Bella snuggled her head into Sky’s lap, and she grinned down at the dog.
“How does a doggy daycare compare to your previous office job?” Sky asked.
“I get a lot more wet kisses.”
She laughed. “I would hope so.”
“This move has been good for me. I needed a change.”
“I know that feeling.”
Kristina looked up, curiosity lightening her eyes. “I thought you grew up here?”
“I did. But then I moved away. It was great until it wasn’t anymore.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. It took her a moment to get more words out. “So I came back here because I needed some familiarity.”
Kristina’s brows furrowed, and she seemed to debate her next words. “Glad to be back?”
“Some days.” The days when her parents weren’t completely overbearing.
“Well, at least you have people here who care about you. I’ve been finding it hard to make friends. I went to the bar the other night but left after an hour because it felt weird drinking alone.”
Sky’s heart squeezed. “I’ll go with you next time.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I want to.”
There was a small pause before Kristina responded. “Um. Okay. Yeah, that would be fun.”
“Great. How about tonight? They do half-price jugs of cocktail at CJ’s on Wednesdays.”
“Jugs of cocktail?”
“Yep. It’s as great as it sounds.” Her watch beeped, alerting her that she had somewhere to be. “I need to run off to an acupuncture appointment, but I’ll text you the details.”
“Sounds good.”
Sky smiled before heading inside. She was actually looking forward to CJ’s. She needed a night out. Since returning to Amber Ridge, she hadn’t exactly been a socialite. In fact, the only person she really hung out with was her mother.
That was kind of sad, wasn’t it?
Dolly looked up from the front desk. “What’s put that smile on your face?”
“I’m getting some half-price cocktails at CJ’s tonight.” She grabbed her bag from the office.
“Damn, woman, and here I was thinking you’d gotten laid.”
Dolly’s words dragged her mind right back to Becket’s kiss. It was far from sex, but the way his lips had moved against hers, the strength in his arm as he’d wrapped it around her—it had felt like more.
She shook her head.Stop thinking about it, Sky. It was all for show.
She rounded the desk and pulled open the door. “Nope. I’ll see you tomorrow, Dolly.”
“There’s still time,” the older woman called as the door swung shut.
Jesus. Did that woman ever get her mind out of the gutter?
On her way to Clara’s home acupuncture studio, Sky cracked her car window open…only to frown.
