“I hope you and everyone else finds a home tomorrow,” she said to Rascal. “Then we wouldn’t have to worry about what the benefactor says about our requests.”
That was Lori’s word. Requests. Dakota preferred demands. She also wondered who the benefactor might be, but since that person was going through an attorney, they might never find out.
Rascal barked.
She looked at the dog. “You agree with me.”
“Of course he does.”
Dakota spun. “Bryce?”
He wore navy slacks, a blue-and-green striped shirt, and a forest green quilted coat. Her pulse kicked up a notch.
He had city slicker written all over his clean-shaven face, but the style fit him, even though she’d love to see him wearing a pair of faded jeans, a button-down western shirt, scuffed boots, and a cowboy hat. Though, she had to admit, either way he looked nice. Okay, yummy.
“If anyone can pull this off, it’s you.”
His words gave her a confidence boost. She pushed her shoulders back. “Thanks.”
Bryce walked toward her with the ease of an athlete. He must run or work out.
Maybe she’d been too quick to discount city guys. He wasn’t one of those sit-behind-a-desk types. He worked with his hands and wasn’t afraid to get dirty. Other than his clothes, he could hold his own against a few cowboys. Still, he would look hot in a hat.
His intense gaze made her feel like the only remaining box of truffles in the shop on Valentine’s Day.
Her heart rate accelerated and caught up to her speeding pulse. She cleared her dry throat. “What are you doing here?”
“My father’s playing bridge with three friends, and he sent me here to buy a pair of socks.”
That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting. “Socks?”
“I see now it was an excuse.”
“To get you out of the house so he could play cards?”
“To get me here.”
Tim sold clothing, gardening items, and other things besides animal feed and pet supplies, but a store like this was last place a guy like Bryce would shop. “Why?”
A wry grin formed. “Because you’re here.”
“Me?”
“It appears matchmaking, not cards, is my father’s new hobby.”
“Oh, no.” Her cheeks burned. “I guess that explains why he’s been pushing you to help with the animal rescue.”
“And buying chocolate every day.”
“Before your dad broke his legs, he stopped by the shop almost every day.”
“He didn’t ask me to go today. It’s your day off, right?”
Oh, Walt. She rubbed her neck. He was one of her closest friends, but what was he thinking? “Yes. I only work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.”
“Those are the days he’s sent me to the chocolate shop. He’s matchmaking.”
Bryce’s grin reached his eyes and made her legs wobble. She steadied herself against the table. No man had the right to be that good looking. And why wasn’t he upset at his father’s antics? If anything, Bryce appeared amused, not angry.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Not your fault. This is all on my dad.” Bryce came closer.
She caught a whiff of him. Not aftershave, but soap again—masculine with a touch of spice, maybe mint. She liked the way he smelled. A little too much.
Dakota took a step back. “You’d better buy those socks so he doesn’t know you’re onto him.”
“I will, but, at some point, I’m going to tell him he’s been busted.”
She couldn’t tell if Bryce thought this was funny or not. She imagined he’d be more than a little annoyed at his father. “Your dad only has your best interests at heart.”
“And yours.” Bryce half-laughed. “For all I know, he and his card-playing cronies are all in this together.”
The thought made her cringe. “I sure hope not.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure this stops.”
“Be nice about it.”
“I’m always nice.”
“Not always.” At least, he hadn’t been with her at first. “But you apologized for that.”
“You’re right. I’ll make a conscious effort with my dad. Okay?”
She nodded.
Bryce looked around. “What are you doing?”
“Setting up for this weekend’s adoption drive.”
“You said you had volunteers to help.”
“This is a last-minute event. People will be here Saturday and Sunday, but today was too short of notice.”
He slipped off his jacket. “I’ll help.”
Bryce had helped the night of the water damage and with the revised proposal because of his dad. Walt might have sent Bryce here this afternoon, but he was offering to help on his own. She appreciated that. It endeared him to her all the more, but she wasn’t sure what to say.
“You’ll ruin your nice clothes moving stuff around.”
“I’ll take my chances.” He placed his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest like a superhero. “Besides, moving stuff around is one of my specialties.”
Dakota didn’t want to be charmed, but a smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. The smartest move would be to tell Bryce that she had this under control, which she did. Still, a part of her wanted him to stay. She could use an extra set of hands. She also liked spending time with him. “Are you sure?”
Rascal barked as if answering for Bryce.
“Positive,” he said.
“O-kay.” She blew out a breath and pointed to where she envisioned things going. Thank goodness Tim allowed them to set-up today or tomorrow they’d have to arrive before sunrise. “We need to set up a row of tables and then cover them with the Thanksgiving-themed tablecloths I bought in Bozeman at the dollar store this morning.”
He grabbed one of the tables, unfolded it, and fastened the legs. “You get around.”
“Some days more than others.”
She’d not only gone to shop, but also to visit Maverick, as she’d promised him, and ask—okay, beg—for Janie O’Brien’s help finding adopters. Of course, her aunt’s longtime animal rescue friend, and now Dakota’s friend, had agreed.
