Miss White and the Seventh Heir

* * *

She impressed him.

And that wasn’t an easy thing to do.

Trey couldn’t believe how Sage had set aside her work and worried over the pup until it had a proper bath, trim, stitches and antibiotics. Not necessarily in that order. During the examination, the vet had revealed that the dog was chipped. And all of his shots were up to date.

And now as they sat in the car, an awkward silence enveloped them. Trey needed a distraction from thinking about what they were attempting to do—return Happy to the owner that had lost him. And as far as he could tell, the owner hadn’t searched for him—at least, not for long.

As he slowed for a stop sign, he chanced a quick glance at Sage. She was fussing over the dog. The dog looked perfectly contented and none the worse for wear after his veterinarian appointment. Either that dog was the most laid-back animal or Sage had a magical touch.

“Did you have pets growing up?” Trey returned his attention to the road.

“I did. All sorts of pets. My father enjoyed indulging me.”

“What sort of pets?”

“I had a white-and-black cat named Mittens. And I had a couple of birds—”

“Wait.” He slowed for another stop sign. “Are you saying you had a cat and birds at the same time?”

She smiled and nodded.

“But how? Aren’t cats supposed to hunt birds?”

“Not Mittens. She found them interesting for about five minutes but then she went on her way.”

“Amazing.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I take it you’re good with animals.”

She shrugged. “I had a rat. He didn’t like me much. He bit me and hid in his cage.”

Trey laughed. “You had a pet rat?”

“What’s so funny about that?” she asked with a perfectly straight face.

He subdued his amusement. “Nothing. It’s just that you never cease to surprise me.”

“I also had fish, a bunny—” she paused as though to think about it “—a hamster and a guinea pig.”

“You had a very interesting childhood.”

He didn’t want to stop driving. This was the first time Sage had let down her guard with him and he liked it. She was a lot different outside the office—more relaxed and much more approachable.

“It was amazing.” There was lightness to her voice as she drew upon her memories. “For my birthday, my father didn’t get me presents. He said that I got enough throughout the year. Instead he would take me on an adventure. We would visit a different part of the world each year. Those are some of my very best memories. We would explore new cultures and the food—it was amazing. My father told me I didn’t have to eat it all, but I did have to sample a little of everything. I was surprised by some of the cuisine that I enjoyed—especially my first experience with sushi.”

“Your father sounds like he was a really great guy. You must have loved him a lot.” A stab of jealousy dug into Trey. He’d never had a relationship like that with his father.

“I did. My father was the best. He did everything he could to give me a great childhood. The only thing that would have made it better is if my mother had been able to share those experiences with us. But she...she died when I was just a baby.”

“I’m sorry you lost her. But I’m sure she’s smiling down on you.”

“Me, too.” Sage lowered her voice. “Sometimes I talk to her. Do you think that’s silly?”

Without hesitation, he shook his head. “Everyone needs to talk to their mum now and then.”

Sage nodded. “Between my father and my pets, I felt truly loved.”

Trey envied her childhood. His was quite different. His mother might have been there physically, but she was quiet and withdrawn after his father left. Trey always wondered if a part of her had died when his father abandoned them.