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“Of course,” I replied, not sure it was a good idea for me to spend more time around her dad. I was having a hard enough time keeping my feelings in check. “When is your birthday?”

“September third.” Her little eyebrows came together, and she pointed toward the side of the road. “What’s that?”

My eyes widened as I saw a small brown and white animal heading out of the grassy ditch toward the road. I slammed on the brakes, making dust fly through the air and pour into the open windows.

Coughing, I put the truck in park, praying I hadn’t hit it. “Wait there,” I said to Maya, opening the door to get out.

Of course, she followed me.

I hurried forward, hoping to find an unharmed animal as the dust cleared. And right there on the edge of the road, I saw it.

A sweet, furry puppy sprinting my way. It bounded toward me, putting its paws on my leg, and I immediately picked it up. “What are you doing here, little guy?” I asked it.

“A PUPPY?” Maya yelled.

“I know!” I said, examining what looked like an Aussie mix for any harm. But he looked perfect. A little dirty, some matted fur, but overall healthy and oh, so sweet.

It licked my cheek with its rough tongue, and I giggled. “What a sweetheart.”

“Can I hold it?” Maya asked.

I nodded, passing her the puppy. She carried it so carefully in her arms, petting it and sweet-talking it.

I peeled my eyes away from her to scan the countryside. Had it run off from someone’s truck bed? Maybe a neighbor was out building fence or something?

But there was no one to be seen for miles, and the closest house was five miles away—my parents’ or her Grampy’s home. No way had this little guy run from there.

“Where did it come from?” she asked, hugging it close to her chest. He nuzzled under her chin, its white head with a brown patch looking so sweet with her hair dangling around it.

“I have no idea.” A nervous feeling settled in my stomach. I hoped someone hadn’t just dumped this puppy by the road to die. “Let’s drive around a little and see if we can find someone.”

She nodded, carrying the puppy to the pickup. I had a smile on my lips the entire time we drove back to my truck, seeing her interact with him. She petted his fur, gave him little pieces of her graham cracker snacks.

“You’re such a good boy, Graham,” she said sweetly.

“Graham?” I asked.

“He likes graham crackers, so I thought it would be a good name.”

“You named him?” I asked, already worried for the fallout that would come when she had to part with him.

She pinned me with a look. “We name everything, right?”

I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. I was in trouble.

26

Fletcher

I walked to the diner from work, feeling more stressed than usual. A little boy had fallen out of a tree, breaking both of his legs. He was in so much pain, and it gave me flashbacks from my years working in the emergency room at the children’s hospital in Dallas.

I shuddered, trying to suppress the memories I thought I had worked through. Even though it was still so hot out, I had goosebumps under my button-down shirt. I rolled up my sleeves, taking deep gulps of fresh air and grounding myself in the moment until the memories weren’t so strong and it didn’t feel like they were happening right now instead of years ago.

Then I walked into the diner, seeing Hayes sitting toward the back. Saying hi to a few people on the way, I took a seat across from Hayes, saying, “Do they serve beer here yet?”

“I wish,” he muttered. “We should talk to someone at the bar about serving more than peanuts and chips too.”

“Agreed.” I loosened my tie, pulling it over my head and setting it in the seat next to me. Then I raked my hands through my hair, trying to ease the tension tingling my scalp.