Kitabı oku: «Love one Another», sayfa 3

“You heard right,” Zac quipped. “We pass the secret down from generation to generation.”

“I’d always suspected it was something like that. I hope you paid attention to your lessons. I don’t want to use my stove unless I absolutely have to. Summer or winter.”

“Spoken like a truly modern woman. Personally, I’ve found I like to cook. It’s kind of a challenge.”

“You’re joking.”

“No. Not at all.” Bending over, he stuck his head and shoulders inside the van and continued to brush crystalline shards into the dustpan. “For instance, Justin and I love Mexican food. Around here, if you want a decent meal like that, you have to make it yourself.”

“Boy, no kidding. I haven’t had a good chili relleno since I left—” The color drained from her face.

Zac glanced up from his task. “Since you left where? Sorry. I didn’t catch everything you just said.”

Another close call! What was the matter with her? “Never mind. I was just rambling.” All Tina wanted at that moment was to get away from him and restore her waning composure. “If you don’t mind, I think Justin and I will go dig around in my freezer for something good to eat.” She pushed aside her anxiety to smile down at the child.

“I’ll come with you,” Zac told her, straightening. “I’ve done about all I can with this broom. After dinner, maybe I can borrow your vacuum to finish the job.”

“Sure. Always willing to be neighborly. Especially since the mess is my fault.”

Feigning nonchalance, she led the way across the adjoining lawns to her house. On the outside she was calm. Inside, her thoughts whirled madly. What had lowered her defenses and loosened her tongue? It had been over a year since she’d moved to Serenity and gone to work for Mavis, yet until recently she’d never mentioned anything that might accidentally lead someone to discover her secret shame. Now, all of a sudden, she was turning into a regular fountain of information. Why in the world was that happening?

Tina felt her pulse pound in her temples. When she’d first come to Serenity, she’d purposely adopted a new last name, a simple, traditional persona; kept to herself and had never so much as jaywalked, for fear of exposure. Her current life was an open book: Tina Braddock, volume two.

It was volume one she didn’t want anyone to know about.

Justin lost interest in the adults as soon as he met Zorro, Tina’s eccentric black-and-white cat. Its body was too long in proportion to its legs, it had the distinctive yowl of a Siamese and its favorite game was hide-and-seek. The game was in full swing on and around the back porch by the time Zac had the barbecue fire going.

“That animal is crazy.” Scowling, he watched the outlandish cat hide behind the crossed legs of a picnic table and pounce on Justin’s shoes as soon as the boy got close enough. “You’re sure he’s not dangerous?”

“Positive. I’ve even taken him to the preschool with me to show the children. He’s never laid a paw on any of them.”

“How about his claws?”

“He doesn’t have any front ones.” Tina took note of Zac’s look of disapproval. “I didn’t have his claws removed, if that’s what you’re thinking. It had already been done when I adopted him.”

“You didn’t get him as a kitten?” Listening, he leaned down to blow more air on the fire.

“No. He used to belong to one of the Whitaker sisters. When they sold their property they were desperate to find homes for Miss Prudence’s cats, so I said I’d take one.”

Zac arched an eyebrow as he watched the cat-versus-boy game progressing. “You picked him?”

“Not exactly,” Tina said. “Zorro was the only one they had left by the time I got there. I took him because I felt sorry for him. If I’d known what a character he was, I’d have chosen him, anyway. They told me he got his name because he always zigzagged when he ran.” She placed a finger in front of her lips. “Look. He’s hiding under the wicker chair. See his tail twitching out the back? Watch what he does when I sit down there.”

Justin raced by. Zac reached out to slow his progress. “Miss Tina wants us to watch something. Over there—” He crouched down beside the boy and pointed.

Still barefoot, Tina sauntered up to the chair, carefully sat down and began to swing her feet. In seconds the mischievous feline launched his attack. Wrapping his forelegs around her ankle, he pretended to bite it while his hind feet raked at her defenseless foot. If Zac hadn’t seen her giggling, he’d have been certain she was being hurt.

She bent over and began to tickle the cat’s tummy. It leaped to its feet and sprinted off in a blur of black and white, followed by the little boy.

“Zorro can dish it out but he can’t take it,” Tina remarked, grinning. “He loves to play that game. Especially when I act like I don’t know he’s there. I think he’s a frustrated predator. I suppose all indoor cats are.”

