“Mom, guess what?”

“What?”

“Deputy Alex is going to be your valentine!”

“What?” Several heads had turned at Emma’s enthusiastic statement. No doubt there would be talk in the teacher’s lounge later.

“I asked, and he said he doesn’t have a valentine. And you don’t have one either. So you can be each other’s—it’s perfect.”

Emma’s innocence made Cassie’s heart squeeze. “Oh, honey, it’s not quite that simple. Just because we’re both single doesn’t mean we’re going to be valentines with each other.”

Emma frowned. “Why not? Don’t you like Deputy Alex?”

“Of course I do.” More than she should. “But someday, when you’re a grown-up, you’ll understand that things like valentines are more complicated than just liking someone.”

“I don’t ever want to be a grown-up. It makes everything complicated.”

No kidding, kid. No kidding.

* * *

Paradise Animal Clinic: Let the love—and fur-ever families—fly!

A Valentine for the Veterinarian

Katie Meyer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KATIE MEYER is a Florida native with a firm belief in happy endings. A former veterinary technician and dog trainer, she now spends her days homeschooling her children, writing and snuggling with her pets. Her guilty pleasures include good chocolate, Downton Abbey and cheap champagne. Preferably all at once. She looks to her parents’ whirlwind romance and her own happy marriage for her romantic inspiration.

Ean, for picking up the slack and never complaining about it.

My mom and my son, Michael, for babysitting the littles when I had a deadline and needed some quiet.

My agent, Jill, for guiding me through the process.

And my editorial team, especially Carly and Jennifer, for finding my (numerous) mistakes and making me look good.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Grace, you just saved my life. How can I ever repay you?”

The woman behind the counter rolled her eyes. “It’s just coffee, Dr. Marshall, not the fountain of youth. If you leave a few coins in the tip jar, we’ll call it even.”

Cassie clutched the cardboard cup like a lifeline, inhaling the rich aroma. “I had an emergency call last night, ended up performing a C-section on a schnauzer at three a.m., and then was double-booked all day. So right now your caffeinated nectar is my only hope of making it through the meeting I’m going to.” She paid for her coffee and took a cautious sip of the scalding brew. “You’re my hero.”

“That kind of flattery will get you the last cinnamon scone, if you want it.”

“Have I ever turned down a free baked good?” Cassie accepted the small white bag with the proffered pastry. “Thanks. This ought to keep me out of trouble until I can get some dinner.”

“Speaking of trouble, here comes that new sheriff’s deputy. I’d be willing to break a few rules if it would get him to notice me.” Grace craned her neck to see more clearly out the curtained front window. “Don’t you think he looks like a man who could handle my rebellious side?”

Cassie nearly spit out her coffee. If Grace Keville, sole proprietor of Sandcastle Bakery, had a rebellious side, she’d kept it well hidden. Even after a full day of baking and serving customers, she looked prim and proper in a crisp pastel blouse and tailored pants. From her lacy apron to her dainty bun, she was the epitome of order and discipline. Not to mention she was happily married and the mother of three. “You’ve never rebelled a day in your life.”

Grace sniffed. “Maybe not, but that man makes me consider it. Hard.”

Rebellion wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. She’d been there, done that, and had considerably more than a T-shirt to show for it. She started to say as much, but stopped at the jingle of the door chimes behind her. Turning at the sound, she caught her breath at the sight of the intense man heading toward her with long, ground-eating strides.

No wonder Grace was infatuated. The man looked like he’d just stepped out of a Hollywood action movie rather than the quiet streets of Paradise, Florida. Thick, dark hair framed a chiseled face with just a hint of five-o’clock shadow. His eyes were the exact color of the espresso that scented the air, and reflected a focus that only men in law enforcement seemed to have. Even without the uniform she’d have known him for a cop. Sexy? Sure. But still a cop. And she’d had her fill of those.

“I’m here to pick up an order. Should be under Santiago.”

Grace grabbed a large box from the top of a display case. “I’ve got it right here—an assortment of cookies, right?”

“That’s right.”

“What, no doughnuts?” Uh-oh, did she say that out loud?

He gave Cassie a long look before quirking up one side of his mouth. “Sorry to ruin the stereotype.”

Grace glared at Cassie before attempting to smooth things over. “Deputy Santiago, I’m Grace. I’m the one you spoke to earlier on the phone. And this is Dr. Cassie Marshall, our resident veterinarian.”

“Nice to meet you Grace, Dr. Marshall.” He nodded at each in turn. “And off duty it’s Alex, please.” He smiled then, a real smile, and suddenly the room was too warm, too charged, for comfort. The man’s smile was as lethal as the gun strapped to his hip—more potent than any Taser. Unsettled by her instant response, Cassie headed for the door. It wasn’t like her to speak without thinking; she needed to get out of there before she embarrassed herself more than she already had.

“Let me get that.” He reached the door before her, balancing the large cookie box in one hand and pulling open the door with the other. After her own snide comment, his politeness poked at her conscience.

“Sorry about the doughnut remark.” There, her conscience was clear.

“I’ve heard worse.” His expression hardened for a minute. “Don’t worry about it.”

She wouldn’t; she had way too many other concerns to keep her occupied. Including the meeting she was going to be late to, if she didn’t hurry. She nodded politely, then made a beeline for her hatchback. Setting the coffee in a cup holder, she cranked the engine and popped in a CD of popular love songs. She had less than ten minutes to put aside all the worries tumbling through her mind and get herself in a Valentine’s Day kind of mood.

* * *

Alex watched the silver hatchback drive away, noting she kept the small vehicle well under the speed limit. Few people were gutsy enough to speed in front of a sheriff’s deputy—but then again, the average person didn’t spout off jokes about cops to his face, either. There had been resentment in those blue eyes. She’d disliked him—or at the least the uniform—on sight. He was used to gang members and drug dealers treating him that way, but a cute veterinarian? His gut said there was a story there, but he didn’t need to make enemies in his new hometown. He had plenty of those back in Miami.

A loud bark snapped him out of his thoughts.

“I’m coming, boy.”

At this point, he and his canine partner, Rex, were in the honeymoon period of their relationship, and the dog still got excited whenever he saw Alex return. Unlocking the car, he couldn’t help but smile at the goofy expression on the German Shepherd’s face. As a trained K-9, Rex was a criminal’s worst nightmare, but to Alex he was the best part of his new job.

He’d never expected to live in a small-time town like Paradise, had never wanted to leave Miami. But when he testified against his partner, the department had turned against him. It didn’t matter that Rick was guilty. Alex was the one they turned on.

He’d known that refusing to lie during his deposition meant saying goodbye to any chance of promotion. He could live with that. But when his name and address were leaked to a local gang he’d investigated, things changed.

Putting his own life at risk, that was just part of the job. Messing with his family, that was a different story. When his mom had come home one day to find threats spray-painted on her walls and her house trashed, he’d known they couldn’t stay.

He could still see her standing in her ruined kitchen, white with fear. She’d aged ten years that humid night.

Guilt clawed at him. What kind of son was he to lead danger straight to her doorstep? He’d resigned the next day and spent his two-week notice hunting down the scum responsible.

Then he’d packed up and looked for a job, any job, where he could start fresh without a target on his back. When a position in the Palmetto County Sheriff’s office became open, he’d jumped on it. Working with a K-9 unit was a dream come true; he’d often volunteered time with the unit back home. That experience, plus a stellar record, had landed him the position.

Having the dog around eased the loneliness of being in a new city and made the long night shifts required of newbies seem a little shorter.

Thankfully, his mom had been willing to move, too. She’d lived in Miami ever since she and his father emigrated from Puerto Rico. He’d worried she would fight against leaving, but she’d agreed almost immediately. Her lack of argument told him she was more rattled than she’d admitted.

And of course there was Jessica, his younger sister, to think about, too. She was away at college, but still lived at home on school holidays. His mom wouldn’t want her in the line of fire, even if she wasn’t afraid for herself.

Now Paradise was their home and all that was behind them.

As he drove down what passed for Main Street, he scanned the tidy storefronts, more out of habit than caution. The tiny island community couldn’t be more different from fast-paced south Florida. Instead of high rises and strip malls, there were bungalows and family-owned shops. Miami had a vibrant, intoxicating culture, but working in law enforcement, he’d spent his hours in the less picturesque parts of town. Here, even the poorest neighborhoods were tidy and well kept.

