The tears, which were never far from the surface, spilled over then, choking her words. Harry lifted the phone out of her hand and spoke to Libby. Brutus bounded onto the couch, all long, sharp limbs, and licked her face before doing his best to sit on her lap. She cried into his silky-soft coat.

Harry ended the call and ordered Brutus to his bed. The dog rose but he didn’t jump down. Instead, he settled on the other side of her and lay his head in Alice’s lap.

“Now you’re milking it, Brutus,” Harry said.

The dog stared him out. Harry sighed and sat down. “This is why we have a big couch.”

“I never realized Brutus had a super power.”

“Oh, yeah. He’s great at empathy. Lately, we’ve been far too happy for him, but tonight he’s in his element. It’s very kind of you to have a personal crisis and help him out.”

“I’m good that way.” Alice laughed, wondering how she could swing from black despair to amusement and back again in a heartbeat.

“You’re good in lots of ways.”

The sincerity in his voice circled her but she didn’t know what to do with it. Last time he’d said something like that to her, she’d felt a spark of unreliable attraction. Later, he’d paid her for her help. With everything going on right now, she didn’t trust herself to understand anything so she did the easiest thing—she stroked Brutus’s head.

“Libby wants me to drive you to Burrunan.”

“I know.”

“Do you want to go?”

“I …”

“If you decide you don’t want to go, there’s a spare bed here. If you decide you do, just say the word and I’ll drive you. But there’s no rush, Alice. Take all the time you need. In the meantime, what do you want? Tea? Something stronger? Food? The distraction of crap TV?”

Her arms and legs felt like they weighed more now than they ever had before and it was too much effort for her to even hold her head up. She let it fall onto his chest and closed her eyes. “Can I just sit here a bit and regroup before we leave?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Thank you.”

He gave her arm a gentle and reassuring squeeze. “Any time, Alice. Any time at all.”

Chapter Twenty

Harry let her sleep for an hour before waking her. Despite the obvious wet patch on his shirt, he didn’t mention that she’d dribbled on him. This time, instead of being burned with acute embarrassment, Alice had pointed it out and laughed.

“All in all, I’m a nightmare employee.”