by Codi Gary
Rylie didn’t want to be thrilled by this news, but she secretly was. Raider was special, and she’d wanted him from the first time she’d seen him. “I’m still looking for a place that allows pets. There aren’t a lot of rentals in Sweetheart.”
Tayler frowned. “You’re looking for a new place? What about Asher?”
“Oh, we broke up. I am staying in a friend’s pool house until I find something permanent.”
Tayler’s face brightened. “Well, good for you. I didn’t want to say anything, but I never liked that guy. You can tell there is something really wrong with a person who doesn’t like animals.”
“Thanks, Tayler. If you hear of any rentals, can you let me know?”
Tayler nodded. “I’ll keep my ear to the ground if I hear of any place that takes pets. Does it have to be in Sweetheart?”
“Well, not too far outside. I don’t want a long commute.”
“Understood. You go have fun and I’ll take these to the other residents.”
Rylie smiled and slid the homemade peanut butter treat she’d made especially for Raider from her back pocket. She stopped just outside his cage and said, “Hey, buddy, did you miss me?”
At the sound of her voice, the muscular pit bull bounded to his feet and let out a series of booming barks. His long thin tail wagged straight in the air and his gray body wiggled with joy.
Rylie’s heart warmed as he ran for the door of the cage. The burns on the left side of his face and ear had healed months ago, but the hair would never grow back there. She grabbed his leash off the gate and after unlocking the heavy metal door, stepped inside. She kneeled and was immediately drowned in doggy kisses. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around Raider and kissed him on the side of his head.
“I missed you too, bud.”
Rylie had fallen in love with the dog the first time she’d seen him. He’d been locked in a cage in the infirmary, growling at anyone who came near. He’d been brought in by a Good Samaritan who had seen a bunch of boys light the poor dog on fire. The man had put out the flames and rushed him to the rescue. They’d been keeping him on antibiotics and pain meds while he healed, but he didn’t trust anyone and they had to sedate him in order to treat him.
But Rylie had seen past his aggression, recognizing the fear in his eyes. He’d had his trust completely broken and needed to learn that not all humans were evil.
So, she’d come in every morning before work after Asher had left, sat outside his cage, and talked to him. Sometimes she even read him stories. Several weeks passed and when she showed up, Raider’s tail would wag. He started taking biscuits from her and soon, the staff was following her lead. He stopped growling and the first time Rylie took him into the yard, she learned that he loved to chase a ball.
She’d begged Asher to let her adopt him, but he hadn’t wanted a dog. She’d started slowing down her visits after that, knowing she couldn’t have Raider hurt. Yet people kept passing him over because he was aloof with everyone but her.
Rylie sat down and let Raider climb across her lap and roll over for belly scratches. “You are such a big goofball.”
His upside-down smile never failed to delight and cheer her, and she leaned over to kiss his nose.
“Do you want to hear about my week before we go play ball? I gotta warn you, it’s a bit of a doozy.”
Raider woofed softly in response and Rylie took that as a yes.
Chapter 11
On Monday morning, Rylie was organizing her folder for the Rolland/Marconi wedding when Wendy Harrington knocked on her doorframe. Wendy had been hired as Kelly’s assistant this summer, and seemed to be working out. Something Borrowed had a high turnover. Kelly usually hired women home for the summer from college, women who were just looking for something temporary until they found something in their field of study. Rylie knew that Wendy had a degree in business and was saving up money to go back to school for her masters.
“Hey, Kelly wants to see you when you get a second.”
“Sure.” Rylie stood up and came around the desk.
“Oh, I love that skirt!”
Rylie looked down at her black lace pencil skirt with a nude underskirt. It was one of her favorites, but she hardly wore it, afraid of snagging it.
“Thanks. I love your dress.” Wendy was wearing a yellow dress with a square neck and a full skirt that hit just below her knees. The style was 1950s and adorable on her slight frame. Her red curls were pinned back from her face and her freckles darkened as she blushed. Rylie thought she was sweet, if sometimes a bit too forward.
“Thank you.” Wendy danced from foot to foot for a few moments and Rylie could tell there was something else she wanted.
“What’s up? You seem nervous.”
“I was just wondering… I know it’s none of my business, but I heard that you were staying at Dustin Kent’s place.”
Rylie figured that people were going to find out eventually, but she hadn’t told anyone… So how had Wendy known?
The movers.
No one could keep a secret in this town.
“Yeah, I am. Temporarily.”
Wendy’s eyes widened. “Really? I didn’t think he did that sort of thing.”
This conversation was slowly crossing from curiosity to nosiness.
“We’re just friends, and I’m only staying in his pool house until I find a place of my own.”
“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Wendy said, sheepishly.
Sure you didn’t.
Apparently, she wasn’t done because Wendy gushed, “It’s just… He’s just so hot, but I didn’t want to step on any toes if I asked him out.”
Rylie still managed to smile, even as her jaw tightened. “Nope, my toes are good. Go for it.” The sudden need to get away from the perky redhead overcame Rylie and she added, “I better go before Kelly gets antsy.”
