Kiss Me in the Summer - Barbara Dunlop Page 0,33

there that would be helpful to my knowledge base.

“Not too long,” he said, exiting the vehicle.

I did the same, and he waited for me to make my way around the hood.

“Are we just saying ‘hi,’” I asked. “Or . . .”

“I thought you’d like to get a feel for the facilities.”

Facilities? I felt a wave of relief. I could look at facilities. Sure, no problem.

“That sounds like a good idea,” I said.

He pushed open the door, looking amused. “Glad to hear it.” Then he stood to one side and let me pass.

It was a tight squeeze. My shoulder brushed against his chest and it brought me to a stop. Oh, yeah, the feelings were still there all right. A fresh wave of longing swept through me.

His chest expanded, and our gazes met, his eyes soft on mine.

Then a dog barked, and I jumped at the sound.

Josh immediately moved, muttering, “Sorry.”

It took me a few seconds to firm up my knees. A musty smell hit me then, and I realized the big room was filled with pens. The pens were full of dogs. No less than two dozen sets of eyes were staring straight at me.

One dog barked three times then let out a growl. It was the Maltese. I met her dark eyes, and I could swear I detected disdain. I was beginning to think the breed had it in for me.

“There you are,” a cheerful female voice called out.

The woman, Victoria I presumed, appeared in the doorway. Short and very pretty, her plaid buttoned shirt was wet on the front. Her light brown hair was swept up in a casual bun with a few strands hanging loose around her face. She was drying her hands on a threadbare green towel.

“Pooh-Pooh, don’t be rude,” she said to the Maltese.

Pooh-Pooh turned away. It was hard to tell if she understood the words or just the tone.

“How’s it going?” Josh asked.

“Well, Mannie was a good boy, but Priscilla? I don’t know.” She came forward and gave Josh a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

I felt an instant shot of jealousy rush through me. I had no right to be jealous, but there it was.

“She’ll come around,” Josh said. “I brought Laila to meet you and see the place.”

Victoria beamed a smile at me and strode forward. With the towel in her left hand, she held out her right hand to shake mine.

I told myself her relationship with Josh was none of my business, and I smiled right back. “It’s nice to meet you,” I said.

“I hear you’re going to give us a hand.”

“I am. I’m not all that—”

“That’s fantastic news,” she said enthusiastically. “And I hear you’re stepping in for Becky too.” Her smile disappeared. “It’s going to be tough on her staying off her feet like that. But great news on the twins.” The smile was back. “I can’t remember the last time we had twins in Rutter’s Point.”

“Kevin and Kyle Rutter,” Josh said.

“Back in 1932,” Victoria said, as if that meant it didn’t count. To me she said, “Kevin was a banker. Kyle . . . well, I could tell you stories.”

“Rumors,” Josh interjected.

“Well-founded rumors. He was a philanderer and a cad. Had a long-term affair with Patsy Quentin and eventually broke up the family. I bet half the Quentin family are really Rutters by genetics. I keep wondering if one of them will do a DNA test and prove it.”

“And how would that help anything?” Josh asked.

“Better to know.”

My head was twisting back and forth between them.

“Nobody cares but you,” Josh said. “Cal Quentin moved away in 1955.”

“Because of the scandal,” Victoria said.

Josh’s phone pinged and he reached for it.

Victoria stage-whispered to me. “It was a really big deal way back when. I heard he had two daughters over in Chicago, but they’ve never been back to town.”

I had to admit I wasn’t sure if I’d come back to a small town like this if everyone knew or thought they knew my business.

“I’d love to meet them,” Victoria said. “New aunts or cousins or whatever would be great.”

Wait, cousins? Victoria was a Rutter too. That definitely put the cheek kiss in a different perspective. That is if I was understanding it right.

“Gotta go,” Josh said to us both. “Tina Harris’s cat is having trouble breathing.”

“I’ll take good care of Laila,” Victoria said.

I saw this as a graceful exit. “Oh, that’s all right. I’ll just—”

“Don’t be silly,” she said. “No need to interrupt your tour.”

“I’ll catch up later,” Josh