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“Yeah.” Alice rounded the corner, a coffee in a reusable takeout cup in each hand. “Here you go.” She passed me the one with text printed on the front that read “Keep calm, it’s only a first draft” and kept the other labeled “World’s Best Assistant” for herself. She’d clearly just returned from her morning jaunt to the local cafe, Taste of Destiny.
“Mm.” I breathed in the scent of fresh coffee. “Thank you. I need this.”
She grinned. “Me, too. I stayed up way too late reading last night. I kept telling myself, ‘One more chapter,’ and before I knew it, I’d finished the whole book and started on the second in the series.”
I laughed. “It’s never just one more chapter.”
“I know.” She rolled her eyes, which were dark beneath carefully shaped and colored brows. Alice had only lived in Destiny Falls for a few months—although she’d become absolutely indispensable to me in that time—and unlike many newcomers, she hadn’t eased up on makeup or fashion choices at all since arriving. She was always stylishly dressed and beautifully made-up. “Anyway, what did you want?”
I led her back along the hall, glancing through each doorway as I passed, double-checking whether I’d missed anything obvious. “You didn’t happen to see my notebook before you left for coffee, did you?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
My heart lightened with relief. “Thank god. I was worried I’d lost it.”
“Check the kitchen. I’m pretty sure it was on the counter.”
“Huh.” I frowned. I didn’t recall having used the notebook in the kitchen recently. “Okay. I’ll do that.”
I looked, and sure enough, the notebook sat on the kitchen counter near the containers I used to store breakfast foods for the guests. Strange. I shrugged it off and returned to the office, where Alice had already set up at the second desk. My author inbox was open on her screen, displaying over fifty new emails. I took a moment of silent appreciation for the fact that, because of Alice, I’d only have to read a few of them. She dealt with the majority of my correspondence and just gave me the highlight reel, pointing out anything that required my personal attention. The woman was an absolute godsend.
“Who’s the hottie staying down the hall?” she asked, spinning to face me, her cup clasped between her palms. Her bright pink lips were tilted in a perpetual smile and the little flicks of eyeliner at the corners of her eyes gave her a pixie-like appearance. If I didn’t know she was the same age as I am, I might have guessed her to be in her early twenties. Sometimes, I envied her youthful appearance, although at times, it could be a detriment. I knew she had a hard time getting some people to take her seriously.
“When did you see him?” I asked.
“As I was leaving for coffee. He clearly didn’t expect me, because he was only wearing boxers.” She waggled her eyebrows mischievously.
“It’s not like that,” I protested, smiling anyway. “He’s my ex.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. “Not a current love interest, then? No rekindling of the old flame? You know people love a good second-chance romance.”
I laughed. “No old flames rekindling here. We’re friends. He brought Duke down for me.”
“Duke?” She cocked her head, her neat bob bouncing around her ears.
“Oh my gosh, you haven’t met Duke!” I stood, everything else forgotten. “Come on, he’s the cutest thing ever.”
I steered her into the backyard, where Duke had just finished chowing through the breakfast I’d fed him earlier. As we approached, he glanced up, flecks of meat framing his mouth, and he seemed to smile.
“He’s so sweet,” Alice gasped, sinking to her knees in front of him. He let her pat him once, then returned his attention to his meal. She giggled. “Well, he knows his priorities.”
“Oh yes. He’s got a lot of growing to do. He’ll need that fuel.”
“He’s a Rottweiler?” she asked.
“Yes. Ryan—that’s my ex—his sister breeds them.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “I never pictured you with a Rottweiler.”
“You’re not the first person to say that.” I recalled how surprised Nate had been and felt a twinge of guilt. To say I hadn’t handled things well where he was concerned would be an understatement.
“Nate?” she asked knowingly.
“Exactly.”
We made our way back inside, and I left the door open so Duke could come in when he’d finished. I’d gone a bit over-the-top and set up beds for him in the living room, the office, and my bedroom, so he had the run of the place. No doubt he’d harass us to play with him as soon as his breakfast settled. For the first time in a long time, my heart felt like smiling. There really was nothing that could compare with the affection and goodness of dogs.
“How did your BFF react to you having your ex to stay?” Alice cut straight to the heart of the matter, as usual.
