Page 57 of No More Heartbreakers

He nodded toward the dark main house. “Come on, let’s go around back.”

Aric led me to the rear of the house where a large stone patio overlooked one of the golf course’s fairways. Thor followed him at first then streaked past his master as he spotted a squirrel near the base of one of the tall pine trees in the yard.

Inviting me to sit on a padded chaise lounge near the patio’s center fire pit, he chose a few logs from a wood bin. He tossed them into the pit on top of some charred wood from a previous fire then added some small pieces of kindling and lit a match.

“So, how do you know the Deerings?” I watched him blow and poke at the blossoming flames.

“I didn’t know them before I got here. They’re friends of the Pattersons. When I talked to Janet about taking the job, I told her about Thor. I was worried about having him in an apartment, and I didn’t know what to do. I adopted him from a shelter—it took him forever to trust me—I wasn’t going to abandon him, you know?”

A lump formed in my throat. I had to swallow it before answering. “You’re lucky to have found such a great place for him.”

“I really am. Mr. and Mrs. Deering love dogs. Theirs died a few months ago, and they’re planning to get a puppy, but they wanted to wait until they got back from Europe. That’s where they are now—a month-long trip for their fortieth anniversary. I think that’s another reason they were looking to take on a renter—so somebody would be around the house when they were gone. They like to travel.”

“Perfect.”

I meant his living arrangements, but as I watched him squatting by the fire, adding small pieces of wood, the description fit Aric as well. The firelight turned his hair into bright gold, the smooth skin of his face and forearms glowing as he worked.

When he glanced up at me and smiled, a heat that did not come from the fire pit curled low in my belly.

Help.

Aric stood and brushed bark and splinters from his jeans. He turned his head, obviously searching for Thor.

“He’s right over there.” I pointed at the shadow of his dog sniffing through the pine straw at the border of the yard. “Are you worried he’ll run off?”

“No. He likes to stay pretty close to me,” Aric said.

Smart dog.“So… here we are.”

“Yes. Here we are. We can finally talk. Would you like something to drink first? Water? Beer? Wine?”

“You have wine?” A drink sounded like the perfect thing to get me through this conversation… and delay it a few more minutes.

He smiled. “I’ll be right back. Don’t be afraid of the dark—Thor will take care of you.”

I glanced over at the dog who was attempting to climb a tree in pursuit of the elusive squirrel. His paws scratched at the pine bark as he whined in frustration.

After a few minutes, Aric reappeared with a blanket draped over one arm, carrying a wine bottle and two glasses.

“Hope you like Chardonnay. It’s all I had.” He set the bottle down, handed me the glasses, then opened up the blanket and draped it over my shoulders.

“Thanks. I do. I’m impressed you had more than a couple of Buds in your fridge.”

“Oh, well. I grew up too close to California wine country not to like wine. And my mom and my step-dad like to go to tastings and bring new ones home to try. I’ve picked up a few things.”

He filled our glasses and set the bottle down behind us, away from the fire. He held his glass up, the golden liquid gleaming in the glow of the fire.

“Cheers. To a great day and successful partnership.”

Our glasses clinked, and I took a sip of the sweet, oaky wine. It was delicious. Its fragrance mixed with the wood smoke and the pine-scented outdoor air.

The scents, the taste, the crackle of the fire pit, the soft texture of the blanket around me—all of it tempted me to relax and enjoy myself.

But I couldn’t allow that. This wasn’t a date.

Already I feared I’d made a mistake by agreeing to the wine or even to coming here. I should have insisted we talk at the station.

“So,” Aric began, “…you kissed me today.”

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