Of course, nowhere was perfect, not even Paradise. Which was why he was missing valuable sleep in order to attend the Share the Love volunteer meeting. The sheriff’s department was pairing with the county’s department of children’s services in a fundraiser, a Valentine’s Day dance. The money raised would be used to start up a mentor program for at-risk kids. Some were in foster care and many had parents serving time or were in trouble themselves. When the department had posted a flier about the program, he’d been the first to volunteer. He’d been on the other side of that story; it was time to give back.

It took only a few minutes to cross the island and reach the Sandpiper Inn, the venue for tonight’s organizational meeting. The largest building on the island, it often was the site of community events.

Pulling into the gravel lot, he was surprised to see most of the parking spaces were full. Either the Sandpiper had a lot of midweek guests or the meeting was going to be larger than he’d expected.

He grabbed the box on the passenger seat and left the engine running, thankful for the special environmental controls that kept things safe for his furry partner. Late January in Florida tended to be mild, but could sometimes still hit dangerous temperatures. “Sorry, buddy, but I think this is a human-only kind of thing.”

Rex grumbled but settled down, his big head resting on his paws when Alex locked the car.

“Are you following me?” The voice came from behind him and sounded hauntingly familiar.

The prickly veterinarian from the bakery.

She was standing where the parking area opened onto the shaded path to the inn’s entrance. Her strawberry-blond hair caught the rays of the setting sun, strands blowing in her face with the breeze. Eyes snapping, she waited for him to respond.

“I’m not stalking you, if that’s what you mean.” His jaw clenched at the insinuation. “I’m a law enforcement officer, not a criminal.”

Her face softened slightly, and he caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just that in this town, there isn’t always a difference.”

Chapter Two

Well, that was embarrassing. Cassie truly did try to think before speaking, but some days she was more successful than others. What had she been thinking, accusing him of following her? It had been months since the accident; she needed to stop jumping at shadows.

“Mommy, look what Miss Jillian helped me make!” Cassie’s daughter, Emma, came bounding down the stairs of the picturesque inn with the energy and volume befitting a marching band, not a four-year-old. “I made Valentine’s cards!”

Behind, at a more sedate pace, came Cassie’s best friend and employee, Jillian Caruso. With her mass of black curls and pale skin, she looked like a princess out of a fairy tale, despite her casual jeans and sweater. Right now she also looked a tad guilty. “Before you say anything, this wasn’t my fault. I told her I would help her make some, but all the ideas were hers.”

Cassie arched an eyebrow, but let it go. She was just grateful Jillian had been willing to entertain Emma. Normally her mom watched Emma after her preschool let out, but today there had been a schedule conflict. Emma was much happier playing at the inn than being stuck with Cassie at the clinic yet again. “Hi, sunshine. I missed you.” She swept her up in a hug, letting go of the tension that had dogged her all day. This was why she worked so hard. This little girl was the most important thing in her world and worth all the long hours and missed sleep of the past few months. “Are you having fun?”

“She should be,” Jillian broke in. “She’s been here less than an hour and we’ve already played on the playground, looked for seashells on the beach and made brownies.”

“Are you a policeman? Did my mommy do something bad?”

Cassie had almost forgotten the deputy behind her. Blushing, she set Emma back down and turned to find him a few feet away, smiling as if she hadn’t just bitten his head off.

“Hello, sweetie. I’m Alex. What’s your name?”

“I’m Emma. Are you going to take someone to jail?”

“Not today. Unless there are any bad guys here?” His dimples showed when he smiled. Cops should not have dimples.

“Nope, just me and Miss Jillian and Mr. Nic. And Murphy. He’s their dog. And a bunch of people for the meeting. But they’re going to help kids, so they can’t be bad, right?” Her little brows furrowed as she thought.

“Probably not. Helping kids is a good thing. Are you going to help?”

Emma’s curls bounced as she nodded. “Yup, I get to help with the decorations. Mommy said so. And I get to come to the big Valentine’s Day dance. I’m going to wear a red dress.”

“A red dress? Sounds like a great party.” He raised his gaze to the third member of the group.

“Hi, I’m Jillian. Welcome to the Sandpiper Inn.” She offered her hand to the handsome deputy.

“Nice to meet you. Alex Santiago. Thanks for offering to host the meeting here.”

Jillian smiled, her face lighting up. “We’re happy to do it. I grew up in foster care myself—I know how hard it can be. Even the best foster families often can’t always give the kids as much attention as they need. It will be great if we can get a real mentor program started.”

If Alex was surprised by Jillian’s casual mention of her childhood, he didn’t show it. He just nodded and held out the box he’d picked up at the bakery. “I brought cookies, if you have somewhere I can put them. I figured at least a few people might not have had a chance to grab dinner yet.”

Oh, boy. Shame heated Cassie’s cheeks. She’d been stereotyping him with the old cops-and-doughnuts line when he’d actually been buying refreshments to share with others—at a charity event, no less.

The sight of the uniform might set her teeth on edge, but that was no reason to be openly rude to him. The car accident that had injured her father so badly had been caused by a single out-of-control deputy, but she couldn’t blame the man in front of her just because they both wore the same badge.

“Ooh, can I have a cookie?” Emma looked up at Alex, practically batting her eyelashes. “I’ve been very good.”

He laughed, and the lines around his eyes softened. “That’s up to your mom, princess.”

Emma turned pleading eyes to Cassie, whose heart melted. “Since you’ve been good, yes, one. But just one. Jillian said you’ve already had a brownie, and I don’t want you bouncing off the walls on a sugar high.” She nodded a thank you to Alex for letting her make the decision. “Now, let’s see those valentines you were telling me about.” She brushed off the niggling bit of envy that she hadn’t been the one making valentines with her daughter. Maybe that was why Jillian looked concerned about them?

“Cassie, maybe you should wait and read those later?” Jillian cautioned, nodding toward Alex.

Cassie darted a glance at the cop still standing on the stairs with them. He shrugged, then moved past them. “I’ll just go find a place to set these down. See you inside.”

Why was Jillian acting so tense over this? They were just paper hearts and glitter, not a manifesto. Taking them from Emma’s slightly grubby fist, she continued up to the massive front door of the Sandpiper.

The first card boasted a crudely drawn bouquet of flowers, and the words MOM and LOVE circled by pink and purple hearts. “Thank you, sweetie, I love it.” She shuffled that one to the back and opened the next one. This time there were happy faces covering the pink paper, and Jillian’s name, misspelled, at the center. “Beautiful!” Smiling, she opened the last heart-shaped card and then froze, almost stumbling as her daughter pushed past her into the warmth of the lobby. The words on the page had instantly imprinted on her brain, but she read them again anyway.

To Daddy. Painstakingly spelled out in red and gold sequins.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Jillian’s eyes were wide with sympathy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do. I told her I’d help her make valentines, but I had no idea...”

Cassie straightened her spine. She’d talk to Emma about it. Make her understand, somehow, that this particular valentine was going to remain unsent. Her head began to throb.

“Don’t worry. It’s not your fault,” Cassie told Jillian.

It’s mine.

* * *

Alex kept an eye on the door as he mingled and shook hands in the spacious lobby. Observation was second nature at this point, and he wanted to see how that little scene out front played out. What was the big deal about a couple of valentines? Maybe it was nothing, but an overactive sense of curiosity came with the job.

He was munching on a tiny crustless sandwich when Cassie entered the room. Her daughter and friend followed, but she was the one that drew him, made him want to know more. There was something about the fiery redhead that made her impossible to ignore. Yes, she was pretty in a girl-next-door way, with a petite build and freckled complexion. But it was more than that. Her quick temper should have been off-putting. Instead, her transparency put him at ease. Every emotion showed on her face—there was no hidden agenda. In his line of work, he spent most of his time trying to figure out what someone wasn’t saying, but this woman was an open book.

And right now, she looked like she needed a friend. Her pale skin was flushed, and she had a tight look around her eyes, as if she was fighting off a headache. Moving toward her, drawn by instinct more than conscious thought, he offered her a drink. “Water?”