She motioned to the dogs. “Today, I had company. They like car rides.”
Bryce glanced at the crates. “Where’s Pierre?”
“He’s not a fan of car rides.” She lifted a table. Bryce took it out of her hands. She gave him a look. “I’m the one who usually does this. Sometimes on my own.”
“I know, but since I’m here, how about I set up the tables and you cover them?”
Arguing would only waste time. The dogs would want out of the crates soon. Well, Rascal. Scout was asleep. “I can do that.”
She unwrapped the plastic from the table coverings.
Bryce lifted a table as if it weighed nothing. She struggled when doing the setup on her own. One by one, he unfolded and put them into place.
She carried over the table coverings. “You’re fast.”
“With things like this, yes. With other things, I like to take my time.”
Her temperature spiked. She wanted to know what other things, and if the playful and sexy images forming in her mind were what he meant. She clamped down her thoughts and focused on the task at hand.
She covered the first table.
“The tables are set up. I’ll help you.” He reached for one of the tablecloths, and his hand brushed hers.
No spark, but heat pulsed at the point of contact.
She took a step back and bumped into him.
His hands went around her waist to steady her. Large, warm hands. Ones that felt good on her.
What was she thinking? He was trying to help her, not make a move. Heat rushed up her neck.
He let go of her, and she wished he hadn’t. She liked him touching her. And that was a problem.
“Sorry.” The word shot out of her mouth. She needed to say something. “I didn’t see you.”
“I’ll be more careful.”
A lot more careful when he was around.
“Me, too.”
She went back to covering the tables, and so did he.
Less than an hour later, they were ready for the animals and volunteers to arrive in the morning.
“That was fast.” With a mixture of relief and surprise, Dakota stared at the tables and the open space where the dogs would meet and greet potential adopters. “This usually takes me at least two hours to do on my own.”
A satisfied grin formed on Bryce’s face. “We work well together.”
She’d been thinking the same thing. “Don’t tell your dad.”
Bryce laughed. “I won’t.”
“Four hands work faster than two.” Dakota wanted to do something to show her gratitude, but a hug seemed too personal and she needed to avoid more kisses. Though that was exactly what she wanted. She settled for words of gratitude. “Thank you. Your help meant a lot to me.”
“What’s next?” he asked.
She held up her hands. “Your work is done. Buy your socks and go home.”
“I’d rather stay with you.”
A warm and fuzzy feeling flowed through her. That should bother her more than it did. She eyed him. “Don’t you want to check on your dad?”
“Bridge takes forever to play. I have time before I need to go back.”
She felt torn between what she wanted to do and what she should do. She loved her foster rat and dogs, and she wasn’t that lonely. But would chocolate and animals be enough in the future?
Maybe Kelly was right about Bryce being the guy to get her back in the dating game. If he was as nice a guy as he seemed, then maybe Dakota wasn’t doomed to pick Mr. Wrongs.
Face it, she wasn’t ready for anything serious, so his living in Seattle was actually good. Nothing long term was possible with a guy who lived so far away. She could dip her toe into the dating pool and just have fun.
Some mojo would be good, right?
Dakota took a breath. And another. “I’m going to put the portable crates in the car and take Scout and Rascal on a walk. Do you want to come with us?”
He looked at the dogs.
The hesitation and uncertainty in his eyes made her stomach drop. He was going to say no.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve walked a dog. The beast might be too much for me. Could I hold Scout’s leash?”
He wanted to go! Warmth flowed through her. “Of course. Rascal can be a handful.”
Dakota bit back a laugh. She only hoped she could handle Bryce better than that puppy.
Chapter Eight
Walking dogs with Dakota on a crisp autumn Friday afternoon wasn’t so bad. Bryce held onto Scout’s leash and shortened his stride. The small dog reminded him of his childhood pet Spartacus. Non-threatening and one hundred percent loveable. The little terrier mix didn’t bark. He just pumped his shorter legs to keep up with everyone else.
Rascal, however, was another story.
Dakota held onto his leash and walked between Bryce and the dog. She worked to control Rascal, who seemed to want to go in every direction except forward, but not once did she lose her patience. Her voice was strong and firm, but never too loud. The more Bryce learned about Dakota Parker, the more impressed he was.
Rascal wasn’t a beast, but his size reminded Bryce of that dog who had chased him years ago. He was older and bigger now. Logically, he knew this wasn’t the same animal and he had no reason to worry, but he kept his distance from the clumsy, energetic puppy anyway. Caution seemed the prudent course here.
“The dogs like to walk,” he said.
“Yes. All I have to do is touch their leashes and they start jumping like pogo sticks.” The look of adoration she showered on the two dogs made Bryce wish she’d look at him like that. “It’s so cute.”
She was cute. Beautiful, really. Even though clouds were moving in, the daylight brought out the blonde highlights in her hair. Her brown eyes were warm and reminded him of the delicious chocolate she sold. And her easy smile was contagious to both man and beast. Well, beasts if Rascal counted.
“Do you usually walk them on your own?” Bryce asked.
