“Two important facts.” Jill nodded. “That shegot out, and that it wasover a year ago. She’s finally free to find love again, Lance. And I won’t lie and say I don’t hope it’s with you.”
Jill’s verbal approval was important to Lance, but when it came down to it, the only person to have any real say in the matter was Sarah. And it was a matter they had yet to discuss.
“Just talk to her,” Jill said. She switched the water off after passing Lance the final plate from their dinner. “See if the two of you are on the same page.”
“On the same page about what?” Sarah stepped into the kitchen, a slightly confused expression on her face.
Jill glanced at Lance before offering a quick response. “If you’re up for a walk. Lance mentioned he was going to take Tahoe out, and I said maybe you’d like to join them. If it’s not too cold.”
Sarah smiled at the idea. “A walk would be lovely.” Sarah looked right at Lance. “I’ll grab my coat.”
He didn’t necessarily need a wingman but was grateful for Jill’s fast thinking.
Securing Tahoe’s leash to his shiny new collar, Lance waited in the foyer while Sarah donned her jacket and gloves. As he watched her prepare for the walk, something within him withered, knowing if he were to make a move to hold her hand, there would still be a layer between them.
“You ready?” She looked up at him, eyes bright as she threaded the last button into place.
“After you.” He held open the door, not expecting the young pup to bolt and tangle his leash right around Sarah’s legs in the rush. It was a furry tornado of tail wagging, kicked up bits of snow, and a spiraling Sarah that had to grab onto the porch railing to keep from falling over.
“Tahoe!” Lance scolded, but it was too late. The dog broke free from Lance’s grip and bounded down the deck stairs, jumping into a fresh pile of snow that swallowed him up like a rock dropped into a pond.
Lance moved toward Sarah, leaving the dog to his antics. “Are you okay?”
Her hands bracketed the railing, body shaking.
“Sarah?”
She turned to look up at Lance with tear-filled eyes.
For a split second, his heart lurched in his chest, worried she was hurt or worse, but when she erupted in a fit of laughter, he took a long sigh of relief.
“Having a puppy isn’t all that different from having a toddler, is it?” She sniffed, pressing the back of her gloved hand to her nose as the giggling trailed off. “Always keeping you on your toes.”
“Or off of them.” Lance frowned. “He could have knocked you over. I told Holden I wasn’t in a place to care for a dog. I don’t even know what I’m doing.”
“I’m not as breakable as you think I am, Lance.”
Those words hit somewhere deep. “I don’t think you’re breakable.”
“I mean, sure, my heart has been broken, but what’s that saying about things that break and are put back together? That they come out stronger or something?”
He shrugged his shoulders within his jacket, not familiar with the exact quote she tried to locate but understanding the sentiment. “I know you’re strong.”
“I don’t always feel it, but I’m learning to look at things differently. I always thought it was a weakness to ask for help. I’m beginning to see that admitting you can’t do it all by yourself requires its own strength, and it’s a strength I didn’t know I had.”
Without any prompting on his end, she slid her arm through the crook of his elbow and walked with Lance down the stairs to retrieve the pup still happily playing in the giant mound of snow.Tahoe chomped into the top layer, taking a big bite with all the excitement of a child enjoying a snow cone.
“My parents are really doing their best to hit that truth home for me. I’ll admit I haven’t been so quick to accept it, but tonight, seeing how everything just worked itself out, I think I’m a little more willing.”
Lance whistled softly to call Tahoe over, surprised when the dog actually responded and obediently came up to their side. He stooped to collect the leash and looped it over his arm.
“How’s Laney doing?”
“Better. Seems like her fever broke. I’m so grateful for my parents and their willingness to help take care of her in that time of need. And your gesture with dinner, it was so sweet, Lance. I still can’t believe you went to all that trouble just to make sure Laney had something she would like. No one has ever put us first like that.”
“You deserve to be put first, Sarah. Both you and Laney.”
She inhaled slowly, her breath forming a visible cloud in the moonlit darkness. The night was clear, the sky a smattering of diamonds tossed across a tapestry of deep blue. It was also a full moon, and it spotlighted Sarah like an actress on a stage. Brilliant white light kissed her reddened cheeks, highlighting her feminine features from the snowflakes that tipped her lashes to her heart-shaped mouth that grinned sweetly at him.
