And if what he’d felt had been like this, she felt even guiltier for so misjudging him.

By the time night fell, even as early as that happened this time of year, Amanda thought she was going stir-crazy. She normally thought nothing about spending a day at home, and often did, but somehow feeling it was being enforced by circumstances beyond her control changed everything. There was a world of difference between staying home because you wanted to and staying home because you had to.

Especially when she wasn’t at all convinced she had to.

Hayley was in the bathroom when Cutter suddenly trotted to the door and whined. He looked back over his shoulder at her in a very clear signal that he wanted out. Hayley had assured her that he knew he was working and thus wouldn’t stray, and while this sounded a bit much to her, it had proved true ever since they’d been here.

Still, she would step outside and keep an eye on him at least.

Oddly, the dog trotted with purpose, not toward the yard where he usually went, but down the sidewalk toward the three cars parked at that end of the street. When he reached the vehicles, Cutter paused at one, then put his head down, nose nearly to the ground. His head came back up and he spun and headed for the small grove of alder trees that began behind the house next door and wrapped around behind hers. Again with obvious purpose.

He was nearly getting out of sight, so she went down the porch steps and headed out toward the sidewalk. Belatedly, she realized the vehicle the dog had paused at was a pickup. A familiar one.

Adam’s.

And it wasn’t covered with frost as the other two cars were, the windows were clear, and she could hear the pop of cooling metal. Had he just arrived? Was that why Cutter had wanted out?

She headed that way, smiling at the idea that the obviously clever dog could lead her to the man she needed to see more than anyone right now, to at least get her piece said. Her father had always told her apologies were one thing that didn’t keep. And right now she felt as if her entire life was dammed up behind this intense need to apologize to Adam, and nothing could move on until she did.

Three things happened in rapid succession. She heard a sudden cacophony of ferocious barking from the trees. Cutter, sounding fierce even at this distance.

She stopped in her tracks.

And then the third thing happened.

A rush of footsteps behind her and an arm coming around her neck.

Chapter 19