I Want You

Chapter 6

Lennon.

"Is it spring break yet?"

"Not yet, Mama." I laugh lightly at her question, shifting my phone against my ear.

"Farms a little less bright without you around, sunshine." She sighs. "These boys are a scowling bunch, I don't know who raised them."

'These boys' are my brother Jude and my cousins who help run the farm and her, my Dad, and my uncle raised them.

A vice grip of homesickness clutches my stomach tightly. "Tell them I said to smile more, they're prettier that way."

"Now if I tell them that they'll scowl more, they hate when you call them pretty."

"Well they'll—" Something wet and cold nudges my hand, I squeal and jerk my hand away in surprise.

I spin around to see Xan whose got a smirk on his face, his hand holding multiple leashes that are attached to four big dogs, the biggest being the one who's nose just scared me half to death.

"Tell me what's going on before I dial 911 right now, young lady!" Mama shouts in my ear.

I clutch my chest tightly as if that will help slow my heart. "I'm sorry, Mama, it was nothing. I thought a spider was crawling up my arm. I've gotta go, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Don't scare me like that, I think I just aged ten years." She sighs. "Love you, sunshine."

"Love you too, Mama. Bye." I reply and slip my phone in my pocket, shooting a glare at Xan.

He arches an eyebrow at me. "What? It wasn't my nose on your hand."

I reach out and pet the perpetrator. His coats black with some gray around his snout and ears. His size doubled with his face shape and floppy ears makes me think he could be a Great Dane. His tail wags as I give him attention, the long limb smacking Xan's side. Thwack, thwack, thwack. Soon the other three demand attention as well so I pet each of them.

"Whose dogs did you steal?" I ask.

"I work at the shelter a few blocks away, I was taking them for a walk. It helps them stretch their legs and to get their faces out there to be adopted." Xan explains.

Surprise shoots through me. I can't say I expected that response, not that Xan seems like a particularly bad guy or anything, he just doesn't seem like the type to take care of animals in his spare time. I guess I really don't know him that well when I think about it.

He scowls at me. "Don't look so surprised, Lennon Rose."

With my hands on my hips I give a huff, "Why do you insist on calling me that? It makes me feel like I'm in trouble."

He cocks his head. "Why?"

"Because my Mama calls me Sunshine but when I've done something wrong it's Lennon Rose. Makes my heart race in fear." I admit.

I know when Mama calls me Lennon Rose she means business and I better listen good to what she has to say.

He gives me that crooked grin. "I like knowing I make your heart race."

I roll my eyes at him. "Not like that."

The Great Dane jerks Xan forward as he realizes our focus is no longer on him and demands more attention.

"I think Brutus likes you." Xan says and then offers me his leash. "You wanna walk him back to the shelter?"

I stare down at Brutus' brown eyes and sigh, taking the leash in my hand. "Sure."