“Indoor? Uh-oh. You should have said something when Justin let him out. I never thought about it being a problem, or I’d have stopped him.”

“It’s fine as long as I’m here,” Tina assured him. “Without his front claws, Zorro would be helpless if he had to defend himself, though. He acts ferocious but he’s really a marshmallow.” Her smile broadened. “Hey! That reminds me. I think I have a bag of marshmallows in the pantry. Want to roast them for dessert?”

Justin’s loud “Yeah!” startled the cat and sent him on another wild lap over and under the raised wooden porch. On the final pass he disappeared into the shadowy recesses beneath the steps.

“Speaking as a guidance counselor,” Zac gibed, “it’s my professional opinion that your cat is severely disturbed.”

“Oh? What treatment would you recommend? Do you want to sit down with him and ask him about his early years?”

“If he were a person, that’s exactly what I’d do. You’d be amazed at the stories I’ve heard since I got my degree and started working with teens. It’s appalling.”

Turning away, Tina busied herself smoothing a fresh plastic cloth over the picnic table. Appalling was only the beginning. Given her experience with her younger brother, Craig, she could have added unbelievable, and terrifying, and life-shattering. Especially life-shattering.

The only good thing to come out of the situation with Craig was his eventual rehabilitation. Seeing him settled down with a wife, son and new baby almost made it all worthwhile. Almost.

If she had it to do over again, however, Tina knew she’d find some other way to help him. And she’d never tell a lie. Not one. Not even if her honesty meant her unmanageable sibling might have to suffer.

Justin ran out of steam right after they ate. Five minutes of whining were followed by blissful silence, when he curled up in the big wicker chair and dozed off.

“I’ve always preferred dogs, myself,” Zac said, “but I think I may need to borrow your crazy cat from time to time. My son hasn’t gone to sleep that easily for longer than I can remember.”

“You could always get him a puppy, you know. Your new yard is already fenced to keep it home.” Tina scanned the yard and porch. “Poor Zorro. I’ll bet he’s crawled off for a catnap. Chances are, he’s exhausted, too.”

“It wore me out just watching them play.”

“I know what you mean. Me, too.” She stood and began to gather up the dishes, surprised when Zac picked up his plate and rose to help her. She waved him off. “I can do this. Sit down. You’re my guest.”

“I’d rather help.”

He sounded so sincere, she gave in. “Okay. Make a stack on the end of the kitchen counter, just inside the door. That way you’ll be in sight if Justin stirs.”

Complying, Zac watched her carry the uneaten food past him and put it in the refrigerator. He sighed and spoke softly. “I’m at my wits’ end with that kid. I’d hoped that a change of scenery would stop his panic attacks.”

“Instead of a dog, maybe he needs more family in his life so he doesn’t concentrate solely on you. Aren’t there any female relatives you could ask for help?”

“Oh, sure,” he said cynically. “Kim—my wife—came from a big family. All three of her sisters dote on Justin.”

“Well, then…?”

“No way.” Zac was shaking his head. “They hate me. If I give them the chance to fill Justin’s head with their unfair opinions, he might wind up hating me, too. At the very least, he’d be more confused than he already is.”

Tina couldn’t imagine anyone disliking a man like Zac. Even though he was clumsy at expressing affection, he clearly loved his son. Pensive, she led the way back outside and started to fold up the plastic tablecloth. “You really believe they’d do that?”

“In a heartbeat.” His voice deepened. “They blame me for Kim’s death.”

Hoping he’d explain further, Tina hugged the folded cloth to her chest and waited quietly. She knew better than to question him on such a touchy subject, even though her curiosity was aroused. Once they officially became neighbors, perhaps he’d volunteer more information. If not, she’d just have to respect his privacy.

Finally, she broke down and asked, “What about your side of the family? Brothers? Sisters?”

Zac snorted with derision. “I was an only child. My parents live in a retirement community down in Florida. Justin and I detoured to visit them on our way here. Talk about a disaster. All my mother did when he got upset was wring her hands and cry right along with him.” A wry smile lifted one corner of Zac’s mouth. “It was quite a chorus. You should have seen the look on my dad’s face.”

“I’ll bet.”

Stuffing his hands into his pockets he began, “I’ve been thinking. Maybe…”

Tina intuitively finished his sentence. “You thought maybe I’d volunteer?”

“I suppose that’s too much to ask.”

“No. Not at all.”

