Puppy Love at Mistletoe Junction

Chapter Seven Rescue Mission

The Saturday yoga class had a tendency to draw a large crowd, sometimes thirty to forty participants on busier weekends. When the weather was nice, it was down in Sweeny Park. Everyone would spread their mats out down by the trees and in view of the lake. When it was cold or rainy, it was taught at the Duncan-Finley barn, which was where Lucy headed that cold November morning.

Lucy had two minutes to spare when she pushed through the doors and was greeted with a comfortable amount of warmth from a few space heaters set up around the room. It was just enough to combat the chill, but not turn the session into hot yoga. Twinkle lights were always strung up among the rafters and up the pillars, and they’d been turned on, giving the room a lovely glow. Soft meditation music was playing in the background, providing the whole setup a perfect vibe.

She didn’t need to scan the room to find Sasha, Caro, and Lilah. They were already sitting down, claiming their usual spot at the front left corner.

People were still coming in and setting up their space, but most of the participants were lying down on their mats, starting to get into a good headspace. Talk started to dwindle down about five minutes before class, which was why Lucy had waited to come in. She could postpone her interrogation for another hour.

As she sat down on the empty mat next to them, they all gave her the most obvious self-satisfied grins she’d ever seen in her life, but they didn’t say anything as they all settled in for the class, lying down on their backs. This was supposed to be the time when everyone cleared their minds, but there was no clearing hers that morning.

All she could think about was Theo’s hands on her . . . and his mouth. There was an ache between her thighs that she knew could’ve been satisfied that morning. Maybe she’d made a mistake leaving him in her bed. At the time, that look of longing on his face as she’d backed away had been totally worth it. Now she wasn’t so sure.

She’d just have to see how it all played out, play being the operative word. They were having fun . . . just sex.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy let it out, trying to focus on her body. It wasn’t too long before the instructor started to speak, walking them through their positions. As she moved, she realized she’d used muscles last night that hadn’t been used in a while. A long while. No better way to work through the soreness than with a little bit of yoga.

As the class continued, it became pretty clear that it was a lost cause to clear her mind of Theo, so she stopped trying. Instead, she let everything that had happened replay itself, and thought about what she wanted to happen next.

That was easy; she wanted to have sex with him again. Wanted to enjoy whatever this was for as long as possible. It was going to be a lot easier than last time as they weren’t keeping it a secret. No, he’d put an end to that possibility when he’d pulled her outside. Well, she’d actually been the one to pull him outside.

But the fact that it wasn’t a secret was so much better . . . even if she did have to deal with all the questions from her friends.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone grin that much in a yoga class.”

Lucy moved her focus from her folded hands and over to her sister. Everyone in class was sitting up with their legs crossed in front of them. Some lingering namastes were still being whispered around the room.

“Well, you know how long a postorgasmic glow lasts,” Lilah said to Caro. “Hell, you’ve got one yourself.”

“So do you.” Sasha waved her hand at all three of them. “I’m the only one here who isn’t glowing.”

“Well, I know what we should all chip in to give Sasha for Christmas.”

Sasha just rolled her eyes before focusing on Lucy. “So, was it as good as you remembered?”

Lucy bit at her bottom lip, trying—and failing—to hide her grin. “It was better, actually.”

“Did he stay the night?” Caro asked.

“Yes.”

“And when will he be staying the night again?” Lilah raised her eyebrows.

“Not sure yet. He has to earn it.”

All three women paused as they rolled up their mats, but it was Sasha who asked, “What do you mean, he has to earn it?”

“Can we not have this conversation here?” Lucy looked around. Nobody was really paying attention to them, but she didn’t particularly want to be overheard. She was fine talking to them about Theo, but she didn’t want strangers to know.

Once they got outside, Lucy launched into the story of the night before . . . and that morning. When she got to the part where she’d left him in her bed, Sasha burst out laughing.

“Oh, god, I bet he was so mad.”

“You just can’t help yourself when it comes to taunting him, can you?” Caro shook her head.

“I bet you anything he’s plotting his revenge,” Lilah said as she pulled her scarf tighter around her neck.

It was nine o’clock and still pretty cold outside. The skies were dotted with clouds and the sun was having a little trouble getting things warmed up. It didn’t help that there was also a biting wind blowing, cutting right through Lucy’s fleece-lined yoga pants. She was very much looking forward to a hot cup of coffee.

“Well,” Caro started as they made their way through the crowd, “it sounds like you had a good night. That’s for sure . . .”

“Why do I sense that there’s a but at the end of that sentence?”

