“Dog returned before her curfew,” I say, gesturing to the golden lying by my side on the grass.
“And you stayed?” Xander steps over and glances down at the dog. “What’s on Bella’s nose?”
“I got her a pup cup as a reward for being such a good girl.” I lower my hand to pet her soft head.
“So the trip was successful?”
I grin. “Got a date at seven tonight.” And I plan to do my best to charm Tara and get to know her again.
Xander nods. “Good! You should go get ready.” He tips his head toward the gate I came through.
“Nah. I’ve got plenty of time.” I straighten my legs on the lounge and settle in.
“You could just… go anyway.”
“Are you throwing me out? Is that what you used to do to Dash?” Before the lead singer became involved with Cassidy and stopped coming by as often for company.
Xander opens his mouth, but before he can answer, the door to the house slides open again, and Sasha walks out, two large, cold drinks in her hands.
“Hi, guys. I thought you might want some iced tea.” She hands each of us a glass. “How was your… excursion with Bella?” she asks.
“He got himself a date tonight,” Xander replies.
“Really? That’s great. Who is she?” Sasha asks, folding her arms across her chest.
“Umm, about that…” I meet her gaze. “Turns out she’s your vet.”
“Dr. Stillman?” Xander asks.
“Tara?” Sasha asks at the same time.
Just hearing her name has me smiling. “We were together in high school, and we broke up after graduation. I went to do my thing in LA and audition with bands, and she went to college in New York.”
“And she stayed,” Sasha says, sitting down on the edge of my chair, her interest in our history obviously piqued.
“That wasn’t her plan. She always wanted to go into her dad’s practice outside LA, but I found out today he passed away not long after I left.”
I sober at the thought, knowing she was probably dealing with our breakup at the time of her father’s death. I didn’t know. We agreed not to keep in touch because we knew it would be too hard.
“And you both ended up not just on the East Coast but here in East Hampton,” Sasha muses. “Talk about fate.”
I fucking hope so.
CHAPTER THREE
Tara
My last appointmentfor the day cancels, and I’m able to leave the office early, giving myself extra time to get ready for my date with Axel. When I woke up this morning, I never expected to see my ex-boyfriend and first love stride into my office with a borrowed dog as a ruse to see me again. Never mind accepting a date with him tonight. Nerves flutter in my stomach at the thought.
My doorbell rings, and I walk through the small gatehouse on my mom and stepfather’s property where I live, to find my stepsister at the front door.
“Amy, hi! What are you doing here?”
My stepsister, a strawberry blonde with a curvy body and bubbly personality, strides past me and into the house. “We have to talk, and I need to help you pick out clothes for your date tonight.”
“Good God, word travels fast,” I mutter.
“Your mom is beyond excited.”
