Page 36 of Call it Fate

I felt a flush spread across my cheeks, pleased with his compliment more than most other folks’. “Thank you. It’s been in my family for generations. It was the first large house built here, and the rest of Main Street kind of grew up around it since it was close to the original mill that dates back to the turn of the nineteenth century. Hence the name of the town.”

“So, why the unusual name for the business?”

I chuckled. “It refers to the original architectural style of the house. It started as two small buildings, one for the kitchen and eating area, the other for living and sleeping. They were connected by a large, open hallway which took advantage of cross breezes and made it the coolest spot in the house, basically where the family dog was most likely to hang out, hence the name. Pretty smart in a time when there was no air conditioning. As my ancestors became more settled and prosperous, they took one of the sides and rebuilt it into the house you see today, and the remaining small side was used for storage.

“When one of my great grandfathers died in the First World War, his widow needed a way to make money, so she started renting rooms. Her son didn’t like her living around strange men passing through, so he turned the storage rooms back into a small living area for her. Both upgrades kept the breezeway, so it’s like a modified arrangement of the original concept. Folks just started referring to it as The Dogtrot, and I guess the name stuck. I thought about changing it when I took over here, but it’s too much a part of my family history as well as that of the town, so I ended up keeping it.”

“That’s fascinating.” He said it in a way I knew he wasn’t just saying it for politeness’ sake.

“I’m done,” Iain announced as he skipped into the kitchen.

“Did you finish?”

“Yep! Are you done bein’ a grump, Mom?”

“I guess I am now.”

“Good. ‘Cause you owe me a happy.”

I caught Zach’s wink at him, and I felt another tug at my heart. “Fine. I’m happy that someone else got to help you with your homework.”

My answer earned the mother of all eye rolls. “That’s so lame.”

“We don’t get to judge what makes us happy,” I said, feigning indignation.

“Fiiine.” He looked at Zach who nodded back. What was up with that? “What happens when it rains cats and dogs?”

I put my finger to my lips and cocked my head for a few seconds. “I don’t know. What?”

“You step in a poodle!” He laughed and laughed. “Get it? A poodle instead of a puddle?”

I snorted. “I got it.”

And I got that it was Zach who brought all my previous stress to a laughable moment now.

The light that was back in his eyes reminded me so much of the first time I saw him, and he tried to talk me into having a date with him after his dog, Milo, bowled me over where I was sitting at the park. I was powerless to resist him, and if I wasn’t careful, I was going to get sucked right back into those old feelings. But I couldn’t see any good coming from that now.

“Now can we go out and build snowmen?”

Iain’s words pulled me from my moment of reflection. “After you eat.” I slid his peanut and butter jelly to his traditional spot, where he chowed down with a grin, making his dad chuckle.

“I take it you like peanut butter sandwiches.”

“Yup. But mostly with strawberry jam.”

“That’s my favorite, too.”

“Really? Mom likes blackberry. Blech. What’s your favorite food? Mine’s cheeseburgers.”

Zach appeared to think hard. “I’m not too picky, but cheeseburgers are one of my favorites, too.”

“With fries?”

“Of course, but I like ranch dressing with mine instead of ketchup.”

Iain’s face broke out into a huge smile. “Me, too!” He high-fived Zach across the table. “Mom, can we have burgers for dinner tonight? We can invite Zach since he likes it, too.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Zach’s words didn’t match the hope that brightened his expression.

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