“Because there is one,” Lilah said.

Lucy looked over at her sister, waiting for the follow-up. “But where is this going to go?” Caro asked.

“I was wondering that too.” Sasha looped her arm through Lucy’s, pulling her toward Sweeny Park. “You’ve said since you came back that you have no intention of staying in Cruickshank permanently. Has that changed?”

“No, my plan hasn’t changed.” Lucy shook her head. “I’m not moving back. Theo and I are just having fun.”

“Fun,” Lilah repeated. “Isn’t that what you and Max were having before he decided to stay?” She turned to Caro.

“That’s exactly what we were having.”

“And look how that turned out.” Lilah reached forward, lifting Caro’s left hand in the air and showing off the diamond ring.

“Theo and I are not getting married. I promise you. Look, a lot of stuff has happened in the last”—Lucy looked at her watch before glancing back up—“ten-ish or so hours. Can I have coffee before dissecting this more?”

“Sure, you can.” Sasha patted Lucy’s arm as they got to the pavilion, where three of the four of them were volunteering that morning.

Caro and Sasha were manning—or womaning—the booth for the Cruickshank Cats and Dogs Rescue. And right next door to the rescue booth was where Sasha’s mother, Lorraine, was helping Lucy at the hot drinks stand. It made sense as Dancing Donkey was providing the coffee, hot chocolate, and spiced cider.

Both booths were pretty much set up, and Max and Wes were taking care of the rescues—something they did almost every Saturday. Meanwhile, Lorraine had got the school’s hot drinks stand ready with Principal Patel, Gia, Chloe, and Harrison Savage, Chloe’s father.

The new fire captain was that week’s parental volunteer, and Lucy had a feeling they’d be making a lot of money with the ladies swarming their booth. The man was beyond handsome, and single. Somewhere in his early forties and sporting a full head of salt-and-pepper hair—more salt than pepper—and a matching beard. To top it all off he had eyes that were a striking sea green.

Though Lucy was clearly partial to a certain shade of blue.

As they got closer, Lucy focused on her boss, Fatima Patel. That morning she’d swapped out her usual well-tailored suit and pointy flats for jeans, a Nirvana T-shirt over a bright purple turtleneck, a fuzzy black jacket, and cheetah-print sneakers. Her black hair was pulled up into a ponytail, which bounced around her shoulders as she stacked the cups with the girls.

Thirteen years ago, Principal Patel had just been Mrs. Patel, Lucy’s honors English teacher in eleventh and twelfth grade. When it came to favorites, Mrs. Griffith had always been Lucy’s number one, but Principal Patel was easily in second place.

“Hello, my dearies.” Lorraine looked up from where she was filling the half-and-half. “You hanging out around here today?” she asked Lilah.

“No, just going to get a drink before meeting my mom at Quigley’s. We’re making japchae and kimchi fried rice for tonight’s special and she needs some help.”

There was always the usual pub fare at the bar: fish and chips, pot pies, burgers, etc. But when Nari had joined the family, they’d broadened their menu to include a variety of Korean dishes. They were probably more popular than the rest of the menu.

“Oh my gosh.” Lucy groaned in delight. Japchae was one of her favorite Korean dishes . . . really, one of her favorite meals ever. Sweet potato noodles, tons of vegetables, and Nari’s magically marinated beef. It was the perfect blend of sweet and umami. No one could make it like Nari Quigley.

“I think she’s trying to make all of your favorite meals so you don’t move out of Cruickshank again.”

“Can you tell her that I approve of that plan?” Wes called out as he and Max strung up the rescues banner in front of their table.

Lucy knew just how much her father wanted her to stay . . . how much they all wanted her to stay. None of them were quiet about it. They all made comments here or there about her moving back permanently.

“I think we all approve of whatever plan it takes to keep Lucy around,” Lorraine agreed.

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Wow, I think this is a record. It’s barely nine o’clock and that’s Sasha, Caro, Lilah, Dad, and Lorraine”—she held her hand in the air as she ticked off all the names—“who’ve all made a comment about me staying in Cruickshank. Can we at least stagger this throughout the day? This is a lot to take first thing in the morning.”

“Those aren’t the only people who don’t want you to leave.” Max shook his head. “You can add me to that list.”

“Us too!” Gia and Chloe called out. “We don’t want you to leave either.”

“I agree with all of them.” Fatima indicated everyone around her.

“As well as your brother, niece, and nephews.” Lilah held her own hand in the air, ticking them off.

