Page 86 of Wag More Bark Less

“I’ll be down in a few,” I called to Ethan, suddenly overwhelmed. I needed a beat to recover myself before I joined everyone. “Don’t wait for me to eat.”

I slipped inside and pressed my palms against the sharp-edged counter, willing the pain to center me. How had this woman who drove me up a fucking wall only a week ago shimmied her way through all my layers of ice? Falling for her would be one of the stupidest things I’d done, and that list was embarrassingly long.

A blind man could see how much she loved her family, how much she belonged with them. I could never provide her with that kind of happiness. Not with all the bitterness I clung to like a lifeline.

And yet, a faint voice kept whispering in the back of my mind.

Ask her to stay.

I wouldn’t. Not today. Not even on the eve of her leaving. I wouldn’t put her in a position to choose between her family and some grumpy asshole she’d hardly known a week. But keeping my distance was something I was no longer capable of doing. I yearned for that smile when I couldn’t see it. I longed for a whiff of the same floral perfume that lingered on my shirt from last night. I craved the taste of her silky sweet skin as though it was some addictive elixir.

I was a fucked man.

“Luke?”

For a beat, I was convinced Maggie’s voice wasn’t real. That I conjured the sound simply because I missed it.

“Everything okay?”

“Yep,” I said, pushing off the counter and pulling open a drawer to fish through.

It would be the junk drawer that offered little more than stamps, a hammer, and rubberbands. I pushed it closed wondering how long I’d been standing here if someone thought to come look for me.

“I’m sorry if my family’s a little much, but I did warn you.”

“Is that what you think?” I asked, turning around.

She shrugged. “You’ve been hiding, so yeah, kind of.”

Fuck. How long was I up here exactly? “Sorry, I’m coming—” I caught the glimmer of moisture in her eyes and moved across the kitchen, closing the distance in three strides. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, smiling despite the tear that rolled down her cheek. “I swear, it’s nothing bad. I’m just a little . . . overwhelmed.” She let out a weak chuckle, but her smile stayed steadfast.

I reached for her elbows, fighting the urge to tug her all the way into my arms.

“I just found out that Walter . . .” She shook her head, swiping at another stray tear. “You know how he served in Korea, like my grandpa?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, turns out he didn’t just serve in the same conflict. They knew each other, Luke. They were in the same unit at the same time, and I’m just . . . I’m just stunned.” Tears rolled down her cheeks in quick succession. “I swear, these are happy tears. We just connected the dots, and I’m overwhelmed in a good way.”

I pulled her against my chest, wrapping my arms snuggly around her back. Moisture soaked my T-shirt as she tucked her face against my chest. I rested my chin on her head, stroking her back.

“Do you know how many Korea veterans are left? Less than ten percent. And yet, Walter, who just happens to live across the street from the random condo I rent in the random town I decide to hide out in to figure out my life was in my grandpa’s unit. If it wasn’t for Ellie being born here, I wouldn’t even know this place existed.”

“I think that’s pretty cool,” I said, pressing my hand against her head to keep her snug against my chest.

Fuck, had anything ever felt better than having Maggie Holland in my arms?

No way I’m getting out of this unscathed.

“I’m going to do it,” Maggie said, looking up at me.

“Do what?”

“Enter the chili cookoff. I think Grandpa would like that.”

“I think that’s a great way to honor his memory.”