Page 47 of Years in the Making

I watch Marley fidget next to me. Her fingers tapping nervously on her thighs as she peeks over her shoulder at Pip, her Syrian rescue pup. The fact she brought a dog home with her was all Izzy and I needed to confirm how she had really felt about leaving Bennett’s.

Three cars sit in Bennett’s driveway, and I see Marley tense. He’d always been alone so I can practically see the scenarios that are playing out in her mind:there’s another woman here; he’s moved on.

“You good?” I ask as I put the car into park.

“Yeah, it’s just real now. Just… give me a minute.”

We sit there for a few moments, and I watch her hype herself up out of the corner of my eye.

“Okay,” she breathes out, slowly wrapping her scarf around her neck and slipping her gloves on. “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it, but for your sake, I’ll say it. Good luck, Marley.” She offers a tight smile in response and peeks once more back at Pip before sliding out of the car to follow the single set of footprints that lead to the barn.

A little while later I see her exit the barn and head towards the forest. Bennett must be out with the dogs on a pack walk. It seems fitting that’s what he was doing when he found her and now she’s off to find him.

“What do you think, Pips McGee?” I say, looking back to the tan and black puppy sitting with his little nose pressed to the window. “Should we go into the nice warm barn to wait for the two lovebirds?”

I’m greeted just inside the door by a woman with wild red hair, or rather Pip is greeted by her; I’m just an afterthought. I get it, though; Pip is adorable.

“Well, aren’t you the sweetest creature on the planet,” the woman coos at the squirmy pup.

“This is Pip. He’s—ugh, the woman who was just in here, Marley, he’s her dog,” I stammer as I’m divested of Pip.

“Hi Pip! I’m Cass,” she enthusiastically introduces herself, dropping to the ground to play with him. “If you’re waiting for Marley, I don’t think you’ll be needed.” She smiles up at me. “Bennett has been counting down to today, even if he won’t admit it.”

“Yeah, I had a feeling that would be the case. I tried to tell her, but I think she’s still struggling with the fact that someone may care about her the same way she cares about them.”

A door closes nearby, and as I turn toward the sound I hear a sharp intake of breath. Pale blue eyes greet me, and I feel all the air sucked from my body.

”Nellie?”

Holy shit.

Teddy.

He’s different then he was the last time I saw him. His wavy dark hair is longer, and his beard is thicker than any of the scruff I’d ever seen in our early twenties. Twenty-two-year-old Teddy had been long and lean, but thirty-four-year-old Teddy fills out a shirt the way the old version never could.

It’s those damn eyes, though. The pale blue flash of recognition as my name leaves his lips, the way he looks like he’s seeing a ghost, and then how that look quickly turns to nervous joy. I briefly glance down to see that Cass has disappeared with Pip before looking back up at him.

“Teddy?” I barely get it out, as if saying it will cause him to disappear again.

He nods absently, and I feel the shock and attraction start to give way to the pain I’d felt for so long after he’d sent that last message.

A slow smile starts to form on his face, his hand going to rub the back of his neck. “Hey, Nellie.”

How fucking dare he flash that crooked grin at me? How dare my eyes go straight to those teeth that fascinated me so long ago? How dare he be here at all?

It takes me a few tries before the words actually leave my mouth. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here,” he says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“How— Of all the places you could work— How the hell are you here right now?” I’m barely keeping it together. Part of me wants to sink into the floor while another part wants to run back to my car, go home and forget any of this happened.

“Can we talk?” he asks, taking a tiny step toward me.

“Nowyou want to talk?” I spit, stepping back to keep the distance between us in place.

“I think I owe you an explanation.”

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