.

“Pirate.”

      She found herself returning his grin. “Sam doesn’t take to others well.”

      His gaze met hers. “He must like me.”

      Tessa thought this man was reading her thoughts again.

      “You really shouldn’t do that, Drake,” Liam cut in, spoiling the smile on Drake’s face. “What if he bites those scars or scratches you up more?”

      Drake sighed impatiently.

      The bird, picking up Drake’s sudden tension, squawked and started dancing.

      Tessa scooped up the bird, wincing when he dug in his claws.

      “Thank you—” Liam began.

      “Why don’t we go inside,” Tessa offered. “Your brother is looking tired.”

      Drake scowled at them both. What had happened to the smile the man had just worn? Where had it gone?

      “Which way?” Liam asked.

      Tessa took that as her cue and went back up the ramp, which the carpenter was just finishing. Even with her back to Drake, the spell over her emotions was still in full force. She wondered if there was such a thing as meeting someone who you just knew was going to play an important part of your life—like God saying, look here, don’t miss this. He’s important to you.

      If so, then Tessa was certain that was what just happened to her. She didn’t know how or why but this man… She had met her destiny in some way or another.

      In Your hands, Father, she silently prayed, giving Him control in this situation. She had learned what she didn’t understand and couldn’t control she had to allow God to control. She saw a young woman come out of her kitchen and head toward a gray van on the side of the house, in which Liam must have just arrived.

      “That’s Kellie, the cook. She’s a great girl. She cooks for us out at the ranch. Her mother cooked there before she did,” Liam said.

      Tessa nodded at his words. The young Hispanic woman was beautiful, Tessa thought, but didn’t say so. Instead, she continued up the ramp and into the house.

      “We’re worried about infection so I hope you keep a clean house,” Liam said now.

      Tessa glanced around, surprised. “I would think you’d have checked all of that out before you agreed to let me be a keeper.”

      Drake growled. It startled Tessa. She thought at first he was choking, until she caught the anger in his eyes. “I don’t need a keeper.”

      Liam scowled at her then tried to soothe his brother. “Yes. You do. You still aren’t well enough to come home. Tessa will be working with you as will your nurse, and Kellie will be here to cook for you. Soon, Drake, you’ll be well enough to boss me around again.” To Tessa’s ears Liam didn’t sound like he really believed that, though.

      Drake shoved at his brother’s hand, his look downright dark.

      Oh dear. She couldn’t help but feel she was back in the schoolroom with a group of rowdy third graders as she watched the two brothers interact. Taking a breath she decided it might be best to break up the tension before it got any worse.

      Crossing the kitchen she reached for the door to the bedroom. In a bright voice, she said, much like a Realtor trying to sell a man seeking a simple abode the house of his dreams, “This room right here is where Drake will be staying. It has its own facilities. There’s an outside door.” She paused, listening. “As a matter of fact, I think I hear the carpenter working on the entrance right now.”

      Glancing around she realized suddenly that Drake’s chair wouldn’t fit through the area between the sink and the table. “I see we’re going to have to make some adjustments,” she said, laughing nervously when she realized the way the table was positioned wouldn’t allow him to get into the living room. “We’ll work all of this out. Let’s look at your room first, shall we?” she continued, simply wanting the tension in the room to ease.

      She pushed the door open, smiling at them. Instead of smiles, however, the two gaped past her. Slowly, in unison, two green-eyed stares turned to her, tension still very evident in the stunned looks.

      “What?” she asked. Surely they didn’t hate the room. This was one of her favorite rooms. It was like a playroom for her. She had decorated it herself. Hardly anyone ever stayed in it so time and again she found herself going by an antique store and picking up some cute piece of furniture or knickknack to add. It was quite a nice room.

      Or it had been. When she turned her head to point out the features she found herself gaping, too, just before she burst out with, “Oh my heavens!”

      Disaster had struck the formally picturesque room. The beautiful blue, green and yellow quilt, which had covered the bed, straggled off the end of the four-poster at an odd angle, trailing onto the floor. The tiny lace pillows, which had lain on top, now decorated the braided carpet. The small throw rug she had positioned in front of the dresser was no longer there. Instead, it curled up crazily against the far, papered wall. But the worst thing she could see that had happened to the room was the toilet paper. It adorned everything. At least everything that was within leaping distance for a small puppy. The chair, the small nightstand, the bed all had their share of adornment.

      And where was the perpetrator of the mess?

      In the middle of a box of tissues was Hubert, his tongue lolling out. He yipped at the new arrivals and then went back to tearing up the carton.

      The loud burst of laughter from Drake encouraged her, until she heard him say, “Great going, brother. I have a keeper, all right. A zoo keeper.”