Page 33 of Since the Day We Kissed

“Checking in on you. Thought you could use a pick-me-up,” she said, raising her voice over the chorus of excited barks as she set the doughnuts on a nearby shelf. “After yesterday’s event, no adoptions, and then running into—”

“Ethan,” Kara finished, her voice barely above a whisper, drowned out by the barks.

Emma studied Kara’s face, waiting for the furry residents to calm back down. Finally, she asked, “How are you holding up?”

Kara leaned on her mop. “I—it’s hard to process, you know? Twenty-two years, and then bam! He’s right there in front of me.”

“I can only imagine. Here, let me help.” Emma gently pried the mop from Kara’s hands. “You look exhausted.”

“Been here since five,” Kara admitted, rubbing her forehead. As Emma started cleaning, Kara let out a long breath, the words catching in her throat. “Em, I’ve been thinking, maybe it’s time.”

Emma paused mid-mop. “Time for?”

“To tell Charlotte about—you know. Everything.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “Whoa. You sure?”

Kara ran a hand through her hair. “Yesterday, seeing them together—and then her trying to get him to volunteer here. Em, she has no clue.”

Emma winced. “Yeah, I noticed. And Ada didn’t exactly help.”

“Exactly.” Kara sighed. “Besides, I can’t keep this secret forever. She deserves to know.”

Emma leaned on the mop. “Any idea how she might react?”

“No idea. To be honest, it scares me.” She met Emma’s eyes. “I’m just—” Kara shook her head. “I’m so grateful to have you, Em. Thanks for being my secret-keeper all this time.”

Emma smiled. “Hey, that’s what I’m here for.” She nodded toward the doughnuts. “Now go on, take a break. We can talk more about it after you have a doughnut. I may have sampled one ... or two on the drive over.” She shooed Kara away. “Go on, I’ll finish up here.”

“Okay, but only a quick one,” Kara conceded, heading for the door. “I’ll be right back.”

Kara picked up a doughnut before stepping out the side door of the kennels. The crisp morning air filled her lungs as she leaned on the wall, taking a moment to appreciate the quiet. She examined the doughnut in her hand—a classic glazed with a drizzle of chocolate. As she bit into it, the sweet, pillowy softness melted on her tongue.

Kara closed her eyes, savoring the simple pleasure.

As she was about to take another bite, the rumble of an approaching engine caught her attention. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw a familiar blue Chevy pulling into the parking lot. She nearly choked on her doughnut before dropping what remained of it.

Heart racing, Kara quickly stepped back inside. As the door slammed behind her, barks erupted from the kennels.

Emma paused her mopping, yelling above the startled barks and yips, “Well, that was fast. How was the—”

“Em,” Kara’s voice shook. “Ethan’s here. His truck just pulled up outside.”

“What? Are you sure?” Emma set the mop aside.

Kara’s gaze darted between Emma and the door. “Positive.” Her pulse pounded in her ears, every second feeling like a countdown to disaster. “What do I do?”

“Say hey? Maybe he’s signing up to volunteer.”

Kara squeezed her eyes shut, her breath quickening.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. “Do you really not want to see him?” asked Emma.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Kara sighed. “I wasn’t expecting him to come back so soon.”

“Well, I can go out there and greet him. And you can stay back here. But you have to face the fact, Kara, you need help, whoever can help.”

Emma’s words triggered a flood of memories, transporting her back through time. The surrounding kennels began to fade, replaced by a different scene from her past ...

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