“This is Cupcake.”He went on to explain how she’d been rescued a few months ago.“We’ve been working through some issues.”
Holly stepped up to the pen and leaned over.Not knowing what to expect, she saw a skinny pig.“Poor baby.”
Holly held out her hand to the pig, but Cupcake was just out of reach.While Holly was trying to make friends with Cupcake, Tater Tot was walking around, pulling on his leash every chance he got.She glanced down to check on him.He didn’t seem to be getting into any trouble…at the moment.
While she’d been distracted, the pig moved to the other side of the pen.There were a couple of scars on the pig’s side and thigh.She thought about inquiring about them but decided some things were better not known.
“She’s a little shy,” he said.“We’re working on it.”
Holly enjoyed meeting Colin’s animals.She noticed how each of them had some sort of imperfection—then again, didn’t we all?Still, Colin found a way to help them.He was still a hero just like he’d been when they were kids.The only thing he was missing was a cape.
When she went to turn to the other pen, her body moved but her feet didn’t.There was something wrapped around her ankles.But with her body in motion, she couldn’t stop what had already been put in motion.The next thing she knew, she was falling.
Large hands and strong arms reached out to her.Colin yanked her toward him.Her palms came to rest against Colin’s muscled chest.
When she raised her head, her gaze met his, and the words caught in the back of her throat.Heat swirled in her chest and rushed up to her cheeks.She’d never been this close to him.
If she were to lean forward just a few inches, her lips would touch his.And in that moment, it was all she could think about.What would he do if she kissed him?
Her heart pitter-pattered at the thought.She knew she should turn away, but her body refused to cooperate.It was then she noticed Colin’s gaze dip down to her lips.Was he actually thinking of kissing her?The thought made her heart beat even faster.
But kissing Colin meant caring about Colin, and she wasn’t prepared to do that.Every person she’d cared about in this life had left her—that included Colin.She wasn’t prepared to be hurt again—especially if this was just something casual to him.
It took all of her self-restraint when she pulled away.His hands fell away from her shoulders.She wanted to walk away, but when she glanced down, she found Tater Tot’s leash wrapped around her ankles.
“Looks like Tater Tot tripped you up.Here.Let me help you.”He knelt down to guide Tater Tot back around to release the leash from her ankles.
The moment, however brief it had been, was over.She was surprised when a sense of disappointment washed over her.Did that mean she’d wanted him to kiss her?Oh, who was she trying to kid?Of course she wanted him to kiss her, but she just couldn’t let it happen.
Chapter Nine
Sheenjoyedhiscompany.
The following day, Holly found herself thinking of Colin every time the shop grew quiet.She told herself she wasn’t falling for him.They were just old friends.They’d shared a childhood next door to each other.Nothing more.
He’d grown into a mighty fine man.He was devastatingly handsome.He was thoughtful.And he was fun to be around.How was it that someone hadn’t already snapped him up?
She’d enjoyed spending time with him.The truth was that she’d spent her free time alone since her grandmother passed on.These days she rarely hung out with her friends.The last time she saw Belle, they’d had coffee, and that was the day they’d first met Candi.These days the only people she spoke to were the customers in the shop.
It wasn’t that she’d ended up in this position intentionally.At first, she’d needed alone time to process the loss of her grandmother.And then she’d gotten so caught up in settling the estate and keeping the shop open she hadn’t had the time or the energy to socialize.
Maybe that was why she found herself looking forward to Colin’s visits.And then there was that moment in the barn.Had he been thinking about kissing her?Or was her imagination working overtime?
When the front door jingled, Tater Tot started to bark.She shushed him.Lucky for her, he listened to her…at least, most times.Still, she had to deal with another customer.Please, let them leave quickly.
When she looked toward the door, there stood Belle with a bag in her hand.She lowered the hood of her coat.“I brought lunch.”Then her gaze searched for the source of the barking.“Do you have a dog?”
“Uh, yeah.Well, kind of.”
Belle approached her.“How do you kind of have a dog?”
“Arf-arf!”
“See for yourself.”Holly released Tater Tot from his line.He barked as he raced around the counter.
She followed him.When he spotted Belle, he made a beeline toward her.He stopped in front of her and craned his neck to look up at her.He started to bark again.
Belle knelt down.“Hey, cutie.What’s your name?”
