Winter's Wonder: Pine Point, Book 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

onto their heads. Chrissy had planned an extravagant adoption event back in the fall, hoping for at least twenty of the shelter’s animals to go home in time for the holidays. But with Chrissy’s sudden departure and the lack of volunteers and manpower, Becca had shelved that idea. Now she only hoped she wouldn’t have to take in any more animals, because Pine Point Paws was full to the gills. She’d already turned the back bathroom into a kitten sanctuary and doubled up some of the smaller dogs in the kennel.
    “Didn’t mean it as a criticism,” Zane said in a slow drawl. She heard he’d lived down south for a while and it sounded as though he’d picked up an accent in those years. Not that she was really noticing, and not that she found it sexy.
    “Just an observation.” He looked back at her, at the pictures and clipboards hanging askew on the walls, at the cats by the heater. “Need some help?”
    Her eyes burned, and she almost dissolved into tears all over again. “I thought you said animals could take care of themselves.”
    He took his time letting his gaze move from her face to her chest, down her legs and back up. “Wasn’t talking about the animals, necessarily,” he finally said. “Just meant if you need a hand, I’m pretty good with repairs.”
    He’s trying to be nice , a voice inside her said. Be nice back . “Thanks for the offer. There are a couple of guys next door who usually take care of that stuff. It’s just hard for them to keep up with everything.”
    Zane nodded. He took another look around the office, set down his own cup and backpedaled for the door. “Hang on a minute.”
    Becca frowned. He hadn’t said what he was doing here. Maybe he’d caught the dog? Or maybe…worry slipped through her. Maybe he’d done something to the dog? She hurried to the window in time to see him walk around to the bed of his truck and drop the tailgate . Please tell me he didn’t use his pistol after all. Her fingers went to the cell phone inside her front pocket. If she had to, she’d call the local police. Right now.
    But a moment later, Zane pulled out what looked like a pine tree. Carrying it as though it weighed little more than one of her cats, he walked up the path and inside the front door. Just outside the office, he set it on the ground and shook out its boughs.
    “Thought you might like a little cheer,” he said from the other side of the tree. She couldn’t see his face, and it was probably good he couldn’t see hers either, considering two minutes ago she’d been about to call the authorities on him. I’m an idiot. I assumed the worst, and here he is with a damn Christmas tree.
    Becca frowned. But this Zane made even less sense than the one with the gun. At least that Zane had resembled the guy she remembered from high school, the bad boy who was cocked and ready to go off at a moment’s notice. This guy? She’d told him off not once but twice in the last week. She looked and smelled about as appealing as something that had crawled out from under a porch. So why was he standing in her hallway with a Christmas tree?
    He poked his head around the side of the spruce. “Here? Or would you rather have it in the office?”
    She stifled a laugh. “Um, probably out there. The cats will climb it if it’s in here.”
    He nodded, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, then disappeared again. She heard grunting and caught sight of him on his hands and knees. The tree swayed precariously from side to side, and a few curse words punctuated the grunts. Becca watched, curious. She should probably offer to help, but she had even less experience setting up a Christmas tree than running an animal shelter, so she kept her mouth shut. A moment later, the tree stopped moving, and Zane emerged from around it.
    “Didn’t think to get any decorations,” he said. He grabbed the top and shook it hard. It didn’t move. Red-faced, he edged his way around and joined her in the office