Read Online Best Man for Hire (Entangled Lovestruck) (Front and Center) by Tawna Fenske - Free Book Online

over on Oahu. Here on Kauai, he didn’t know anyone with the sort of gear he’d need to get up that high, much less get down with a frightened cat. He looked at Anna again. Her eyes were big and round, and she was looking at him as though she expected him to be some sort of savior.
    Far from it, babe.
    His gut clenched. Part of him wanted to run. The rest of him was already forming a plan.
    “Look, here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, keeping his voice as soothing and upbeat as he could. “I’m going to run inside and see what I’ve got for gear. I did some jungle combat training at Camp Gonsalves in Japan. We learned to climb palm trees there.”
    Anna eyed him dubiously. “With an angry cat in your hands?”
    “With an M4 carbine with a collapsible stock. Probably not much different.”
    “Good point.”
    “Anna, can you hang out here with Mrs. Stein? Keep an eye on Rumpymuffle, and yell if he starts moving. I’ll be right back.”
    He bolted into the house, his brain working on warp speed. He wished like hell he had some climbing gear, but he hadn’t had much use for that on Kauai. Gloves , he thought, sprinting for the garage where he found a pair of bright gold work gloves with rubber grips on the palms and fingers. He started to grab for his work boots, then changed his mind. His feet were toughened from running on the beach, and he’d have a better grip without shoes.
    He spotted a sturdy carabiner in his toolbox and grabbed that, his brain working through the logistics of climbing down with a squirrely cat in his arms.
    Helmet, he thought, and frowned at his bike helmet. Not enough protection from falling coconuts, and there’d been several big ones in the tree. He sprinted back into the house and down the hall to the office where he found his grandfather’s old McCord MI helmet from World War II. He grabbed it by the webbing and fastened it on, grateful Gramps had taken damn good care of his equipment. It might be an antique, but it still felt sturdy. He fastened it snug with the chin strap and knocked twice on the top to make sure it was solid.
    He moved down the hall toward the bedroom, trying not to let his brain take a detour when he remembered Anna bent over the bed inspecting the carved headboard. Her ass had been pert and perfectly round, the short dress riding up to expose the tops of her thighs.
    Don’t think about that now.
    Instead, he grabbed a laundry bag printed with bright yellow ducks. His sister had given it to him as a housewarming gift, and it had a sturdy drawstring at the top. He turned and yanked the top sheet off his bed and sprinted back outside. Mrs. Stein was at the base of the tree talking sweetly to Rumpymuffle, who showed no sign of moving up or down. His tail twitched a little, which seemed like a good thing though what the hell did Grant know about cats?
    A few feet away, Anna stood with her cell phone to her ear. “Hang on, Mrs. Stein. I’m calling my friend, Kelli. She’s a veterinarian. Maybe she’ll have some suggestions.”
    Good thinking, Grant thought, wondering why it hadn’t occurred to him to call Mac’s new wife first thing.
    Because you want to be the damn hero. You need to save the day.
    He shook off his inner voice as Anna turned to face him. “No answer,” she said, looking glum. “I forgot she and Mac were going to the movies tonight. She’s probably got her phone off.” She bit her lip and looked back up the tree. “Mrs. Stein says Rumpymuffle takes special medication for a thyroid condition. He’s already a couple hours past when he’s supposed to take it. She’s worried he’ll get weak and won’t be able to hang on much longer.”
    “We’ll get him down,” Grant said. He held out the bedsheet. “Here, take this.”
    She raised an eyebrow at him. “This wasn’t what I had in mind when I imagined myself getting familiar with your bedsheets.”
    “Later for that. You and Mrs. Stein can hold the corners and use it as a sort