Page 27 of The Match

“But Sam is.” Her words feel like a hammer to my chest. “She and Daisy are doing great together. Trust Daisy to do her job. She’s going to take care of Sam if she has a seizure, and she’ll alert Jenna’s parents, and they can call you.” I don’t respond right away, so Evie reaches out and lays her hand across my forearm that has been draped over the back of the swing. “You can’t keep her in your pocket forever, Jake. Just because your daughter has epilepsy, it doesn’t mean that she has to be treated like a toddler for the rest of her life. She’s going to need to grow up and learn to live with her disability. Trust me.”

I do trust her. Or at least . . . I’m starting to.

I puff out a breath, trying for once not to overthink anything. “All right. I’ll let her go.”

There’s relief in her eyes as she squeezes my arm. I swear I’m going to lean across the swing and kiss her. I have to. Every inch of me is aching for it.

Honk. Honk.

Evie and I both jump, and she pulls away, springing to her feet and grabbing the dogs’ leashes like we were just caught after curfew doing something we shouldn’t. I wonder if she could read my thoughts a moment ago, because she seems suddenly reluctant to meet my eyes. Would she hate a kiss from me?

Get it together, Jake. You can’t kiss her! You’re not ready for this, remember?

“I think you’re making the right decision about the party,” Evie says as she’s running down the porch stairs in a full gallop. “I’ll see ya tomorrow!”

I’m watching her leave my house, and I hate it. I want her to stay—and that realization freaks me out. But just before she gets in the Uber a thought hits me, and I call out to her. “Evie, wait.”

Charlie and Daisy jump in the back seat, and Evie pauses to look at me before getting in. “That’s what Sam was trying to get you to ask me earlier, wasn’t it? When she pushed you into the kitchen? She wanted you to ask me about the slumber party, but you knew I’d say no, so you covered by inviting yourself for dinner.” I state this like I’m at a murder-mystery dinner and I’ve just solved the case.

A smile grows on her lips, confirming that she threw herself under the bus to protect my daughter’s chances of happiness. “Night, Jake.”

“Good night, Evie.”

Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

CHAPTER 12

Training Camp Day 3

JAKE: Thanks for braiding Sam’s hair tonight before you left. I can never get it right.

EVIE: Not a problem. I love braiding. Maybe I’ll quit the service dog business and go to hair school.

JAKE: Can you wait to do that until after you’ve finished working with Sam and Daisy?

EVIE: Bossy much? But okay. We only have two days left anyway.

JAKE: Yeah . . . two days.

Training Camp Day 4

EVIE: Dinner was great. Thanks again for inviting me to stay. I swear I really do have food at my apartment.

JAKE: It was nothing. Made sense for you to stay since training went late.

EVIE: Which makes it even nicer of you to offer.

JAKE: Stop it. You’re making me blush.

EVIE: I don’t believe it. I need photographic evidence.

JAKE: Are you trying to get me to send nudes?

EVIE: What? NO. Now I’m blushing.

JAKE: I need photographic evidence.

EVIE: . . .

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