He shook his head and then sucked in a deep, harsh breath. “I forgot,” he whispered. “I fucking forgot my own sister.”
It felt as though I had a hand squeezing my heart. My chest ached with the pain he must be feeling, and I swallowed, hard. Wrapping my arms around my chest, I took a step back. “I’m sorry.” The words choked me. “I’ll go.”
“What?” Zack lifted his head, his eyes wide. He scrubbed a hand across his hair and then stood to face me. “Please, Holly. You made me…” he stopped, his jaw tight and a little muscle dancing in his cheek. “You made me forget for a while. Don’t apologize for that.”
Tears pressed at the back of my eyes, but I gave him a wobbly smile. “Okay.” I shivered, despite the sunlight pouring through the windows, and Zack must have noticed. He opened his arms, and I stepped into them, as naturally as if we’d been lovers for ages. Holding me close, his chin on my shoulder and my cheek against his chest, he soon warmed me.
“I need to leave soon, baby…” He hesitated. “I wish I didn’t have to, but there’s a cab due in half an hour.” He pressed a kiss onto my hair and tweaked the end of my ponytail. “I’ll have to owe you breakfast.”
He wanted me to stay. I breathed his intoxicating scent and knew I didn’t want to leave. “Tomorrow?” I rushed on before I lost my courage. “I can stay tonight, if you like.”
His arms squeezed me even tighter. “You’re a fucking angel, Holly Jacobs.” Was that a yes? He tipped up my chin with his fingertips. “I don’t know what time I’ll be back. Are you busy today?”
It was hard to think, standing butt naked in Zack’s equally naked arms, with his dark eyes focused entirely on me. “I don’t think so. Some errands to run, but I’ll be done by lunchtime.”
“Can I ask you something?”
I nodded.
“I need to go to Marnie’s house. I don’t know what her asshole boyfriend will do with her stuff, and I want to make sure he doesn’t throw it out.” He ran his fingers through my hair again, as though it soothed him. “Could you come with me?”
…
Zack’s mother had booked a cab to take him to the local crematorium, and I needed to get back to Jasper anyway. I dressed and got ready to leave, unwilling to go any sooner than I had to. Staring out of the kitchen window, with Zack cuddling me, it felt grossly unfair that the sun should be so high and brilliant today. This looked like a day for new lovers to enjoy together, rather than one for attending a funeral with all the pain involved.
With one final, lingering kiss, I headed back to my brother, finding him out of bed and pottering slowly on his crutches. Already I missed Zack, and I knew what I had to do. Twenty minutes later, I lurked on the car park for the crematorium. I’d changed into a plain black skirt and a long-sleeved charcoal gray shirt, adding a slash of lipstick for some color on my pale face.
The parking lot was full, with more cars lining the street outside, and mine the farthest away. Marnie must have been well liked in the community. I’d have to ask Jasper if he’d known her. He’d been surprised when I dashed out again so soon, but we were short of some groceries, and he’d been preoccupied with texting someone, so I managed to escape without him grilling me.
The sun was surprisingly fierce this morning, and I moved into the shade of a nearby tree. How much longer would they be? How was Zack coping with it? He’d mentioned his mother, so hopefully they were supporting each other. I strained to listen for music from the chapel, or the noises of doors opening, or anything to signal they were done, but instead I heard a faint whining noise. An animal. I glanced around. The tarmac car park only had one tree, and I stood beneath it. There were no hedges or anywhere an animal could hide. I listened again.
This time it was a bark, close by, but muffled. Had someone left a dog in their car? Surely not. I’d been melting in the sunshine as it was. I went to look, to check the twenty or so cars, peering through their windows. No dog anywhere. I scratched my head, puzzled, and then heard the whine again. Outside on the road? I headed for the street and found it straightaway. A small Suzuki holding a large dog. A very hot-looking and uncomfortable dog. The windows were all closed and the poor thing had no air at all—and was sitting in direct sunlight. Christ. It must be like an oven in there.
“It’s okay, boy.” I talked as I tried the doors in turn. All locked. “I’ll get you out.” He lifted a sweaty, shaggy head, tongue lolling, and whined again. I calculated rapidly in my head. I’d been here fifteen minutes at least, and the cars had all been parked before I arrived. I tamped down my fury that someone had been so irresponsible to leave their dog for so long on a hot day, and channeled my calm focus. I had to get him out. Recriminations would come later.
Chapter Eleven
The dog’s owner might be in the funeral party. Shit. Should I barge into the chapel and demand the owner come outside? Wait until they came out? The poor dog gave a weak bark and lifted a paw to the window. He looked as though he was begging for my help.
I ran to the chapel doors. I knew from summers of volunteering with the local animal charities that a dog could dehydrate and suffer potentially fatal heatstroke in less than twenty minutes. My hand was on the door to the chapel when I heard footsteps and muted voices. The service had finished. I stepped back, bouncing on my toes as I waited for everyone to come out.
It felt like half the town’s population had attended, and the carpark was soon full of people talking in low voices, girls crying, and young men looking subdued. Nobody made a move toward the cars on the street. If I didn’t hurry the dog might die. I stepped up to the nearest group of mourners. “Excuse me. Do you know who owns the little red Suzuki? On the street?”
There was a puzzled silence during which they all stared at me. I pointed at the car. “There’s a dog trapped in there.”
“No.” One of the girls spoke. She looked shocked. “It’s not ours.”
Urgency made me rude. I gave a curt nod and moved to the next group. If I didn’t find the owner soon, I’d smash the window.
Another cluster of people stepped out into the sunlight, and I turned to them, my words dying in my throat. It was Zack. Back straight and shoulders squared, he wore a smart uniform and looked breathtakingly handsome among all the plain dark outfits. My heart skipped a beat, and I struggled to find my voice. What had I been doing? Rescuing the dog. Zack stood next to a tall, willowy woman. Model thin, she had the same dark eyes and hair and could have been anywhere between thirty and fifty. She had to be his mother.
“Holly?” Zack’s brows drew together, confusion in his eyes, but before I could answer he wrapped his arms around me. He pressed his lips close to my ear. “Thank you. I can’t wait to get the fuck away from here.”
I pulled back, noting the simmering tension on his face. Thin, tight lips signaled he was angry or upset, but I didn’t have time to spare. “I need your help. Right now.”
Whether he recognized the urgency in my voice, or whether it was his military training kicking in, I didn’t know, but the anger cleared from his face, and he nodded. “Go on.”
“There’s a dog locked in a car on the street. He’s been there way too long, there’s no window open, and I’m scared he’s going to die from the heat. I can’t find the owner.” My words came out in a garbled rush, and I realized I clung to his hand while I spoke. I took a quick breath and tried to speak more clearly. “Can you please help me?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Which car?”
“The red Suzuki.” I pointed again, and he scanned the row of vehicles.
“Hey, everyone.” His yell made my ears ring but the buzz of conversation stopped dead. “Who owns the red Suzuki?”
Silence.
His fingers meshed with mine, and he squeezed them. Such a small gesture, but it reassured me. We’d fix this. “Someone owns the red Suzuki, and they’ve locked a dog in it. Who. Owns. The. Fucking. Car?”