“And Oscar, Gavin, and Theo,” Sasha added, a grin turning up her mouth as she said the last name.

“Hey, unless they’re here to add to this conversation, their vote doesn’t count.” Lucy frowned.

“What is it that I’m voting on?” someone asked from behind Lucy.

She didn’t need to look to know who was standing behind her; his voice alone had caused that familiar warmth to creep up the back of her neck. But she turned around anyway—obviously—her eyes landing on his face before traveling down to see a giant bag from Browned Butter in each hand.

“Theo.” Her eyes went wide as heat filled her cheeks. “Hey, you.”

“Hey. I brought cookies”—he lifted one bag in the air—“and breakfast,” he said as he lifted the other.

“I can take that.” Fatima grabbed the bags. “Thanks for bringing all of this, Theo, and tell your mother thank you for making the cookies.”

“You’re welcome and will do.” Theo nodded. “So, what is it that I’m voting on?”

“Whether Lucy should stay in Cruickshank permanently. I’m sure you have an opinion on that as well, Theo.” Wes folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against one of the pavilion pillars, a knowing expression on his face.

Oh, god. Did he know about what had happened with Theo too? Lucy wondered.

“Ahh, yes, I know that’s been a topic of conversation for months.” Theo looked back to Lucy, and though he was smiling at her, there was something guarded in his expression. “I think that Lucy should do whatever makes her happy.”

“I think she finally is doing just that.” Sasha lightly punched Theo on the shoulder.

“I guess we’ll just have to see how that turns out, then.” His eyes lingered on Lucy’s before dipping to her mouth.

“I guess we will,” she agreed.

“Do you have a second?” he asked, taking a step back from everyone, who were all watching them like hawks.

Well, almost everyone. Gia and Chloe were currently opening the breakfast boxes and figuring out what they wanted to eat.

“Sure.” Lucy nodded, following him to the side of the pavilion. At least the distance would make their conversation private.

“So,” he started as he turned back to her. “I’ve had a very interesting morning.”

“How so?”

“First, your father caught me coming out of your apartment.”

“No!” Lucy covered her mouth in horror. She’d been right, Wes apparently did know something.

“Yes, and Gavin and Sasha weren’t the only ones who knew about us seven years ago.”

“What?!” It just kept getting worse.

“Yeah. But my morning didn’t stop there. Because then your father dropped me off at the bakery, where not one but both of my parents saw.”

Lucy dropped her hand from her mouth. “So, you were caught by my father, and your parents, doing the walk of shame?”

“Hmm.” He shook his head as he reached out, his hands landing on Lucy’s arms as he pulled her in close, his mouth hovering over hers. “There was absolutely no shame in what happened between us last night.” And then he pulled her against his body and kissed her.

What was it with this man grabbing her and kissing her? This was two days in a row now. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding him to her as he deepened the kiss. It was a good few seconds before he ended it, grinning as he pulled away.

“Have fun explaining that.” He nodded over her shoulder.

And just that quickly all of the warmth that had been coursing through Lucy was gone. She might as well have been doused with a bucket of cold water.

“You jerk.” She spared a glance behind her to find that everyone was staring at them. They were all sporting massive grins; well, everyone except for Gia and Chloe, whose mouths had fallen open in shock. Captain Savage and Principal Patel at least had the good grace to look away as they put the cookies out.

“I’ve got to get back to the bakery, we’re slammed this morning. See you later.” He took another step away from her, giving her a little wave before he turned around.

She couldn’t believe him. Well, yes, she could, actually. She’d done the exact same thing to him about two hours ago. She just hadn’t done it with an audience.

All eyes were still on her when she got back to the booths, but it was Gia who spoke first. “You and my brother? You and Theo? How? When? You two drive each other crazy.”

“Gia, as you get older, you’ll learn that’s part of the fun of it.” Sasha grinned, her voice low so as not to be overheard by anyone around their group. “As to the when, last night. But I don’t think you’re old enough to know the how.”

“Eww.” Gia’s shocked expression turned to disgust. “I don’t want to know about that!”

“Thanks a lot, Sash.” Lucy frowned at her friend.

“Anytime.”

“I guess he got you back for this morning,” Lilah said through a laugh.

“You can say that again.”

“At least he softened the blow.” Caro shoved a box across the table.

Lucy grabbed it, catching her name written across the top before she popped it open and looked inside. It was filled with everything fall. A crème br?lée doughnut, a cinnamon-apple muffin, a pumpkin-spiced bagel, and a vanilla chai cupcake.

