Taking Heart Read online

  “Ready for breakfast?” He let out a quick bark. “Okay, come on. Let’s go find Roscoe and Dylan.”

  Tango led the way into the kitchen, where Dylan sat, staring out the window with Roscoe sleeping at his feet. Had the dog been in any other position, she’d have worried at Dylan’s hyperfocused state.

  “Good morning,” she greeted him as she walked into the room.

  “Morning. Coffee is hot and I made it.” Her brows creased in confusion, and he gave her a lopsided grin. “Wait until you taste Chase’s coffee, you’ll be more grateful for mine.”

  “Great.” She rolled her eyes. “You were up early. It’s barely seven now.”

  Dylan rubbed his eyes and raised his mug to his lips. “Never went to sleep.”

  She turned to him, surprised by his admission. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Just tired now.” He rose from his seat and walked toward her, his hands falling at her waist and pulling her toward him. Heat curled along her spine at his touch. “Want some help feeding the dogs this morning?”

  “I wouldn’t turn it down.” She slid her hands around his neck, loving the way her entire body seemed to warm at his nearness. Like a hot toddy on a cold night, it spread through her slowly and relaxed her.

  Dylan tipped his head toward her, his mouth brushing against hers.

  “Crap, again?” Gage threw his hands up as he walked into the kitchen. “Either you two need to take a break for a while, or I have the world’s worst timing.”

  Dylan looked back over his shoulder at his brother but refused to let her go. “Would you ever stop kissing her?”

  Julia felt the heat flood into her cheeks as Dylan and Gage laughed. “No, I don’t think I would,” Gage admitted as Dylan dropped a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.

  “Have your coffee and I’ll go start cleaning the kennels for you.”

  “I’ll come out, just let me change.”

  “Relax, Roscoe and I have this. Enjoy your coffee.” The dog looked up at him and cocked his head to the side. Dylan loaded his cup into the dishwasher and slipped out the back door with Roscoe.

  “I don’t know what you’ve done with him, but I have to thank you, Julia.”

  She watched Dylan walk toward the kennel. “I haven’t done anything, I swear.”

  “My brother would never offer to clean dog crap unless you’d done something.” Gage grinned and shook his head in disbelief. “You have no idea how much he’s already changed since being here. He’s like the older brother I remember when I was growing up. He used to joke around and enjoy just being with people. He loved people. It didn’t matter who. Since he came home, he never leaves his room.”

  She took the seat across from him as Dylan disappeared inside the building. It was interesting to see Dylan through Gage’s eyes. “I think he would have made a great doctor, but he went into the military instead.”

  “Why?” Dylan was such a magnetic person; she’d wondered, in spite of what he said, how he’d ended up in the military instead of college.

  “Mr. Responsible?” He tipped his chin down to give her a teasing look. “He saw it as his job to take Dad’s place as man of the house. Even when he was young. He worked several jobs in high school just to help Mom make ends meet. He made sure I went to college, but he’d always assumed the military was the only place where he could still take care of his family. It’s just who he was.”

  “You don’t agree with his choice?”

  Gage shrugged. “I think he had a choice, even if he didn’t think so.” He sipped his own coffee. “But he’s always taken his role as the family provider seriously. That meant sacrificing his own future for mine. Although, he excelled in the military. It actually suited him since it gave him the opportunity to protect and help others.” He took another drink, pausing as if he was thinking about what he’d told her. “I don’t know, maybe it was the only choice for him. He’s always done exactly what he loved to do. Who am I to judge?”

  “You know him better than most. Was he happy?”

  “I think he was.” Gage shrugged, and his eyes grew distant and sad. “Until he came home. He was a different person once he was discharged. Remember how he was that first day? Bitter, angry? Distant?” She nodded. “Well, that was a huge improvement. I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve been woken by his nightmares, or how many holes I’ve had to repair in my walls when he gets frustrated.”

  “PTSD isn’t something you can rush your way through. I should know.” She twisted her mouth to the side, biting the inside of her cheek. “It never really goes away, you know. It can get better, but you just learn to live around it and minimize the symptoms as much as possible. From what I’ve seen, he’s come farther than most in a short time.”

