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“Wally?Oh my God, where is he?”Pure panic.

I stepped to his gate, wiggled the loose latch, made a mental note to fix it, and pushed into the backyard.

He met me and held out his arms for Wally when he spotted his pooch.

For just an instant, I hesitated.Then gingerly, I eased Wally into his arms.

Wally promptly licked him continuously.

Some of Phillip’s high color started to recede.“I don’t…” He swallowed.“How did he wind up with you?”

I shrugged.“He showed up at my back door.I was worried about you.”I gave him a once-over.“You’re okay?”

“Yeah.”He rubbed his nose against Wally’s ruff.

The dog was still trying to give many, many kisses.

“Well, I should?—”

“Stay?”He snapped the word.“Sorry.”He winced.“I’m sure you have other things to?—”

“I don’t.”Certainly the email could wait a few hours.“Why don’t we try to figure out how Wally got from your house to mine?”

“Sure.And can I offer you a drink?I made a pitcher of sugar-free lemonade.”

I wasn’t a huge lemonade fan…but I had the impression Phillip didn’t have many visitors.Not that I’d been watching.Just…I’d only spotted Anthony so far.Well, that I’d noticed.Out my front window where I’d placed my desk.

But not to spy on my cute new neighbor.

Because that would be creepy.

No, I just liked looking out at the neighborhood.At all the houses with families.The trees.All the other stuff that could be found in a little subdivision.“Lemonade is perfect.Do you want me to take Wally?”

Phillip gestured with his chin.“Maybe close the gate?”

“Absolutely.”I showed him how the mechanism jiggled.“I can tighten that up for you.Or you could ask James?—”

“I don’t want to bother James.”

I was pretty sure James wouldn’t see it as a bother.Except he and Colin were deep in the process of getting approved to be foster parents or even to adopt.The love they had to offer any child lucky enough to have them as parents—either foster or adopted—was boundless.I wished them well.“Then let me fix it.My dad taught me about every tool imaginable—because most professionalsnever do anything right.” I tried to use my dad’s slightly worn voice.

Phillip cocked his head.

I waved him off.

He slowly lowered Wally to the ground.

The dog waddled off toward the yard.

We followed.

“Why don’t I see if I can figure out how he got over to my place while you get our drinks?”I met Phillip’s gaze.

He scrubbed his face.“For just that second…”

I put a comforting hand on his left biceps.“I know.I really do.I can only imagine.”

Realizing the forwardness of my action, I started to pull my hand away.