Page 7 of My Accidental Holidate

Chase follows slowly, leaning against the doorjamb once we got to my office. He smirks and whistles sharply between his teeth. Seconds later, Hercules appears at his side and sits obediently. Waiting for orders while wagging his tale. One command from Chase and the German Shepard would protect anything and everything. Instead though, Chase releases Hercules and he wags his way over to me, nosing my legs in way of greeting. I discard my keys, wallet, and phone before returning the greeting with a long scratch behind the ears.

“As long as you’re here, you can help me. I tried giving Mister Muffins his antibiotics, but he’s feeling a bit cranky that we took his balls. Little fella nearly took mine,” Chase says, a wince crossing his face.

“Yeah, sure. No problem,” I say, giving Hercules one last scritch. My phone lights up with a notification, catching my attention. “Give me a minute though.”

“Take your time. I’ve got a snake with respiratory issues in need of fluids,” he says pushing away from the door and leaving, Hercules close on his heels.

I drop into the chair and reach for the phone. A grin splits my face seeing Lucy’s name on the screen and I quickly navigate to the message.

Lucy: Thanks for the ride. Hope you get home safe.

I quickly type out a response.

Kurt: You’re more than welcome. Safe at the clinic.

Lucy: Working at this hour?!

Kurt: Dr. Chase needed some help. Heading home soon.

Lucy: Ah, well I’m going to bed.

I’m about to respond when I see the typing bubble and wait anxiously for her message to come through.

Lucy: Good night, future husband. XOXO ;-)

My heart burns in my chest. For some reason, there’s hope that I’ve never had.

Before I can stop myself, I quickly shoot back a response.

Kurt: Sweet dreams, future wife. Dream of me.

I set the phone down, leaning back in the chair to stare up at the ceiling. I know there’s a stupid crazy grin plastered across my face, but I don’t care.

I stuff my emotions back down and sit up, finding Hercules sitting in the doorway looking at me with his head cocked to one side. “I’m coming, you didn’t have to sit there and judge me. Do you think your human will cover me Saturday?” I ask the dog hopefully, but he just huffs and walks away.

If a dog could roll his eyes, he just did.

“Well shit,” I say but follow him down the hall, prepared to agree to any of Chase’s requests.

This woman is worth going through hell for. I just know it.

4

Lucy

I stand on my tiptoes, reaching for a box on the top shelf when the bell above the door signals someone’s arrival. I pause momentarily, listening for Rosie to welcome them, then proceed to brush my fingertips against the bottom of the box, willing it to move.

Finally, it tips into my waiting hands, and I make my way up front with the order.

“Lucy will be with you in a moment, she just went back to get your invitations,” Rosie says as I walk into the bay.

Taking that as my cue, I walk toward them. “Good morning, ladies, are you here for the Reynolds’s invitations?”

I stop in my tracks, surprised to see Kurt’s mother and grandmother standing in my shop. From the look on their faces, they weren’t expecting to run into me either. I set the invitations on the counter and make my way over to them.

“Oh, look at that. It’s our sweet Lucy,” Kurt’s grandma says, pulling me to her side and patting my arm affectionately.

“Hi Stella,” I reply, placing a hand over hers and rubbing my thumb back and forth. “Hello Beth, are you two out enjoying the morning?”

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