I sighed. "Well, it is a dog shelter, so I guess I should talk about the dogs."
"Good. What do you want people to know?"
"I don’t know... maybe a story? Something that shows the impact?"
"Exactly. Is there one that sticks out?"
"Yeah. I’ve got one. It's perfect."
"Great. That’s two. Now we need one more."
"You’re right—everything is better in threes. Even jokes."
He chuckled. "You never hear, 'Four people walk into a bar.'"
I exhaled, feeling a little calmer. "I think I want the third part to focus on the people—the volunteers, the staff, even the kids who come in for our reading program. It’s a dog rescue, but sometimes... I think it rescues people, too."
Colton let go of my hand, but not before giving it one last squeeze. "You did it. You’ve got a great speech, Riley. I can’t wait to hear it."
I shook my head. "I’m glad you’re excited. I’m excited for it to be over."
We both laughed—and just like that, the panic didn’t feel quite so loud.
The rest of the day was a blur. Feeding schedules, a last-minute run to the groomer, and obsessively checking the weather. And underneath it all, Colton’s voice kept replaying in my head. That steady confidence he lent me when mine went AWOL. Maybe I could do this. Or at least survive it without throwing up.
***
Tonight is the night. I must either overcome my fear of public speaking or leave town and change my name.
I keep checking the clock like it might save me. Six minutes to go. Four. Two.
Colton and I had agreed we’d arrive together, so he’d offered to pick me up.
Just as the clock turned six, my doorbell rang.
When I opened it, he froze.
“Wow,” he said.
I’d gone with a midnight blue gown—one-shoulder, form-fitting, with a subtle shimmer that caught the light when I moved. My hair was down in soft waves, and I’d done just enough makeup to accent my eyes and lips. Not bad for a woman who usually spent her evenings in jeans and dog hair.
But then I looked at him.
Black tux. Crisp white shirt. No tie, just enough stubble to remind you he wasn’t entirely tame. It should’ve looked awkward. It didn’t.
“Wow,” I said back.
We stared at each other for a second too long.
“You clean up well,” I added.
“You look...” he stopped and smiled. “Incredible.”
He walked me to the car, opened the door, and held my hand as I sat down. It felt... like a date. Which it absolutely wasn’t. Except maybe it sort of was.
As we pulled into the Grand Atlantic Ballroom lot, the lights from the venue danced across the dashboard.
"Ready for this?" Colton asked.