“Okay, thanks. See you later.”
Wendy walked out ahead of her, turning into Dustin’s office.
Wow, she didn’t waste any time.
Rylie headed down to Kelly’s office. When she passed by Dustin’s, he was focused on Wendy, who was leaning over his desk. He didn’t notice Rylie, and she hated the flirtatious smile he was bestowing on the other woman.
She had no reason to be irritated, though. Rylie had been avoiding him since he walked her to the pool house door on Saturday night. Partly because she’d been embarrassed for the way she’d behaved. She almost never drank, especially not to the point of puking.
Then there had been the way he’d told her he was staying away from attached women, as if he cared what she thought of him. It had caused butterflies to erupt in her stomach, getting caught in her chest until she’d had trouble breathing past all the flutters. The last thing she needed was another reason to like him.
Of course, she’d panicked at her reaction to him. If there was ever a guy who had heartbreak written all over him, it was Dustin.
So, she’d run, hid, and avoided as best she could. It seemed the only course of treatment for the insanity that had obviously taken over her body.
Rylie stopped just outside Kelly’s office and watched her boss pore over several documents on her desk. Kelly seemed caught up in whatever she was reading, so Rylie knocked on Kelly’s doorframe gently.
Her boss glanced up and stood, waving at her. “Come in and shut the door.”
“Sure.” Once she’d done as Kelly asked, Kelly sat down and Rylie took the chair across from her. “What’s up?”
“How are things going with Dustin?”
You mean besides the fact that I’m softening around him like a marshmallow over a fire? “Fine.”
Kelly watched her closely. “He pulling his own weight?”
“Yeah, he’s doing great. In fact, I was going to grab him so we could go order the flowers and such.”
Kelly tapped her perfect French tips on her desk several times before she nodded. “Okay then. I just wanted to be sure and touch base with you. You go do that and let me know if there are any issues.”
Rylie cocked her head. “Exactly what do you think Dustin is involved in?”
“I don’t know. Just a feeling I have.”
“Then why not just fire him?” Rylie asked.
“You know what they say about curiosity…just call me a kitty cat.”
Rylie laughed and stood up. “Whatever you say, boss.”
She left Kelly’s office and wondered what was worth the stress of keeping Dustin around if Kelly didn’t trust him. It was too weird.
She stopped in the doorway of Dustin’s office. Wendy was gone, thank God. The last thing she wanted was to walk in on the two of them getting to know each other better.
In the biblical sense.
She leaned against the doorjamb and it took several moments before he looked up and beamed at her, officially knocking the wind out of her with just a smile.
Oh boy.
“Hey. You just going to stand there?”
“You looked like you were concentrating. What are you writing?” she asked, taking a step into his office.
He tapped his keyboard and shut his laptop before she got too close. “Just an e-mail. You ready?”
“Sure. I have all of the pictures and mock-ups Tonya sent me, so I thought we’d start with flowers.”
He stood up and pulled his blue checked vest down over his pristine white shirt. Today his tie was navy blue and his slacks charcoal gray. He always looked like he was ready for a GQ shoot, which was something Rylie could appreciate. She loved clothes and enjoyed looking nice.
“After you,” Dustin said with a wave of his hand.
She walked in front of him out the door, conscious of the fact that the tight pencil skirt felt like it was molded for his perusal.
She casually checked over her shoulder, but there was no quick glance away or guilty look. He grinned at her, as if he knew exactly what she was doing and her face warmed.
He jogged ahead of her and opened the front door. As she stepped out, he leaned over, his voice low. “I was.”
She slowed her pace, glancing up to meet his gaze. “You were what?”
“Checking you out.”
Mortified, she was tempted to take off her black ballet flat and hit him with it. “Do you like embarrassing me?”
“Embarrassing you? No. Flustering you? Absolutely.”
She angrily yanked his car door open, setting off the alarm. When he hit the button, quieting the blare, she spoke through gritted teeth.
“What is the difference?”
“One is mean. The other is just so I get to see that pretty pink blush stain your cheeks.”
“Oh!” She climbed inside, and held the folder against her chest protectively. “Isn’t there anyone else you can torment?”
“Sure, but you’re my favorite.”
No. No. NO! The way he said it was not supposed to make her feel warm and gooey. “Lucky me. What about Wendy?”
“What about her?”
He seemed genuinely confused so she elaborated. “She was asking about you. Said she was going to ask you out.”
One of his dark eyebrows lifted as his smile widened. “Are you jealous?”
She tried to laugh, but it sounded a little forced, even to her ears. “Absolutely not. I just think you shouldn’t get involved with people you work with.”
He leaned into the car, but she refused to look at him. When his mouth grazed her ear, she jerked as he whispered, “What if there is someone that you try to stay away from but you just can’t help yourself?”
“Oh, you’re such a tease.” She pushed him away, shutting the door on his laughter.
He went around the back of the car and got in a few moments later, still chuckling. “Okay, I’ll behave.” He started the car and put his hand on the back of her seat. When he turned to look out the back window, his thumb grazed her bare shoulder as he backed up, and a tingle spread across her skin, down to her breasts. Her nipples hardened, and she was thankful she was wearing one of her thicker bras so he couldn’t tell.
