The dog. It hit him suddenly the towels were there for the dog. He should have realized sooner, his mom kept a couple by the back door for the same reason.

“Want me to dry him off?” he asked across the room.

“Have at it,” Hayley answered. “I’d appreciate it. He’s been so crazy all day he’s driving us mad.”

She sounded approving, and he wondered crazily if he’d passed some sort of test. Both she and Quinn were watching him. But Amanda—he risked a glance now—was staring determinedly at the fire. Frowning. It didn’t take a genius to see that he’d been right about her not really wanting him here.

Still not looking at any of them, he picked up one of the towels. The moment he did Cutter stood up and stepped toward him. This was the routine, he guessed, and the clever dog knew it. He stood patiently as Adam ran the towel over his coat first, then each leg and paw. It wasn’t the easiest of chores done mostly one-handed, but he got it done all right. And the dog himself signaled when it was done by backing away.

Adam hung the now damp towel on one of the hooks. Cutter was again doing the “follow me” routine. So he did, even as he wished himself somewhere, anywhere else than in the same room with Amanda.

He headed for the end of the sofa farthest from her. But Cutter kept getting in his way, leaving only one path open to him, and again he was put in mind of the dogs back home, chivying cattle or horses until they went where they were supposed to.

“Dog,” he muttered. Cutter looked up at him innocently but refused to move so that he could get to any seat except the chair next to Amanda. Right next to her. Arms touching close. He could step over the dog, but something about the way the animal was looking at him...

He surrendered, figuring at least this way he was looking across to Hayley and Quinn. Who were, he now noticed, watching their dog with interest, but with no apparent desire to call him off. Instead they exchanged a glance that seemed significant, even if he had no idea what the significance was.

Amanda kept staring at the fire. He almost spoke to her, to tell her he understood she didn’t want him here, but stopped himself. There was nothing to gain there—it was obvious to all here how she felt. Well, except maybe Cutter, who didn’t seem to have gotten the message.

He waited. Silence spun out in the room. And suddenly he felt very stubborn. They’d called him here, he certainly wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t, so it was up to them to start...whatever this was.