Open Your Heart (Kings Grove #4) - Delancey Stewart Page 0,86
me.
I had it bad for Dr. Gish, and there was no way I was acting on it. I needed escape.
“Yeah, I’ll call you,” I said, turning away again to keep myself from acting on the impulses screaming through me.
“I’ve got a few slots free in the next week,” she said, undeterred by my attempts to escape. She was jogging along beside me now, smiling up at me, the scent of apples surrounding her and pulling every cell in my body in her direction. “But I’ve got to get the Winter Festival together too,” she said. “In fact, I was going to ask for your help.”
I stopped moving and turned to face her, steeling myself. “What?”
“Will you help me put the Winter Festival together?”
“I’m probably a bad choice,” I explained. “I’ve only just gotten up here, and I’ve never spent a winter in Kings Grove. I have no idea what your festival entails. Maybe I’d be better as an onlooker this first year.”
Her face fell, and I swear on every wave I’ve ever surfed that the expression nearly broke my ridiculous heart. My mouth launched into action before my brain caught up. “I mean, I’m totally willing, of course, if you need help.”
The smile returned, and I felt the sun get a little brighter in that endless mountain sky. “Oh, that’s great,” she said. “Well, why don’t you bring Zippy and Yoga Pants by here tomorrow morning around ten? We’ll knock out your first obedience lesson, and I can fill you in on plans for the festival.”
I nodded, certain I’d done everything in my power to avoid this exact scenario. “Yeah,” I said, as my rational mind screamed, “No, no, no!”
Annie put a hand on my arm then, and every nerve cell in my body relocated to those three square inches on my forearm, screaming for more. “Great,” she said, squeezing my arm and then dropping her hand and taking a step back.
“Great,” I parroted, since my brain had stopped working completely. I tried for a smile, but have no idea what expression crossed my face after that. I turned and did my best not to trip over my silly dogs as I urged them home to the little house at the end of Cameron Turner’s driveway.
Cam and Harper sat out on the sweeping deck of the big house in front of mine, watching me as I came up the drive with my two crazy dogs.
“Hey Tuck!” Harper called, lifting a hand in the air.
“Dogs getting the hang of the leash yet?” Cameron asked, his grin telling me he already knew the answer.
“They’re free spirits,” I told him, bringing the dogs up onto the deck where they immediately began climbing over their mother and brother. Cam had rescued Matilda, the pups’ mom, a few months ago after she’d gotten into a tangle with a mountain lion while pregnant, and my dogs—and Harper’s pup, Sequoia—had all been the result of that. The others were scattered around the village and you could barely round the meadow any given night without having an impromptu Australian Shepherd reunion.
I let the leashes go after closing the gate on the deck and settled into one of the armchairs that had appeared out on the big deck after Harper and Cam had officially taken over the big house. When I’d first moved up here, I’d shared this house with Harper—we split the rent while Cam lived in the little house behind us. But now that Harper and Cam were engaged, they had moved into the bigger house, in preparation for kids, I guessed. I’d relocated to the little house once I’d decided to stay in Kings Grove.
“Vet says they need obedience training,” I sighed.
“Ohh, you saw Annie,” Harper cooed, grinning at me.
“Pipe down. Nothing going on there.” I looked away from them. Cam was studying me and I didn’t like the way his look said he was about to ask questions I didn’t want to answer.
“What’ve you got to lose, Tuck? Annie’s cute. And she’s single.” Harper’s eyebrow was raised and that sprite-like smile was playing at her lips.
“I’m not in the market,” I said. “These are my free and single years. I don’t need complications.”
“So have an uncomplicated fling,” Cam suggested. “It’s obvious you’re attracted to her, and I’m pretty sure it’s mutual.” He reached for Harper’s hand as he said that, and I watched as love radiated between them. I’d pushed him to be open to Harper, but this was different. This was me.