Page 11 of Tough Love

She huffs a little laugh. “You would have to do much better than that to ruin my day, Hudson Rawlins.”

A stone grows in my throat, thick and fast. I snap my eyes to the road. We pull up at the homestead. I hear him before I see him. Charlie. I rush from the truck, wanting to intercept him before he realizes she’s in the truck and growls or snaps at her. The way he does with everyone. My family included.

I round the front of the truck. The passenger door slams. The truck is empty. I jerk to a halt. Addy is squatting on the gravel.

“Hey there, little man. Oh my goodness, look at you,” she coos. The front half of Charlie is in her lap. She is rubbing himup, playing with his ears and belly. And that little traitor is loving every single second of it. She falls onto her butt, and a very happy Charlie laps at her face. She giggles. My gut flips for the second time this morning.

“Charlie.” He ignores me.

With a whistle from me, he bolts from her lap and skulks behind me like he got scolded. I offer her my hand, and she slaps hers into it, pulling herself up. Her fingers slide from mine before she dusts off her jeans and straightens her shirt. When her gaze meets mine, it’s pure fucking sunshine.

I force a smile and breathe past the stone that has turned to a boulder. “Sorry, he’s not usually a people person—I mean, people dog.”

“He’s the sweetest thing.”

I stare at her in utter disbelief.

“Oh, good, you’re back. How’re the mares progressing?” Harry interrupts the awkward moment that hangs between us like electricity. At least on my end.

“They are thriving. You are taking brilliant care of them,” Addy says.

“Hudson’s mares, Dr. Howard. His touch, not mine.”

“Oh”—she turns back to me—“you’re doing a fine job.”

I grunt.

Charlie trots around me and sits at her side.

“Will you look at that. Lucifer has made a friend.” Harry chuckles, glancing between the two of us. “Who’da thought.”

Addy bends down and pats him. He jumps up.

“Charlie,” I growl.

He pops down to the ground and slinks behind her. I raise an eyebrow, shaking my head, and he whimpers.

“Hey,” Reed says, appearing beside Pa. “See you made a fool of my big brother’s dog here. I’m Reed.” He holds out a hand, and she shakes it before returning to Charlie.

“Nice to meet you, Reed.” Unlike every other woman on the planet who melts when Reed Rawlins walks in the room, she pays him no heed and rubs Charlie up some more. When he rolls over, she pats his belly before pushing back up. “Well, I better be off.”

“Before you go, I wanna make sure you’re on board for the winter roundup. Around seven weeks’ time. We always have our vet ride along with us,” Harry says.

Addy stiffens. Something like fear flashes in her eyes before she meets Harry’s. “Ah, sorry, I don’t ride. But I can check if another vet can go along?”

“Hudson?” Pa asks.

I raise my hands. Not up to me. “It’s her call, Pa.”

Harry shakes his head, giving me a pointed look. “Actually, it’s mine. You will ride with us.”

“I—” Addy’s eyes widen a little, and she shifts on her feet.

“Obviously she doesn’t want to, Harry,” Reed says.

“Why not?” he snaps.

“I haven’t—I mean, I don’t ride.”

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