“It’s like he knows you or something.” Sasha looked over her shoulder. “Those are all your favorites.”

Lucy looked up in the direction Theo had just gone. She could still make out his hunter-green jacket as he made his way through the crowd. How had he both won the first round of this little challenge she’d set up and won himself back into her good graces?

She’d met her match . . . something she’d been aware of well before that moment.

* * *

The Cruickshank Saturday Market usually ended at two, but that afternoon the crowd started to thin out a little before one. The cold breeze had blown in some rain clouds, the sun now completely covered up. There were scattered raindrops falling, nothing consistent yet, just a few here or there.

As their group was under the pavilion, they were covered, but it did make for a rather gloomy day. People were heading into the downtown shops for lunch or to continue their shopping at the stores, which provided more shelter from the cold.

When it had really died down, Fatima let Chloe and Gia go.

“My parents will be very grateful. Apparently, it’s still slammed at the bakery,” Gia said before they headed off, pulling the hoods of their jackets up and over their heads.

“I think we might as well call it too.” Fatima looked around at the vendors, who were starting to pack up. “This weather isn’t going to get any better.”

“Luckily we were busy at the beginning.” Lucy nodded.

“That’s an understatement,” Lorraine said as she started to stack the cups.

For the first three hours, they’d had a consistent line, everyone heading over to them to get a hot cup of something to warm up with. Lucy had welcomed the rush. They were so busy that there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for chatting. She did, however, have to contend with all of the knowing looks coming from her family and friends.

And there were a lot of them.

Not surprisingly, Sasha was the worst. She looked so smugly satisfied by the entire situation. It was more amusing than annoying, though. Everyone else was less obvious, just giving Lucy sideways smirks or making little comments here and there.

But the person who Lucy really noticed a change in was her father. Wes looked happier than usual, which was interesting considering his morning had started with him catching Theo sneaking out of her apartment. She knew she wasn’t going to live that one down for a long time.

But as Lucy watched her father and Lorraine boxing up the last of the drink dispensers, she realized it wasn’t just today that he’d looked happier than usual. He’d been that way for a few weeks now.

He laughed, leaning closer to Lorraine as he whispered something in her ear. Lorraine smiled, her hand grabbing his forearm and giving a gentle squeeze.

That’s new.

Lucy wondered if Sasha had seen it, but as she looked around for her friend, she found Fatima stepping into her line of sight. “I can’t thank you enough for filling in today. I know it was a little last minute when I asked yesterday.” She’d stopped by in the morning with the request, needing someone to fill in for the English teacher, Mrs. Michaels, who’d gotten the flu.

“It’s no problem.” Lucy waved her off.

“Well, you’re appreciated. And I know you felt like it was a lot, with everyone telling you they want you to stay in Cruickshank this morning, but I really do think that there are a lot of people who are glad you’re back in town. Me being one of them. You’ve become an integral part of my staff this year. I can’t tell you how many of your students have told me how excited they are for the winter musical. They’re loving that class.”

Lucy smiled but couldn’t hide the twinge of sadness in her eyes. “I appreciate that. But I know it’s not permanent. Mrs. Griffith will be back next semester.”

“Actually, she won’t be. Her husband still needs her to be home with him and she’s asked to take next semester off as well.”

“Oh, no. I knew Mr. Griffith was healing a little slower than they’d initially thought, but I didn’t know it was enough to delay her another semester.”

“I don’t think Jan did either. She just told me yesterday.” Fatima shook her head. “The position would be yours for the rest of the year if you want it. You don’t need to give me an answer today, I just wanted to let you know and give you some time to think. Though judging by the way Theo Taylor kissed you a little bit ago, I’m guessing you might not mind staying in Cruickshank a little longer.”

“Um, well, yes, there is that.” Heat filled Lucy’s cheeks. It was one thing to have her family and friends say something, but it was totally another to have her boss say it. Not that it was inappropriate or anything; Fatima had become more like a mentor in the last few months. A confidant in a lot of ways. There were a number of afternoons that they’d eaten their lunches together in the break room, or when the weather was nice at one of the tables outside.

“I always liked him,” Fatima continued. “He was a good student. Always polite and respectful. It’s also an added bonus that he makes the best cupcakes in all of the Carolinas.”

“That, he does.”

“Anyways.” Fatima took a step back. “Thanks again for your help and let me know what you decide. I don’t need an answer until finals week.”

“Okay.” Lucy nodded before turning around and heading for the rescue booth, where Sasha and Caro were packing up.

“Everything okay?” Sasha asked. “That looked a little serious.”

