No problem. Remember, stick close to the house today. No exploring the barn.
I frowned at my phone. That was exactly what I’d planned to do after I got home.
Lawson
Promise me. I’ll check it out with you tonight, and you can tell me what you’re thinking.
Damn him, knowing exactly what I was planning.
Me
I promise.
“Hallie, right?” a sugary-sweet voice asked.
I looked up to see the woman I’d met the first day of drop-off. “Katelyn?”
She smiled, swinging the bag in her hands, but it was all sorts of fake. “That’s right. How are you settling in?”
“Well. Thank you.”
Katelyn’s gaze dipped to my basket. “Having a party?”
“Drew’s birthday,” I explained. “Just getting some decorations.”
Her mouth thinned. “Law plans his boys’ birthday parties. He always has.”
Oh, hell. I did not want this to turn into some weird sort of pissing contest. “He’s got a few cases on his plate right now, so I’m just helping out.”
Katelyn forced a smile to her lips. “That poor man. I was just going to head over to The Brew to get him something. He never eats properly when he’s working so hard.”
My stomach twisted in a vicious squeeze. The urge to pop her one in her perfect nose was almost too much to take. That wasn’t me. I didn’t get jealous or possessive. I was the one who couldn’t care less about any man unless it was to make sure he kept his distance.
But I did care about Lawson. Wanted to claim him as mine for the entire world to see. Only I wasn’t sure he felt the same. Attraction? Sure. But being willing to reach for more? He might have too much past hurt.
As if she smelled blood in the water, Katelyn’s grin widened. “Don’t get too used to playing house up there. You’re not their mother, and you’re not Law’s wife. The truth is, he won’t need your help for long.”
She tossed her honey-blond hair over her shoulder and sashayed out the door.
I stared after her, my insides wringing themselves out like a wet towel. It wasn’t that I thought Law would jump at her offer; his waters ran deeper than that. But theplaying houseremark landed. Hit harder than I wanted to admit.
Because daydreams were all I’d allowed myself to have for so long, maybe I’d let them go too far. Maybe I was seeing the glimmer ofmorewith Lawson because I wanted it so badly.
I forced those thoughts out of my head, quickly filling my basket and paying at the counter. I dropped the bags in the SUV and rounded the corner to the Cedar Ridge Veterinary Clinic. A bell jingled as I walked inside, and a full-faced woman grinned warmly at me.
“Hello, how can I help you today?”
I answered her smile the best I could. “I wanted to see if I could talk to someone about the litter of puppies.”
The woman clasped her hands together. “Wonderful! They’re snoozing right back here.”
I couldn’t help but peek over the reception wall. The second I did, my heart completely melted. The little balls of fur were a mix of grayish tan and black and were currently snoozing in a puppy pile.
“Want to come back and take a peek?” The woman held a swinging gate for me.
“Thank you.” I crossed behind the desk and crouched low. The second one of the puppies scented me, he lifted his head and sniffed the air. Letting out a little yip, he hurled himself at me.
I caught the little guy and gently cradled him to my chest. He rewarded me with a bite to the chin. I couldn’t help it, I laughed.
