They enjoyed their ice cream in comfortable silence as the lights in the creamery behind them went dark. The last of the crowd thinned, leaving them with the faint glow of a nearby streetlight. They didn’t need it. Even now, at just after eleven, a dusky light illuminated everything around them.
“Have you ever been midnight fishing?” he asked.
“Nope.” She wiped a drop of ice cream from the corner of her lips, renewing his desire to kiss her. “I’m not exactly the outdoorsy type.”
“But you love being outside,” he observed.
“The fresh air is nice,” she admitted. “But I’m too chicken to go further than an overlook in my car. Like camping? No thanks. I don’t need a hungry bear licking my toes in the middle of the night, thank you very much.”
Finishing the last of his ice cream, he lifted from the bench and dropped his cup in the nearby bin. “You expecting someone to dump a bunch of honey on your toes?”
“With my luck?”
He took her empty bowl from her and held out his hand for hers. She stared at it, hesitating. “If you bail on the walk now, you’re taking Boomer home with you. You’ll find out I’m not kidding about his ability to gas a room.”
As the pup hopped up off the bench, she accepted his hand.
The very best part was that she didn’t immediately try to pull it back as they strolled toward the bay. He dared to interlace his fingers with her own, only releasing a breath he’d been holding when she locked her fingers tighter around his.
“So, midnight fishing.”
“What is it with you and this idea?” she teased.
“Edith’s fault, really. She mentioned that she and her late husband used to do it, and I’ve been intrigued ever since.” They crossed Forget Me Not Lane, but Conner didn’t think to look for the ghost he’d seen earlier that night. He was too lost in his moment with Sadie and Boomer, committing it all to memory. Determined to create many more moments like it in the future. “Would you want to go with me? Tomorrow night?”
He knew how to fish, but didn’t have any of his gear in Alaska. His poles, tackle box, and everything else necessary to pull this off was in Mom’s garage, back in Houston. But he could pick up what they needed at Evans’ Outfitters. He only needed her to say yes.
“What about Marc?”
“I’m going to talk to him next week. Once you’re done at the clinic so he can’t use that against you.”
“I’m not going back.”
“I don’t know what happened tonight, but I really hope you’ll stick it out one more day. But that’s just me being selfish.” He caressed the side of her hand with his thumb. “I really enjoy your company.” He already mourned the days next week when he wouldn’t see her at work. But her talents had potential far outside the clinic.
“I don’t want to cause trouble,” Sadie said, offering him a small smile. “Apparently, that’s my specialty.”
He pulled her to a gentle stop on the deserted sidewalk, tugging her and shuffling his feet until they faced each other straight on. He dropped Boomer’s leash and caught it beneath his shoe because he needed both hands for what he was about to do. Resting one hand on her shoulder, he used the other to fully cup her cheek. When she lifted her gaze to his to prove she was truly in this moment with him and listening, he said, “You are worth every ounce of trouble. Every single one.”
Leaning down, he tilted her chin up. He rested his forehead against hers, allowing their breaths to mingle. Giving her a chance to pull away. To tell him this wasn’t what she wanted. Instead, she snaked her hand around the back of his neck and closed the distance with her lips.
At the first brush of their lips, he knew this kiss was different from any other he’d ever experienced. His body hummed with warmth and hope. He combed his fingers into her hair and deepened the kiss, surrendering all his fears in this moment. Their lips moved in a gentle yet hungry rhythm that drew them closer together. Sadie wrapped both arms around his neck and held on tight.
And Conner knew.
He wasn’t just falling.
He had fallen.
11
SADIE
Armed with BlackBear coffees for the vet techs, sticky buns for Conner, a bottle of Pure Leaf iced tea for Marylou, and a bag of the world’s most boring coffee grounds for Marc’s back-from-the-dead coffee maker, Sadie marched confidently toward the clinic’s front door. Whatever storm waited for her inside, she was facing it head on.
After Marc slammed the door at the end of their meeting last night, Sadie was convinced she’d never step foot in the vet clinic again. But Conner . . . She sighed so happily she thought it might make her weightless and lift her off the ground. Conner restored her waning confidence. Maybe it was his words—or maybe that amazing kiss that was indeed toe-curling—that renewed her determination and gave her the courage to face her brother once more. Or maybe it was her sheer stubborn stupidity that convinced her to show up and risk poking the grizzly bear that was Marc.
“Marc said you weren’t coming in today,” Marylou said in pleasant surprise as Sadie fished the bottle of iced tea from her tote bag and handed it to Marylou.