“Not serious. She was just thanking me for helping last minute.”

There was a small pang of guilt in not telling Sasha and Caro about the offer to work next semester, but she needed a little time to think about it . . . to think about everything. She already knew what her family wanted; if she told them this, they’d be relentless.

For months she’d reminded herself that coming back to Cruickshank wasn’t going to be permanent. Sure, the last semester had been great; she’d really enjoyed teaching. But this wasn’t what she wanted to do.

Was it?

No. No, her dream was to sing, was to get up on a stage and share her music with people. She couldn’t do that here, at least not how she’d always wanted. It was why she’d left seven years ago. Well, not all of the reason. She’d been running from something too. From someone.

How was it that not even twenty-four hours since she’d fallen into bed with Theo, she was offered the opportunity to stay here longer? A little bit of security in her professional life while her romantic life revisited the road not taken.

No, it was just sex. It didn’t need to be more than that.

“Hey, you okay?” Caro asked as she reached out and touched Lucy’s forearm.

“Yeah.” Lucy nodded, coming back to the moment. “Just thinking about the rest of the day. I need to run some errands. What are you guys getting into after this?”

“Mom and I need to head back to the café. Oscar is there with the morning shift, and I know he’d actually like to enjoy his day off.” Oscar might be a full-time vet, but he still helped out here and there at the café.

“I think he will. He’s got his date tonight with Edward,” Caro said excitedly.

“Oh, yeah.” Lucy grinned. “I can’t wait to hear how that goes.”

“Speaking of which, you going to tell us how your evening goes?” Sasha asked.

“Who says it’s going anywhere?”

“Oh, please.” Caro pointed in the direction that Theo had pulled Lucy a few hours ago. “If you and Theo don’t end up spending the rest of the weekend together, I’ll eat my shoe.”

“You think he’s going to spend tonight and Sunday with me?”

“The bakery is closed, it’s supposed to rain today and all day tomorrow”—Caro waved her hand at the sky—“and he can’t get enough of you. If that man lets you put clothes on, I’ll be shocked.”

Someone uncomfortably cleared their throat behind them, and they all turned to see Wes standing there. “Maybe I don’t need to be here for this particular conversation.”

That now familiar heat crept up Lucy’s cheeks again.

“Sorry, Dad.” Caro fought to keep a straight face while Sasha burst into laughter.

“Well, if you’re going to be busy all day tomorrow, maybe we should solidify our plans for Monday.” His beard twitched, his own smile playing on his mouth.

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to be busy all day tomorrow. But we can still make our plans for Monday now.”

“So, it’s a two-hour drive to Freddie’s Farm, and they open at nine. I’d like to be on the road no later than seven. We’ve got four hams and seven turkeys ordered and you know there’s always a line.”

“Eight,” Lorraine called out.

“Sorry, eight turkeys,” Wes corrected himself.

Freddie’s Farm was just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, and they had the best turkeys around. Eight might seem excessive for most Thanksgiving dinners, but their annual Thanksgiving at Quigley’s wasn’t a small event, never had been.

For as long as Lucy could remember, her family had always celebrated the holiday with their friends’ families at the Irish pub. Among the families—local and extended—of the Quigleys’, Taylors’, Belmonts’, and Buchanans’, the guest count was already up into the sixties.

But the attendees didn’t end there. There were a number of people in town who didn’t have the resources or the ability to celebrate the holiday to the fullest, and others who didn’t have families to spend it with. An invite was offered to all of them. There was always an open door.

A typical Quigley’s Thanksgiving had more than a hundred people, everyone contributing as they could with side dishes. It was a whole thing, and the preparation started days in advance. Since they were out for the week at school, Lucy had told her dad she’d go with him to get the turkeys.

“I’ll be ready to go by six thirty; that way we can get some coffee and breakfast before getting on the road.”

“That’s a must,” Wes agreed. “See you later.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Lucy’s cheek before heading off to help Lorraine load everything into the back of her SUV.

Lucy turned to her friends. “I’m going to head out now that this is all cleared up.” She waved a hand at the now empty spot they’d occupied under the pavilion. “See you guys Monday night at the latest.”

“We’ll be there.” Sasha rubbed her hands together as another gust of wind blew around them.

Lucy pulled the hood of her jacket up before heading for downtown. She wanted to get some of her Christmas shopping out of the way, knowing that things were going to get crazy next week, and only get crazier from there.

First there was Thanksgiving, then the musical would be coming up, and then finals week right before the end of the semester. She’d been dreading the end of the school year, not wanting it to be over . . . but now she had the opportunity to teach for a few more months.

