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A light touch between her shoulder blades made her jump. “You gonna go in?”
Chet’s husky voice skimmed the back of her neck, making the hairs stand on end. The feel of his hand against her thin shirt heated her skin and stole her composure. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She stepped to the side and let him slide past her.
“Come on, Tuck. Take your damn shoes off,” Chet said, sliding his boots off and setting them on a black mat by the door. “Did you even wipe Otto’s paws?”
The muddy prints marring the oak floors were answer enough. She braced herself for Chet’s roar of reprimand she often received at work, but instead, he chuckled then grabbed a rag from the kitchen and mopped up the mess.
Mia stepped out of her sneakers and stood in her socked-feet, feeling awkward. She should have just gone back to her place, but the idea of sitting alone in her empty house made unease settle in her gut. She couldn’t avoid being by herself forever, but she’d put it off as long as possible. Even if it meant being uncomfortable in Chet’s home.
After getting his paws wiped by Chet, Otto trotted to her side. Thank God for the dog. If nothing else, she could dote on him. She surveyed the space as she pet his soft fur. The room was open, just like on her side of the wall. A small living area connected to the kitchen with a hallway leading to the back of the apartment. Warm, wooden beams crisscrossed the high ceiling, contrasted by the cool slab of granite on the counter taking over the far wall in the kitchen. An olive-green rug anchored the living room with inviting furniture facing the fireplace.
But no knick-knacks sat on the counters or photos lined the walls. Her own space didn’t boast much beyond a two-person table, worn sofa and coffee table, but she’d surrounded herself with pictures of her family and fond memories of her childhood. Things that made her smile. Made her feel like she was home.
Tucker kicked his shoes into a corner and plopped on a kitchen chair. “Take a seat, Mia.”
“I’m fine over here with Otto.” She kneeled on the ground to get closer to the dog. “You know how much I love this guy.”
Tucker worked at the retreat and handled the therapy dogs. He managed an entire kennel filled with retired canines from K-9 units around the area who didn’t have handlers to take care of them after they couldn’t work. All the dogs were given proper training and now worked to help soothe some of the residents at the retreat. Most days she had more time on her hands than she knew what to do with, so she wandered down to the kennel to spend time with the dogs.
“The feeling’s mutual,” Tucker said. “Most of the dogs probably prefer you. Always giving them walks and filling their dishes. I’m the one left to do the training.”
As if to prove his owner right, Otto flipped onto his back and exposed his stomach.
Mia chuckled and scrubbed the soft skin of his tummy.
Chet grunted and filled the coffee pot. “Dog likes anyone who gives him attention. Why are you here Tucker?”
“Cruz told me about Mia’s tires.”
“What else did he tell you?” Keeping his back to them, Chet grabbed three mugs from the cabinet and set them on the counter.
“He told me about Professor Lipton.”
Mia’s ears perked up at the familiar name. “The guy who teaches at High Point Community College?”
Chet spun around. “Excuse me?”
Mia stood, unsure of what she’d said to cause such heat in Chet’s brown eyes. She bounced her gaze between him and Tucker then back to Chet. “What?”
“You know Professor Lipton?”
She shrugged. “I took a couple of classes last year. Business classes.” At the time, she’d finally scrimped and saved enough money that she could actually envision her dream becoming a reality. She had the skills in the kitchen, but she’d wanted to have more confidence in the business side of things. Taking a few classes at the college helped with that.
Tucker stood and swiped a mug then filled it from the now-full pot. “Let’s all head to the living room. Mia, want a cup?”
Unexpected tension sizzled in the air. “Umm, sure. Just black is fine.” She waited for Tucker to bring her an oversized sky-blue mug then followed him to the couch, Otto padding along behind her.
Chet paced in the kitchen, muttering to himself. His empty mug forgotten on the counter.
She cupped her hands around the warm mug, afraid to spill a drop in the spotless home. “What’s going on?”
Tucker took a sip of coffee, brows raised as he watched Chet. “You gonna tell her? Or do you want me to?”
She tried to keep up with the unspoken conversation between them, but her mind trudged along, falling further behind with every second.
Chet stopped pacing and planted his feet hip-width apart, his broad chest heaving in and out as if he struggled to catch his breath. “The woman who you found yesterday took classes at the college, and Cruz just found out she took one of Professor Lipton’s classes.”
Unable to stomach the acidic brew, Mia set her un-touched drink on a narrow table beside the brown, suede couch. “Okay. I’m sure a lot of young women have taken his class. If I remember correctly, he’d taught there for quite a while.”
