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Lawson turned his mischievous smile in her direction. “I bet you could find dozens of ideas. You could probably stay on the farm for years and never run out of things to teach.”

Then he disappeared into the barn, leaving Rissa and Burke alone.

Alone for the first time in over a decade. Heat rose up her neck and covered her cheeks. “I’m sorry. That isn’t necessary. I don’t want to put you out. Frizzle and I have other things to do. You don’t need to waste your time on me.” Her voice and expression were tight, but she couldn’t help it. She picked up her stool and turned to step around him, knowing Frizzle would follow.

His gentle voice stopped her. “Rissa.”

She froze, feeling the single word like a caress.

After a few heartbeats, he spoke again. “I’d love to show you the farm. Will you walk with me?”

Her heart quivered. She shouldn’t, she really shouldn’t.

Her heart ached and hoped at the same time. Her mouth didn’t have any doubts, and she heard herself answer. “Okay.”

Burke’s shoulders relaxed when Rissa agreed to the walk. He’d thought she would push him away, and he wouldn’t blame her.

Instead of taking her hand like he wanted, Burke gestured to the orchard. “Shall we? Is Frizzle going to be warm enough?”

Rissa’s eyes widened and she nodded. “Yes, her coat is warm. If she gets tired or cold, I’ll carry her.”

Burke figured her dog was a safe topic. “She’s got a lot of personality for one who doesn’t weigh more than a bowling ball.”

They’d had fun bowling a few times when they’d been kids. His mom had loved the sport, and it had been a semi-annual event for the family. Halona had insisted on including Rissa once they’d become friends. Burke remembered how Rissa had been fascinated by the workings of the ball return machines and the physics of knocking down all the pins.

Rissa’s lips tilted in a stilted smile. “She’s not quite six pounds.”

Burke grinned as Frizzle bounded a few feet ahead, checking out the fresh snow along the edge of the path. “She’s a terrier? I don’t know much about the breed.” And it would give them neutral ground to discuss.

“Yes. She’s a Yorkshire Terrier, but most people call them Yorkies. We met when I was teaching a science lesson at a middle school in Philadelphia. They were also hosting a pet adoption event that day. Frizzle bounced right over to me.”

“And stole your heart.”

A genuine smile this time. “She did.”

“You always wanted a dog.”

Her smile softened. “So did you. Walking all those dogs at the animal shelter on the weekends filled the gap.”

It had for them both. And the rest of his siblings. Five kids were a lot in any household. With their parents working full-time and the kids involved in all kinds of sports and activities, it wouldn’t have been fair to bring an animal into an often-empty house. If Burke stayed here on the farm, he could get a dog of his own. He hadn’t met all the animals living here yet, but he’d seen them all on video chats and hoped to meet them soon.

After a few minutes of silence, Burke decided to face the elephant in the room. He’d thought he could ignore it and it would fade away, but that wasn’t true. Always better to face your mistakes head-on. Something Fox had reinforced with them all. Being human means we’re not perfect. When you mess up, say so, apologize, and move forward.

“I’m sorry for how I let our friendship drift away.”

“It’s fine. You were dealing with a lot more important things than me.”

She’d always been so quick to forgive, so kind. He shook his head. “It’s not. I was an ass, and I know it.”

She shook her head with a frown. “You’re not an ass, Burke. Never were.”

The touch of humor in her voice told him she would forgive him with just those words, but she deserved more. “It was a hell of a time for us. The grief was so big, I thought it might swallow me whole some days.”

“You were going to school, taking care of your brothers and sisters, and working a couple of jobs. All with a broken heart and in a new town.”

He nodded. “All true and all excuses.”

Rissa touched his arm. “Grief and love are the best reasons in the world. Those aren’t excuses.”