It should be good news, really, but she felt the longer she did this, the more attached she was going to get to something that wasn’t hers. It was one of the reasons she’d never been able to foster pets. She didn’t know how her sister, Sasha, and Lorraine did it.

There was just too much to think about when it came to the future, so instead, she let herself get distracted with a little retail therapy.

First up was the music store. She found some old records for Max, flicked through the sheet music to see if anything would be good for her classes, and got some replacement guitar strings. One had broken the other day, and she hadn’t had any to restring the guitar.

At the hobby store, she got a 3-D puzzle of the Millennium Falcon for her dad, and one of those night-lights that turned the ceiling into the solar system for her nephew Matthew. She spent a lot more time at Kathleen’s Corner Bookstore, browsing the aisles before ordering a beautifully illustrated book all about dinosaurs for her other nephew, Christopher, and a wide variety of coloring books for her niece, Emilia.

She stopped by the pet store to get some toys and treats for Estee and the numerous dogs owned by everyone in her family. It was nice that there were so many to love on since Lucy didn’t have one. She’d long wanted to adopt one, but it hadn’t really been feasible when she’d been in LA, both from a money and time standpoint. Estee had already been an unexpected expense, but once she’d rescued the kitten, Lucy hadn’t been willing to give her up.

Cats were a lot less maintenance. They didn’t need walks, or regular baths, or to be let outside to go to the bathroom. They were independent creatures who, besides needing food and water, had the ability to pretty much take care of themselves.

Though Lucy knew that Estee loved to be around other animals, especially dogs. As much as she’d like to get Estee a dog for Christmas, her life was just too much up in the air to make that kind of commitment.

It was a little before four when Lucy headed to her last stop of the afternoon.

She’d been trying to figure out how to get Theo back for his little stunt that morning, and as she made her way to the bakery, she still wasn’t sure how she was going to do that. Maybe she’d figure it out when she saw him.

There weren’t a lot of people out, almost everyone heading home before the rain really started. The gray clouds were now swirling, and the wind was only getting more biting.

Lucy pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, the chill creeping down her back. It was at that moment her phone buzzed in her pocket. There was a small—or not so small—hope that it was Theo.

But as she looked at the screen, she saw a name she hadn’t seen in months: Stephanie Jenkins. Stephanie was one of her old friends from college. She’d been out in LA for a few years with Lucy before she’d packed up and moved to New York.

“Hey, Steph,” Lucy said as she picked up the phone.

“Hey, lady, long time no speak.”

“How you doing?”

“Good, I heard you left LaLa Land like me.”

“Yeah.” Lucy stepped into the little inlet of the post office, taking shelter from the wind. As it was closed, she wasn’t in anyone’s way. “It wasn’t for me, as it turns out.”

“Maybe because you need something edgier. Something like New York.”

“You think so?”

“One of my roommates is moving out, and as soon as she told me I was thinking about who I should ask to take the room. And your name came to mind.”

“New York . . .” Lucy let the city’s name roll around on her tongue, getting a taste for it. She did love that city, there was no doubt.

“Think about it. She’s moving out in February.”

“I will . . .” Lucy nodded, her thoughts racing as Stephanie continued to talk.

It was a few minutes before Lucy hung up, her mind reeling even more than before. She hadn’t thought it possible, and yet here she was. How was it that within less than twenty-four hours she was having just sex with Theo again, she’d been offered another semester of teaching at a job she was enjoying more and more every day, and she now had the possibility of a fresh start in a new city?

Lucy wasn’t sure if she could take another complication. And yet, the universe seemed to have other plans. As she passed the alleyway that led behind the bakery, her feet faltered. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move.

What with it being a little dark and gloomy outside—and the fact that the creature was down at the far end of the alley—Lucy’s first thought was a bear. But it only took a second for her brain to register that it was just a very large, and rather dirty, dog. It was massive, definitely more than a hundred pounds and with huge paws. Its fur was matted and wet with mud and it was shivering as it sniffed around the dumpster.

Lucy didn’t even realize she’d made a step toward the animal when it looked up at her, its sad expression so clear that her heart broke to pieces in an instant.

“Hello,” she said softly as she took another step toward it. “It looks like you need a little help. Maybe a little food and water.”

As she talked, the dog tilted its head to the side, watching her.

“It’s awfully cold and wet out here. A warm and dry place to sleep would probably be nice too.”

The dog continued to watch, its tail coming up and wagging slightly.

“Yeah, don’t those things sound good?”