“Hmm?” She looked down at the unopened bottle he held in his hand. “Yes, thank you.” Taking a tentative sip, she screwed the cap back on. “Listen, about the coffee shop. I’m sorry I was rude. It was a dumb joke. I just...well, it wasn’t about you, specifically.”

“Not a fan of cops, are you?”

She winced. “That obvious?”

“Let’s see. You made a cop joke in front of a cop. Then you equated law enforcement with criminal behavior. It wasn’t a hard case to crack.”

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled. A heart-stopping smile that reached her eyes and made him wish he could do more for her than hand her a bottle of water. This must have been how Helen caused all that trouble in Troy. His heart thudded in his chest, warning him to look away.

His eyes landed on her daughter, who had snuck to the far side of the table to liberate another cookie. “She’s beautiful.”

The smile got even brighter. “Thanks.”

“Just like her mother.”

Instantly her smile vanished, and her gaze grew guarded. “I should go find a seat, before they’re all taken.”

He hadn’t meant the compliment as a pick-up line, but she obviously thought he was hitting on her and was putting as much space between them as possible. She wasn’t wearing a ring, but he’d heard medical people didn’t always wear them because of the constant hand-washing. Great. She was probably married. Now she had a reason to dislike him personally, rather than just cops in general.

Unable to come up with a reason to follow her, he hung back to watch the proceedings from the rear of the room, a small crowd filling the seats in front of him. These were his neighbors now, his community. Getting to know them had to be top priority if he wanted to be effective at his job. Hopefully volunteering like this would be a step in that direction. He had other, more personal reasons for wanting to volunteer, but no one needed to know that. He didn’t need his past coloring his chances at a future here.

At the front of the room, the woman he’d spoken to earlier, Jillian, stood and called for everyone’s attention. “Welcome to the Sandpiper, and thank you for taking the time to help with such a worthwhile project. As most of you know, I was a foster child myself, so I know firsthand how hard that life can be. And what a difference a caring person can make. I’m really thankful we have so many people interested in volunteering, and that, in addition to working with children’s services, we will also be partnering with the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department. They will be sponsoring a group of kids for the program as well, kids who are in a difficult spot and might need some extra help. Deputy Santiago is here representing the department tonight and will be volunteering his own time to this important project.” She smiled at him, and he raised a hand in acknowledgment. Several of the townspeople turned and sized him up. Many offered warm smiles; a few nodded in acceptance.

Jillian finished, then introduced the chairwoman of the event, Mrs. Rosenberg, a diminutive senior citizen decked out in a leopard-print track suit. As she listed off the various jobs, he made a mental note to sign up for the setup crew. A strong back would be welcome when it came time to move tables and hang decorations, and it sounded a heck of a lot better than messing with tissue paper and glitter for the decorating committee.

Finally, the talking was over. Everyone milled around, catching up on gossip as they waited to sign up on the clipboards on the front table. He started that way, easing through the crowd as best as he could, given that everyone there seemed to want to greet him personally. He’d exchanged small talk with half a dozen people and was less than halfway across the room when he felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Deputy?”

It was the chairwoman, now sporting rhinestone spectacles and wielding a clipboard.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“You’re new in town, aren’t you?” The question was just shy of an accusation, and the shrewd eyes behind the glasses were every bit as sharp as a seasoned detective’s.

“I am.” He extended a hand. “Alex Santiago. Nice to meet you.”

She gripped him with a wiry strength, then spoke over his shoulder. “Hold on, Tom, I’ll be right there.” Turning her attention back to him, she smiled. “I have to go handle that. But don’t worry. I’ll get you signed up myself.”

Grateful that he wouldn’t have to fight the crowd, he backtracked to the front door. He was almost there when it hit him. “Mrs. Rosenberg?”

From across the room she turned. “Yes?”

“Which committee are you signing me up for?”

“Oh, all of them, of course.”

Of course.

* * *

Cassie spent most of the drive home trying to figure out what to say to Emma about her valentines. She still wasn’t sure how to explain things in a way a four-year-old could understand, but she’d come up with something. She always did.

She set her purse down on the counter and put the old-fashioned kettle on the stove. “Emma, go put your backpack in your room, and get ready for your bath, please. I’ll be right there.” It was so late she was tempted to skip the bath part of bedtime, but changing the schedule would undoubtedly backfire and keep the tyke up later in the long run. Besides, after an afternoon romping on the beach and exploring the Sandpiper’s sprawling grounds, her daughter was in dire need of a scrub-down.

Enjoying the brief quiet, she kicked off her sensible shoes and opened the sliding door to the patio. The screened room was her favorite part of the house, especially at this time of year. The air was chilly by Florida standards, but still comfortable. Right now she would have loved to curl up on the old chaise with her tea and a cozy mystery, but tonight, like most nights, there just wasn’t time.

“Mommy, I’m ready for my bath.”

“Okay, I’m coming.” Duty called. Taking a last breath of the crisp night air, she caught the scent of the Lady of the Night orchid she’d been babying. It would bloom for only a few nights; hopefully she’d get a chance to enjoy it. But for now, she closed the door and went to find her daughter, stopping to fill her mug with boiling water and an herbal tea bag.

Emma was waiting in the bathroom, stripped down to her birthday suit and clutching her favorite rubber ducky. “Bubbles?” she asked hopefully.

“Bubbles. But only a quick bath tonight. It’s late.”

The little girl nodded solemnly. “Okay, Mommy.”

Cassie’s heart squeezed. No matter how stressed or tired she was, she never got tired of hearing the word Mommy from her baby’s lips. She couldn’t say she’d done everything right, but this little girl—she had to be a reward for something. She was too good to be anything but that. There was nothing Cassie wouldn’t do for her. Which was why it broke her heart to know she couldn’t give Emma her biggest wish.

“So did you have fun today at the Sandpiper?” She watched the water level rise around her daughter, the bubbles forming softly scented mountains.

“Yup. I played with Murphy and ate brownies, and we saw a butterfly, and Mr. Nic pushed me super high on the swings.”

Nic was Jillian’s husband. He had bought the Sandpiper for Jillian just a few months ago, and the playground was one of the first things he’d added to the grounds. He and Jillian were hoping for a child of their own soon, but in the meantime the paying guests—and Emma—made good use of it. “That sounds like a real adventure.”

“Uh-huh. And then Miss Jillian helped me make my valentines. I made one for her, and you, and for a daddy. We just need to get one so I can give it to him.”

Darn. The child hadn’t forgotten, not that Cassie was surprised. Emma had perfect recall when it came to what she wanted. Now to figure out a way to let her down without breaking her heart. “Honey, I can’t just go get you a daddy.”

Emma frowned up at her.

Okay, that didn’t work. “You are going to have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. You’re going to have a party at school with cupcakes and candy and everything. And then we’ll go to the big dance. It’s going to be great, you’ll see.”

“It would be better if I had a daddy. Then he could be our valentine. Like Mr. Nic is Jillian’s valentine. I heard him say so.”

Cassie blinked back the sudden sting of tears. She’d tried to be everything for Emma, to provide enough love for two parents, but the older Emma got, the more she realized something was different. Something, someone, was missing.

“A daddy would be nice,” she conceded. “But you have me. And we’re a great team, you and I. So if you don’t have a daddy right now, that’s okay, because we have each other, right?”

Emma looked thoughtful, her nose crinkling as she considered. “But why don’t I get to have a daddy? Lots of kids at school have one.”

The pounding behind Cassie’s eyes returned with a vengeance. Rubbing her temples, she tried to explain to her daughter what she still didn’t understand herself. “That’s just how it is sometimes. Some kids have mommies, and some kids have daddies, and some kids have both.”

“Oh, and some kids don’t have a mommy or a daddy, right? That’s why we get to have the Share the Love party, to help them, right, Mom?”

Cassie sighed in relief. “Right, honey. Those kids are in foster care with people that take care of them until they get a new mommy and daddy. Every family is different, and we just have to be happy about the one we have.”

Her face falling, Emma nodded slowly. “Okay.”

