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“Good. I’m freezing.” He turned to face the front and carefully maneuvered himself back into the driver’s seat.
“Just step on the brake and push the start button at the same time. It won’t take long to clear away this bitter cold.” Shivering, she asked, “By the way, are you hungry?”
Chapter Seven
Dex couldn’t believe his good fortune in ramming into the one vehicle where his dog had been picked up by the owner. Though she’d admitted hitting his dog, Dex had secretly run his hands over the animal, looking for any broken bones. And other than feeling the dog cringe when he put weight on certain areas, he would bet a buck that nothing had been broken.
Of course, if necessary, he’d make a veterinary appointment as soon as he arrived in the city to be sure. After turning on the motor, he pulled out his phone and sadly learned that he’d run out of power. “You wouldn’t have a way for me to charge my cell phone would you?”
Jasmin stopped fixing her hair and dug hers out of her pocket. “I still have some bars left on mine. Here.” She pointed to the front dash. “Look, if you put yours on the charging tray inside that center console and push the button, as long as the car is running, it will charge your battery too. I’ve been doing that myself, so my phone is still working.”
“You don’t mind?” Accepting her phone, he held it toward her. “I have to call my nephew’s grandmother in Seattle. He’s expecting me to pick him up. We were going to spend Christmas together.”
“Of course I don’t mind. It looks like you might be a bit late. Was he expecting you today?”
“Actually, yesterday. I got held up in a road accident and spent the night in my car. Now it looks like I’m going to be further delayed.” Dex leaned over to accept her offering and peered out the back of the car and winced. “It’s getting deeper. Soon we won’t be able to see out of the windows. I have a shovel in my trunk. Right after I make this call, I think we’d better make use of it to keep the car visible when the plow comes this way.”
While he proceeded to put his call through, Jasmin started preparing to go out into the storm. She agreed with Dex. They should be clearing away a lot of the buildup for sure. This was a main highway into town and sooner or later, the snow plow would show up. Best they be ready for it.
“Hello. Margot. It’s Dextor.”
Because of the small space, Jasmin couldn’t help overhearing Dex’s conversation. Two things she noticed immediately. His voice changed dramatically from open and friendly to guarded and fake.
The second surprise was hearing Pretty Girl’s low growl of disapproval. Was it hearing the name Dex had spoken or the change in his voice? Uncertain of which choice had spiked the animosity, Jasmin did pick up on the fact that whoever Margot was, they didn’t like her.
***
“Where the hell are you? I’ve had Dillon waiting for you since yesterday when you were supposed to arrive.” Margot’s voice sounded raw with anger.
“I called last night and left a message. I said I wouldn’t get there as planned.”
“I didn’t get it. So, what the hell is your excuse this time?”
Dex’s heart dropped when he heard the querulous tone in Dillon’s grandmother’s voice. “Hey, no need to get upset. I’m just saying, I can’t help being late, Margot. There’s a terrible snowstorm that I unfortunately got caught in. My car’s stuck in a ditch and the highway cleanup crew won’t be here for some time if at all today. Is Dillon okay?”
“Of course, the kid’s okay. But I had plans. Now I’ll have to cancel. Not happy about this Dextor. Not at all. Neither is your nephew.”
“I’m sorry, Margot.”
Cutting him off, she railed on, “The brat’s been packed for days and waiting by the window. I want you to know, he’s getting really snarky with me all of a sudden. I won’t be putting up with it. You better talk to him about his attitude, or he’ll be locked in his room. You hear me?”
God heard you… you sanctimonious old fleabag.Keeping his cool, not wanting Dillon to pay for him releasing his temper, he spoke in as soothing a voice as he could muster. “Look, Margot, I know it’s an inconvenience, and I’m more than willing to pay you well for these extra days of caring for him. I’ll be there as soon as possible, I promise. Just cut the boy some slack. After all, he’s just lost his parents.”
“Sure, and I lost my daughter, but no one seems to think about that at all. Not that she treated me very well, but at least I had someone to rely on in my old age. I—”
And the phone died. “Margot, Margot are you there?” Dex grimaced as he held the phone against his cheek and leaned his face over it in frustration.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help overhearing. Is everything okay?”
“It will be once I rescue that kid from the hell he’s been forced to live in for the last month. It’s taken me that long to get the courts to give me custody of Dillon… my nephew. Yesterday was the date I could claim him, the first day of his adoption.”
“And you’re stuck here with me. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s like a nightmare I can’t find a doorway out of.” He couldn’t believe he’d spoken those words until they left his lips.
Jasmin leaned toward him, her hand reaching to touch, to soothe… and he took it gladly, hanging on to sanity through her kindness. “Poor kid’s been forced to stay with that… that wicked woman, and I’ve had no say. She’s his grandmother, his next of kin, whereas I’m just his uncle on his father’s side. The courts took her claim more serious than mine.”
“How did you overcome that?” He saw Jasmin’s eyes widen, sympathy glowing in her deep green pools.