Tina had to struggle to keep from laughing at the smooth way the Lord had handled a potentially awkward situation. While she’d been needlessly fretting about how she was going to worm her way into the little boy’s life without having her innocent motives misunderstood, God was setting the whole thing up. What a kick. Everything was turning out exactly as she’d planned, yet Zac Frazier thought the whole idea was his!

Chapter Four

Zac had offered to paint the interior of the house as soon as it was vacant because he wanted to expedite his tenancy. However, he’d had no idea how hard the job would be, especially with Justin underfoot every second.

By the time he’d finished putting one coat of paint on the master bedroom, there were already tiny sneaker prints of the same pale beige color up and down the hall.

Tina found the little boy sitting on the steps of his new front porch, barefoot. She joined him. “Hi, honey.”

Justin cast her a forlorn look.

“Uh-oh,” she said, smiling tenderly. “What’s wrong?”

“Daddy’s mad at me.”

Tina drew up her knees and hugged them. “Are you sure?”

“Uh-huh. He hollered at me.”

“My, that sounds serious. Why do you suppose he got so upset?”

“’Cause of that dumb old paint.”

“What did the paint do?”

“It stuck to my shoes and got itself all over the rug.”

“That was bad,” she said, working hard to sound serious when what she wanted to do was laugh out loud at his childish logic. “Is that why you’re sitting on the porch?”

The boy nodded. “Daddy took my shoes off and told me to stay right here.” His voice quieted. “Dumb old paint.”

“I’m pretty good with a brush. Do you suppose your daddy would like me to help him?” she asked, getting to her feet and smoothing her shorts as she spoke. “Maybe I should go see.”

“Okay,” Justin said with a sage expression, “’cept he might yell at you, too.”

Tina slipped off her sandals by the front door. “I hope not, but just in case, I’ll leave my shoes out here. That way I’ll feel it if I accidentally step in any spilled paint, and I won’t track it all over the place.”

Leaving the unhappy child to mull over her common sense approach, she let herself in and called, “Yoo-hoo. Anybody home?”

“In here. Down the hall,” he answered gruffly. “Watch your step. The carpet’s wet.”

She edged past the obviously damp portions and paused at the bedroom door. Zac had carefully covered the carpeting in that room with plastic sheeting, taped down at the edges. It was easy to see that Justin had tracked through every drop of paint he could find on the plastic, then headed for the hallway. His footprints stopped where the wet carpeting began.

Tina giggled. “I see your son was helping you paint this morning.”

“Helping me lose my mind, you mean.” He made a sour face. “It’s not funny.”

“Oh, I don’t know. It proves what I’ve always heard. You catch insanity from your children.” Taking in the room and its occupant, she shook her head and grinned. Zac had paint smeared on his shorts and tank top, plus splatters on nearly every inch of exposed skin. “Are you trying to paint the walls or decorate yourself?”

He was obviously in no mood for her sarcasm. One eyebrow arched as he stared back at her. “What does it look like?”

“Truthfully? It looks like you aren’t sure. You’ve got paint in your hair and beige freckles all over your face and arms, among other things.”

“That’s probably gray you see in my hair, thanks to Justin,” Zac countered. “So far, I’ve spent more time cleaning up after that kid than I have slinging paint at these four walls.”

“So that’s your problem,” Tina gibed. “Well, no wonder. You’re supposed to roll it on, not sling it.”

“I’m glad somebody is amused.”

“I certainly am.” Laughing lightly, she waited for his expression to soften. It finally did. “That’s better. Now, tell me. Would you rather I took Justin home with me to get him out of your rapidly graying hair, or pitched in and helped you paint this place?”

“I don’t suppose there’s any way you can do both, is there?”

“I’m good, but I’m not that good. Tell you what. I’ll go change into some old clothes and bring Zorro back with me when I come. That way you’ll have a painting partner and Justin will have something to occupy him while we finish up in here. How’s that sound?”

“Like heaven,” Zac said with a sigh. “I’m not real good at painting houses.”

“Noooo,” she mocked. “Do tell.”

One corner of his mouth twitched in a wry smile, and he hefted the paint roller by its handle, as if testing it for weight and balance. “You’re lucky you already volunteered to help me, Miss Tina. If you hadn’t, I might be tempted to do something rash.”

She quickly ducked around the doorjamb and peeked out from behind it, eyes sparkling with mischief. “You do, and I’ll turn you purple the way you threatened to do to poor, innocent little Tommy.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Zac shot back.

