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A few days ago, I would’ve jumped for joy, but now I’m not sure what to do. Agreeing feels like betraying Aiden, but that’s silly because Aiden and I aren’t together.
But still, the thought of going on a date with another man while things are unsettled between Aiden and me doesn’t feel right.
“It doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to be. It could just be coffee.”
I don’t see any harm in that. “Coffee sounds good. Hot chocolate sounds better.”
“Hot chocolate, it is.” Ethan smiles and looks at his watch. “How about now? I don’t have to be at work until four. What about you?”
“I’m a teacher, so I have the summer off.”
“Even better—whoa!” Ethan ducks his head in time for a tennis ball to go whizzing by and stumbles back when a giant boxer plows between us.
The dog skids past his ball, snags it, and turns as if to say look at that, did you see that?
I smile and blink. “Louie?” I say, handing Ethan’s dog back to him.
At the mention of his name, Louie’s ears perk up and, because belly rubs are so much better than a tennis ball, he drops the toy and charges me. His butt wiggles so fast, it causes him to run sideways. He slams into me, knocking me off balance. I tumble to the ground and laugh when he licks a slobbery path from chin to forehead.
“I thought that was you,” I say, rubbing the big dog down.
“Are you okay?” Ethan says, his tiny dog barking in his arms. He reaches out a hand to help me off the ground, but I ignore it.
“I’m fine,” I say, giving Louie my full attention. “Look at how big you’ve gotten. That’s right, you’re such a big boy,” I croon. “And a sweet boy. Where’s Calvin? Or Millie. Did your mama bring you here?”
Before he can bark out a response, a familiar voice freezes me in place.
“I brought him.”
I stop, my hands resting on Louie’s back, and stare at Aiden, who comes to a halt in front of me. I take in the grey sweatpants hanging low on his hips and the white tee stretching across his broad shoulders. Aiden isn’t the tallest guy I’ve ever met. In fact, at five foot ten, most people would call him short, but he’s always had a big presence. Every time he walks into a room or stands within a few feet of me, like he’s doing now, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Not in a creepy way, but in a my-body-notices-your-body way.
I’d gotten good at ignoring the strange response, but today I can’t help but notice—especially after his recent declarations.
“What’re you doing here?” I sit up, and Louie plops his giant body onto my lap. I wrap my arms around him and rub his floppy ears.
“I’m walking him for Calvin.”
That’s strange. “But you never walk Louie.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
I give him a look. “First, the grocery store. And now, here. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were following me.”
“Maybe he is,” Ethan says.
Aiden turns toward Ethan and lifts a brow. The look in his eye has me standing up.
“I’m joking.” I position myself between the men. Louie sits at my feet. He must sense the tension because he lets out a low growl, which I calm with a soft pat to the head. “Aiden, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is Aiden.”
The men size each other up, both refusing to make the first move. I roll my eyes, and Ethan sighs. He shifts his dog to his left arm and holds out a hand. Aiden stares at it until I nudge him.
“I’m the man in Lizzie’s life,” he says, squeezing Ethan’s hand hard enough to make the man wince.
He’s lost his mind. “Excuse me?”
Ethan furrows his brow and looks at me. “I was under the impression that you were single.”
“She’s not,” Aiden mumbles.
