“What’s the charm?”
“A star.” She set it back down. “I’ve always had a thing for stars. Used to drive my parents crazy, begging to stay up late to watch meteor showers.”
Josh picked up the bracelet and turned it over in his hand. Before she could protest, he’d caught the attention of the woman behind the table and handed over a few bills.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.” He held out the bracelet. “I wanted to.”
She let him fasten it around her wrist, his fingers warm and steady against her skin. Every time she looked at this she knew it would remind her of that night on the porch. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
A few storefronts down, Cassie waved them over to a table piled with kitchen gadgets. “Look at this! A pickle picker!”
“A what?” Kade squinted at the contraption in her hand.
“It picks pickles out of the jar. No more fishing around with a fork.”
“Who needs that?”
“Everyone needs that.” Cassie added it to the small pile she’d already accumulated.
Strolling along, looking at all the items rather than where she was walking, Katie drifted a little too close to a display table and Josh instinctively reached for her elbow to steer her around it. She shouldn’t have enjoyed that as much as she did. Then she spotted a booth selling custom leather dog collars with names burned into the strap. “Josh. Look.”
His gaze followed hers, nodding, he smiled. “Perfect.”
Raider’s new collar in hand, she fell into step beside Josh, continuing down the sidewalk. A corn hole demonstration had drawn a crowd near the park. The unofficial bling queen was moving about as if she were a contestant in a world pageant. A few feet away, a lemonade stand covered in bright yellow and pink streamers drew a good crowd.
“Want some?” Josh nodded toward the stand.
“Absolutely.”
They stood in the shade, sipping cold lemonade and watching the chaos unfold around them. Katie had never felt so content. Whether it was the town, the sunny day, the collar for Raider, or the man sipping lemonade beside her, she didn’t know, but she was sure of one thing. She’d known plenty of nice guys through the years, but none had made a simple day of shopping feel so…special. Not for all the tea in China would she trade today, here, with Josh.
Chapter Eight
In just a couple of hours since they’d brought the elevated bed back from the store, Raider clearly loved it. He’d actually gotten off it with more ease than Josh had expected, or anyone else for that matter. Raider had gotten a sip of water from the new bowls and then lifted his nose to sniff the air, his gaze settling on Josh. He’d have sworn the dog was telling him thank you before he turned and stepped back onto the bed.
“Looks like a happy boy now.” Katie stood in the doorway, watching the now sleeping dog.
Josh stood slowly and smiled. Not till recently did he realize how often he’d nodded. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to do again. “He appears to be less stiff. Not sure if it’s the bed or if he’s just healing that quickly.”
“Maybe a little of both.” She shrugged. “Rachel just blew into the kitchen.”
Josh couldn’t hold back the burst of laughter at the comment. From what he knew of Rachel, that girl buzzed in and out of a lot of situations and then sped away with the agility of a formula one race car driver.
“Apparently, Jillian needs something and we’ve all been summoned.”
With a shrug, he waved one hand toward the door. “Lead the way.”
In the kitchen, several family members were seated around the table while Alice walked about filling glasses with iced tea.
“So what’s going on?” Kade asked.
His brows buckled and his gaze narrowed, Garret tipped his head slightly. “Is Jillian all right? Did something happen at the sale today?”
That last line had everyone sitting taller in their seats, their casual smiles slipping.