Tina laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no, you wouldn’t. Trust me. You’d lose.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. But right now, I think we’d better concentrate on getting your house painted. Are you planning on doing the other bedrooms, too?”

“That’s what the landlord said he wants, and he bought the paint, so I guess the answer is yes. Since I was stupid enough to offer in the first place, I’m stuck doing things his way.”

“Okay. Go tape the plastic down in the other rooms and get them ready. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Zac snorted derisively. “Do you always jump in with both feet and start giving orders?”

“Only when it’s obvious I’m dealing with somebody whose expertise is sorely lacking in an area where I shine. You have a choice. You can either listen to my good advice or struggle through this project the hard way. Alone.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” he asked.

“Both.” Wheeling, she flounced off down the hall.

Zac watched his charming neighbor go, then stood motionless for a few moments more after she was out of sight. He didn’t realize how much her presence had distracted him until he looked down at the roller in his hand. Paint had pooled in the lowest point of the cylinder and was falling in a thin stream, making squiggle lines all over the tops of his running shoes.

Tina wasted no time returning, as promised. She found Zac crawling around on his hands and knees, securing the protective plastic sheet in the smaller bedroom.

“You don’t need to mask those baseboards,” she told him, pausing in the doorway. “I have a very steady hand.”

“I’m glad one of us does.” He looked up. “Did you check on Justin when you went outside?”

Tina nodded. “He’s fine. He and Zorro are playing cat-and-mouse. Justin’s the mouse.”

“That’s typecasting, for sure. The kid loves cheese.”

“And Zorro’s already a cat, so he’s a natural, too,” Tina added, playing along. “Did you finish the master bedroom, or do I need to go back and touch it up for you?”

“It’s done. At least, I think it is. I had to stop to scrub footprints off the carpeting in the hall, and by the time I got back the fresh paint was so dry it was hard to tell where I’d left off. You might want to see if I missed any spots.”

“Okay. Back in a flash.”

Zac straightened and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. That woman was a wonder. Nothing seemed to faze her. Didn’t she ever get grumpy? One thing was for sure, she always managed to look good, no matter how she was dressed. When she’d first come over she’d been wearing a turquoise shirt and shorts that had set off the greenish tint of her eyes. This time, although she’d donned tattered denim shorts and tied the tails of an old blouse at her waist, she still looked appealing.

Face it, Frazier, he told himself. Like it or not, you have a pretty neighbor.

Which makes no difference to me at all, he added quickly, defensively. The only thing I care about is raising my son the way Kim would have wanted.

Guilt instantly filled his heart. If he intended to instill the right values and set the right kind of example, he’d better start taking Justin to Sunday School again. That kind of thing had mattered to Kim. It mattered to him, too. Once, he and his late wife had led a youth ministry that had been a miraculous success, due in part to his contacts with teens through his counseling job. He could do that again. He should do it again.

Tina appeared in the doorway with the roller, pan and one of the partially used gallons of paint, bringing an end to his solitary contemplation.

“I found a couple of streaks in the other room and painted over them,” she said. “Otherwise, you did a fine job.”

“Thanks.” Zac got to his feet. “Okay. You’re the boss. Tell me what to do now. I’m all yours.” The rosy blush rising to her cheeks made him add, “Figuratively speaking, of course.”

“Of course.” Embarrassed, she averted her gaze and busied herself with the painting supplies as she spoke. “I noticed that all the paint was the same color. That’s good. It means we won’t have to wash the brushes and roller between rooms. And I brought some plastic wrap from my kitchen, in case you don’t have any, so we can cover the tray whenever we take a break. That way, the extra paint won’t dry in the pan or on the roller and be wasted.”

“Sounds like you have it all figured out.”

She chanced a peek up at him. “All but the ladder part. As you may have noticed, I’m a little short on one end. And I get dizzy on ladders, so I’d prefer you take charge of the ceilings and the tops of the walls.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Zac drawled. “Your legs must be the right length, they…”

“They reach all the way to the ground. Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that my whole life.”

“Sorry. Just trying to be friendly.”

“I know. Guess I’m overly sensitive about my height.”

“Lack of height, you mean,” Zac offered with a lopsided smile. “I suppose that’s one reason you relate to little kids so well. You’re practically on their level.”

“Mister,” Tina retorted, “I’m on their level in more ways than just my size. I even think their lame jokes are funny.” She stirred the paint remaining in the can, then poured more into the roller pan. “Yesterday, Tommy asked me why the chicken crossed the road.”

