Her Loyal Companion by Heidi Main

Author:Heidi Main
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-05-23T16:04:15+00:00

Chapter Nine

The next day, Autumn stood rooted in the peaceful entrance of her dog barn and eyed her parents’ house. The cloudy day matched her gloomy mood because today was the day. Today she planned to spill her shameful secret to her mother. Would she judge Autumn and look down on her? Be upset she hadn’t come to her for moral support?

All her mother knew was that she had gone to Dallas for a probable career move and returned two years later a changed woman. Her mother had assumed the changed part was her spiritual walk. What she didn’t know was what had precipitated her need for God’s strength in her life.

She pressed a kiss to Baby’s forehead. “I couldn’t do this without you.” She gazed into her terrier’s eyes, so thankful Baby had helped her for so many years. Determined to do this alone, she placed her canine companion on the ground.

She put one step in front of the other, gravel crunching under her worn cowboy boots. Maybe after this talk, she’d be able to move forward in her life and truly put the past behind her. Because telling Wyatt had begun to heal her heart, and maybe, just maybe, this next conversation would help as much.

The fixed landing, enclosing the entrance to Wyatt’s garage apartment, caught her eye. A couple of days ago, he had put two gently used lawn chairs in the tiny space. That first evening, after he put Harper down for bed, he’d called to Autumn as she was leaving the dog barn. Her heart flip-flopped with each step she took toward him. The landing was so small that the chairs kissed. As she settled against the weaves of the chair, she could smell soap indicating he’d washed away the grime of the day. He’d asked her about her day and almost immediately they’d fallen into a smooth rhythm of helping each other with their problems and encouraging one another.

Every evening since, they had spent hours chatting just as they previously had at the base of the steps. Wyatt’s purchase of these chairs seemed significant. He genuinely appeared to enjoy their time together and wanted their nightly conversations to be comfortable. She’d been surprised at the amount they had in common. Surprised they’d been able to put the pregnancy and miscarriage in the rearview mirror.

Then last night he’d said something about how different she was now versus when they met on the island. Said her determination and drive impressed him. The crinkles around his tender brown eyes had drawn her in.

His compliment had warmed her, likely more than it should have. Her excitement over starting this business had come to life once she had seen what a service dog could do for a broken individual. Now her ambition thrived.

She opened her parents’ back door and a sweet aroma drifted through the air. Her mother was probably baking something tasty. Seeing Wyatt a month ago had opened up a flood of emotions she had stuffed down and not dealt with.

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