The door opened again.
Hadley turned, expecting Max.
Instead, Kendra stepped inside carrying a bag of fresh linens. “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
Kendra deposited the towels on the counter. Then her gaze landed on Juno’s pen. “I didn’t expect to see you here. They’re going to have to start paying you.”
Hadley only laughed. “I don’t care about pay. I only care that the puppies are doing well.”
Kendra smiled as she gazed at them. “They’re so sweet. I still can’t believe Juno went into labor so early. I thought she had more time.”
“She handled it like a pro.”
Kendra watched the puppies another moment before glancing at Hadley. “You must be exhausted.”
Hadley let out a breathy laugh. “A little. But it’s a good kind of tired—mostly.”
“I get that. At least things seem calmer this morning.”
Calmer didn’t feel like the right word—not with everything Naomi had just told her. But compared to last night, maybe it was.
“Seems that way,” she finally said.
“Hey, I was thinking . . .” Kendra tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression open and hopeful. “Would you want to grab lunch together?”
Hadley blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Today?”
Kendra smiled. “I know you’re new in town, and I thought it might be nice to get to know each other a little more. There’s a place called Ember & Oak on Main Street. It’s really good.”
Hadley had been there before, and the foodwasdelicious. But her first instinct was to say no. Her schedule was full. Her mind was full. And if she was honest, she still wasn’t entirely sure what to make of Kendra. Something about her was hard to read.
But just as quickly, another thought pushed in.You’re new in town. You said you wanted to build a life here. That means people and connection. It means saying yes more than saying no.
And Kendra was reaching out.
Hadley softened her posture. “I’d like that.”
Kendra’s smile widened, genuine and bright. “Really?”
“Really. I do have a pretty full schedule today, but I’ve got about an hour break for lunch.”
“We’ll keep it simple then.”
“Perfect.” Hadley nodded. “What time?”
“Twelve-thirty?”
“That works.” Hadley reached for her bag. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Sounds good.” Kendra flashed a friendly smile. “I’ll see you then.”
Hadley gave her a small smile before heading toward the door.
She only wished she was looking forward to the meeting.
CHAPTER 15