Watching her daughter’s solemn expression, Cassie felt like she’d kicked a puppy. The guilt sat heavy in the pit of her stomach, reminding her of how her choices had led to this. Her impulsiveness, her recklessness, had created this situation. For the millionth time, she fought the instinct to regret ever meeting her lying ex. But of course, without him, there would be no Emma. And that was simply unthinkable. Being a single parent was hard, but it was worth it.

That didn’t mean that she didn’t sometimes wish she had a partner in all of this. As she toweled Emma off and got her ready for bed, she wondered what it would have been like to have a man to talk to once her daughter was asleep. Instead of eating ice cream out of the carton, she’d have someone she could talk things out with, someone to share her fears and frustrations with.

But letting someone into her life, relying on him like that, was too big a risk. She’d let her emotions carry her away once, and look how well that turned out. No, she needed to keep doing what she was doing and leave the idea of romance alone. She wasn’t any good at it, and she couldn’t afford to make that kind of mistake again.

Chapter Three

Alex was still shaking his head over Mrs. Rosenberg’s sign-up shenanigans ten hours later. And puzzling over the intriguing veterinarian, despite the way she’d blown him off. She was fire and ice, and definitely not interested, but he couldn’t quite get her out of his head. Between her and Mrs. Rosenberg, the island definitely had its share of headstrong women.

He’d spent the long night patrolling the quiet streets of Paradise and the connecting highway across the bridge, alone except for Rex and his own thoughts. He was grateful for the lack of crime, but the slow shift gave him too much time to think, too much time to remember the chain of events that had brought him here. Not that this was a bad place to be.

When he’d accepted the position with the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department, he’d expected to be working at the county headquarters in Coconut Bay. Instead he’d been assigned to the small substation serving Paradise. The island was too small to support a city police force, so it, like some of the rural ranching areas across the bridge on the mainland, was under county law enforcement.

As dawn approached, he made a last loop along the beach road to catch the sunrise over the ocean. Stopping in one of the many parking spaces that bordered the dunes, he got out and stretched, his neck popping loudly. At Rex’s insistence, he opened the back door as well, snapping the dog’s leash on and walking him to a grassy area to relieve himself. When the dog had emptied his bladder, they strolled together to one of the staircases that led down to the sand.

Here he had an unobstructed view of the water and the already pink sky that seemed to melt along the horizon, the water turning a molten orange as the fiery sun crept up to start the day. Sipping from the lukewarm coffee he’d picked up a few hours ago at a gas station on the mainland, he let himself enjoy the quiet. No jarring static from the two-way radio, no traffic, just the soft sound of the waves rolling on the sand and Rex’s soft snuffling as he investigated the brush along the stairway.

Alex had made a habit of doing this since he moved here. In the clear morning light, he could feel good about himself, his job, the direction his life was taking. The fresh start to the day was a reminder of his own fresh start, one that he hadn’t asked for, but probably needed.

He was over thirty now, as his mother never failed to remind him. Maybe here he’d find a life beyond his work. He wasn’t a family man; nothing in his background had prepared him for that kind of life, but a place like Paradise made him want to settle down a bit, make some friends, maybe join a softball team or something.

Chuckling at the image, he turned to go. Rex, trained to stay with him, uncharacteristically resisted the tug on the leash. Maybe he was tired, too.

“Here, boy! Come on, it’s quitting time. Let’s go.”

The dog stood his ground, whiskers trembling as he stared into the dark space under the steps.

“What it is it, boy?” Alex found himself lowering his voice, catching the dog’s mood. He was no dog whisperer, but obviously there was something under the stairs. Something more than the broken bottles and fast-food wrappers that sometimes got lodged there.

“Is somebody there?”

There was a scrambling sound, but no answer.

Rex whined, the hairs on his back standing up in a ridge. Feeling a bit silly, but not willing to take a chance, Alex removed his Glock from its holster, finding confidence in its weight even as he sent a silent prayer he wouldn’t have to use it. Crouching down, he aimed his flashlight under the wooden structure, his gun behind it. He couldn’t see anyone, but there was an alcove under a support beam that was hidden from his light. He’d have to go around.

He circled around to the other side, leaving Rex pacing back and forth at the foot of the stairs. Repeating his crouch and waddle move from before, Alex inched up under the overhang, scanning the area with his light. Nothing.

Woof!

Alex jumped, rapping his head on the rough boards of the stairway. A lightning bolt of pain shot through his skull as he quickly crab-crawled back out of the cramped space beneath the stairs. He heard Rex bark again and rolled the rest of the way out, careful to keep the gun steady.

“What is it, boy?”

A quick series of staccato barks answered him from the landing above.

“Stop! Sheriff’s Deputy.” The logical part of his mind knew that it was probably just a kid sneaking a smoke or a surfer who had passed out after too many drinks, but he’d had more than one close call in his career and wasn’t going to chance it. Standing up, cursing the sand spurs now embedded in his skin, he followed the dog’s line of sight.

There, clearly visible in the breaking dawn, was the menace that had his dog, and him, so worked up. A tiny kitten, barely more than a ball of fluff, was huddled against the top step.

“Rex, hush!” he commanded, not wanting the big dog to scare it back under the stairs. He was not going into those sand spurs again if he could help it.

The kitten was gray, its fur nearly the same shade as the weathered boards he was clinging to. If Rex hadn’t made such a fuss, the kitten could have been directly underfoot and Alex would have missed it. Putting the dog into a down-stay, he dropped the leash and tucked away the gun and flashlight. Then he eased up the stairs as quietly as his heavy boots would allow.

The kitten watched him, eyes wide, but didn’t run. A small mew was its only reaction, and even that seemed half-hearted. The pathetic creature looked awfully weak. The temperature was only in the mid-forties right now and had been significantly colder overnight. Plenty of strays did just fine, but this one seemed way too small to be out in the cold on its own.

Scooping the kitten up, he cradled it against his chest with one hand, then leaned down and retrieved Rex’s leash with the other. The kitten was trembling, obviously cold if nothing else. Loading Rex into the car, he mentally said goodbye to the sleep he’d intended to catch up on. It looked like he was going to be seeing that pretty veterinarian again after all.

* * *

Cassie stared at the teakettle with bleary eyes, as if she could make the water boil faster through sheer force of will. She’d tossed and turned again last night. Maybe at some point she’d get used to the nightmares.

She often dreamed about the accident that had left her father in the hospital and herself with a mild concussion and a mountain of worry. At first, they’d feared her father’s injuries were permanent, but he was home now and steadily getting better. She’d hoped that would be enough to stop the dreams from haunting her. But so far, no such luck.

But last night the dream had changed. The broken glass and screeching tires were the same as always, brought back in minute detail to terrorize her, but this time the sirens had triggered something new. Instead of the middle-aged deputy who was normally part of the nightmare, there was someone else. Alex Santiago, the new deputy she’d embarrassed herself in front of.

Suddenly, instead of ambulances and flashing lights, there had been stars and the crash of the ocean. They were alone on the beach, kissing as if there was nothing more important than the feel of skin against skin, tongue against tongue. She’d been unbuttoning his uniform when the blaring of her alarm had woken her up.

She had lain there, hot and trembling, for several minutes before forcing herself to shut the dream out of her head. There was probably some deep, psychiatric reason her subconscious was twisting her nightmare into something totally different, but there’d been no point in lying there, trying to figure it out.

So she’d forced herself out of bed and into a quick shower before throwing on her usual uniform of casual khaki pants and a simple cotton blouse. Now she was desperate for some tea and maybe a bite of breakfast. She had another thirty minutes before Emma would be waking up, and she intended to enjoy the quiet while she could.

The tea was still steeping in her mug when she heard a knock at the door. Dunking the bag one last time, she tossed it in the trash as she made her way to the front of the house. Peering through the wavy glass of the peephole, she could just make out the blue uniform of the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department. Her mouth turned dry, another flashback threatening her still drowsy mind.

Her heart thudded hollowly as she turned the lock. Why would there be a cop on her doorstep? Had something happened to her parents? The clinic? A neighbor? Her mind darted through possible scenarios as she opened the door. Surely this wasn’t because of the accident? In the beginning, there had been what seemed like countless interviews and questions, but that had all ended months ago.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she swung open the door. There on the stoop was Alex, looking just as he had in her dream. The fear retreated, chased off by other, equally potent stirrings. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment, not that he could possibly know that she’d dreamed about him. Keeping her voice cool, she asked, “Is there a problem, Deputy?”

