Page 126 of The Guy Who Fake Dated Me

Sky followed, but for a moment, I stayed rooted in place.

What if she didn’t want me here? I was intruding on the time she’d asked for.

“Relax.” Kyle came back to me. “I think she’s ready.”

While Kyle hadn’t told me everything that Victoria had been going through, he had reassured me that most of it wasn’t related to me specifically but to Victoria putting so much pressure on herself that it would crush any sane person.

I took a breath and nodded. “Okay.”

Sky eagerly trailed behind Kyle, which ended up dragging me along for the ride. He’d been cramped in kennels for most of the trip and was anxious to move.

We didn’t have an official dog park in Big Bear because people just brought their dogs almost everywhere, and most of the citizens were fine with it. This place teemed with owners and pets alike. Dogs varied from teacup poodles to Great Danes and everything in between. Some played, some walked along the track with their owners, and others simply lay on the grass looking thrilled to be outside.

“She’s right over there.” Kyle pointed.

I followed the gesture, and when I spotted Victoria, everything around me stopped.

She’d dressed in bright pink jogger pants and a V-neck gray shirt under a pink jacket. Her hair was up in a ponytail. I noticed her hands were clasped together tightly, and she was looking around as if daring anyone or anything to approach.

“You left her alone?” I asked.

“Brooke and William are close by.” Kyle waved a hand. “They’re watching her.”

Sure enough, William and a pit bull were standing next to a cute brunette with a chocolate lab. Neither looked thrilled. William happened to look up and see me. He nodded, and if I wasn’t mistaken, he also gave me a small smile.

Kyle slapped me on the back. “She’s all yours. We’ll be over here if you need us.” With a jerk of his head, he was gone.

Sky, who had been looking around, had zeroed in on Victoria.

“You know her?” I asked.

He whined a yes.

Part of me wanted to walk away. Wait for her to tell me when she was ready, but we’d come all this way. If Kyle was wrong and Victoria was still petrified of dogs, then this was going to blow up in my face. However, the fact that she was sitting here was a huge step forward.

It made me love her all the more.

Sky tugged on the leash, and I laughed. “Okay, boy, we’ll go see her.”

If I couldn’t trust my dog, who could I trust?

Then I had a crazy, horrible idea.

What if I let Sky say hello first? He’d honestly loved her the moment he’d met her, and I could tell he was ready to see her. So I knelt down and looked him in the face. “Be. Nice.”

He blinked.

I unlatched his leash and pointed at Victoria. “Soft.”

Sky gave me a snort, then trotted off.

He came at her from the side. I got closer, just in case he decided to jump up and lick her. He rarely did that anymore, but who knew what a dog with jetlag might do?

When Victoria noticed Sky standing beside the bench, she jerked, then went perfectly still. Sky was shaking in anticipation of her greeting, his nose twitching as he sniffed at her.

She said something, and he moved his head closer, ready for her to pet him.

Because everyone wanted to pet him. Obviously.

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