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“I’m fine, really. No need to worry.” Of course, right then her throat seized and she had to cough.
“Maybe you should come home.”
“No, really. I’m okay. Just a bit of a cough.”
“We barely saw you at the wedding, and you didn’t even come for Christmas. If you have the time off right now, we’d love to see you.”
“I can’t leave. My dog is?—”
A long beep indicated another call. Belle.
For once, her best friend had perfect timing. “Sorry, Mom. I gotta go. I’m getting another call. But I promise I’ll talk to you soon.”
Her mother’s sigh came through loud and clear. “All right, dear. Love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.” Allie quickly switched to Belle’s call.
“Any word?” Belle asked.
“Nothing.” Allie slumped into the nearest chair. “I posted on all the lost pet sites and groups in this area that I could. I called the local vets and animal shelter and left my number for them, but so far…” She couldn’t finish the thought. The silence was eating her up inside.
“He’ll show up. I asked the church prayer chain to pray for him. Plus, he’s a smart dog.”
He was. Too bad she wasn’t a smart doghandler. Because she should’ve caught on way earlier that his obedience training wasn’t the problem. Belle was right.
I haven’t seen you once smile or look at him like you actually like him. Like you would with Dixie?—
Maybe if she’d shown him a little more attention, he wouldn’t have run off.
“So, what now?” Belle asked.
“Once the hotshot and smokejumper crews get back, I’ll know more. All the roads around the burnt area were closed off, but hopefully by tomorrow I can go back and start looking for Scout. Until then, looks like I’m honorary basecamp mom. I’ve cleaned the kitchen top to bottom and have dinner in the oven.”
Belle laughed. “I’m sure the microwave has never been cleaner.”
“It was the first thing I attacked. It was so gross. All that food splatter—” Allie shuddered.
After a beat of silence, Belle spoke. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come back and help you look for Scout? You don’t have to do this alone.”
Her best friend was starting to sound a lot like Dakota. “I’m not alone.” Allie swallowed through the thickness in her throat. She wasn’t any more alone than she deserved to be. “In fact, the house and base are so crowded, I’m not sure there’d be room if you did come.”
“Sure you’re not just saying that so I don’t get in the way? Sounds like there’s a few sparks with this cute firefighter who saved you. You should work on that.”
Allie couldn’t deny the thought had crossed her mind. But a flood of memories she couldn’t escape, all the reasons she shouldn’t, warred inside.
She must’ve stayed quiet too long.
Belle squealed. “Wait a second. Allie Monroe, are you falling for this guy?”
“Falling? We just met. Well, actually, we met last year. But I’monlystaying for Scout.”
A rumble sounded outside. “I gotta go, Belle. Sounds like the crew is here.”
“I’ll let you go, but only if you promise to tell me everything.”
“Goodbyeee.” Allie hung up on the sound of Belle’s laughter. She swept an invisible crumb off the table and tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach. She was just worried about the meal turning out.
Emily’s recipe wasn’t complicated, but she’d never cooked for a crowd this big before. The nerves had nothing to do with seeing Dakota again.