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Lauren gave me a puzzled look, and I shook my head.
“Ok,” she said linking my arm with hers. “But we’re discussing that later. Let’s get some food before the flies find it.”
The half hour I promised passed, then the hour, then another. Everyone was eager to talk to me about the desserts or my dress. Even if their compliments were inspired by pity, it felt good to spend time with the families I’d grown up with and to meet the ones who had moved to the street after I left. I spotted Cal several times, weaving through the crowd with Skye. More than once I thought he was walking toward me, but then someone would pull one of us into a conversation. Finally, as the sun began to drop behind the mountains, I felt something lick the back of my leg and turned to find Skye staring up at me with a big doggy grin.
Cal had his back to me, talking to Principal Twillings, so I bent and scratched Skye’s ears. She flopped onto her back, tugging Cal’s arm enough that he turned and saw me. His eyes darkened, and I realized he could see halfway down my dress where he stood. I straightened and Skye jumped up as well, wagging her tail.
“You look,” Cal started, then shook his head. “You’re not making this easy, Rowan.”
“Making what easy?”
He placed a gentle hand on my elbow and guided me to the edge of the crowd. His touch made my stomach flutter, and I chided myself for still being so attracted to someone who’d rejected me earlier in the week.
“First,” he said, lowering his voice. “I need to apologize for how I acted the other day.”
“Which part? Kissing me or running off after?” Though, I’d been pretty relieved when he left. There’s only so much embarrassment I can handle before I cry, and I’d entered the danger zone.
He blew out a long breath. “Both.”
Ok, so he regretted kissing me but he also regretted stopping? I wasn’t sure what to make of that. “You said first. What else?”
“Only that it can’t happen again. You’re my patient.”
“For the next three weeks,” I said, then realized that sounded like I wanted to pick up where we left off as soon as I finished PT. “So, I agree, that can never happen again. With any luck, I’ll find a job far from Peace Falls by the time we’re done my sessions. The last thing I need is more complication in my life.”
Cal smiled. “So, you’re wearing that dress to torture me, not seduce me?”
“No,” I huffed. “I’m wearing the dress Lauren made me wear.”
Cal bit his lower lip and shook his head. “Somehow that makes it worse.”
A loud boom sounded in the distance. I looked up in time to see fireworks flash weakly in the fading sky. Another screamed and exploded with a shower of sparks.
“Little early for fireworks,” I said, but when I looked back, Cal and Skye were gone.
He had a real talent for running, but I was honestly glad. A man as sexy as Cal should be taken in small doses. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. Any interaction with him left my heart racing. It was time to grab a cupcake, stream a couple movies, and turn off all thoughts of Cal. Once I felt more in control, I searched the crowd for Lauren and found her on her hands and knees peering under a folding table. That was odd enough, but people were peeking under lawn chairs and porches up and down Sullivan Street. Mom was knee deep in Mrs. Adams’s shrubbery.
“What’s going on?” I asked Lauren.
She stood and brushed off her dress. “Cal’s dog ran off. We’re hoping she’s hiding nearby.”
“Did you see which way Skye went?” Chris asked, sprinting to me.
I shook my head.
“Cal took off in that direction,” Poppy said, pointing toward Broad Street. “Lauren, you’re parked outside the barricade, aren’t you?”
“Let me grab my keys,” she said, running toward my house.
“I’m coming with you,” Chris said.
“No,” Poppy said. “You and I will look for Skye on foot. Lauren can drive while Rowan looks for the dog because her back is too jacked to do anything more useful.”
“Um, thanks.”
“Just find the damn dog, Rowan,” Poppy snapped. “Skye is more than a pet. She’s a support animal.”
With that, Poppy and Chris took off. The rest of the neighbors were fanning out as well, many calling Skye’s name. Lauren bounded down the porch steps, keys in hand.
