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“Hello, is Tony there?”
“Who?”
“Tony.”
“I’m sorry,” the woman replied, “you must have the wrong number. There’s no Tony here.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I saw a poster for his dog that was lost, but maybe I got the number wrong.”
“Wait, did you see our dog?” she asked.
“No, but I know the owner, and I was just calling to see if he found him yet.”
“We’re the owners of the lost dog. You say he was with a guy named Tony?”
“I’m so sorry. The dog looked so much like his dog, Lucky. I just assumed it was. But I think I’ve got the wrong dog. Sorry for getting your hopes up.”
“Our dog’s name is Max. If you see him, please call again.”
“I will. So sorry again.”
They hung up, and Adelia played the conversation over in her mind. “That was weird.”
“Wrong dog?” he asked with a curious look on his face.
“I know it was Tony’s dog on that poster. How many dogs have a heart-shaped spot on their head?”
“Tell me again how you know this Tony guy?”
“He lives up the beach.”
“Right, you said that. But how did you meet him?”
“The first night I was here, I went to get snacks at The Snack Shop, actually. Tony was there, and he helped me find the Sno-Caps.”
“How did you know he lived up the beach from the Schultz’s cottage?”
“I went out for a run one morning and passed him and his dog on the beach. We talked briefly, and he told me.”
“You didn’t happen to get a last name on this guy, did you?”
Adelia’s eyebrow lifted. “No. Why?”
“Just curious.”
“Your police skills are showing, Officer Wood,” she said flirtatiously.
He reached over and brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers, and she ran her hand up his arm and held it in place as she turned to kiss his hand. His eyes were on her, and she let go and nodded ahead.
“Eyes on the road, Olly.”
He let his hand fall to her knee and gave it a squeeze before softly running his fingertips up and down her thigh. Delightful shivers traveled up her leg and made the butterflies go crazy in her stomach.
“Are we there yet?” she said on a sigh.