  “Have you told him that?” Gage looked at her pointedly. “My brother doesn’t see himself ever having a ‘normal’ life again.” He held up his fingers for air quotes. “He might be a great medic, but he’s a horrible patient. Except where you’re concerned. You seem to have broken through that barrier for him. I’ve heard him laugh more since we got here than since he enlisted. You’re giving him a reason to engage in life again.” Gage swigged the last of his coffee as Chase shuffled into the kitchen, looking exhausted.

  “Coffee?” Chase grunted.

  Julia wasn’t sure what to think of this many visitors in her house at once. It was usually her and Tango in the big house alone, and now the kitchen was filled with the bustle of constant motion. She rose and grabbed a mug for Chase. “You want anything in it?”

  He waved her off and took the mug from her hands, taking a big gulp. Her eyes grew wide. Gage laughed out loud. “Dude, if you ask Dylan, he might be able to put that into an IV for you.”

  Chase scratched his head and slid into the chair, flipping his middle finger at Gage, burying his chin into his palm and fighting to keep his eyes open. Julia watched him sympathetically. “Are you sure you really want to work one of the dogs today?”

  Chase yawned and nodded. “If nothing else, we need to make it look legit. But after talking with Dad last night, he really does want a search and rescue dog the station can call on. You wouldn’t be willing to keep it here, would you?”

  “Honestly, search and rescue dogs need to be with their handlers all the time. I can help you train one, but since I’m not the one who’d be going out with the team, it wouldn’t do much good to keep it here.”

  Chase took a deep breath and downed the entire mug of coffee. “Then, let’s head out and find me a dog.”

  DYLAN SAT ON the stoop with Roscoe as Julia and Chase worked the dogs. It didn’t take long before Chase had chosen a beautiful black German shepherd. Rather, she had chosen him. As soon as Julia turned the four dogs she thought were best suited to the job into the yard, Gracie ignored the other dogs and lay down at Chase’s feet. When he moved, she went with him, and when he squatted down to watch the dogs work, she sat down.

  “Do you really think we need to keep going, Chase? I don’t think Gracie is going to give you any option but her,” Julia pointed out.

  “You think she’ll work?”

  “Let’s experiment with them.” Julia called all the dogs to her and found a rope toy, letting all the animals play with it for a moment. Gracie obeyed begrudgingly, casting a baleful glance back at Chase. Julia turned all the dogs to face Dylan and told Chase to hide the toy. He finished and returned to her.

  “Okay, now what?”

  She smiled. “Tell them to find it.”

  She showed him the command, which he repeated. All four dogs took off, noses to the ground, searching the yard for the missing toy. Dylan watched in awe as they circled the areas he’d watched Chase drag it through, but Gracie ignored the many twists and turns he’d made, lifting her face to the sky and moving straight for the hedge along the fence where he’d hidden the rope. Gracie began barking a full minute before any of the other dogs even moved toward her. Within a few minutes, all four dogs ended up at the same location.
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  “Give it to her and praise her,” Julia said as he pulled the toy from deep within the recesses of the shrub. “You saw how she picked up the trail right away? Let’s put the others away and see if she will do it without your scent on the object.” Julia turned to Dylan. “Can you hide this while we are inside?”

  She handed him the baseball cap she wore, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. He could smell her shampoo and her unique scent, like sunshine and hope. He felt the desire for her rear its head again, and his hands itched to move through her hair, to pull her into another kiss, to forget about training the dogs and take her back into the house. He let his hand move over the back of hers, and saw her eyes darken. She held Gracie by the collar and held the hat to her nose to sniff.

  “Any specific place?”

  “Wherever you want.” Her voice was slightly breathless, and he wondered if they were still talking about hiding the hat. Dylan watched her walk inside with Chase, and then he walked the perimeter of the yard.

