That kiss. That’s exactly what I needed.
A ball of heat formed in her belly at the memory of Shane’s hand tangled in her hair. It had been so long.
April pressed her forehead against the cool glass.
She turned toward the kitchen, needing to do something with her hands that wasn’t obscene, and that's when she saw it.
A note. White paper, neatly torn from a notebook, sitting on the counter right in front of the coffee maker.
Her heart kicked hard against her ribs as she crossed the room and picked it up.
Shane's handwriting—neat, precise, the letters strong and sure.
Didn't want to text and wake you, Sweetness. Taking Pete for a run and grabbing some gear. Back by 6:30 with donuts. –S
April read it twice.Then a third time. She covered her mouth and realized she was smiling.
Relief flooded through her, warm and sweet.
Oh.
She was self-aware enough to know what that hollow feeling meant when she thought he'd left, and this warmth now that she knew he was coming back.
Oh, I'm in trouble.
April set the note down carefully and reached for the coffee beans in the purple bag, the special reserve a local roaster made just for her family as a thank you. What went better with donuts than fresh coffee? She measured, poured, hit the button. The grinder's familiarwhirfilled the kitchen as the sky outside brightened from grey to pale gold.
She was carrying a mug of coffee to the couch when Kevin's door banged open.
"Mom?" His voice carried that edge of panic from last night. "Mom, where's Pete? Where's Shane?"
April turned, mug still in hand, just as Kevin skidded into the kitchen in his rumpled Hulk pajamas, hair sticking up in six directions, face pale with worry.
"Honey, it's okay?—"
The sound of tires on gravel cut her off.
Through the window, they watched Shane's SUV pull into the drive.
"He spent the night," April said, unable to keep the smile out of her voice. "He's back with donuts, sweetie."
Kevin looked up at her, eyes bright. "He spent the night," he echoed. Then he ran to open the front door.
And watching Shane's SUV door open, watching Pete bound out and Shane follow him to the door with a colorful bakery box in his hands and that sexy, cocky smile on his face as he spotted her in the window, she realized she’d been waiting years for this moment.
Shane offeredto drive them to Riversong so that they could leave straight from the coffee shop for the hike. April sat in the passenger seat holding the box of donuts from a new shop—Do’sand Donuts—on her lap while Kevin sat in back chattering about the upcoming hike.
April snuck a glance at Shane. His hands were relaxed on the wheel, one elbow propped against the door, that small smile playing at his mouth while Kevin explained his theory about why Pete was the smartest dog at Watchdog.
"And another thing," Kevin continued, "Pete knew exactly where the donuts were even though they were in a box. That's, like, advanced smell detection."
"That's just Sunday morning training, bud," Shane said, eyes crinkling. "Pete knows the difference between weekdays and weekends. Weekends mean donuts."
April shook her head, unable to fight her own smile. Shane answered all of Kevin’s questions patiently and with humor, a look of contentment on his face.
It all felt so easy.
So what was this strange tightness in her chest?
