Page 32 of The Way Back Home
The massive head lifted for a moment and regarded him briefly. Then, as if commanded to do so, he licked Teagan’s face with a tongue the size of a full-grown cow’s.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” said an amused voice from behind Noah’s shoulder. “You brought Bear a chew toy. I think he likes it.”
Noah reached out to grab the big dog by the collar. Bear apparently didn’t think that was a good idea because he lowered his head and gave a low warning growl.
Somebody whistled. “Wouldn’t push him if I were you, Noah.”
Teagan delved her fingers into the fur beneath the dog’s ears and scratched. “Who’s a good boy?” she crooned. “You’re just a big teddy bear, aren’t you?”
The dog instantly calmed, his big pink tongue lolling happily.
“Holy shit, it’s awoman,” someone said.
“Noah’s got a woman in his truck? Arealone?”
Teagan couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Clearly, the studly Doc Ziegler wasn’t much of a ladies’ man. Or at least he hadn’t been back when he lived here.
“Go on now,” Teagan coaxed, patting the massive animal.
With one more sloppy kiss, Bear leaped out of the truck and sat beside it, tail wagging, waiting.
Noah was instantly right there. “Are you okay?” he asked, looking her over with a doctor’s gaze.
“I’m fine,” Teagan said. “He’s a friendly guy, isn’t he?”
Noah grunted in response. “Your shoulder’s okay? Your ribs?”
“I’mfine,” she reiterated.
A familiar face poked inside the driver’s side. “Wow. She is real. You were right, Eli. Who would have thought?”
Teagan’s eyes opened wide. Noah was next to her, holding her hand. Impossibly, he was also on the other side of the truck, staring at her with unmasked curiosity. Though Other Noah had a different color shirt collar peeking out of his jacket.
Her surprise was obvious.
Other Noah laughed, then looked at Real Noah—or the guy she thought was Real Noah—and said, “You didn’t tell her?”
Real Noah shook his head. “Teagan, this is my brother Alex.”
“Histwinbrother,” Other Noah—now identified as Alex—clarified.
The two men shared a silent exchange, and Teagan wondered if they had the weird mental connection some twins did.
Alex looked so much like Noah; it was uncanny. Yet when she looked closer, she could see that the angles on Alex’s face were a little harder, his eyes a little more intense, his hair just a shade longer.
“Evil twin,” Noah muttered.
“Harsh,” Alex chided, but his eyes were on Teagan. Despite the easy smile on his face, his eyes were cold and assessing.
Noah put his hand out. Aware of curious gazes,Teagan accepted it. She slid carefully out of the truck, letting go of Noah’s hand as her boots sank into the fresh, soft snow. Bear was beside her in a second. He stood nearly waist-high, making it easy for her to scratch behind his ears without bending—something her injured back and ribs appreciated.
“I think you’ve made a friend,” Noah observed.
“He’s wonderful,” she said, treating him to a double-handed scratch behind the ears.
The brute was big and soft and a great diversion. Lavishing attention on him meant she didn’t feel as obligated to address the men spread out in a semicircle around them.
“Hey, what about us?” one of them called out.