  He needed to get control of himself. He was acting like a horny teenager. If he was going to keep her safe, he needed to keep focused on their surroundings. With several hundred acres to the ranch, anyone could be hiding out in the woods and creep up on them at any time. He and Chase needed to constantly be on guard. He’d already learned the hard way that one mistake could cost him dearly. Julia wasn’t someone he was willing to risk. Chase was right, his mere presence had put her in the sights of this madman again, and he was going to get her out unharmed.

  He tossed the hat on the edge of the gutter at the corner of the kennel roof and walked back to the stoop with Roscoe beside him. He’d quickly come to rely on the dog’s constant presence. When Dylan began to drift into his head, usually leading into dangerous territory of flashbacks and living nightmares, Roscoe was right there to paw at him, grounding him in reality. He hadn’t thought it possible, but he already couldn’t imagine a life outside this property. And staying was something he had no right to think about.

  Chase and Julia came back out with Gracie, dragging him back from his wild thoughts of a future with Julia. “Are you ready?” she asked, a wide smile breaking over her lips at the sight of him.

  Damn but this woman had him twisted in knots. Just seeing her reaction was enough to fuel his desire. “Yep, let her do her best.”

  Chase sent Gracie on her way, and she paused for a moment to look at Julia before hurrying into the middle of the yard. She stopped and turned back to them, cocking her head and looking skyward before running toward the side of the yard and tracing Dylan’s steps. Chase followed behind her until she sat in the corner and barked as she looked up. Chase backed up a step and looked on the roof.

  “I’ll be damned.”

  “Grab it and show it to her. Don’t forget to praise her.” Chase did as she said, rubbing the dog vigorously. “Who’s a good girl?” He dropped to one knee as Gracie began to yip excitedly and jump around him, licking his face.

  “That’s kinda gross.” Bailey stepped into the yard and laughed at Chase. “And you wonder why you don’t have a woman in your life? You keep that up and she’s the only girl who’s going to kiss you.”

  He blushed slightly and stood up, dusting off his pants, giving Bailey a sly grin. “You offering to take her place, Bailey?”

  “You wish.” She rolled her eyes and held Julia’s cell phone out to her. “I found it on the kitchen table. Justin couldn’t get a hold of you, so he wanted me to come check and make sure everything was okay.”

  Julia shook her head, taking the phone. “So you got nominated to do his dirty work and spy?”

  “Something like that.”

  Chase walked toward them and gave Gracie the command to sit.

  “If someone would just convince Justin that you guys had this under control”—Bailey looked pointedly at Chase—“I could concentrate on one job today instead of running between here and the clinic several times.”

  “Several?” Julia looked at her, confused.

  “You think he’s not going to send me back this afternoon? You know how overprotective he gets. He’s like a dog with a bone.”

  “Let him know he can calm down,” Dylan said as Julia scrolled through her missed calls and texts. “The two of us have this under control.” He saw her face go white, her hand moving to her throat. She looked as if she’d just seen a ghost. “Julia?”

  Chase and Bailey looked at her.

  “No, no.” She backed up a step and almost fell from the stoop. She handed her phone to Dylan, and he looked at the screen.

  “I said no cops. You should have listened,” he read aloud, and showed Chase the picture that accompanied the text. It showed Dylan hiding the hat through what appeared to be a gun sight.

  Chapter Sixteen

  EVERYONE TURNED TO look into the trees opposite the corner of the building where the picture would have been taken from. Julia didn’t bother to look. She knew Evan would be gone already. He wasn’t there. He wouldn’t stay around. He was simply reminding her of what he could have easily done. Dylan was still standing because Evan had been merciful, for now. He wanted her to know the time would come when he chose to kill Dylan, but until it did, he was just watching, toying with them.

  Julia’s knees buckled and she slid toward the ground. Gracie shoved her nose into Julia’s waist as Tango whimpered from her other side.

  “Whoa.” Dylan reached out and grasped her, holding her up. “Come on, let’s get inside.” He guided her into the kitchen in the kennel while Bailey and Chase followed. He slid Julia into a chair and searched the cupboards for a cup.

