In His Brother's Place by Elizabeth Lane Read Free Book Online Page B

run of the place, what do you say we give him a bath? You can put him in the garage while I change my clothes and get a wash tub. You might want to change, too.”
    Jordan hadn’t asked Angie to help bathe the dog, but when he came back out to the patio with the tin tub, a bar of soap and an old towel, she was there, wearing ragged jeans and pink rubber flip-flops. They filled the tub, adding some warm water from the kitchen. Then Angie and Lucas went to fetch the dog.
    The back door to the garage opened off the patio. They returned moments later with Angie holding the leash. Rudy was clinging to his young master’s legs like a barnacle, terror flashing in the whites of his chocolate eyes. Damned dog probably thought he was about to be slaughtered.
    Jordan reached out to lift the dog into the tub. Rudy cringed, whimpering. Maybe he’d had a man kick him around in his former life. He might be calmer with Angie or Lucas. But Jordan wasn’t about to risk their getting bitten.
    “Come on, boy.” Jordan got a hand under the dog’s bony rump, scooped him up and lowered him into the tub. Rudy made no attempt to bite. But at the first touch of water, he thrashed like an eel and howled like an Irish banshee.
    Swearing under his breath, Jordan shoved the mutt all the way into the tub. Rudy was putting up the fight of his life, yelping so piteously that Jordan half expected the Humane Society to come screaming up the drive.
    “Let me help. You’d better stay back, Lucas.” Angie grabbed the soap and began sudsing the dog’s hide. It appeared that Rudy had never had a bath in his miserable life. He kicked and struggled, splashing soapy water in all directions. By now Jordan was wet from head to toe. Gazing at him over the squirming dog, Angie burst into giggles. Her laughter was pure enchantment, bubbling like music out of some secret place.
    Justin had said he’d fallen in love the first time he heard Angie laugh.
    Lucas began to giggle, too, the sound a childish echo of his mother’s. Ignoring her warning, the boy pushed between them. Now they were all getting soaked. Between the wriggling mutt, the splashing water and their wet clothes, the simple task of bathing a dog had become a circus. Something stirred in Jordan’s throat. Was it a chuckle? He gave in and let it go. It felt good. Damned good.
    Still laughing, they managed to get Rudy rinsed and out of the tub. Lucas squealed with delight as Rudy shook water in all directions. Jordan tackled the mutt for a quick toweling. Then he put the dog in the garage with an old sleeping bag, some food and a bowl of water.
    “Will Rudy be OK in there?” Lucas asked.
    “He’ll be fine. We’ll find him his own doghouse tomorrow.” Jordan recalled that Sunny’s old kennel was somewhere in storage. He tossed spare towels to Lucas and Angie. “For now, what do you say we dry off and go inside for some grilled cheese sandwiches and hot cocoa?”
    The idea hadn’t struck him until he spoke, but it seemed like a good one. Marta was off shopping, but he was a fair hand with grilled cheese himself.
    By now the sun was low in the sky. A chilly autumn breeze drifted across the patio. Inside the house, Jordan lit the fireplace and moved the leather armchairs in close. Leaving Angie and Lucas to soak up the warmth, he headed into the kitchen.
    He was slicing thin squares of cheese when he heard Angie’s voice behind him. “Can I help with something?”
    “You can make the cocoa. Mix is in the cupboard. Milk’s in the fridge.” Jordan didn’t really need her help, but he liked the thought of her working next to him. Damned if he hadn’t enjoyed bathing the fool dog this afternoon. The gloomy old house hadn’t heard so much laughter in years.
    Not since Justin had died.
    “What’s Lucas up to?” he asked. “Will he be all right alone?”
    “Lucas has dozed off. If he wakes up, he’ll know his way to the kitchen.” Angie measured cups of milk into a pan and turned the