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“Yes!” The girl skipped to the shelf in one of her ever-present, sparkling princess costumes.

Cass and Landon were talking out on the sidewalk and Athena went back to work, startled a few minutes later when the sound of applause filtered into her shop.

What was happening out there? Were people crowding around Cass and Landon?

She felt like she was missing out on everything lately.

Always go, go, go. Once the cookbook was launched and the store established she needed to hire some help and spend more time with her friends again.

Rylnn and Dusty went scooting back outside, and that’s when Athena noticed Chad in the kids’ section by the door, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Not in the sports section, skimming hockey books as she’d expected.

She kept an eye on him as he flipped through books, laughing at some, discarding others as soon as he saw the cover. A stack was building beside him, and she was curious who the lucky recipient was going to be.

She thought about moseying by, but Hannah came to the counter with a book for each of her boys.

“How are your classes?” Athena asked as she rang her through. Her cousin had recently decided to go back to school, making her a very busy single mom.

Maybe keeping busy was a family trait and not an actual personality flaw, like some people believed.

“There’s this one on child development and learning—Wade, quit poking Thomas—which is super interesting.” She eyed the tub of dirty dishes behind Athena that was waiting to be taken into the kitchen. “Text me if you need help cleaning up tonight. I’m around.”

“You’ve already done plenty.” Hannah had spent hours making the back kitchen shine when she’d found out Athena would be shooting videos in the dusty space. Athena hadn’t even had to bribe her with brownies.

“It’s not every day you open a store!”

Hannah and the boys left and Athena’s attention drifted back to Chad.

He was watching a mother and child use sign language as the mom corraled two younger toddlers toward the bathroom at the rear of the store.

Her signing child, who looked about four, settled in a beanbag chair with a giant sigh of resignation and began flipping through a picture book.

Chad leaned forward, catching the child’s attention. He signed something and the child nodded, scooting closer. The child held the book while the hockey player told the story using his hands, pausing so the child could look at the illustrations before turning the next page.

Athena, absorbed in the sight, jerked when Henry Wylder asked her for a cup of decaf.

“You on drugs? You have a weird look on your face.” Henry smoothed down his salt and peppery hair, then turned to look in the same direction she had been moments ago.

“Well, hello!” he called to Chad, a smile cracking his leathery skin.

“You been eating well again today? Mrs. Fisher’s Saturday specials are a real treat over there at the diner, don’tcha think? ”

Chad gave a sheepish half smile and said, “I missed it today.”

“That’s a real cryin’ shame. I’m sure she has some pie left if you’re fixin’ for something sweet.”

“Thanks.”

Seriously? Chad Mullens had totally managed to charm the grumpy old curmudgeon? No wonder she was having issues holding her ground with the hunk. Apparently, she was the only one impervious to his charm.

Henry turned back to her with a harrumph, stating bluntly, “I never got one of those tarts you were handing out at the parade.”

Technically, she’d served the last one a minute ago, but she reached under the counter and pulled a tart from the package reserved for her parents as thanks for their help and the loan of extra dishes for the grand opening.

She set it on a clean plate and pushed it toward Henry.

He was the kind of man who needed his wheels greased every so often so he didn’t torture everyone.

He’d fought the opening of her store in any way he could—just because he was Henry and she was creating change in the tiny town.

She poured a cup of decaffeinated coffee and handed it to him.

He had out his wallet, but he narrowed his eyes. “So I have to pay for a tart while everyone watching the parade got one for free? What kind of scam you got goin’ on in here?”

“Those were parade treats!”

“She’s not charging you, Henry!” Meddy laughed, leaning in front of Athena and pushing the plate closer to him.

“Hon, this is on the house as our thanks for you running such a smooth parade earlier.” She winked at him.

“But don’t you go expecting this special treatment every day, you ol’ scallywag! ”

Pink spots appeared on the man’s cheeks and his jaw opened and closed a few times before he took his order and shuffled away.

“You need to teach me your dark magic tricks,” Athena whispered in awe.

Her sister laughed. “It’s called flirting. You should try it sometime.” She elbowed Athena, then nodded meaningfully toward Chad.

He looked up and called, “How do you sign ‘giraffe’? I can’t remember.”

Athena shrugged and the child’s mom appeared around the corner of a bookcase with her twins, making a gesture.

“Thanks.” Chad resumed reading.

Meddy said under her breath, “I like him.”

