Page 85 of Wag More Bark Less

“Just once. Vi and I took a vacation with them once, about two years ago, to Glacier National Park.” Ethan glanced at the group ringed around the firepit below and folded his arms over his chest. “The guy bitched the whole time because we weren’t at some beach resort instead. He wasn’t really a nature guy. Between you and me, I’m glad she’s rid of him. Violet is too.”

My gaze drifted to Maggie in the yard below. She sat sideways in a camping chair, legs draped over one of the arms, a blanket wrapped around her like a burrito. There was no fire in the firepit yet—that would come later with the s’mores—but she was holding court with her sister and Walter while the other boy—Carson—chased Ellie around the yard, a sock dangling from her mouth.

Everything about this moment was perfect.

Everything except that it was temporary.

“Want me to grab you a beer?” Ethan offered.

“Thanks.” I nodded toward my door. “In the door of the fridge.”

The sound of Maggie’s laughter echoed, and I looked down in time to catch her head tossed back, her long honey-tinted hair grazing the grass. I don’t know how long I watched her, only that when I heard footsteps behind me, I’d burned one of the hot dogs.

“She seems to be doing good,” Ethan said as he twisted off the cap and handed me a bottle. I didn’t know what to say to that, so I took a sip of the spiced-apple-flavored beer I picked up at the Grizzly Grocer earlier. “I know Violet appreciates you looking out for her.”

“They’re close,” I said as Ollie sprinted out Maggie’s back door and raced down the deck steps to join his brother in chasing Ellie. Maggie hopped up from her chair, abandoning her blanket and joining the chaos. Laughter, barking, and little feet stomping over leaves echoed. It was the kind of noise my backyard hadn’t heard in years.

“Practically attached at the hip,” Ethan agreed. “It’s been a while since Maggie’s been back in Michigan for more than a quick visit. Violet’s excited for her to stay for a while. She told you she’s staying with us to entertain the boys after the baby comes?”

“She did.”

“Those two are overdue for some quality sister time. And honestly, I’m relieved we’re going to have some help when our baby girl gets here. You’d think it gets easier with each one, but the truth is, the chaos dial just gets turned up a little more each time. Can you believe we want a fourth?”

“You’re having a girl?” I asked, searching my memory to recall whether Maggie shared that detail with me.

“Actually, we don’t know. Violet refused to find out the sex, and I wasn’t going to argue. I know better than that.” He laughed. “But I just have a feeling about this one.” Ethan took a swig of his beer. “You want kids, man?”

“I did.”

Maggie caught me staring and smiled up at me. My pulse doubled. A simple curve of her lips and the walls I’d fortified around my heart kept crumbling one by one. Maggie winked at me before she grabbed the sock from Ellie and ran. The boys and pup chased her around the perimeter.

It would be so easy—and so incredibly reckless—to fall for the woman who was always going to leave.

“What changed?” Ethan asked.

I focused on flipping the burgers. “She left. Things didn’t work out.”

“So you’re going to let one woman decide the rest of your life?” His question was laced with challenge.

“I thought so,” I mumbled.

“Look, I get it. I’ve been there, too. But then I met Vi, and everything just . . . made sense.”

Ethan’s gaze landed on his wife who was still bundled in a blanket on a camping chair, chatting it up with Walter. She snagged Carson as he ran by and wrapped both arms around him, kissing him loudly on the cheek. The boy giggled and squirmed. She got in one more kiss before he escaped to rejoin the chaos. Ethan looked at his wife the same way I’d so often caught Dad looking at Mom—with a sort of reverence.

I plated the burgers and hot dogs, nearly dropping one when Maggie squealed.

“Want me to take those down?” Ethan offered.

“Yeah, thanks.”

The patio table was beneath the deck as it wasn’t large enough to fit with the divider between the units. I considered, not for the first time, removing the deck divider altogether. When I purchased the duplex three years ago, the long-term goal had always been to turn it into one big house. But then Raquel left and the extra space seemed wasteful for a bachelor when I could continue renting it out instead.

Now, after one brief conversation with a man I met literal hours ago, I was picturing a yard full of kids of my own, a dog or two, and a woman standing beside me on the deck, tucked into my arms, watching the wonderful madness below.

The only problem?

That woman was Maggie, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to picture anyone else.