Its tail wagged more.

Lucy looked around, trying to figure out what to do to accomplish those things. The alleyway ended in a brick wall, so it couldn’t run away, but she didn’t want to corner it before earning its trust. It wasn’t showing aggression, but she knew from experience how quickly that could change.

What she needed was help.

Setting her shopping bags on the ground, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and called the man who’d been on her mind all day.

“Hey, Luce,” he said after exactly two rings.

“I need you.”

“Is that so?” The smile in his voice was clear even through the phone.

“Yeah, I’m out back. There’s a large dog sniffing around your trash cans and I want to help it.”

“I’ll be right there,” he said without hesitation before hanging up.

* * *

The afternoon crowd had settled down around two, Theo’s grandparents leaving for the day, while he worked in the kitchen with his parents. Gia, Chloe, and Blake—who’d gotten his tire fixed—were up front manning the counter and restocking.

Theo had just pulled his cakes from the oven when his phone rang, Lucy’s name lighting up the screen. He wasn’t used to her calling him, and he found himself hoping that her name appeared on his screen way more frequently from here on out.

He also found himself hoping that she said I need you a lot more too.

His mother looked up from where she was slicing apples, her eyebrows raised high at her son’s change in tone. “Everything okay?”

“Lucy’s in the alley,” Theo said as he started to untie his apron. “She said there’s a dog back there and she needs help.”

“Do you want me to help?” his father asked.

“I don’t know yet. If it’s a stray, too many people might spook it. Do we still have spare leashes upstairs?” Theo asked, as he grabbed his jacket and pulled it on.

“Probably. Let me go look.” His mom dried her hands on a towel before pushing through the swinging door and into the front of the bakery.

Theo followed behind her, heading for the front door while his mother went for the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Gia called out behind him.

“None of your business,” Theo said as he stepped outside into the cold.

It would’ve been quicker to go out the back door and into the alley, but as he didn’t know exactly where the dog was, he didn’t want to scare it. As he rounded the side of the building, he spotted Lucy standing in the mouth of the alley. She turned toward him, a smile lifting her lips as he got closer.

God, he could stare at her mouth for hours if given the chance. Though this clearly wasn’t the time.

“Bear is down there.” Lucy pointed as he got closer.

“Bear?”

“Yeah, it’s what I thought it was at first.”

He stopped when he got to her side, looking to where she indicated. The creature at the end of the alley was indeed large, though at first it looked more like a massive gray wolf to him. But he could understand why Lucy had thought it was a bear. It didn’t happen all too often, but bears had been known to wander out of the woods and come into town to scavenge. What with it being so gloomy outside, the dog was a little hard to make out all the way at the end of the alley.

“We’ve got a bit of a standoff thing going on.” Lucy frowned at him. “Its tail wags when I talk to it. But it won’t come closer.”

“Well, the tail wagging is a good sign.”

“Agreed. Any ideas on how to get closer?”

“Food.” He pulled out his phone, hitting a few buttons before holding it to his ear.

“Hey, Dad. Can you bring out some bread and ham?” There was a pause on the other end as Isaac said something. “Yeah, that too. The dog is by the dumpsters so you can use the back door, just open it slowly.” Another pause. “Okay, perfect. Thanks.”

He hung up and slid the phone into his pocket before looking back to the dog. “My mom found a leash upstairs, and they’re going to send out some food and water. We’ll just go from there.” He tilted his head to the side, and if he didn’t know any better, he thought that the dog mimicked the move from the other end of the alley.

“Did it just . . . ?” Lucy trailed off.

Theo leaned his head to the other side, and the dog followed the movement.

“I think it did just.”

They stood there for a few moments, the dog watching them while they watched the dog. And then the door slowly opened next to them, and Gia and Chloe popped their heads out. Even with the small amount of movement Bear tensed, taking a step back.

“So, this is the none of my business?” Gia whispered but she didn’t hide her exasperation as she looked over to them. “Hey, Luce.”

“Hi, Ms. Buchanan!” Chloe’s voice was soft, but she didn’t hide her delight. It didn’t matter that they’d just spent hours working at the drinks stand together. Lucy was their favorite teacher, a fact that Theo knew all too well as both Chloe and Gia never stopped talking about Lucy, or their drama class, or the play that they were in.

If there was a Lucy fan club, these two would be the presidents. Though Theo was a card-carrying member too.

The girls stepped outside, both sporting jackets. Chloe was holding a bowl of water and the leash, while Gia lifted her phone up and pressed record.