He smiled at her, all male energy and smooth charm. “I suppose it’s too early for this to be a social call?”

“I’d say so.” She noticed the shadows under his eyes and realized he’d probably just come off the night shift. “I’m assuming you have a professional reason for banging on my door at dawn. If you could share it so I can get back to my breakfast, that would be helpful.”

Before he could answer her, she caught the weirdest impression of movement under his department-issued windbreaker. “What on earth?”

At that moment, a tiny, gray head squirmed out of the neck of the jacket and nuzzled his chin. Darn. Now she had to let him in.

“I know it looks strange, but the little guy was shivering. I thought I could keep him warm in my jacket, but he doesn’t want to stay put.” He grabbed hold of the kitten as it wriggled its way farther out of the coat.

“Well, come on in. Let’s take a look at him.” She motioned for him to continue back to the kitchen, then shut the door behind him. “Where did he come from and how long ago did you find him?” She kept her tone and actions professional, using her clinical manner to maintain some emotional distance. He might look like a Latin movie star, but the Palmetto County Sheriff’s Department logo on his shirt was a glaring reminder of the chaos she was currently embroiled in. She’d help the kitten, then send him on his way, before he or the animal got too close.

Alex followed her, his large stature making her cozy cottage feel small. “Rex found him under one of the beach access staircases. We’d stopped for a few minutes and he refused to leave. Somehow he knew the little guy needed help.”

“Is Rex your partner?” The name didn’t ring a bell.

“Yeah,” Alex answered distractedly as he attempted to remove the kitten’s claws from his uniform shirt. “He’s waiting out in the car.”

“He didn’t want to come in?” Had the animosity toward her gotten that bad?

“Oh, he wanted to, but I figured it was better not to totally overwhelm you at this hour of the morning.”

Right. More likely his partner just wanted to avoid her. Well, too bad. She was tired of feeling like a pariah in her own town. “It’s going to take me a little while to check the kitten out, so you might as well tell Rex to come in. No reason to sit out in the cold.”

“You’re sure?”

“Of course.”

While he fetched his partner, she went to the hall closet to retrieve her medical bag. It was on the top shelf, wedged next to a box of random sports equipment. And a bit too heavy to snag one-handed. She was on her toes, the kitten snuggled firmly in one arm, when she heard the front door open behind her.

Giving up, she turned around to ask for help. “Hey, could one of you hold the kitten while I—”

Her voice died in her throat. Standing directly in her path was the largest German Shepherd she had ever seen, taking up most of the limited real estate in her tiny foyer. Suppressing a completely unprofessional squeal at the sudden intrusion, she cautiously observed the behemoth before deciding the doe-eyed canine meant no harm. Probably. Intuition and years of experience gave her the courage to edge around him, keeping the kitten out of his reach, just in case.

She was relieved to find Alex in the foyer, apparently not eaten by the mammoth canine. “You aren’t going to tell me Rex found that guy under a staircase, too, are you?” No way was this regal giant a foundling.

“What?” Alex’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Found who?”

She waved her arm toward the dog. “Him. Where did he come from? Obviously your partner didn’t find him when he found the kitten.”

Alex’s full-throated laugh filled the air, erasing the tired lines that had creased his face a moment before. Unable to resist smiling along with him, she rubbed the kitten’s head with her free hand and waited to be let in on the joke.

“Rex is my partner.” When she only raised her eyebrows, he continued, “I mean, the dog is Rex. My partner.”

Understanding belatedly wound its way through her sleepy brain. “You’re a K-9 officer?”

“Yeah. I just assumed a local veterinarian would have known that.”

She thought back. She had heard rumblings of a new K-9 unit, but she would have sworn the idea had been tabled when it was determined there wasn’t enough money in the budget. “I thought the department couldn’t afford a K-9 unit? Trained dogs have to cost a fortune.”

Alex ruffled the big dog’s fur, a wry smile on his face. “He’s worth every penny, but you’re right. He’s way outside Palmetto County’s price range. The department was able to get federal and state grants to cover the purchase cost, and Miami-Dade County let me train with its K-9 unit on my off time before I came. The department still has to foot the ongoing costs for veterinary care and our continued training, but that’s less expensive than paying the salary for another officer. In the long run, having a K-9 on staff should save the department manpower and money.”

Watching Alex’s eyes shine with pride in his job and his dog had her swallowing hard. She’d been too quick to think she was being avoided, to assume she was being treated badly. Had she gotten so cynical that she assumed the worst of everyone?

If so, she needed to stop. That wasn’t who she wanted to be or what she wanted to teach her daughter. Which meant she needed to bite the bullet and at least try to be open-minded, try to be friendly. Even with the sexy cop standing in her living room.

* * *

If Alex had been a little less tired, maybe he would have picked up on Cassie’s confusion earlier. As it was, the look on her face when she’d found the hundred-plus-pound dog in her house had been priceless. He gave her credit, though; she’d stood her ground without flinching. She’d correctly read Rex’s body language and known he wasn’t a threat, despite his size. Heck, even some of his fellow officers were skittish around Rex.

Tough and beautiful. A dangerous combination. He’d once described his ex, a fellow cop, the same way. Then she’d dropped him for an assistant DA and he’d shifted his assessment from tough to cold-hearted. But Cassie, although she’d been less than friendly when he’d first met her, didn’t seem to have the calculating nature that had doomed his relationship with his ex. Cassie tried to hide them, but her emotions were right there on the surface, reflected on her face like the rays of the sun off the ocean.

She had her eyes closed as she felt her way over the kitten’s body from head to tail. Watching her slender but capable fingers skim the soft fur had him wondering what her touch would feel like. Her husband, if she did turn out to be married, was one lucky bastard.

Who probably wouldn’t be happy to find a stranger staring at his wife this way.

Not that she’d even noticed. She’d all but forgotten Alex. Her brows knit in concentration. All her focus was on her small, purring patient.

Better take it down a notch. Focus on the issue at hand. “Is he going to be okay?”

Cassie made a noncommittal noise, then slid the earpieces of a stethoscope into place. A few tense minutes later, her face relaxed into an easy smile. “Lungs sound good, no evidence of any kind of infection, and his heart sounds great. At least, what I can hear over the purring.” She nuzzled her face against the now ecstatic creature. “He seems none the worse for wear, just hungry and cold. It’s lucky you found him when you did—the forecast is calling for another cold front to roll in by the end of the day.”

He suppressed a shudder, despite the warmth of Cassie’s cozy kitchen. An image of the kitten, all alone in the cold, flashed through his head, and he made a mental note to pick up one of Rex’s favorite chew bones at the store later. The big dog deserved a reward, for sure.

As if reading his mind, Cassie opened a whitewashed cupboard and pulled out a box of dog biscuits.

“Can the hero here have a treat?”

“Of course. He’s off duty, and he’s definitely earned it.”

“What about you?” She tipped her chin toward the kettle on the stove. “I’ve got hot water for tea, or I can make a pot of coffee. If you have time, I mean.”

“Tea would be fine, thank you.” He normally stuck to coffee, but there was no point in her making a whole pot just for him. Maybe the coffeepot was strictly for her husband, although it didn’t look as if it had been used yet this morning. Her mug, purple with pink paw prints on it, sat alone on the empty counter, smelling of peppermint and flowers.

Come to think of it, there’d only been one car in the driveway. Her husband could have left for work already, but there was nothing in the kitchen to indicate a male presence. Surreptitiously, he scanned the room. No dirty breakfast dishes, no mugs other than hers. Even more telling, the decor ran to pastels and flowers. The evidence was circumstantial, but certainly enough to introduce reasonable doubt as to the existence of a Mr. Marshall.

Accepting the tea, he told himself it didn’t matter one way or the other. She’d made her opinion of him, and his profession, perfectly clear when they first met. But as he sat across from her in the cozy kitchen, his dog at their feet and a kitten in her lap, a new, friendlier relationship seemed possible. Which didn’t explain why he cared if she shared her home, or her bed, with another man.

