Pitch Imperfect by Elise Alden Read Free Book Online Page A

foot.
    Dazed, Anjuli stared at the retreating truck, then shook herself out of it and looked at the Border collie who’d saved her. Mangy alright, and no collar around his neck so he was probably a stray. Handsome though, black patches over his eyes and most of his body, and what would be white hair, when clean, around his neck and torso. Stray or not, Anjuli patted his head and scratched him behind his ears. She would be splattered tomato if not for him.
    “You’re getting the biggest bone I can buy, you brave, clever thing, and you’re going to the vet as soon as I find one.”
    The collie gave her two-toned barks as she dragged herself to her feet. A quick inventory proved she wasn’t seriously injured, but the hip she’d fallen on was sore. Painful pricks of water beat down on her like daggers, harder by the second. She spat out the grit in her mouth. Earth, with a hint of diesel and sheep droppings. Lovely.
    Anjuli had never felt so isolated as at that moment. There were no convenient cafés to nip into, no abundance of helpful passers-by or even grumpy, reluctant ones. No taxis to flag down and miles of empty moors in every direction. Well, she’d wanted to live the rural idyll and there was no use getting bent up like her bike because she’d got her wish. The collie leapt ahead as if scouting the road for danger, coming back every few seconds to bark at her. He really would be handsome if he got cleaned up and fed regularly. Maybe Ash could find a nice family looking for an energetic pet.
    Or should she keep him? It would be nice to have another living being with her at Castle Manor. A friendly face to welcome her when she came home, a warm body to snuggle against while she read a book or watched a film or...Heaviness clenched her heart. She couldn’t be trusted to care for anything living again. She couldn’t even keep Chloe’s little box safe from the rain.
    “It’s not near the windows,” she repeated feverishly, hoping her mantra would somehow make it true.
    The collie ran back to her and barked a few times, just before the sound of an engine signalled a vehicle coming up from behind. Anjuli jumped onto the verge. Another tumble and she’d refuse to get up, settle into the soil and become a mud monster.
    A black Land Rover pulled into the passing place a few feet ahead and cut its engine. Oh, thank God. This was what she loved about the Scottish Borders; it might be isolated but in the middle of a storm people would stop to help a muddy, battered-looking woman with a wrecked bike and a wild dog.
    The driver’s door opened and Rob jumped out, his expression as stormy as the gale raging around them.
    “Are you daft, woman?”
    Anjuli stifled a mad urge to laugh. Of course she was daft. She’d bought a manor she now couldn’t afford, insulted her only chance at restoring it and was limping home in the middle of a howling gale with a dog that would probably give her rabies. But even rabies would be preferable to hearing what Rob had to say, and it looked as though he had plenty.
    “Get in.”
    Somewhere inside her a little voice protested against his order, but she clamped her mouth shut. The cut on her hand was throbbing and besides, one should never antagonise a reluctant rescuer. Rob shoved the bicycle into the boot, whistling for the collie to follow suit. The dog settled down with his tail over his nose. Wouldn’t it be great if she could do the same?
    Rob got into the car and slammed the door shut, making her jump. He wiped his face and raked a hand through his dripping hair. A turn of his head and he took in her sodden, mud-speckled face before slowly lowering his gaze to her soaked top. Anjuli shivered, though whether it was from the cold or from his look, she couldn’t say.
    Rob reached into the back seat for his jacket. “Put this on.”
    Get in.
Put this on
. Peremptory orders, but it was hard to argue with common sense. The jacket was large and warm, and soon stilled the trembling in