“A plain burger, apple slices, and she’ll finish with the pumpkin surprise.”
Roxie’s ears stood straight up. She smiled and rested her snout on the table.
A smile danced on Aaron’s mouth. “I do believe she approves.”
“Whatever you do, don’t tell Dr. Scott about our outing tonight.” She cast a wink his way. “I wouldn’t want any lectures on proper feeding habits.”
He leaned in close, not risking any person in the vicinity overhearing his comment. “I have it on good authority that even he treats his pups to human food now and then.”
“No.” She gasped in faux shock. “He would never spoil his animals. Never.”
“He’s been known to break the rules. My family has taken our pets there since his dad was the vet.” A waitress approached, took their order, and Aaron finished. “Dr. Nell spoiled his animals even more. Most days, he’d take his old basset hound with him to the office.”
“Aww. I love basset hounds.” Roxie barked and scowled at her. She gave Roxie a patronizing scratch behind the ears. “But I love you the most.”
The meal continued in comfortable conversation. No heavy topics, no awkward slips of the tongue. She almost forgot she was nervous.
Almost.
After Aaron paid—she didn’t argue when he insisted on covering the bill—they stood outside by his car. Daylight hung on by a shred as the sun dropped on the horizon. Streetlights came on, and a baseball team clad in their uniform crossed the parking lot, celebrating their victory with loud cheers and fist bumps.
“I remember those days.” Aaron looked after them with nostalgic glint in his eyes.
“You played baseball?”
“From the time I could walk until I graduated college.” He cut his gaze to her again. “My church has a men’s team, but the practices never fit into my schedule.”
“I tried field hockey for a few years, but my coordination doesn’t lend itself to sports. Ted and Tracey got those genes.”
“That surprises me.”
“Why?”
“You always seem graceful.” His shoulders rose and fell, as though he hadn’t given her an incredible compliment.
“You obviously don’t know me very well.”Great. Here comes my awkwardness.
Aaron leaned against the car with a lazy smile. “I’d like to know you better.”
She sucked in a rapid breath. “I…can we talk?”
His forehead creased. “Sure.”
“Somewhere else.” She scanned the busy lot. “Where it’s quiet?”
“We can go to the lake.”
“Okay.” A tug on her hand reminded her of Roxie whose eyes drooped with exhaustion. “Or not. Do you mind going back to my house? We can drop her off then go?”
He shook his head. “You don’t want to leave her. That much I do know about you.”
“Would you mind hanging out at my house for a while? We can have coffee on the patio.”
“I wouldn’t mind at all.” He opened the rear door and lifted Roxie inside as though she were a bouquet of expensive flowers, not a seventy-six-pound sack of potatoes.
In that moment, watching his tender touch and soft expression, she irrevocably lost a piece of her heart.
Chapter Twelve
