“Thank you again for all the supplies,” she said, tearing her eyes away. The last thing she needed was to kid herself that he was actually interested.
“Maybe we’ll see you at the farmer’s market tomorrow?” he offered. “And the Christmas Campfire?”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I’ll text you,” he said.
She nodded, and they were silent for another moment, so there was nothing more to do but meet his eyes again.
“Goodnight, sweet princess,” he murmured.
It was a line fromSleeping Beautythat he used to repeat to her back in school when he dropped her off after a date.
Hearing those words again tonight took her by surprise, and she watched after him breathlessly as heheaded down the steps with Mae on his shoulder, extending a hand to Travis.
“Good night, Hailey,” Travis turned to say, his eyes solemn.
“Good night, Travis,” she told the little boy, pulling herself together. “Thank you so much for coming over tonight. This has been my favorite day back in Trinity Falls.”
He beamed at her before scampering down the stairs with his dad and sister.
She waited until they were all safely in the truck and heading back up the drive before she went back into the house. Her mind was filled with Ransom and his children as she straightened up the house and turned off lights.
Crunching through the snow back to the cottage, she tried to remind herself of the many reasons she wasn’t going to fall for Ransom Wright again.
She might be able to pull it off if she could just avoid him.
But how was she supposed to avoid him when he was right next door?
And what if she didn’t want to avoid him?
10
RANSOM
Ransom stood in the meadow the next morning, watching the dogs run as the sun rose.
The full-grown shepherds tore up and down the snowy field, their breath clouding the air.
Raven, the biggest female, barked for joy as she ran. Constance, her sister, simply flew, her ears back and her dark body stretching impossibly against the snowy backdrop. The others streaked after them, muscles bunching and releasing under their shining coats. Even Henrietta, who was expecting her first litter any day now, ran along gamely with the others.
Meanwhile, the four puppies scampered around, stopping frequently to tussle with each other, tails wagging hard. At three months old, they were starting to learn the standard commands, and just as importantly, they were getting socialized with each other and with people too.
Ransom liked to start all the dogs’ days early withbasic obedience training and then a nice run to burn off energy. Later in the day, he would work with them individually on various commands related to the jobs he hoped they would one day have.
Some would succeed and spend their lives making life safer and easier for the people they served. Others wouldn’t be able to handle the rigors of career training, and would go on to be companion animals instead.
But Ransom was committed to making sure thatallof them were well-mannered and calm before they left his care.
Watching their unbridled joy as they ran and played settled something in his chest, and gave him a little perspective.
He hadn’t slept well last night, thinking about Hailey.
It was funny how easily things just seemed to snap back to the way they always had been between the two of them—Hailey trying new things, and Ransom admiring her in awe, just like when he was a teenager, knowing he was lucky to have her nearby. And knowing she would leave one day and break him.
But the way she talked about keeping the books on the shelves last night made it sound almost like she was going to stay…
Maybe she thinks she is going to stay. But I know better. When the phone rings with another opportunity, she’ll take it. And good for her. She deserves it.