“You call that behaving?” she said.
He switched gears to drive and shot out onto the street. “What?”
“Touching me.”
“Total accident, I swear.”
He wasn’t smirking, but she still had a hard time believing him.
* * * *
Dustin held the door for Rylie when they reached Pocket Full of Posies Flower Shop, thinking that she smelled better than the overpowering scents coming from inside. Once he was surrounded, he sniffed a bit, feeling a sneeze coming on. Normally he wasn’t allergic, but he also didn’t stand in the middle of a hundred different flowers in an enclosed space every day.
Kenzie Olsen came out of the back, her blond curls kept out of her face with a purple bandana. Once upon a time, she’d been hot and heavy with his brother, Charlie, but they’d broken up right before Charlie had left for school. Dustin had never asked why they called it quits, but it really didn’t matter. He’d always liked her.
“Hey, Rys. I’m so excited to be working with you.” She hugged Rylie hard, and pulled away to give Dustin a wide grin. “Hey, kid! It’s been a long time.” She gave him a tight embrace and pulled away, smacking his cheek lightly. “Good to see you. You’re into this wedding stuff too, huh?”
Charlie and Kenzie were five years his senior and the full two years they’d been dating, Kenzie had always called him kid. Apparently fifteen years and several inches did not break the habit.
“Hey, Kenz. What can I say, there’s just something about a wedding.”
“Uh huh.” Kenzie turned her attention back to Rylie, obviously knowing who the expert was. “So, what do you have for me?”
Rylie opened her binder and pulled out several pictures of bouquets and centerpieces. They all had white roses with silver ribbons, pearls, and green leaves placed strategically between them to give the floral arrangements just a touch of color.
Dustin thought it was boring as hell, but what did he know about wedding themes and color schemes? He was just there to look pretty and nod.
“Your bride doesn’t like a lot of color, does she?” Kenzie asked.
“Not from all of the things she’s sent me.” Rylie pulled out two printed photos from her folder and placed them on the nearby counter. “This is what her gown looks like and the bridesmaid’s dresses she wants. We’re headed to the dress shop next to order them.”
Dustin didn’t really care, but he just happened to look down and see simple silver gowns in a shiny material. He made a face.
“You got something to say?” Rylie asked.
He realized she’d caught his expression, and he cleared his throat, uncomfortable. “Nothing.”
“No, tell me.”
He shrugged. “I just think that the colors are wrong for a fall wedding in November. It seems bland.”
Rylie nodded. “I agree with you. Plus, that dress is going to look terrible on me.”
“That dress would look terrible on anyone with curves,” Kenzie agreed.
Dustin could almost see the gears in Rylie’s head turning as she plotted. “Maybe we can change her mind about the color scheme?”
“What do you have in mind?” Dustin asked.
He waited as she looked around the shop, her eyes lighting up when she spotted something. She pulled out a white rose with burgundy tipped petals. “What if we used these with silver pearls? And a burgundy ribbon with silver trim?”
Kenzie was practically bouncing from foot to foot, obviously inspired. “I can do a few sample bouquets this afternoon and send you pics. Then you can send them to her and see if they change her mind.”
Dustin stepped back as they started spitballing ideas back and forth, his gaze landing on a vase in the refrigerated glass case full of lavender roses. They were gorgeous and matched the exact shade of Rylie’s off-the-shoulder shirt.
Why he’d noticed that, he had no idea, but he found himself clearing his throat.
“How much is this display?” he asked.
The women’s conversation hushed as Kenzie checked to see what he was looking at. “Sixty dollars plus tax.”
There was no way Rylie would accept them from him at that price. He stayed quiet as Kenzie promised to make the mock-ups and send Rylie pictures that afternoon. Dustin pulled out his wallet as Rylie headed for the door.
“Are you coming?” she asked.
“In a second. I’ll meet you by the car.”
She shot him a curious glance, but left the building.
“What’s up, kid?” Kenzie asked.
Dustin didn’t bother telling her not to call him that. If it hadn’t fazed her when he was a kid, he doubted she’d pay him heed now. “Do you have a single purple rose I can buy?”
She cocked her head to the side, studying him thoughtfully. “In the back refrigerator. The price tag on the dozen too much for you?”
“No, but it would be for the girl I gave them to.”
Kenzie’s eyebrows shot up as her gaze shot toward the door. “I see.”
Man, did his face get really warm. “It’s not like that. It’s an apology, for me being a jackass.”
Her expression clouded and her mouth twisted into a frown. “Must run in the family. I’ll be right back.”
Kenzie disappeared before he could ask her what she meant. He forgot about it until after she’d already rung him up and sent him out the door.
When he walked over to Rylie, who was leaning against his car, he hid the rose behind his back.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He held the rose out to her. “For you.”
She stared at the rose, hesitating. “Why?”
“It’s an apology rose. I’m sorry for giving you a hard time, and I’ll try to be better from this point forward.”