He’d obviously been up too long. That was all. Sleep deprivation could mess with your mind. Everyone knew that. After a few hours’ sleep, he’d remember all the reasons he wasn’t looking for a relationship, especially with the firecracker of a redhead sitting across from him. For now, he’d drink his tea and enjoy a few minutes of company before going home to his empty apartment.

When he’d first taken the job in Paradise, he’d suggested he and his mother share a place, but she’d just chuckled and said he would need his own space for “entertaining.” Right. He’d had only one other person in his apartment since he moved to Paradise, and that was the cable guy. Between the new job and the extra training sessions he’d signed up for with Rex, he hadn’t had the time or energy for dating. Which was fine by him.

Although right now, enjoying the morning light with a beautiful woman, he wondered if he wasn’t missing out after all.

Unwilling to explore that thought, he finished his tea and stood, the chair scraping against the terrazzo floor.

Startled by the noise, the kitten leaped onto the table, nearly overturning the china cups.

“Sorry about that. I’ll get this guy out of your hair and be on my way.” He scooped up the kitten with one hand. “Thanks for checking him out—I didn’t know where else to take him.”

Cassie stood to escort him out. “What will you do with him now?”

Good question. One he hadn’t thought through yet. He’d been worried about the little guy making it. “I’ll have to keep him for a few days, I guess, while I ask around, try to find him a home.” Frustrated, he rubbed his eyes with his free hand. “Guess I’d better stop and pick up some food for him first.” He nearly groaned with frustration. His tired body was crying out for a bed, but he couldn’t let the little guy starve.

“The stores won’t even be open for another hour.” Cassie’s eyes went from man to kitten. “I can take him to the office with me, get him fed, wormed and cleaned up, and then you can pick him up before you start your shift tonight. How does that sound?”

“Like you’re my guardian angel. Thank you.”

She blushed, the pink accentuating her soft coloring. “I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for him.” Her firm tone was a contrast to the camaraderie they’d shared in the kitchen. The friendly interlude was over, it seemed.

“Either way, I appreciate it just the same. What time do you need me to come get him?”

“The clinic closes at six, so any time before then is fine.”

He could get a solid stretch of sleep and still have time to get food and the cat before his shift started. Thank heaven for small favors. And the angels who delivered them.

* * *

Cassie had spent way too much time thinking about Alex today. Really, any time thinking about Paradise Isle’s newest lawman was too much. But between Emma’s incessant questions over breakfast and the knowing looks and suggestive remarks from her staff, she’d found her attention forced to him more times than she could count. Not that it took much forcing. The sight of the rough-around-the-edges deputy cuddling an orphaned kitten had triggered something inside her, reminding her she was still a woman, not just a mother and veterinarian.

She eyed the gray bundle of fur that had triggered today’s chain of events. “You’re a troublemaker, you know that?”

The kitten in question was currently exploring her office after being evicted from the patient care area by Jillian. “He hates the cage and his crying is getting the other patients upset,” she had said when she’d deposited him on her desk an hour ago.

Absently, Cassie balled up a piece of paper and tossed it in front of the cat. Thrilled, the tiny predator pounced on it, rolling head over heels in his enthusiasm.

Once upon a time, she’d been that carefree, that eager to chase adventure. But she’d been knocked down too hard to be willing to risk tumbling end over end again. She almost envied the kitten its bravery. He’d nearly frozen to death last night and yet he still seemed fearless. Meanwhile, she was afraid of her own shadow most days.

Having her ex leave her had made it hard to trust people, but the aftermath of the car accident she and her father had been in certainly hadn’t helped. Naively, she’d assumed that the drunken deputy who hit her would face jail time, that he would pay for his actions. Instead, he’d gotten what seemed like a slap on the wrist. She’d tried to push for more, pointing out Jack’s obvious alcoholism, but the department had closed ranks around him. According to them, he’d made a simple mistake and she was just stirring up trouble. A few people had even suggested the accident might have been her fault, despite all evidence to the contrary. Logically, she knew they were wrong, but that didn’t make the nightmares or the guilt any better.

“Hey, Cassie?” Mollie, her friend and the clinic receptionist, spoke over the intercom. “Emma’s here.”

Cassie glanced at her watch. How was it already five o’ clock? “Send her back and let her know her little friend is still here.” Her daughter had fallen in love with the kitten when she saw it this morning. She’d be thrilled it hadn’t been picked up yet.

“Mommy!” Her daughter flew into the tiny office, tossing her backpack down to give Cassie a big hug. “Mollie said he’s still here! Where is he?”

Cassie laughed and pointed to the wastebasket in the corner of the room. “Look behind the trash can. I think he’d hiding back there.”

Emma, always excited by a new visitor to the clinic, scrambled out of Cassie’s lap to check it out. “Found him!” she whooped, clutching the kitty to her chest.

“Careful. Don’t squeeze him too hard.”

“I know that, Mom. I’m not a baby.” The indignation on her little face was better suited to a teenager than a preschooler, but she did have a point. Emma had grown up with foster animals and convalescing pets around the house and knew how to handle them.

“Well, this one is a bit of a troublemaker, so just be careful.” Even as she gave the warning, the little guy was trying to climb out of Emma’s arms and to scale the mini-blinds over the window. Delighted at his antics, Emma gently untangled him.

“You sure do get into trouble,” she scolded the kitten. “That should be your name—Trouble.”

Cassie laughed. “I think you’re right. That’s the perfect name. I’ll have Mollie put that on his chart.”

“Will the policeman mind that we named the kitten without him?”

“I’m sure he won’t mind.” Time for a change in subject. “So did you have a good day at school?” Emma had started half days at the preschool affiliated with their church only a few months ago.

“Oh, yeah! John Baker brought a snake into school today for show-and-tell.”

“A real snake?” She shivered. There was a reason she hadn’t specialized in exotic medicine, and that reason was snakes. Professionally she knew they were legitimate pets, but personally she found them cringe-worthy.

Her daughter nodded with glee. “Uh-huh, a baby one. He had stripes and was really pretty. Can we have a snake, too? I’d take really good care of it.”

“Absolutely not. No snakes.”

“But you said we could get a pet ages ago and we still don’t have one.” She stuck her lip out in a perfect pout.

“We will when the time is right.”

“When will that be?”

When? When her father was able to work again? When the nightmares went away?

“Soon.”

Emma shot her a disbelieving look and went back to snuggling the kitten.

Great, just one more way she’d let her daughter down.

* * *

Alex had overslept, then cut himself in his hurry to shave and shower. Now he was standing in the pet food section of Paradise’s only grocery store, still bleeding, and confused as heck. Was growth food the same as kitten food? Or should he get the special indoor formula? Or sensitive? What did that even mean, sensitive? And then there were all the hairball options. By the looks of it, half of America’s cats were fighting some kind of hair trauma he had no desire to understand.

Dabbing again at the cut on his jaw, he decided on the bag marked Growth, mainly because it had a picture of a kitten on the front. That had to be a good sign.

Taking the smallest bag, he added it to his basket, which already contained a box of protein bars, new razor blades and the chew bone he’d promised Rex this morning. Thankfully, the checkout line was short, and he was in the car and tearing into one of the protein bars in a matter of minutes. He washed down the makeshift meal with some bottled water and nosed the vehicle south on Lighthouse Avenue. A few quick blocks later and he was pulling into the small parking lot.

Rex woofed hopefully.

“All right, you can come in.” He got out and then let Rex out, snapping on his leash. The dog trotted at his side, nose working the breeze. The K-9 was probably picking up a full buffet of smells from all of the pets that had been through there recently.

Once inside, Rex honed in on the treat container in the reception area, sitting prettily directly in front of it.

“Hi, handsome!” The pretty brunette behind the counter, Mollie, according to her name tag, smiled at the panting dog, then turned to Alex. “You must be the man that rescued the kitten this morning, right?”

“Guilty as charged. Although really Rex was the one who found him. He deserves all the credit.”

“I’m not sure credit is the word.” She made a wry face. “Maybe blame would be more accurate. That little guy has been driving everyone nuts all day. They had to move him into Cassie’s office because he was getting the other patients all worked up with his yowling.”

