. “Come here, Lucy.”

As if trying to bark around the ball in her mouth, Lucy jerked her head back. The ball hit the water with a plunk. Lucy barked at it bobbing gently.

“Get it, Lucy.” She pointed and Lucy barked. “It’s your favorite toy, if you want it, you’d better go get it.”

The red ball began to drift farther out into the lake. Lucy barked and leapt for the shore, shaking water all over Cat and gazing at her with pleading brown eyes.

“I don’t believe this. You’re a water dog, you’re supposed to like to swim,” she scolded the puppy. Lucy thumped her tail and whined. “Oh, all right, I’ll go get your stupid ball.”

Jared left his borrowed car and followed the sound of the barking. Cat had been determined to get an early start, and he couldn’t agree more. The sooner they left the sooner they landed in Arizona. And, frankly, after a restless night’s sleep caused by big eyes and a pointy chin, he was more than ready to have this trip over and done with.

He reached the path, and a soggy puppy immediately pounced on him, looking for affection.

“Where’s your mama, girl?” He crouched to scratch the downy head. As if in understanding, Lucy barked at him and raced back to the water’s edge.

Cat was waist-deep in the lake with her back to him, but the water carried the sound of her voice, and Jared heard her muttering about a “stupid red ball” and “no Milk-Bones for you.”

“That’s all right,” he assured her. “I prefer eggs for breakfast.”

Cat whirled about at the sound of his voice and let out a horrified wail. She flailed her arms as if trying to chase away a bee and, even as Jared registered the problem, she hit the water with a splash and disappeared from sight.

“Cat!” he yelled and Lucy barked.

Before he could panic, Cat shot up from the water as if she’d been launched and howled, “Ah! That’s cold!”

Jared couldn’t help himself. He tightened his lips, looked away, trying to keep his laughter from escaping, but it just came out his nose in a chorus of snorts. He glanced back at Cat and saw her blow a soggy strand of hair out of her face. Her lips curled with annoyed disgust, and Jared turned his head away, trying desperately to suppress the laughter that shook his shoulders.

“Ha ha, very funny!” Cat sniped, letting him know he hadn’t fooled her. “What are you doing here anyway?”

Her cotton nightie clung to her curves, and she tried to cover herself by crossing her arms. An embarrassed flush stained her cheeks a lovely shade of pink, and her eyes darted to the bushes as if debating the possibility of hiding amongst their leafy limbs.

Jared could have told her not to bother. Instead, he fastened his attention on the puppy at his feet and forced his chuckles to cease and desist. “I thought you might need a hand getting ready this morning, so I came over early.”

“Well, you could do me one favor.” Her voice was a tart blend of shy embarrassment and chagrin.

“What’s that?” he asked, his gazed fixed on the dog.

“Could you go get my robe?” she asked. “It’s hanging on the back of the bathroom door.”

Jared glanced up. She stood hip deep in the water, unable to come any closer to shore. He could only imagine why. Swallowing to moisten his parched throat, he said, “Sure.”

He got no more than four steps away when he was hit in the rear by what felt like a rock.

“Ow!” Spinning around, he glanced down and saw a red rubber ball rolling on the ground. Lucy pounced on it, and Jared glanced up to see Cat blinking at him. She looked as innocent as a kid standing next to a broken window, holding a slingshot.

“It’s the first door on the left at the top of the stairs,” she instructed.

Rubbing the sore spot on his rear end, Jared turned and marched toward the house with a grin parting his lips and Lucy racing around his feet.

It took the better part of the morning for Cat and Jared to convince Cameron they were ready to go. Cat’s house had been gone through and locked up, the van was examined and found to be in order, and the route was double- and triple-checked. Lastly, the “AZ or Bust” sign was hung on the back of the van. It was time to go.

Cat handed Cam the keys to her house and her car. “Please give these to Sally and be nice to her. She doesn’t know anyone here, and she’ll need some friends.”

“I will,” Cameron promised.

Cat felt the lump in her throat swell until she couldn’t speak, and the tears behind her eyes burned with the need for release. Her brother, despite his henpecking ways, was her best friend. She relied upon his unconditional love to give her strength during the hard times and laughter during the good times.

“What am I going to do without you?” she whispered. Before she could stiffen her upper lip, she felt her face crumple. Hugging her brother close, she felt all of her uncertainty shudder through her. And much to her dismay, she bawled.