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Graham!

What was he doing out there?

I didn’t remember him having a pet. And he wasn’t holding a pet carrier; it looked like a bag. I looked closer. It was a brown bag with a receipt stapled to the front. That crazy man had brought food.

Giggling, I headed to the front.

“Hello? Can I help you?” I asked through the glass door.

“Yes,” he answered politely. “You could let me in before our dinner gets cold.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s eighty degrees outside; I don’t think it’ll get cold. Do you have a pet emergency? This is a veterinary clinic.”

Graham pursed his lips. “It’s going to be like that, is it?”

“Be like what?” I answered innocently.

“You blew me off for lunch this week, so I figured I would find a way for us to have dinner instead.”

My hands hit my hips. “I’ve explained this already. I did not blow you off. I had already promised to babysit. I couldn’t back out for a date. It wouldn’t be right.”

I watched as Graham’s finger tapped against the bag. It was the only sign of irritation he showed.

“You’re right. When you make a commitment, you shouldn’t back out.”

I smiled reluctantly. “Even if I would have preferred going out with you?”

His eyes brightened. “You would have?”

“Absolutely, I would have.”

His smile was slow and had me tingling in all my girly parts, making me want to wiggle, but that would have given the game away. Instead, I tossed back my braid and smiled back. “Did you bring me something?”

“I brought something for us, Doll. You going to let me in?”

“Depends on what you brought. I might not like it.”

Graham threw back his head and laughed.

I pretended to frown. “What’s all the laughter for?”

“I have yet to see Miss Laverne put one thing on your plate that you haven’t devoured.”

“She’s a great cook,” I defended myself.

“And the burned pork chops with the apple glaze where you only tasted nutmeg? Are you telling me that was good?”

I giggled. “Okay, so she had an off day.”

“But you ate everything she put in front of you. I was waiting for you to ask for seconds.”

“Even I couldn’t do that.” I shuddered.

“Anyway, I’m thinking it’s a sure bet you’ll like what I brought.”

Now I was excited. I got up on my tiptoes to see if I could look in the bag, but he was holding it close to his chest, and he was just too damn tall for me to peer in.

“Tut. Tut. Tut. You’re going to have to let me in to see the food.”