Page 21

W hat on earth was Armadillo Day? Mullens wandered among the revelers on Main Street, Sweetheart Creek.

The evening parade had ended, and he’d lost sight of Athena and Meddy.

They’d been handing out mini tarts and grinning like their dreams were coming true.

They’d been working the crowds without having to check in with each other, always knowing where the other sister was and what they needed.

More huckleberry tarts? The other sister was already approaching the car driven by what Mullens guessed was their dad, and grabbing another tray from their mother, who was in the backseat.

It made Mullens homesick for a life that no longer existed for him.

After Evonne had passed away, his parents had split, and he’d shuttled between the two homes, often forgotten about.

There were no family meals or trips, just notes on containers of food in the fridge, or pinned to cash and left on the counter along with a takeout menu.

And so he’d learned to cook as well as how to count on himself.

Eventually his dad had bought him a car so he could drive himself to hockey practices or take himself to games and tournaments.

Next had come a credit card, and lies about his age when hotel clerks asked for an accompanying adult, or ID proving that he was one, in order to check in during out-of-town tournaments.

Somehow, despite a lack of parental guidance, Mullens had achieved his dreams.

But he’d never really gotten past his grief, had he? Never really figured out the pain.

He stood on the corner, blindly watching the small town go by, people nodding to him, offering hellos. Just a stranger, and yet he felt like he was at home.

Before he could change his mind he pulled his phone from his back pocket and dialed the team’s psychologist.

“Hey, it’s Mullens.”

“What’s up?” The man on the other end of the line was kind, but also had a firm edge that said don’t-mess-with-me. He’d tried to crack Mullens a time or two; he’d been making the rounds through the Dragons since September.

Miranda, the team’s owner, had a plan to whip her players into shape, everything from being more financially aware to dealing with their own emotional baggage, as well as taking care of their nutrition and physical fitness.

He’d never been on a team quite like the Dragons, and he found it was growing on him.

It wasn’t just a job; it was a family and everything that went along with it.

Doubting himself, he remained silent.

“Mullens?”

He caught sight of Athena hustling across the street, beelining it to the bookstore. Tonight was the grand opening and he’d caught only glimpses of her all week as she prepared for it.

“I was thinking…” he began.

Athena looked tired. Had she stopped to eat today?

He’d tried pressing a cup of apple cider into her hands earlier—after sidestepping an armadillo that seemed intent on keeping a cluster of people away from the food trucks.

Apparently, the beast didn’t understand that the day was in its honor—or maybe it did and was lording it over the humans.

But getting Athena to accept the drink had been like forcing a cat into a travel carrier.

“Mullens?”

“Sorry.” He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away from the street. “I was thinking I have some stuff I haven’t let go of. Can you help me with that?”

“Yes.” There was a pause. “When are you free?”

Mullens faltered. “Now?”

The man laughed. “I’m eating supper with my family. The only reason I didn’t let your call go to voice mail is because I imagined you might be desperate.”

“I am.”

His tone turned to wary concern. “Is it urgent?”

Mullens watched Athena vanish into her shop, her words from the other week rattling in his head about how he didn’t let her in—and he knew that was because he was avoiding feeling the pain of his past.

“Not life or death, but I’m ready to make a change.”

Athena had been operating on adrenaline and excitement, but she could feel her energy starting to wane. It had been a long week. The shop was now open and people were streaming in for tonight’s grand opening, keeping her and Meddy hopping.

And Chad was everywhere.

He had been since the kiss. Like a stray, it felt as though he was always lurking in the shadows, one eye on her in case she set out another food dish. Or in their situation, let down her guard and opened herself to another kiss.

She’d thought about that kiss a lot. Too much.

She wanted more. She also wanted to spend time with Chad in his fabulous home, curled up for days, poking about, getting to know him. Seeing exactly what was growing in that garden of his, and having fun cooking together.

But he was still closed up, hiding whatever it was he had in his heart. And, sadly, it wasn’t going to open up just because she wanted it to.

Speak of the devil. When she turned from delivering a cappuccino to a customer, Chad was standing in the bookshop’s doorway.

He looked different than he had earlier. Resolved, somehow, in a way that sent a shiver of anticipation zigzagging through her spine.