Theo shook his head at his sister as he took the water from Chloe. “Must you document everything?”

“Oh, come on, these videos always go viral.”

“Yeah.” Chloe nodded. “Everyone loves a good rescue mission.”

“Fine, but stay back until we see how the dog reacts.”

“Mom and Dad already made us promise.” Gia looked up long enough to roll her eyes at her brother before focusing back down to the screen as she slowly circled behind him and Lucy. “They’re working on getting the food.”

“Good.” Theo moved closer to Bear, setting the bowl of water down before stepping away.

Bear didn’t move any closer. The dog did, however, take a few more steps back when the door opened again, Theo’s dad on the other side. “How’s it going?” he asked as he handed Lucy the bowl of food.

“No real progress yet. But I think it’s warming up to us,” she told him.

“Let us know if you need any help,” Isaac said before he slowly closed the door again.

Lucy took the leash from Chloe—looping it around her neck like a scarf—before she moved to where Theo stood. “Okay, let me try. You need to go back there and try and look small and less intimidating.” She pointed behind them.

“How do I do that?”

“Sit.” She nodded to a crate that was leaning up against the side of the building, one of the few things that was dry as it was under the overhang.

He did as he was told, slowly flipping it before sitting down. Lucy moved closer to Bear, and the dog watched, waiting until she was about six feet away before taking another step back.

“Okay, so we’ve found our threshold.” Lucy squatted down, making herself smaller as she set the bowl of food down.

Theo couldn’t stop his eyes from lingering on Lucy’s perfectly round ass as it stretched the back of her yoga pants.

Jesus Christ, man, get it the fuck together.

He shook his head, trying to clear it as Lucy grabbed a piece of ham, wrapping it in bread before tossing it in the space between her and the dog.

Bear didn’t move.

“If you don’t eat it, you’re really going to be missing out.” Lucy threw another piece of ham wrapped in bread closer to the dog. It took the few steps to get to it, gobbling it down before moving for the other piece. “This sourdough is what Browned Butter is known for. The starter is like seventy years old.”

“Eighty,” Theo couldn’t stop himself from correcting.

Lucy glanced over her shoulder, rolling her eyes.

“What? It was my great-grandmother’s recipe.”

“Excuse me.” She turned back to the dog. “The starter is eighty years old. Anyways, the bread is even better when you toast it. The best way is with butter in a cast-iron skillet, but a toaster will do.”

She tossed another piece of bread and Bear moved in closer.

“It’s great for grilled cheese,” Lucy continued, her voice soft. “Now, the key is using a variety of cheese. You start with sharp cheddar, get some mozzarella, and then add a little Gruyère. It all melts together and it’s pretty much perfection.”

She continued to talk, Bear moving in closer and closer. Judging by the slightly wagging tail, Theo was pretty sure the dog liked the sound of Lucy’s voice. Well, that or the bread, but Theo would put his money on Lucy.

“Now, the best thing to pair with the grilled cheese is tomato soup, but not from a can. You have to roast the tomatoes in the oven with some onions, a little garlic, and olive oil. And once they start to blister and the onions are soft, that’s when you blend everything together with a little cream. And you top it all off by sprinkling fresh basil on top.”

Bear was about four feet away from Lucy, and Theo could clearly see how thick the layer of mud was that had caked onto the dog’s matted fur. Lucy threw another piece of bread toward the dog. It hesitated, unsure. It wasn’t until a second piece flew through the air that the dog moved even closer, now just two feet away.

“You know Bear, this weather is only going to get worse tonight. If you let us, we can get you cleaned up. Get you dry and warm. Make you a soft bed with blankets and some toys. Let’s get you safe.”

This time Lucy held her hand out, a large piece of bread on her palm.

“Come on,” Theo found himself whispering.

Bear took a tentative step forward, and then another, before stopping in front of Lucy. The dog stretched its big head forward, sniffing at the air before gently taking the piece of bread from Lucy’s hand.

Everyone involved felt a sense of triumph as Lucy continued to feed the dog piece after piece until the bread and ham were gone. It was then that Lucy slowly reached her hand out, letting Bear sniff the back of it. In only a heartbeat, Bear licked Lucy’s knuckles.

“That’s it, sweet baby,” Lucy purred before she moved her hand to Bear’s head.

The dog closed its eyes, finding pleasure in the gentle touch. Lucy moved her hands to Bear’s back, continuing her ministrations until Bear’s head lowered to the water bowl and started drinking. And that was when Lucy very carefully pulled the lead from around her own neck and slipped it around Bear’s.