Alex winced. “Sorry. I probably should have taken him with me, but I wasn’t exactly prepared for a surprise kitten at six this morning.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s not your fault he’s so rambunctious. And Dr. Marshall’s daughter is in love with him. She’s back there playing with him now.”

“Emma’s here? Surely her mother doesn’t bring her to work every day?”

The receptionist tipped her head, studying him. “I didn’t realize you’d met Emma already. Her grandparents dropped her off a little bit ago. They watch her in the afternoons.”

He nodded. “Emma and I met at the Share the Love meeting the other day—she asked if I was going to take anyone to jail. She’s quite the character.”

Mollie laughed. “That she is. Not a shy bone in her body, that’s for sure. Have a seat. I’ll let them know you’re here.”

Alex chose the seat farthest from the door, across from an older man snuggling a Persian cat. Rex ignored the cat, preferring to keep an eye on the treat jar.

Only a few minutes later, he was called into an examination room. He was surprised to recognize one of the owners of the Sandpiper, Jillian, waiting for him, dressed in scrubs.

“Deputy Santiago, good to see you again.” She offered a wide smile, then crouched down to pet Rex. “And nice to meet you, Rex. I hear you’re quite the hero.”

“He’s going to get a swollen head from all the compliments the women in this place give him. And call me Alex.”

“Okay, Alex. Well, Dr. Marshall should be with you in just a minute. She was checking on the kitten’s lab results, but he seems plenty healthy.”

“Yeah, I heard he’s been a handful. Sorry about that.”

“Please. If we can’t handle a two-pound kitten for a few hours, we’re in trouble.”

“Well, thank you anyway. I have to admit, I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you ran the Sandpiper?”

“Oh, no, I’m one of the owners, but my husband’s the one who really runs it. Nic grew up in the hotel business, so he handles all the day-to-day stuff. I’ve been working here in the clinic since I was in high school. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

He nodded in understanding. He could respect that; it was how he felt about being a cop.

The door opposite the one they came in from opened and Cassie entered, her daughter behind her. In Emma’s arms was the kitten.

“He looks better,” Alex commented. “Jillian said he’s doing okay now.”

“He’s doing more than okay,” Cassie told him. “He’s got a belly full of food and has been given more attention today than he’s probably ever had in his life.”

As if to prove her statement, the kitten began purring, his throaty rumbling surprisingly loud given his small size.

“That’s good, because he’s going to be on his own tonight. I did stop and get him some food. And I can make him a bed up, with towels or something.”

“Good. What kind of litter did you get?”

Uh-oh. “Um, well...”

Cassie watched his face, then burst into laughter. Her shoulders shook as she spoke. “You’ve never had a cat before, have you, Deputy?”

Her laughter was almost worth the embarrassment. Almost. He had a college degree and had solved numerous criminal cases, yet he couldn’t figure out how to take care of a simple cat? She must think he was an idiot.

Still chuckling, she put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry I laughed. I should have given you a list this morning or at least told you what to get.”

Her hand on his arm was warm, the casual touch sending a jolt of heat through his body. Pulling away, he cleared his suddenly dry throat. “You did more than enough. This was my fault.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t suppose you sell that stuff here? I’ve got to be on patrol in a bit, and, well—”

“Why don’t we take Trouble home with us, Mommy?”

Alex looked from the bright-eyed girl to her mother. “I don’t think—”

“Please, Mommy? You said we would get a pet. And this one needs a home. And he loves me so much, I know he’d miss me. And,” she said, pointing at Alex triumphantly, “he doesn’t know how to take care of a cat. He doesn’t even have a litter box.”

Put in his place by a child. So much for making a good impression. He’d be offended, except she was right. He had no idea what to do with a cat. He’d grown up with dogs, but cats were a new experience. Still, he didn’t want to put Cassie out more than he already had.

“I’m sure I can figure something out for tonight, and I’ll pick up a book at the library tomorrow. It can’t be that hard, right?”

* * *

Cassie nodded slowly, but her eyes were on her daughter. Remembering her earlier conversation with Emma, she gave Alex a half-hearted smile. “I’m sure you could figure it out, but Emma’s right. I did promise her a pet.” And since she couldn’t give her a dad, she might as well give her a cat. Because that made sense. Not.

“Really, Mommy? Really-really?”

“Really-really. But you’ll have to take care of him yourself. He’ll need to be fed and his litter box scooped. It won’t just be about playtime and snuggles.” Her lecture was lost on the girl, who was already whispering into the kitten’s ear. No doubt they were planning all sorts of adventures.

“You didn’t have to do this. I would have managed.”

Alex looked uncomfortable with the change in plans. The poor guy probably wasn’t used to being overruled by a four-year-old.

“I’m sure you could have handled it, but Emma’s right. I did promise her a pet. I’ve been saying it for a while now, and since we aren’t fostering any pets right now, it’s a good time to do it. And a kitten’s better than a snake.”

“A snake?” He arched an eyebrow.

“It’s a long story.” A thought struck her. “You didn’t want to keep him yourself, did you? I really should have asked before basically catnapping him from you.”

He grinned at her pun, one side of his mouth tipping up higher than the other. The crooked smile made him look boyish and devious all at once. A potent combination that had her pulse tripping faster. “No, I wasn’t planning to keep him. Between the new job and Rex, I’m not looking to take on any more responsibilities.”

Her libido cooled as quickly as if he’d dumped a bucket of ice water on her. Avoiding responsibility was a definite turnoff. “Right, well, it’s good you know your limitations. Too many people don’t take that into account until after the damage is done.”

“I just want to do right by the little guy. If you and Emma are willing to give him a good home, well, I can’t imagine a better place for him.” He paused. “Do you need to run this by your husband before bringing a new pet home? I don’t want to cause any problems.”

She fumbled with the stethoscope around her neck. “No, that won’t be necessary.”

“It’s just Mommy and me at home,” Emma piped up. “We’re a team.”

Cassie was used to looks of pity when people found out she was a single mom, but Alex’s eyes showed only admiration.

Turning back to Emma, he crouched down so he could look her in the eye. “Well, then. Do I have your word that you’re going to take good care of him? Feed him and clean up after him and whatever else your mama says?”

Her eyes wide, she nodded solemnly. Then, without warning, she ambushed him with a hug, nearly knocking him, the kitten and herself to the floor. “Thank you for finding Trouble, and for giving him to me! He’s the best present ever!”

No one could resist Emma when she turned on the cute, not even a hardened lawman like Alex. He hugged the girl right back. Then, once she released him, he stood and called Rex to his side. “Rex here is the one who found your kitty.”

Awed by the massive dog, she asked quietly, “Does he like little girls?”

“Of course he does. Little girls are his favorite kind of people.”

That was all the encouragement Emma needed. She wrapped her arms around the giant dog’s neck, burying her face in the thick fur. Cassie started forward, visions of police dogs and bite suits flashing through her mind.

Alex stopped her with a touch. “They’re fine.”

He was right. Rex had his tongue lolling out of his mouth, panting in the way of happy dogs everywhere.

“I’m sorry. I normally wouldn’t worry, but I haven’t had much experience with police dogs. I wouldn’t want—”

“No need to explain, I get it. Honestly, I wouldn’t suggest she try that with most K-9s, but Rex really likes kids. I’ve even done some demonstrations at the school. He was chosen for our department partly because he’s so social. He’s the first dog here, and if he gets a bad reputation, that would be the end of the Palmetto County K-9 unit.”

As she watched the dog, her instincts agreed with Alex’s words. Rex did seem as comfortable with Emma as any family pet.

“You take Rex to schools?” Emma had lifted her head to speak, but kept her arms around the dog.

“Sometimes.” He winked, then stage-whispered, “I think he likes to show off.”

Oh, my. The combination of the wink and the dimples, not to mention the low gravel of his voice, had Cassie clutching the edge of the exam table. This man was so potent he needed a warning label.

“Could you bring him to my school for show-and-tell? That would be even cooler than John Baker’s silly snake.”

“Well—”

“Emma, Deputy Santiago is a busy man. He and Rex have a very important job to do.”

“That’s right, we do.”

Emma’s face fell.

“But show-and-tell sounds pretty important, too. And Rex sure would love to see you again.”