“You don’t know him.”

“And you do, even with those blinders on?”

“What?” She turned in surprise.

“You assume he’s another Lonnie, and he’s totally not.”

Athena considered that.

Truth? Yes.

Did she want to accept it? No, not really. Because if she did, then she might lose her heart.

She turned back to the espresso machine, shaking her head. Who was she kidding? Her heart had already packed its bags and was following Chad down the lane.

Mullens caught Athena yawning, her eyes tearing up as she did so. Outside, Armadillo Day had wound down, most of the booths on Main Street already dismantled and the food trucks either already gone or in the final stages of packing up.

He headed outside to collect several dishes that had been left on the two tables set on the sidewalk, keeping one hand cupped under the bundle of fur inside his sweatshirt. Next, he folded the sidewalk sign that announced the store’s grand opening.

“Hey,” Dylan O’Neill said, giving him a nod as he passed. His large black dog pulled on its leash hauling his teammate toward Mullens. “What are you doing in town? Didn’t see you in the parade.”

“I could ask the same of you.”

Leo, the rookie, had walked in the parade alongside their team mascot, Dezzie. The big dragon costume was always worn by Leo’s girlfriend, who lived in town. Mullens supposed it made sense that Violet should take part, but Leo? Why him?

Mullens leaned down to pet the dog, which squirmed and threw herself against his leg, knocking him back. A line of slobber pirouetted from the canine’s mouth, streaking down his jeans.

“Fish, no!”

Mullens frowned. “Your dog’s name is Fish?”

“I didn’t name her. Brant Wylder did.”

Brant. He’d failed to come back for his puppy. The one Fish had just discovered with her nose and was nudging insistently through the fabric of Mullens’ sweatshirt. The small dog squirmed and Mullens turned away, trying to calm the pup. “You seen Brant?”

The puppy’s head popped out the collar of Mullens’ shirt, and Dylan laughed. “No, but if he gave you that dog, good luck in handing it back.”

“What? No. I’m just holding him.”

“You need to spend more time around here.”

“I’m trying. But the rental listings Landon gave me were all out of date.”

Dylan smirked and began tugging on his dog’s leash. He lifted his chin. “Later.”

“Yeah. Later.” Mullens let his gaze track across the street and down to where Jenny Oliver’s shop had closed up for the night, lights off. “Guess you’re heading back to the city?”

“We’ll see.”

“A crusty bastard like you will never win over a sweetheart like Jenny.” He grinned, waiting for Dylan to turn around and give him a one-finger salute. The man didn’t disappoint.

Mullens let himself back into the store with the folded-up sign.

Earlier, Athena and Meddy’s parents had been by the shop, their mother in a wheelchair. Now just their dad had returned, and was loading up boxes of what looked like dishes.

“I think they’re closing up, son,” Mr. Gavras said, his kind eyes the same deep hazel as Athena’s.

“Thanks. Just seeing if Tina needs anything.” His focus locked on the woman with the wavy brown hair.

“Athena,” the older man corrected, darting a look at his daughter, who was hunched over some books and papers at the counter.

“Right. Sorry.” Still cradling the puppy in his shirt, he leaned the sign against his leg and held out his free hand. “I’m Mullens.”

Her dad gave him an apologetic look and shifted the box in his arms.

“Right! Sorry. Hands full.” He inhaled, trying to calm himself and his sudden nerves. “Let me get the door.” He ditched the sign and strode over, pushing open the door with one hand while supporting the puppy with the other.

“What have you got there?” Mr. Gavras asked, eyeing the squirming mass under the fabric while he passed.

“Apparently I got— Uh, it’s a stray. Brant Wylder asked me to take care of it. But I haven’t seen him around lately, so…I’m not sure what to do with it.”

Mr. Gavras’s smile widened knowingly.

“Did I inadvertently adopt a puppy?”

The man shrugged, giving him a look that was way too innocent.

If he had adopted the pup, could he even buy it food this late at night? A leash? A collar? Chew toys? What else did a puppy need? A bed? It could sleep on his—if it wasn’t too high for the little guy to jump up onto.

Mullens followed Athena’s dad to the car waiting on the street, then opened the hatch for him so he could set the boxes in the trunk. “Anything else to come out?”

“No, this is all.” The man glanced back at the shop where his daughters were still working. He stretched out his hand for Mullens to shake. “Thank you, Chad.”