“I don’t think it’s going to be life sized.”
I giggle, and Cullen smiles, showing the gap in his front teeth. Oh, I like it when he does that. I’m going to make it my goal to make him smile more often.
“Did you walk up today?” he asks.
I nod, having another bite of the scone. “It’s a bit of a trek for Max, but it’s not too bad.”
“You know that big farmhouse on the left as you come up the hill?”
“The one that’s run down?”
Archer chuckles, and Cullen rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that one. I was saying it might not be a bad location for our project.”
“Oh?”
“An Animal-Assisted Therapy Center,” Archer says.
“Oh… what, you’re thinking about opening one?”
Archer nods. “I’ve thought about opening my own therapy practice for a while, and it would be great to incorporate dogs and maybe cats and even horses into it.”
“That would be amazing.” I have another bite of the scone. “I bet an outreach program would also do well up here. There are a lot of rural communities, aren’t there?”
Archer nods. “It’s a good point.”
“You could have a bus,” I say with a smile.
“Actually,” Cullen says, “that’s not a bad idea. You could take the dogs to villages, schools, retirement villages, even the prison.”
Archer purses his lips, looking into the distance. “Hmm.”
“I think…” I stop as I see Beth walking up to us, scone and coffee in hand. “Oh, hello.”
“Hey.” She puts down her coffee and flicks me a smile, but it’s clear that she’s unhappy about something. “I’ve just spoken to Noah,” she says to Cullen. “He said you told him you’re leaving before Christmas.”
My eyebrows rise as I look back at him. Oh… he hadn’t told anyone. Beth looks upset. Archer frowns.
Cullen stiffens and doesn’t look at me. “I told him that in confidence.”
“Did you ask him not to tell anyone else?”
“No…”
“Then why are you surprised he mentioned it? We’re friends, aren’t we?” She looks hurt. “I can’t believe you’re thinking of leaving.”
“This was only ever going to be temporary.” His words are clipped, but his expression is gentle. “I can’t stay, Beth.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not ready to settle down in one place.” He finishes off his coffee. “Okay, I’m going back to work.”
“Cullen…”
But he walks away, leaving the three of us staring after him.
“Dammit.” Beth exhales in a whoosh. “There’s nothing we can do about it if he’s determined to go.” She looks at me. “Have you told him yet?”
I know what she’s referring to. I shake my head. “The timing wasn’t right.”