  He finally set a disposable cup of water in front of her on the table as she rested her forehead in the heel of her palm. “This isn’t going to work. You have to leave, Dylan.”

  “I already told you, I’m not going anywhere.” Reaching out, he caressed the inside of her arm. “I’m fine. It was nothing more than a scare tactic.”

  “Well, it worked, because I’m scared.” She shook her head. “Dylan, that is a picture of you through the sight of a gun. He could have shot you, and we had no idea he was here.”

  “It’s not a gun sight,” Chase spoke up. “It’s through a monocular, probably military surplus.”

  Julia looked up at him. “That looks like a gun sight to me.”

  “He’s right,” Dylan said. “See the crosshairs, here? A sniper rifle would be far more precise and have more defined crosshairs.”

  “He knew you wouldn’t know that and wanted you to think he could kill Dylan anytime he wanted. He’s trying to get you to react in fear. He probably wants to get you to chase Dylan off so he can do whatever he wants.” Chase sounded more excited than she’d like him to.

  “You do realize this isn’t a game, right Chase? This is my life.”

  He frowned. “I know that.”

  “I don’t think that’s what Chase meant, Julia.” Bailey jumped in while Dylan shot Chase a warning glance, silencing him.

  “I think this just means he was right about the way Evan would react,” Dylan supplied. “Our being here is flushing him out, forcing him to do things without thinking them through.” He tapped the phone. “This was a stupid mistake on his part and means he’s shooting from the hip and not making careful plans any longer.”

  Dylan reached for her hand, wrapping it in both of his. “Chase and I are taking shifts staying up. Evan’s going to make a move, and when he does, we’re going to be there to stop him. He’s not going to hurt you.”

  She looked at him, unable to stop the tears from filling her eyes. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

  He smiled at her. “He’s not going to hurt me either.” His eyes took on a ferocity she hadn’t seen before. “He’s not getting any closer to you or this ranch than that picture unless he wants to die. If he so much as lays a hand on you, I will kill him.”

  “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Chase said. “Remember? Deputy sheriff right here.”


  “Yeah?” Dylan didn’t flinch. “Well, special ops trumps deputy on this ranch.”

  “SO, BAILEY TELLS me things are looking serious with you and Mr. Military Man?” Jessie winked at Julia as she slid a coffee mug onto her kitchen table. Dylan, Nathan, Justin, Chase, and Gage had all headed into Nathan’s newly christened home theater to watch a preseason football game. Julia had missed visiting her sister, but Jessie had been swamped with a weeklong camp of troubled teens and their family members. It was a magical combination that paired previously abused horses with the teens and worked wonders for the hardened kids to soften their hearts and open them up.

  Julia felt the blush creep over her neck and knew Jessie would pick up on it if she didn’t change the subject quickly. “How did camp go?”

  “Great!” Jessie’s face lit up. “But don’t try to change the subject on me.”

  Damn, she thought. “I don’t know that it’s serious.”

  “Julia, you haven’t dated a man in almost four years. For you to be interested at all, he must be pretty special.” She tucked a dark curl behind her ear and reached for Julia’s hand. “I know how hard it must be for you to even trust someone again.”

  Julia looked at their hands. “Not as hard as it is to trust myself again.”

  “Why? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “I should’ve seen through Evan. He didn’t change overnight, I just didn’t see it. I let myself get so blinded by what I hoped was there that I didn’t listen to my gut. Misty knew. I should have trusted her instincts.”

  “Julia,” Jessie began softly.

  “I fell for a stranger, and look what happened.” Tears blurred her vision and she swiped at her eyes. She hadn’t cried this much in years. “I can’t let myself do that again. I don’t even want to think about what could happen this time.”

  “Julia, Evan is sick. He’s just damn good at pretending he isn’t. You’re not the first person he’s fooled, or the last. Otherwise, they never would have allowed him out on parole.” She squeezed her sister’s hand. “Dylan isn’t Evan. Roscoe wouldn’t have accepted him the way he has. If you can’t trust yourself, trust Roscoe and Tango. They both adore him.”