Page 56 of Will Bark for Pizza (Bluebell Springs #1)

FORTY-FIVE

BECKETT

“You know, for a guy who said he didn’t have much to move, you sure have a lot of shit,” Luke commented as he set a large tote next to the couch.

“Less than your sister did,” I pointed out.

“Yeah, and we’ll have to move all that again when she finds a place to live,” Luke grumbled.

We moved the majority of Kira’s things into the storage unit three down from mine. She was planning to stay with Connie and Dale until the bookstore got solid legs under it.

It was why I took Karl up on his offer to move in before the official closing date on the cabin.

I didn’t trust myself around Kira, but I wasn’t about to be disrespectful to the people who took me in for the better part of four months.

If I slept at the cabin, the temptation to sneak across the hall would be eliminated.

“That should be the last of it,” Connor announced as a strong gust of wind slammed the screen door shut for the third or fourth time. He set down an end table in the living room.

The lakeside cabin looked different from the first time I saw it, yet still the same.

Connor and Luke helped me empty the place of Karl’s furniture, and retrieve what little I had from my storage unit.

The green carpet, wood-paneled walls, and decades-old bathroom fixtures would eventually get upgraded, but those projects were far down on my list.

“You going to survive out here, cooking your own meals again?” Luke ribbed.

I would miss Grandma Connie’s cooking. But I was looking forward to cleaning up the old charcoal grill and putting it to good use.

“I’ll hardly be here,” I admitted. I was behind schedule on the Kniffen Street house, but if I put in some long days, I could catch up. If you stop focusing so damn much on the bookstore, you’d be on schedule , Nana’s voice echoed in my head.

I checked my phone on impulse, but I hadn’t heard much from her or Madeline since Nana caught a flight out of Denver almost two weeks ago. Only a few texts to know she arrived safely.

I sure as hell hoped no news was good news.

“You need any help with that house?” Connor offered.

“Maybe next week when I start on the kitchen. This week is painting, and I only have one sprayer.”

“How’s the sale on the bookstore coming?” Luke asked .

“We close middle of next week.”

“Any regrets?”

I studied my best friend, wondering if his question was more than a surface-level inquiry. With Luke, it was hard to tell.

“No. It’s a solid investment.”

“Think Kira can do it?” Connor asked Luke.

“I don’t know,” Luke said, his tone more honest than cynical. “I hope so.”

“I think the odds are in her favor. She has a lot of help,” I chimed in.

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time—” Luke’s phone rang, effectively cutting him off. He was in plain clothes today, due for a day off. But as the police chief, he was always on call. Judging by his hardening expression, it was work.

“Shit, got to run. Some idiot ignored the warning and went kayaking on Glimmerstone Lake.”

I glanced out my new living room window, noting the choppy water. The wind was gusting north of fifty miles per hour, according to the coffee drinkers I’d bumped into earlier. It made for rough waters. At the big lake, I suspected it would be worse.

“I’d offer to help you unpack,” Connor said, glancing at his watch, “but I need to pick up Opal from summer camp.”

“I’m good,” I said to them both. “Dinner’s on me whenever you’re free.”

As the brothers drove away in their separate trucks, I stared out the window and watched the waves rippling across the otherwise quiet lake. No one was out on it today. The locals obviously knew better.

Silence quickly filled the cabin. I’d always been a sort of lone wolf, but the quiet was already deafening.

I threw a set of sheets in the stackable washing machine—the newest appliance in the entire place—and set to unpacking, hoping to drown out the silence.

I considered calling Madeline as I worked, but her lack of communication likely meant she was pissed at me.

Probably convinced I’d sicced Nana on her.

It might be best to hold off until I talked to Nana to get an assessment of what was going on.

I filled the dresser and closet with clothes, the linen closet with a set of towels, and the pantry with a few items I picked up at the grocery store earlier. But the house still felt . . . empty. The walls were bare—the family photograph taken down before I was given the keys.

It was missing something.

Kira .

I tried to shake away the thought, but a new one popped in to join it.

And Husker .

I imagined her laughter as I cooked dinner, trying not to burn the food because she was bare-legged and wearing only my T-shirt. Husker, of course, would be stationed in the doorway waiting for handouts, those sonar-level ears at the ready for anything.

I moved the sheets to the dryer, and went for the living room curtains next. I wasn’t sure whether a cycle in the washing machine would help them or not, but for now, it would have to do .

I was antsy.

I resisted the urge to head into town. It didn’t matter what destination I set out for. I’d end up at the bookstore.

Aspen’s advice echoed. Don’t try to fix her problems. Just support her while she sorts everything out.

So instead, I went out to my truck to retrieve the last of my things, mostly a dirty load of laundry I’d start after the curtains were finished. But as I closed the back door, a glimmer of shiny red caught my eye through the thick of trees.

A red Jeep.

Kira.

I tossed the laundry bag into the back seat of my truck and headed down the narrow dirt-packed trail to the boat dock. As the waves rocked almost violently against the shore, I picked up my pace. Surely she and Husker weren’t on the water today.

Except, I spotted Kira standing on a paddleboard a good twenty yards from the boat ramp, paddling away from shore.

She wobbled as she fought the choppy waters.

I didn’t see Husker on the board or in the water, and it didn’t appear that Kira was looking for him.

That brought me a small sense of relief because Kira always put him above her own safety.

On a day like today, that could be a deadly impulse.

She wasn’t wearing a life jacket.

I’d never seen Kira wear a life jacket on Ghost Lake. I was told she was a good swimmer. But good didn’t guarantee she was strong enough to fight water moving this quickly. My fists balled at my sides. What the fuck is she doing?

I didn’t realize I was kicking off my shoes until I saw her fall in.

I didn’t wait to see if she resurfaced.

I dove in and swam.