“Yes. I shoot for twice a day, but if not, I have a dog run in the backyard. Scout’s not a big fan of that. He much prefers running in the hallways indoors, but Rascal loves it.”
Bryce laughed. “Is there anything Rascal doesn’t love?”
“Obeying.” She shortened the leash to keep him away from a child’s bicycle in a front yard.
“He seems curious.”
“That’s a puppy for you.”
A dirty, dented pickup truck drove past. A man in a cowboy hat sat behind the wheel and honked the horn. He lifted his hat.
Dakota waved.
“Friend of yours?” Bryce asked.
“A wrangler from a ranch outside of town.”
That didn’t tell him if the cowboy was a friend…or more. “You must know everyone around here.”
“If they’re regulars at the chocolate shop, I do. But some I know through Whiskers and Paw Pals, others from my summer vacations here as a kid, and a few from various places in town. You’ll find a nice cross-section of people in Marietta and the surrounding areas.”
“You’ve studied this?”
“Anecdotally, but I majored in Sociology with the thought of possibly going to law school, but I decided that wasn’t for me. My father was in the army, so we saw many parts of the world. I learned how to get a feel for a place and the people there quickly.”
“The world at your disposal and here you are.”
“Marietta makes me happy.”
“Don’t you get bored?”
“You can be bored anywhere, not just living in the country.” She stopped to let Rascal sniff a tree. Scout followed him. “I don’t have much free time between my job at the chocolate shop and volunteering at the animal rescue, but there’s enough for me to do. Don’t forget, Bozeman and Livingston aren’t far if I need a change of scenery.”
Bryce hadn’t been to those towns. He’d been sticking close to his father’s house other than errands or appointments. “There’s not a big population.”
“No, and those who live here know everybody’s business.”
Whatever attracted the dogs to the tree no longer seemed interesting to them. Rascal lumbered away. Scout pranced like a show pony. Not the manliest of dogs, but those tiny legs of his could move.
He’d overheard some conversations during his father’s card games. “Doesn’t that nosiness bother you?”
Dakota shrugged. “That nosiness is part of small-town living. It can be hard when you’re single and dating or you break up, but I’d rather have people knowing too much than live in a big city where no one cares what’s going on.”
“People care where I live.” He’d received calls after his dad’s fall. A friend was watching his condo. His assistant was taking care of the mail, bills, and business. “But life is busier there.”
“Life is busy everywhere, but I’ve had an easier time forming relationships in Marietta.”
Friendships or romantic relationships? Bryce rubbed the back of this neck. He shouldn’t care, yet he wanted to know. “Many of my friends stayed in Seattle after we graduated from UW.”
“Having a built-in community must have been nice as you transitioned from school to working.”
He nodded. “Instead of going to classes, we went to jobs, but not much else changed other than us having more money. We went to happy hours during the week and watched sports on the weekends.”
“And now?”
Bryce had to think about that for a moment. “We don’t see each other as much. People have careers and families, often a combo of the two.”
That made him wonder how often his dad had gotten together with friends before his accident. Bryce couldn’t imagine it was as much as now, but maybe older
people had more time on their hands. Although, his dad had worked full time and volunteered before breaking his legs.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, but the temperature hadn’t dropped. Or maybe he was warm from the walk.
Scout barked, a high-pitched squeal that sounded more like a battery-operated toy than a real dog.
Bryce scooped up the ball of fur. “Need a rest, little guy?”
Scout panted. His pink tongue hung out of his mouth.
Bryce couldn’t tell what the dog wanted or why, but the pooch weighed less than a bag of flour.
Dakota quickened her pace. “Scout has you trained already.”
“His short legs have to walk farther and faster than ours, so he gets tired.”
“Did Scout tell you that?” she teased.
“Not in so many words, but he wants to rest.”
Bryce scratched behind Scout’s ear. The dog soaked up the attention.
Dakota stared at him. “Looks like you’re correct.”
“Of course I am.” Bet Scout was one of the lap-dog types. That was Bryce’s kind of dog. “Do you think Scout will be adopted this weekend?”
“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be. It’s a matter of the right adopter seeing him. The only reason I’ve been keeping him at the house is Pierre. I hope we can find them a quiet home together.”
Bryce remembered the two sleeping on the pillow the other night. “Did they come as a pair?”
“No, but they bonded at my house. Pierre first nested in Scout’s hair. The rat now grooms him, too.”
“I hope they can stay together.”
“Me, too, but sometimes that’s not an option. Placing a bonded pair can be more difficult.”
Bryce held Scout closer and hoped the dog and the rat found someone who wanted both of them. “Is it hard when one of your foster animals is adopted?”
“You get attached. At least, I do. But it’s hard to stay sad when an animal you care about is adopted by a loving family.” Those gold flecks in her brown eyes glowed like flames. She gave Rascal a pat on the side of the neck. “That’s why I do this. To find each of them a forever home.”
The emotion in her voice told him she loved what she did. She was lucky to have found that. Some never did.
A Thankful Heart (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 2) Page 10