“To get to the other side?”

“Humph. That’s what I guessed, too. Tommy said, nope, it crossed the road because the Colonel was after it! Broke me up.”

“Sounds like that kid eats out a lot. Which reminds me,” Zac said without considering the possible ramifications, “I owe you a dinner.”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

“Whoa.” He shook his head, incredulous. “I wasn’t exactly asking. I was merely making an observation. There’s nothing to eat in my kitchen. Not even a table to sit at. And by the time we finish this job, I don’t think either of us will be in any shape to go out to eat, so…”

“So, order a pizza delivered, and we’ll eat it on the porch. I’m not fussy.” The consternation on his face struck her as funny. “Don’t look so scared. I’m not making a pass at you. It’s local custom. We Southerners are always feeding each other. Take my church, for instance. If we didn’t have a dinner on the ground once in a while after the morning service, we wouldn’t think we were in the right place.”

“Dinner on the what?”

Tina watched him stand the stepladder near the corner and wiggle it to make sure it was safe to climb. “On the ground. It’s one of those old sayings we were talking about, before. Back in horse-and-buggy days, lots of folks traveled a long way to worship. After the morning service, they used to spread out blankets on the ground and share food, then fellowship together all afternoon before starting for home.”

She chuckled at his cautious expression. “Hey, don’t worry. We eat at tables, now. And we don’t do it every Sunday. Just occasionally. Matter of fact, there’s one planned for this weekend.”

“Too bad it’s not Sunday till tomorrow, then,” Zac said. “I could use some good home cooking.”

Tina handed him the roller and pan, steadying the ladder while he climbed it and started painting the ceiling. “I thought you said you liked to cook.”

“I used to. I haven’t felt much like doing it lately.”

Pausing to decide if she should keep still and let him reveal more details at his own speed, or question him about his past, Tina suddenly realized he’d hinted he might like to come to her church. She took that as a very good sign. “You know, if you bring a covered dish to the church dinner, you’ll be the hit of the afternoon. What were some of your favorite recipes?”

“I liked to experiment with ethnic food. Mexican, Chinese, stuff like that.” He heard her melodic laugh below him and leaned over to peer down at her. “What?”

“Nothing. Just that I tried to get a few of my local friends to taste my homemade salsa, and they looked at me like I was crazy. Finally, I settled on a couple of recipes everybody liked, and now I take the same dishes to church suppers virtually every time.”

“Maybe I should try—”

There was a howl from the direction of the front porch. Zac froze, listening. “What the…?”

Tina was already headed for the door at a trot. “Sounds like Zorro’s in trouble. I’ll go see what’s wrong.”

“Not without me, you won’t,” he said. Jumping down and dashing after her, he shouted, “Justin! You okay?”

Tina reached the front door a heartbeat ahead of Zac and straight-armed the screen. It swung all the way open and smacked against the house with a loud, metallic bang.

It didn’t take a half-second for her to assess the problem. Justin was perched astride the wooden porch railing, trying to hold on to her struggling cat, while a rambunctious, half-grown, yellowish dog barked beneath them.

“How did that get in the yard?” Zac shouted.

“Probably jumped the fence. It’s big enough.”

Zac pushed past her and reached for his son, ordering the boy, “Let go of the cat.”

Justin clung to the frightened Zorro for all he was worth. “No! No!”

“Here. I’ll take him,” Tina said.

Before she could act, however, Zac had grabbed Justin around the waist and pulled him close, leaving her poor pet pinned between them. Thank goodness the cat had been declawed or he’d have torn up father and son like a miniature buzz saw.

Zorro continued to yowl unmercifully. The stray dog apparently thought everybody had come outside to play, because he got even more excited and began leaping awkwardly into the air next to Zac, thoroughly discombobulating the trapped cat.

“Give me my kitty!” Tina shouted over the din.

Zac had his hands full. “Get that dog out of here, first.”

She had to admit, the man had a point. Without the added agitation, Zorro would be a lot easier to handle. The trouble was, the adolescent canine wasn’t cooperating. Every time she reached for him, he ducked away. Finally, she lunged with her whole body and managed to drape her torso over his back long enough to get both arms around his neck and bring him to a halt. Sort of.

“Now what do I do?” she asked, panting.

“Hang on!” Zac ordered. “I’m putting these two in the house where they’ll be safe.”

