Page 125 of Chasing Shelter

And almost in unison yelled, “Lolli!”

Keely bouncedup and down in her booster seat as we made the drive home from the elementary school. “Can I play with Bumper and Grem when we get home?”

“I think that depends on what plans your dad has,” I said, glancing at Trace.

“You might want to take off your horn first,” he suggested. “Bumper could think you’re a one-horned friend.”

Keely giggled. “Bumper doesn’t have horns.”

“But her cousins do,” Trace warned.

Keely began singing some sort of made-up song about goats, and I twisted in my seat to face Trace. “Keely’s friends seem sweet.”

Trace shook his head. “I have a feeling that Benny is going to be trouble.”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Pretty sure he has Linc running scared.”

One corner of Trace’s mouth kicked up. “It’s good for him.”

“What about Gracie? She seems a little quiet.”

Something passed over Trace’s face. “Not sure about the whole story there, but I get the sense her older sister is the one who mostly takes care of her.” His voice lowered so Keely couldn’t overhear. “Fallon has been trying to get a better sense of what exactly is going on, but everything has checked out so far.”

My stomach twisted at the new information. If Fallon was getting involved as a social worker, Trace was concerned. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Trace sent a soft smile my way. “Got the biggest heart.”

“Sometimes.”

“All the time.”

I shook my head. “Sometimes, I’m cranky. And sometimes, I have a you-know-what list.”

Trace’s lips twitched. “How many times have I made that list?”

I laughed as we pulled into Trace’s driveway. “Only a couple. Mostly because it’s annoying how gorgeous you are.”

That had him grinning. “Good to know, Blaze. Good to know.”

I hopped out of the SUV and started toward the street. “I’m going to grab my mail and get Grem. Meet you in the backyard?”

“I’m going for Bumper,” Keely yelled, already running in that direction.

Trace let out a long sigh. “When are we moving that goat to her new home?”

“After I find her a friend. She’ll be lonely out there all alone,” I called as I opened my mailbox.

Trace gaped at me. “Now I’m taking care oftwogoats?”

“Everyone needs a friend, Chief.”

I frowned as I pulled out the mail. There was a legal envelope on top with no name and no postmark. I flipped it open and pulled out a stack of what I thought were flyers. Only they weren’t.

They were photos.

Of me.

Sleeping.

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