And yet that alpha energy he carried was more peaceful than usual, as though he’d made a decision about something that had been weighing on him.

Holding his gaze, she moved back behind the counter to make a decaf tea latte for her cousin Hannah, who was browsing through the children’s books with her two boys.

“Tina,” Chad said, giving her a nod.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

The day he called her by her real name was the day she’d forgive him and let it all go. The day she’d kiss him like she meant it.

Good thing that would never happen.

He tipped his chin in her direction. “Two thousand and eighty-nine.”

She sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top of the finished latte’s foamed milk, waving Hannah over.

She took a sip of her own coffee while considering the new subscriber number.

It had gone way up, with the views and comments on their first cooking video numbering the thousands.

It was a smash hit. At least by her standards.

Chad wandered through the shop, and she watched him while she helped customers, curious where he’d pause.

Philosophy? Sports? Crime fiction? Would he sit in one of the chairs in the back section with a couple of hockey books to see if he was mentioned in any of them?

If so, he should choose the big blue hardcover first.

“Hey, hot stuff!” Meddy called out to him. “Everything is 15 percent off tonight.”

“Thanks, Meddy.”

Her sister beamed, no doubt feeling the power of his unwavering gaze—the one where it felt like there was nobody else he’d rather be talking to. Nobody else that mattered in that moment.

“Love the shirt, by the way.”

“Couldn’t resist.” Chad glanced down at his navy blue Armadillo Day sweatshirt, one Athena knew was part of the fundraising efforts Brant and April Wylder had undertaken in order to build the town its first official animal shelter.

His eyes shifted, locking on Athena’s as he blasted her with a full-beam smile that rocked her. “You like it?”

It was tucked into his belted jeans and the fabric bulged out in the front as though he’d stuffed something down inside—a major style faux pas and very anti-Chad. His midriff wiggled and the ugliest little head popped out of the neck hole, licking Chad’s chin.

“Is that a puppy?”

“That Brant guy asked me to hold him while he managed a Great Dane. I think he’s trying to get Landon to—”

“No pets in the store.”

“What about Clem?” He pointed to the cat’s basket, now moved to a short shelf of travel books. The poor feline wasn’t so sure about the invasion of people tonight, and had slipped out, hopefully to return later.

“He’s the landlord,” Athena replied. “Doesn’t count.”

Chad chuckled.

“Aw, this cute little sad puppy has to stay,” Meddy said, going over to pet the dog’s shaved head.

It shivered in anticipation of meeting someone new, then ducked back into Chad’s sweatshirt before she could make contact.

Hannah’s boys, Thomas and Wade, swarmed the hockey player, eager to see the puppy, but it remained hidden.

“He seems pretty shy,” Chad explained to them. “Had a rough life. Brant said he was so matted he had to fully shave him, and had to stitch him up along his hip, too.”

“We have customers, Meddy,” Athena muttered, walking past with a huckleberry tart and latte for a customer sitting at the window overlooking Main Street.

“And Travis would like another beer and Donna needs another glass of white.” She gestured to the table where the town’s former mayor and his wife were sitting, chatting with friends and enjoying the liquor license acquired for the store’s grand opening.

“See you at next weekend’s game,” Meddy said, waving to Chad as she skipped behind the counter.

Athena’s gut tightened with dread as she thought about next Saturday.

Not only had her ex, Lonnie, reached out via text to meet up for a quick chat before his New Jersey team took on the Dragons, but she’d forgotten her promise to Meddy.

Her sister had caught her in a weak moment, making her commit to finally taking advantage of her free Dragons passes.

So a week from today the two of them would close up the store a touch early and head into the city with Jenny and Cassandra to watch a game.

Fun, right?

Sure. But right now all Athena wanted was to go home and sleep for a month.

Outside the shop’s doors she caught a glimpse of Cassandra and Landon as their kids, Dusty and Rylnn, ripped in, full of energy.

She smiled, delighted at how well five-year-old Dusty was doing.

The kid had been through the medical wringer lately, and it was a relief to see it was turning out well for the young family.

“There are new Batman sticker books in the corner,” she called to Dusty. “Princess ones, too,” she added for Rylnn’s benefit.