“Teddy, it’s not funny!” Shiloh protested. I pulled him into a tight hug, not caring who saw us. He needed to know I wasn’t laughing at him, but at how the situation looked. Eventually, he might be able to laugh about it, too.
“I know, baby.” I pressed a kiss to his temple while the mutt finished his treat. Since I didn’t see any chocolate anywhere near, I wasn’t too worried he’d poisoned himself. “You move the rack out of the way, and I’ll grab him.”
Working together, Shiloh and I slowly closed in on the dog, who was now covered in icing and crumbs. As we moved closer, I couldn’t help but notice the way our hands brushed against each other, the heat from his touch sending shivers down my spine.
Finally, I managed to grab hold of the dog’s collar, gently pulling him away from the rack. Shiloh sighed in relief, his eyes full of gratitude as he gazed at me. “Thank you. I know I should have been able to—”
I grinned, feeling a warmth spread through me at his words, and pressed a finger to his lips to keep him from finishing whatever he was about to say. “That’s what boyfriends are for, right?”
Shiloh blushed, the pink hue of his cheeks matching the icing smeared across his apron. “Right. Boyfriends.”
“Boyfriends,” I repeated, nodding in agreement.
As we surveyed the damage, the sound of laughter and good-natured teasing filled the air. The crowd that had gathered began to disperse, their curiosity satisfied by the spectacle they’d witnessed. Shiloh and I exchanged a glance, and I could see the spark of determination in his eyes.
“Let’s get this cleaned up and restock the booth,” he suggested, his voice firm and resolute.
“Absolutely,”
With the dog safely in my grasp, Shiloh and I exchanged a puzzled glance. “What do we do with him now?” he asked, his eyes darting from the dog to the booth and back again.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, studying the mischievous canine. “We can’t let him run off and cause trouble elsewhere, but we can’t keep him in the booth, either.”
As we debated our options, an idea struck me. “Why don’t we tie him to one of the fence posts by the patio? That way, he’s out of the way but still within our sight.”
Shiloh considered the suggestion for a moment before nodding in agreement. “That sounds like a good plan. Do you have something to tie him with?”
I glanced around and spotted a piece of rope that had been used to secure one of the banners. Grabbing it, I quickly fashioned a makeshift leash for the dog. Together, we led the still-chomping pup to the designated fence post, securing him out of reach of any more potential chaos.
“There,” I said, stepping back to survey our handiwork. “He should be fine here for a while. Maybe his owner will come looking for him soon.”
Shiloh nodded, casting a worried glance at the dog. “I hope so. I don’t want him to be stuck here all day.”
With the dog situation temporarily resolved, we returned to the booth to finish cleaning and restocking. As we worked, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Shiloh, admiring the way he handled even the most unexpected challenges with grace and determination.
“I’m going to go check on the dog,” I told Shiloh once we finished setting up his booth again. I’d already brainstormed how to add a door to the booth so Shiloh and Lacey or whoever was helping him could easily get in and out but hungry pups would stay safely on their side of the booth.
Shiloh smiled, gratitude shining in his eyes. “Thanks. We should probably grab him some water, too. It’s getting warm.”
Throughout the day, we took turns watching the dog, who seemed content to lay in the shade and observe the festivities. As the afternoon wore on, a young girl approached us, her eyes wide with relief when she spotted her lost pet.
“Thank you so much for finding him!” she gushed, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she hugged the dog tightly. Aww, hell. I couldn’t even be mad at her for the damage her dog had done. The two of them made a cute pair. “I’ve been looking for him all day.”
Shiloh and I exchanged a glance, a shared sense of accomplishment passing between us. “You’re welcome,” we said in unison, our voices filled with warmth.
* * *
“So,do you want to tell me what’s going on between you and Shiloh, and cut the crap this time?” Waylon asked as we wandered down Main Street. It was after dark and Main Street was now filled from the center of town to the edge of the business district with people out celebrating the official end of spring. It had been a grueling day but I was having a great time. The only thing that would make it better was Shiloh finishing up work so we could enjoy the rest of the festival evening together.
“What’s there to tell? We got to know one another while we were working on the bakery, and now we’re getting to know one another better outside of that.” I seriously didn’t want to sit down and bare my soul to anyone, especially not Waylon, who’d have a big ol’I told you sofor me.
Waylon smirked, clearly not buying my act. “Come on, Teddy. You two are practically joined at the hip. And the way you look at him… you’re falling in love, man.”
I shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. He might be right but it was way too damn soon for throwing around words like that. Yes, we’d spent a crazy amount of time together, to the point I couldn’t sleep when he wasn’t by my side, but love? Yeah, not going there. Saying the words would make it real, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. But at the same time, I couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through my chest every time I thought of Shiloh, his laughter, his smile, the way his body sought out mine in his sleep.
“I don’t know,” I finally said, keeping my eyes fixed on the stage where a local band was performing. “Maybe I am. But I don’t want to ruin things by moving too fast.”
Waylon clapped me on the shoulder, his expression understanding. “You can’t control love, Teddy. It happens when it happens. Just enjoy the ride and see where it takes you.”