Tina didn’t have the time or the inclination to question his decision. She was having enough trouble keeping hold of the dog. Its ears and feet were enormous. The rest of it didn’t look fully developed but clearly promised to be gargantuan once it matured. Fortunately, it had an amiable temperament. Instead of trying to bite Tina, it was licking her face and wiggling all over with delight.

She wasn’t nearly that happy about their close association. The reappearance of Zac looming over her would have been a more welcome sight if he hadn’t been just standing there. Dodging the dog’s wet tongue, she peered up at him.

“It’s about time. Get this moose away from me!”

“You all right?”

“I will be when you help me.” She suspected he was delaying because he was so amused by her predicament.

“Right. Got him,” Zac finally said. “You can let go now.”

Breathless, she fell back into a spraddle-legged position on the porch floor. Zac had grabbed the dog around its rib cage, the way she’d first tried to do, and lifted it off the ground, its back against his chest. Held in that position, the animal stiffened, its lanky legs pointed straight out as if they had each miraculously acquired splints. Only the dog’s tail continued to move. It was hanging down between Zac’s legs and wagging slightly.

“He’s almost as tall as you are,” Tina marveled. “Must be part Great Dane.”

“No kidding. Where does he belong?”

“Beats me. Maybe he’ll go home if you put him outside the fence.”

“I sure hope so.” Zac cautiously started down the porch steps. “I’d hate to have to go through all this again.”

Exhausted from her wrestling match with the friendly pup, Tina took a deep, settling breath. “Boy, you and me, both.”

She saw Zac stop at the gate, but he couldn’t reach the latch to open it because of the dog’s stiff-legged posture.

“Want some help?” she called, her voice overly sweet.

“Oh, no,” he replied, puffing and straining. “I’ll just…hoist him up…over my head…and lower him gently on the other side of this five-foot-high fence.” His voice rose. “Of course, I want some help!”

“Well, you don’t have to get huffy.” Stifling her giggles, Tina scrambled to her feet and hurried to join him. “That really is a sweet dog,” she said, pausing to ruffle its satiny ears with one hand while she unlatched the gate with the other. “He could have had us all for lunch, yet he never once growled, not even when I fell all over him and grabbed him.”

“Before you get too softhearted, I suggest you keep in mind that it was your cat he wanted to eat for lunch, not people.”

“That’s certainly what poor Zorro thought. What a funny picture we must have made, with Justin trying to keep him safe from this dog and you and me wrestling both animals.”

“No kidding. I’m glad nobody was videotaping us.” Zac lowered the dog gently to the ground, hind feet first, intending to steady him before letting him go.

Instead of standing up or running away, however, the big dog collapsed in a heap at his feet and rolled on its back in submission, its wide, pink tongue lolling out the side of its mouth.

“I think you win, Zac. Looks like he’s accepted you as his boss.”

Tina bent down to gently scratch the dog’s stomach, and it moved one of its hind legs in unison with her ministrations, as if it were doing the scratching, instead. “Look. He’s giving us the chance to conquer him and hoping for kindness, just like a weaker animal would do in the wild.”

Zac wiped perspiration off his brow with the back of his hand and leaned against the gatepost. “Goody. Now I get to be his idol. Lucky me.”

“Well, that’s better than being his enemy, considering his size. When I first saw him, I thought he might be a yellow Lab, but he’s way too big for that. If he grows into those feet, he’ll be a monster. He’d better like us. We have to live in this neighborhood, too, you know.”

Straightening and backing through the gate so she could close it while leaving their canine nemesis shut out, she noticed that Zac was frowning down at her. “What’s wrong?”

He folded his arms across his broad chest. “Oh, nothing much. It just occurred to me that since you live around here you should know who he belongs to, unless he’s a stray. He is kind of hard to overlook.”

“He wasn’t wearing any collar,” Tina added soberly. “That’s why I had to grab him like I was trying to throw a steer at a rodeo.”

“He’s not quite that big.”

“Give him a month or two. He’ll grow.”

“Yeah. I hate to just leave him out here and hope he’ll go home, but I don’t know what else to do with him.” Zac glanced toward the house. “Well, I suppose we’d better get back to our painting or we’ll still be at it tonight.”

“Painting!” Tina gasped. “Oh, no.” Eyes wide, she stared up at her companion. “We left a kid and a scared cat loose inside your house with all that paint!”