Spencer rolled his shoulder in a half shrug. He wasn’t sure how to make her realize that he was in earnest, that the what of her profession wasn’t what impressed him. It was the how of it that sent him reeling. How she showed up every day, how she gave it her all, how her presence positively impacted all those around her. By her own admission, she earned minimum wage, an income that justified punching a clock, fulfilling her duties, and little more.

But she was a part of a book club here. She trained Wheezy for hours every day. She knew all the residents by name and was on familiar and comfortable footing with them.

In this, as in all things, she gave of herself fully.

“Whether you’re a nursing assistant or a doctor, I admire what you do,” he said, knowing it was only half of what he wanted to say but unsure how to articulate the rest. What he really admired, and what he really loved, was her. “That’s the only thing that matters. I can forgive the rest.”

Next to him, she stiffened. The air between them—the air that had been crackling with so much promise seconds earlier—went flat.

“Forgive the rest?” she echoed.

It hadn’t been his intention to bring up Wheezy’s blood test, but the tone in her voice sent him into a sudden panic. She sounded cold and hard and a lot like he did when he was doing his best not to show Caleb how disappointed he was.

Jesus. No wonder Caleb hated it.

He tried for a smile. “You didn’t think I wouldn’t find out about Wheezy’s pedigree, did you?” He tilted his head back toward the house, where the not-quite-a-golden-retriever slumbered. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. As far as the West Coast Canine Classic is concerned, he has all the right papers, and you two are more than welcome to stick around and participate. Although I am curious. Where did they come from? For forgeries, they were well done.”

This confession didn’t, as he’d hoped, loosen Ruby back up. She shot to her feet like a bolt. Something about the way she loomed made her seem twelve feet tall.

He fumbled against the cardboard box of her belongings as he rose to join her. “What?” he asked, searching her face for clues as to what had gone wrong. “What did I say?”

“You know about Wheezy? How? When?”