Page 7 of Only Ever You
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I have an issue with tachycardia,” she explained. “I take beta blockers for it. Been dealing with it my whole life. It’s not often that I forget something like that.” She glanced down at Fuzzy. “Your dog is an absolute sweetheart.” She nudged him with her foot, and he leaned over to nuzzle her calf.
I grinned. “He is the best boy. He seems to have decided he needs to stay close to you. I knew you made the donuts forFirehouse Cafe, but I had no idea you drove in at four in the morning to start.”
She shrugged. “I love to bake, and it works for me. I’m up early anyway.” Pausing, she glanced at her watch. “I’m going to need to get ready.” She looked down at her muddy clothes. “It’s been amorning,” she finally said, her tone dry.
“Well, you have a story,” I offered with a soft laugh.
Her responding giggle made my heartbeat kick a little faster. I finished off my coffee. “I’ll get going. Where should I put my coffee mug?”
“Just leave it in the sink.”
When I stood and walked over to the sink, Fuzzy didn’t move. I turned back and gestured for him. “Come on, Fuzzy.”
My dog looked up at Luna, as if trying to assess if it was safe for him to leave her side. After a few seconds, he reluctantly got up, heaving a dramatic sigh. “I’m pretty sure he’d prefer to stay with you.”
Luna smiled as she swept her hand down his back. “Well, anytime you need a dog babysitter, just ask me.”
“Be careful what you offer. I’m a hotshot firefighter. I fly out of town a lot,” I teased.
Her eyes widened. “I’m serious! I love dogs.”
“Well then, that’s always good to know. As it is, I board him at the local kennel, or I find a friend to take care of him.”
“Consider me your new kennel.” She paused, her teeth catching her bottom lip. “I mean, if you want.”
When I looked back at her, there were all kinds of things I wanted. Namely, to lace my fingers in her wild curls and kiss her. I kicked those thoughts to the curb. She’d just tripped and fallen in the forest after rescuing two moose calves and getting chased. The last thing she probably wanted was some guy kissing her.
With her cheeks pink and the smatter of freckles on her nose, it was difficult to keep my brain on track. “That’s good to know, and I know where to find you now.”
“You do. But I’m serious,” she said earnestly as she stood from the table and approached me. “Let me give you my number, so you have it. Are you on Leo’s crew?” At my nod, she continued, “I work with Casey, so she keeps me in the loop. Just text me, and Fuzzy can hang out here when you’re out of town. It’s perfect.” She looked down at my dog. “Right, Fuzzy?”
As if he understood, he let out a soft woof and head-butted her hard enough to knock her over. Fortunately, she was standing beside the kitchen counter and easily caught her balance.
I recited my number, and she tapped it into her phone. A moment later, my phone vibrated with a text.Luna Talton, dog sitter extraordinaire.
I shook my head as I laughed. “Fuzzy’s an easy dog, so anyone who knows him is usually willing to help, but it’s nice to know you’d like to take care of him.”
With that, I left, distracted enough by Luna that I never did finish the hike I’d planned with Fuzzy. A few hours later when I was driving through town, my hands turned my steering wheel into the parking lot at Firehouse Café without me even thinking about it. As I approached the door, a sense of anticipation thrummed inside. I wondered if I would see Luna.
As the bell jingled on the door and I walked inside, Luna glanced up from where she was holding a tray of donuts as she placed them in the display case. My heart started drumming, hard and fast, against my rib cage.
Chapter Five
LUNA
The next morning
“What do you think?” Casey spun to face me, her ponytail bouncing with the motion.
I took a swallow from the frothy coffee drink she had just made me. “Mmmm. It’s delicious. It’s the perfect blend of coffee with the sweetness of chocolate and fruit. Honestly, I was a little skeptical when you told me you were making this,” I told her.
“I hoped blackberry was subtle enough that it would give it a little zing.” She looked so satisfied with herself that I snorted a laugh.
I took another swallow, letting out a happy sigh as I slipped my hips onto a stool in the kitchen at Firehouse Café. This was one of my favorite places to be and maybe my favorite part of the day. It was early in the morning and the café wasn’t open yet. This is when Casey and I, and anyone else who happened to be here, could chat while I baked donuts and she got things ready for the front. Sometimes Janet James, the owner, joined us, but more often than not it was just Casey and me with Josie occasionally here.
“How’s Leo?” I asked when Casey sat down across from me at the wide table that ran through the center of the kitchen.
