Page 27 of Small Town Sizzle

“Something like that,” I reply, giving her a wave. “Just dropping off some paperwork.”

Jazlyn gets off the school bus here most days and is finishing up her homework with some other kids in her class. She waves from the table she’s at. George, however, has no patience for small talk. He pulls toward Jaz and the group of kids, who erupt into cheers when they see him.

“George!” one of them exclaims, crouching to pet him. “Hey, buddy!”

It’s impossible not to smile as the goofy dog soaks up the attention, rolling onto his back for belly rubs.

The door behind me swings open, and I glance over my shoulder. Alex strides in, his hair damp from football practice. A couple of his teammates trail behind him, their boisterous energy filling the room even more.

“Aunt Maya,” Alex says with a raised brow, nodding toward George. “Why are you two still here?”

“He has his own schedule,” I say with a shrug. “I thought you were coming home after practice.”

“I assumed I’d have better luck finding you and Jaz here rather than at home.”

“And you weren’t wrong,” I chuckle as I shake my head.

One of Alex’s friends laughs. “Dude, your dog’s a celebrity here. Look at him soaking it all up.”

Alex shakes his head but doesn’t argue, joining his friends as they gravitate toward Leti, Jazlyn, and the group at the whiteboard.

I busy myself handing off the paperwork to one of the volunteers, glancing occasionally at the kids as their laughter fills the room. It’s the kind of environment Greta would have loved—full of life, joy, and just a little bit of chaos.

I’m about to call George back to me when Garrett steps out of one of the side rooms.

For a moment, I freeze, caught off guard by his sudden presence and how good he looks with that tool belt slung low on his hips.

George, however, has no such hesitation. His ears perk up, and before I can stop him, he’s bolting across the room.

“George, no!” I call, but it’s too late.

George barrels into Garrett, jumping up on him with an enthusiasm I’ve rarely seen.

Garrett stumbles slightly, catching his balance as the dog’s paws land on his chest. He’s not wearing a suit today, just a simple button-down shirt and jeans, which somehow makes the whole scene even more surreal.

Damn, he fills out that shirt nicely—

Focus, Maya.

I brace for him to start cussing and get upset right here in front of all the kids, but instead, Garrett grabs his front paws and starts scratching behind his ears.

“Did you hear I was an excellent dancer and wanted to test the theory or what, George?” Garrett asks, his eyes crinkling slightly.

A few of the kids start laughing. “It does look like you’re dancing!” a teenage boy calls out.

“George!” I rush over, mortified. “I’m so sorry. He never does this. Do you carry treats in your pockets or something? It’s like he forgets all his training. I’m so sorry.”

Garrett looks down at the dog with a mix of amusement and resignation. “What is it with this dog and me?” he asks,scratching behind George’s ears some more. “Shouldn’t he at least buy me dinner first?”

A snort of laughter escapes one of the kids nearby. “George’s trying to hug him! That’s so weird—he never does that with anyone else.”

“Yeah,” another chimes in. “He’s usually all about belly rubs.”

I grab George’s harness and tug gently, trying to pull him back. “Okay, buddy, that’s enough. Let the man breathe.”

To my surprise, Garrett doesn’t seem as annoyed as I’d expected. He crouches slightly, letting George nuzzle his hand for a moment before standing back up.

“He’s fine,” he says, meeting my eyes briefly. “Friendly little guy, huh?”