Page 88 of Wag More Bark Less

“He already knows you call him that. Sorry not sorry.”

Violet released me and waddled around the van to the passenger side.

I snuck into the back seat of the van, giving each of the boys another hug and sneaking them road trip candy I’d stuffed in my hoodie pocket. I held a finger to my mouth to warn them to keep it a secret. “I’ll see you guys in three weeks.”

Ellie gave each of the boys a lick, then hopped out, trotting back toward Luke. I pushed the button to close the back door and followed my pup. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them manifest. Violet might see me crying and insist I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. They’d already lost a day rerouting to Bluebell Springs to check on me. I wouldn’t take another day from them when I’d be in Michigan soon enough. We’d have weeks together, maybe more depending how long I decided to stay.

“What’s this about a hot dog?” Luke asked as their van disappeared down the street. He wore that amused half smile that made my pulse trip over itself. His arms were crossed over his chest, as though he was quite enjoying my embarrassment. All I could seem to focus on were those strong biceps and a hint of a tattoo peeking from the rolled-up sleeve of his flannel.

Now that we were suddenly alone, I felt awkward and a bit unsure of where things stood between us. Friends. And yet, that label didn’t feel quite accurate. Friends with benefits? A naughty little voice whispered in my head.

“Do you think it’d be stupid to chop up grilled hot dogs for the chili?” I asked, trying to convince myself that everything was normal between us. Which had been easy to do until I saw him around the firepit last night, helping the boys roast their marshmallows. A week ago, I wouldn’t have believed that patient, sweet side of him existed.

“Can’t hurt to try, right?”

“Right.”

“I was going to run to the Grizzly. Pick up some ingredients for us to try out. Want to come along?” Luke offered.

We’d briefly discussed starting our chili experiment today, considering the contest was only a week away. Last night, I readily agreed because it seemed like the perfect distraction to keep my former wedding out of my mind. But now, it seemed like a recipe for possible disaster. A really fun disaster, but a disaster nonetheless.

Dammit, Violet. She encouraged me, more than a little, to just have fun. Insisted it would be a shame to let that Brazilian torture session go to waste.

I had to get some space. Just a little breather to remind myself that this wasn’t my real life. Luke and I weren’t a couple hosting my sister and her family for a visit. We were just unlikely friends, and this was merely a vacation. A reset. A temporary stop I might never make again.

And wouldn’t it be the stupidest thing of all to let myself get tangled up with another man while I was on vacation? That wasn’t a lesson I cared to learn a second time.

“Is it okay if I text you a grocery list? I want to get the condo cleaned up. You probably noticed it looks like a hurricane went through it.”

“Want me to take Ellie for a ride?” he offered.

Ellie popped onto all fours, letting out an excited whine that dared me to say no. “You have to take your leash,” I said to her.

I swore she gave me a dirty look before she trotted back to the house and let herself inside.

“She knows how to open doors. Of course she does.”

“Doors, gates, and even on one occasion, a window. I do think she retained a lot of her initial service dog training,” I said, walking toward the porch steps. “It’s just a matter of what she chooses to remember when.”

“Retrieving the beers last night was impressive,” Luke said.

“That reminds me, there’s a yard full of socks.” Ellie was great at retrieving items, but not so much when it came to putting them away.

Ellie returned, leash and sock in mouth, and sprinted toward Luke.

“Want me to grab you a coffee? Black Bear has all kinds of fall flavors right now. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m a sucker for a pumpkin spiced latte.”

“You’re really just a basic white girl trapped in an Officer McGrumpy body, aren’t you?”

“Haha,” he deadpanned, holding the driver’s side door of his truck open. Ellie shot in a like a bullet and leapt into the passenger seat. She whined, as if telling Luke to hurry up already. “If we were leaving town, I’d make her get in the back.”

I laughed at him, patting his arm. “And I’d tell you good luck with that.” I turned, intent on heading inside, but my palm lingered on Luke’s bicep as though it had a mind of its own. Damn, that muscle was solid. I stared at my hand as though mesmerized.

“Maggie?”

“Yeah?”

He looked down at my hand, then back at me. I yanked my hand away, rubbing my palm against my jeans. But that did little to ward off the sensation of my warm skin pressed against his. It reminded me of that warm, solid hug in his kitchen last night, and dammit if I didn’t want to crawl right back into his arms.