Page 70 of The Wedding Hoax

My words were cut off by a frisbee zipping right between us.

“Hey! My frisbee!” a young kid called out.

“My dog! Oh my God! He just got away from me!” an older woman called out, too.

“Dog?” It was the last thing I said before a golden retriever bounded right past us, too. Quickly putting two and two together, I realized that the dog and the frisbee were unrelated. The owner of the dog hadn’t thrown the frisbee but the dog had chased after it, anyway.

And now, the dog was almost halfway across the park.

“Be right back!” I jumped into action, chasing after the stranger’s dog. I’d noticed it had a leash still attached to it, so it shouldn’t have been too hard to grab on to him.

As I ran across the park, I noticed that someone was running right next to me, keeping up with my every step.

Harry.

“Are we seriously chasing after a dog right now?” he asked, his legs still pumping. “I feel like we’re in some kind of movie.”

“Someone’s gotta do it!” I let out a breezy laugh as we continued to run. “Come on! We almost got him!”

A few moments later, the dog’s leash was within my grasp. My fingers wrapped around the blue fabric just as the dog pulled the frisbee into his mouth. Before I knew it, the dog was headed back in the opposite direction, moving so fast that I could barely keep up with him.

“Harry!” I yelled out for help, my feet struggling to stay on the ground. “Help!”

“I’ve got it! I’ve got you!” Harry said as he tried to take the leash out of my hand. Unfortunately, his attempt to free me only made things worse as the fabric soon wrapped his wrist. We were both trapped now, helplessly chasing behind a dog who was taking us wherever he wanted to go.

“Stay, boy! Stay!” I tried and failed to instruct the golden retriever. “Uh, heel? Heel!”

The dog ignored me as it took a sharp turn. Its movements freed us from its leash, and I watched as it ran back up to its owner with the frisbee still in its mouth. Although, in that same moment, it felt like I was falling—

Probably because I was falling—

And a second or two later, I was lying on top of Harry, who’d also fallen to the ground after the dog had unintentionally set us free. We locked eyes for a moment before bursting into a shared laugh as we rested on the grass.

“I cannot believe that just happened,” I said, still laughing.

“No good deed goes unpunished.” Harry was still laughing, too. He smiled up at me as he brought a hand up to the side of my face. “You look beautiful, you know. Even when you’re being dragged to within an inch of your life by a dog.”

“I think that’s the most bizarre compliment I’ve ever gotten in my life.” I smirked. “But thank you. You didn’t look too bad yourself.”

Harry chuckled before he brought my head down toward his own, gently kissing me for the second time today. And just like the first time, my heart warmed at the feeling of his lips against mine.

* * *

“Did you actually make these sandwiches?” I said as I finished up my lunch. We were still sitting in the park as a calm breeze washed over our skin. “Not that I’m questioning your abilities in the kitchen—”

“You just didn’t think I had any abilities in the kitchen?” Harry grinned. “You wouldn’t be wrong. For the most part. I tend to order out or have food catered because it’s more convenient. But I know my way around a slice of bread and some choice condiments.”

“I believe you.” I looked up at my mom, eyeing the rest of her meal. She only had a few bites left to go. “Mom? Do you like your lunch?”

“Yes. It’s delicious. Thank you, Harry.” My mom wistfully sighed. “I haven’t had a picnic in such a long time. Not since Simi’s dad was still with us.”

“Is anyone feeling ice cream?” Harry looked between my mom and me. “I think they also have churros, if that’s more your speed.”

“Ice cream!” Mom and I answered in unison.

“Chocolate? Vanilla? Strawberry?”

“Surprise us,” Mom said, and I nodded.

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