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“More?” he asked.
“Always.”
Hemi barked, reminding us we still needed to clean up the office.
“Let’s get this place cleaned up,” I said, giving Tripp a quick kiss before setting off to clean.
An hour later, the office was back to normal. I shut the window and was about to say something when Tripp’s office door busted open and Bobby Hansen burst in. Karen was hot on his tail.
“What do you mean you’re not coming to the city council meeting tonight? You’re always there. You have to be there. You’re running for mayor! And speaking of, when are you going to be actually campaigning for the spot, Tripp?”
“Bobby, I announced it a month or so ago. I’ve had a few things going on and some cases that have kept me busy.”
“Well, are you an attorney or a…”
Before Bobby could finish, Tripp interrupted him. “I’m a human being with a damn life. And if you’ll excuse me, you caught me during a meeting.”
Bobby’s eyes swung over to see me standing there, Hemi in my arms.
“A meeting? With your girlfriend and her dog?”
“Our dog,” Tripp corrected.
Karen and I exchanged glances.
“What is the meeting about?”
With her finger shaking in Bobby’s face, Karen lost her cool. “You hold on here, Bobby Hansen. You may have barged your way into Mr. Parker’s office, but it is none of your business who he is meeting with or what the meeting is about.”
“He’s running for mayor, Karen. Everything he does now is the town’s business.”
Tripp looked like he was about to blow his top. I walked over to Bobby and flashed him a big smile.
“Mr. Hansen, your wife stopped by the vet clinic yesterday. Your Boxer, Bruce, is so adorable.”
I knew from the way Mrs. Hansen had talked yesterday, Bruce was the apple of both of their eyes.
“He is cute, isn’t he?”
“We have to get Bruce and Hemi a play date when she has all her shots. I’m sure she is going to fall in love with Bruce.”
His face blushed. “He is quite the flirt.”
I ushered Mr. Hansen out of Tripp’s office while I kept talking about his dog. “Then let’s get something set up soon. I know Mrs. Hansen is dying for Bruce to meet Hemi and Lady.”
“We will. For sure, Harley. It’s great having you back in Oak Springs.”
“It’s great to be back. See ya soon!” I called out as I ushered him out and shut the door behind him.
Turning, I saw Tripp and Karen staring at me.
“The wrong person is running for mayor,” Karen mumbled as she headed back to her desk.
I focused on Tripp. “I need my purse and Hemi’s blanket.”
Tripp held them both up. It was pretty clear he was ready to leave.
“How about if we leave your car here at the office. I’ll drive you back later if you want it or we can get it in the morning.”
I had brought some clothes and toiletries over to Tripp’s after it was clear I would be spending a number of days there at any given time. I wasn’t sure how Tripp felt about it, but he didn’t seem to mind. At least, he didn’t act like he minded. We lived in such a small town and no matter what we did, people were going to talk.
When we walked into the house, I expected Tripp to attack me and drag me to his room. He didn’t. He took Hemi from me and told me to take a seat on the sofa.
“There are a few things I want to talk to you about.”
My hands wrung together as a million things crossed my mind. None of them good.
“Is…everything okay?”
He set Hemi down at his feet after he sat across from me. “With us? It’s amazing.”
I let my shoulders drop in relief.
“I’ve been doing some thinking about our future.”
Tripp was always the planner. I wasn’t the least bit surprised he would be thinking about our future, especially since I was walking into the middle of one of his major plans.
Kicking off my shoes, I tucked my legs up under me. I replied with a simple, “Okay.”
His eyes looked so sad, and for a minute I had the urge to get up and go to him, wrap my arms around him and tell him not everything in life had to be planned out. But this was Tripp, and I loved him. If planning our future made him feel better, then I would sit and listen.
“For the longest time, I’ve lived my life by my agenda. I had it all figured out for both of us at one point, and then I kept on with that same plan, only adjusting a few things.”
I glanced down at my hands. Guilt filled my chest and made my breathing heavier.
“The last few weeks, though, since we’ve been together, everything seems to be changing. The things I thought I once wanted, no longer seem to be important.”
