Page 37 of Between the Shady Groves
Because he couldn’t take off work.
“Sure. I actually wanted to go down to Blueberry Beach and grab a bag of dog food. She needs more balanced nutrition than what I have for her. It probably wouldn’t hurt for me to grab some groceries too.”
“If groceries mean that you’re going to be making more of your delicious baked goods, like your cheese bread yesterday, and your cinnamon rolls today, I am all about groceries.” He looked a little sheepish. “I hope those cinnamon rolls on the counter were for anyone to eat, because I just ate two. And George might have had one too.”
“Yeah. I actually thought you would prefer eggs, but I didn’t want to take you from your work.”
“You’re right. I would prefer eggs, but those cinnamon rolls will hold me over until we go to eat in an hour, if you’re sure that’s okay?”
“Yeah. It sounds great.”
Did she just agree to go on a date with her husband? Did the date include grocery shopping? She supposed that’s how a person knew they were married, when something like grocery shopping constituted a date.
“All right. I… I’m sorry again about the dog, but… I would feel safer if I was around if you’re going to try to pet it or anything.”
“I won’t try to pet it now. I’ll come in and tidy up a bit, and get ready to go. I’ll make a list of the things I need.”
“All right. We’ll plan to pull out in an hour, unless something comes up.” Her husband stopped as he held his hand on the door, getting ready to open it for her. “Never mind. We’ll get ready to go in an hour, no matter what comes up. How’s that?”
“If something comes up, it’s okay. I… I get it.”
“I guess I’m just not very good at this, but I want to try.”
“Okay.”
She wasn’t sure what he was trying or what his plans were. Maybe that was something they could talk about over brunch.
With that, he opened the door, and she walked in ahead of him.
Eighteen
Cannon opened the door of his truck, and his wife got in.
He was nervous, as nervous as though this were their first date.
He was tempted to run his sweaty hands down over his jeans, but he at least needed to wait until she got in the truck and then try to unobtrusively do that while he was walking around to get in the driver’s seat.
He had been nervous about asking her, and then he’d managed to go and screw everything up by scaring away the dog that she was trying to tame. But that dog looked all mangy and sick, and he really didn’t want his wife anywhere near it.
Not because he hated the dog, but because he didn’t want anything to happen to his wife.
Why was it so hard for her to understand?
Maybe he just needed to let go. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was his job to protect her and to see dangers that she didn’t.
While she saw things that would help make him more comfortable, like saving the last of the eggs for him or getting him the exact blanket that he needed to be completely comfortable for the night. Anythingheavier and he would have been too hot, anything lighter and he would have been too cold. It was perfect. And she knew it.
“I just want to apologize again about the dog,” he said after he had gotten in and started the engine and put his seat belt on.
“Don’t worry about it. She ended up coming back over and eating the food I left there, so she got what I wanted her to. I just…wanted to tame her down a little bit and have her trusting me so that when it comes time for her to have her babies, I can help her take care of them. There’s no shelter outside, and I’m pretty sure she used to be a house dog. She’s wearing a collar, but there’s no tag on it.”
“She might be microchipped.”
“Yeah. But I can’t tell, and I can’t get a hold of her either.”
“True.”
“I think the closest veterinarian is down in Blueberry Beach. We really could use one here in town.”
