Page 132 of Beware of Dog

“Not exactly like them. That’s not what I meant.”

He righted the plate he’d almost dropped, picked it up, put it back, then picked it up and started loading it with pinwheels. “What did you mean?”

“That you’re insufferable, too.” When he glanced over, she smiled. “They’re just mad they didn’t see this coming. Once they get over it, they’ll see that you fit right in.”

His expression softened. “That’s what I said.”

“See?”

“Although.” He elbowed her lightly farther down the table and she added celery and carrots to her plate. “I don’t know how much I wanna fit in with those guys.”

She elbowed him back with a snort.

A commotion sounded from the kitchen, a sudden raise in voices that sounded like greetings.

“Are we expecting someone else?” Cass wondered aloud.

“Who knows. I don’t spend enough time up here anymore to know who’s coming and going.”

Cass set her plate down on the side table and stepped out into the hall to see…

“Ian! Alec!”

Both of them were dressed down in jeans, and, in Ian’s case, a tucked-in blue button-up under an open cardigan. Ian’s hair was tied in a low knot at the back of his neck, and he opened his arms readily when she moved in for a hug.

“You didn’t think we’d miss it, did you?” he asked against the top of her head.

She’d worried they would, and her eyes stung with a sudden onslaught of gratitude that they’d driven all the way up for her.

“Hi, honey,” Alec said when it was his turn to hug her, and kissed her temple. “You look happy.”

“I am.” She dabbed at her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“And what about me?” a third, familiar, also-British voice asked.

Cass gasped.

Ian cocked a brow and stepped neatly aside.

Devin wore battered jeans, a white t-shirt, and a sherpa-collared denim jacket that made him look like a cowboy. Somehow, impossibly, the same thick, wheat-colored hair that he’d passed down to Walsh still had a little gold mixed in with the gray. He’d grown a short, neatly-trimmed beard since she’d seen him last, and it suited him.

She’d thought she wouldn’t care, that it wouldn’t matter if he came, and that if he did show up, late, most likely, she wouldact cool and aloof and not let on how much she cared, given she hadn’t seen him in more than a year.

But when he opened his arms and said, “Hello, pet,” all of that went right out the window.

“Dad!” She rushed to close the distance, and he caught her up tight in both arms and swung her around like he used to do when she was a girl. He wasn’t much taller than her, but he was, as ever, shockingly strong, still as lean, and wiry, and well-trained as ever.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” she said shakily, muffled against his shoulder. His coat smelled like cigarettes.

He scoffed. “You thought I’d miss my baby girl getting married?” He pushed her back at arm’s length, and then tweaked her nose, like he’d done when she was little.

She made a face and tried to pull back, but he reeled her back in and kissed her cheek. “Have a little faith in your old man, hm?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

He pushed her back, squeezed her biceps, and let go of her, this time. “Are you going to introduce me?”

“What?” He put an arm around her shoulders, and locked her in against his side as he turned toward Shep, who waited with hands at his sides, expression carefully schooled. “Dad, you’ve already met him. You’veworkedwith him.”

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