Sexy, confident, good with dogs and kids. If she hadn’t had a hang-up about the Palmetto Sheriff’s department, she would have said he was perfect.

Why couldn’t he have been a doctor or a lawyer, or even a mechanic? No, he had to be part of the good old boy network that passed for law enforcement in this area. Yeah, she was cynical. But for good reason, darn it.

Pasting a smile on her face, she remembered this wasn’t about her. It was about her daughter. “Thank you, Deputy Santiago. I know the kids will love having you come. I’ll have her teacher contact you about the details, if that’s okay.”

“Sure, no problem at all.” Patting Emma’s strawberry-blond curls, he extended a hand to Cassie. “Thank you again for taking the kitten. Let me know if it doesn’t work out, and I’ll figure something else out.”

His hand was warm on hers, firm but gentle. Letting go abruptly, she stuck her tingling hand in her pocket. “We’ll be just fine, Deputy. Thank you.”

As Alex passed by the receptionist’s desk, Cassie caught Mollie checking out his rear end, and who could blame her? The deputy said he didn’t want to cause trouble, but from where she stood, he was exactly that.

Chapter Four

Alex stood in front of the double doors of All Saints School, feeling as if he was eight years old again. He’d gone to an elementary school very similar to this one and had spent more than his fair share of time in the principal’s office. But that was a long time ago, and he was no longer a messed-up little kid in trouble for fighting. He was a grown man; there was no reason to be intimidated.

Rex whined, looking between him and the door. Sometimes having a dog so in tune with his emotions wasn’t a good thing.

“It’s okay, boy. They invited us. You’ll show them your tricks, and then we can go home.” He’d scheduled this visit for his day off and was looking forward to a nap and then maybe stopping by his mom’s place for dinner. Just the thought of her empanadas had his stomach grumbling.

“All right, let’s go.” He squared his shoulders and opened the door, stepping into the relative warmth of the building. It even smelled like a school, of crayons, newly sharpened pencils and that odd industrial soap all schools seemed to use.

Rex’s nails clicked on the industrial linoleum floor as he walked to the door labeled Administration. An older woman with a neat bob of silver hair sat behind a massive oak desk. Spotting him, she stood as he came in. “Deputy Santiago, I’m Eleanor Trask, the assistant principal. I want to thank you for coming. Our preschoolers are really looking forward to this.”

“I’m happy to do it.”

She stepped past him through the door, motioning him to follow. He walked beside her down the wide hall, then down a side passage with doors every few feet. Paper-plate snowmen with children’s names on them lined the walls. He smiled, knowing that most of the artists had never seen a single flake of snow.

“You like children, Deputy?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. Children are honest, and I don’t see much of that in my line of work.”

She paused and then nodded. “I’ve never thought of it quite that way, but you’re right. They are honest in a way refreshing to most adults. I find that people who don’t like children usually have something to hide.”

He thought of his own childhood and agreed. “I suppose that’s true.”

They stopped in front of a door toward the end of the corridor. “This is it. We decided to bring in the other two preschool classes as well, given the exciting nature of this particular show-and-tell. You should have quite the audience.”

Swallowing, he let her open the door and introduce him. From the doorway, he could see about thirty small children seated in rows on the brightly-colored carpet. After Ms. Trask reminded the students to be on their best behavior, she left, leaving him wondering what he’d been thinking. He’d faced hardened criminals less intimidating.

“Hi, Rex!” The familiar voice carried over the whispers of her classmates. Rex woofed in return, setting all the kids into fits of giggles. Emma was front and center, her red-blond curls in pigtails and her face alight with joy. Smiling back, he felt a heavy tug on his heartstrings. It seemed both the Marshall women knew how to get to him.

* * *

Alex spent the next half-hour telling the students a bit about police dogs before moving on to some demonstrations. Rex did his various obedience moves, then used his nose to find a hidden object in the room. He determined which of two pencils had been held by Alex. Delighted by the dog’s tricks, the children all begged to pet Rex. He let them, one by one, monitoring closely. Rex might like kids, but that many children could overwhelm any dog.

Emma’s excitement was contagious. By the end of his talk, all the kids were in love with Rex, and half wanted to be K-9 handlers when they grew up. Definitely a success. Before leaving, he handed out shiny sheriff’s deputy stickers, hoping they would keep the kids distracted enough for him to make his getaway. He was just slipping out when Emma stopped him.

“Deputy Alex?”

“Yes?”

“Do you have anyone to be your valentine yet?”

Where on earth did that come from? “Um, no, I guess not. Other than Rex here.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “A dog can’t be your valentine. It has to be a people.”

“Oops, sorry. I guess I don’t, then.”

“Would you like one?”

Was he being propositioned by a four-year-old? “Um, sure, I guess. I hadn’t thought about it much yet.”

“Perfect. I’ll tell her you said yes.” Flush with success, she waved goodbye and ran back to her friends.

Had he just agreed to something? And if so, what?

* * *

Cassie managed to snag one of the few open parking spots; maybe that meant her luck was changing. The school secretary had called an hour ago to tell her that Emma had forgotten her lunch again. Stuck in surgery, she hadn’t been able to leave until twenty minutes ago, only to find the abandoned Hello Kitty lunchbox on the backseat of her car, tucked under a sweater. And after baking in the hot car all morning, the contents were less than edible. It might be January, but in typical Florida fashion the temperature had climbed twenty degrees in the past few days. Then, what should have been a quick trip to the corner store for more food had stalled out when the person ahead of her paid with loose change—counting and recounting three times.

But she was here now, and lunch period didn’t start for another ten minutes. Slamming the car door closed, she made for the main entrance, only to have the door open as she reached for it. Off balance, she did a stutter step to keep from falling.

“Whoa, sorry. Are you okay?”

Alex Santiago and his dog were staring at her, concern showing in both their gazes. How could she have forgotten today was the show-and-tell thing? “I’m fine, really. I just have a habit of tripping over my own feet, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?”

His deep voice set off tingles in all the right places. Stomping down on her libido before she said something stupid, she held the lunch box out in front of her like a shield. “I’m good. Just going to drop off Emma’s lunch. She forgot it this morning. How about you—how was show-and-tell?”

He winced. “Loud. Very loud. I’m not quite sure how such small people make so much noise. But other than that, I think it went well. And Rex put on a good show.”

“I’m sure he did.” Awkwardly, she ducked past him into the building. “I’ll see you around, I guess.”

“Oh, you will. Mrs. Rosenberg was helpful enough to sign me up for every committee there is for the Share the Love dance. We’re bound to run into each other.”

“Mrs. Rosenberg is a force to be reckoned with.” Shaking her head at the image of the elderly lady pulling a fast one on the tough cop, she suddenly realized something. “Does that mean you’ll be at the decorating committee meeting tomorrow night?”

“So it seems. And you?”

“Yes, that’s the only committee I signed up for.”

“You’ve got plenty on your plate already with Emma and the clinic, I’m sure.”

“You’re right, I do.” And yet she’d been standing there making small talk when it was almost time for Emma’s lunch. “Speaking of which, I’d better get this to Emma.”

“Of course. See you tomorrow.” He exited via the door she’d just come through, Rex trotting at his side.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she went to the front office to sign in and get a visitor’s pass, then headed for her daughter’s classroom. She should have just enough time to say hello before getting back for afternoon appointments. Her own lunch would have to be a protein shake between patients, but that wasn’t anything new.

Emma was lining up at the front of the room with her friends, but ran for a hug when she saw Cassie walk in. “Thanks, Mom. Sorry I forgot it.”

Cassie guided her back into line and walked with her toward the cafeteria. “You know, one of these days I’m going to just let you starve.” Rolling her eyes, Emma reached for her hand as they walked.

They both knew that wasn’t going to happen, mainly because Cassie was just as forgetful, if not worse. If she didn’t have Mollie to keep her on track at work, she’d be in deep trouble. Sticky notes and alarms on her smartphone were a big help, but it would be a few years before Emma could make use of those. “Just try to be more careful. Okay?”

“I will. I was just so excited about seeing Rex and Deputy Alex that I couldn’t think about anything else.”

Another shared trait—a fondness for handsome men and good-looking dogs.

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