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He grabbed his jeans and underwear together and pulled them on. Guess they were done for the night. It’s not as if he was staying when he had his dogs at home.
“I haven’t been with a lot of men,” she said.
“What?” he asked, pulling his shirt on.
“You commented on not many men would have a problem with it. I didn’t want you to think I’ve been with a lot.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” he said, wondering how he put his foot in his mouth with that statement. He tried to play it back in his head, but it wasn’t coming out the way he was thinking it.
He was going to try to explain when she said, “Last week when I was talking to Ava and Seth, I got thinking they might think ill of me. I’m here on the island not even two months and I’m dating someone and what that might look like to people.”
“It doesn’t look like anything to me,” he said. “Do you care what people think? It’s not like you came here with another man.”
“I don’t normally care with people think, but this is a new life for Josie. Back in Danbury people knew the situation. Those that knew us knew about Kurt and then I’ve been single for a long time.”
It was the first he’d heard the name. “Kurt?”
She let out a sigh. “My ex,” she said.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. She hadn’t said much about him other than once she got Josie things didn’t work out.
“I guess I should,” she said. “It’s not a secret. Obviously the guy can’t even take care of my tire properly so it was probably best we didn’t have kids or that he isn’t with me now.”
He laughed over the dry tone she’d used.
They walked out of the kitchen and he almost stepped in a pile of dog shit on the floor and stopped himself. “Had a little accident.”
“Urgh,” she said, running her hands through her hair. “I’m a hot mess. I can’t believe this is the second time I’ve forgotten about Betty when you’ve been here.”
“She’s a puppy and puppies have accidents.”
“I let her out right before you got here. I had planned on putting her in the crate, but my mind went to you and us getting naked and not the dog. I’m a vet. How can I not think of the dog?”
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick hug. “Cut yourself some slack, Avery. You’ve got the world on your shoulders. It’s a little bit of shit on the tile floor that has probably been there before. Nothing to worry about.”
He felt her take a few deep breaths in and out while he held her. He supposed there was so much built up inside of her right now that she wasn’t letting out and cracks were bound to form and spill. It seemed to be happening.
“I know,” she said. “It’s that no matter what I plan it doesn’t seem to go the way I think it will in my life.”
“That happens to most people,” he said.
He reached for the paper towels and bent down to clean up the mess. She got the cleaner and they did it together.
“Thanks,” she said. “Though I’m sure that isn’t much compared to what you are used to getting with your dogs.”
“Dopey’s piles are bigger than Betty alone,” he said.
She started to laugh and he was glad he could lighten the mood by stating a close fact.
“Can I get you something to drink while we talk?”
“Whatever you’ve got,” he said.
She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer, opened it and put it in a glass; then she grabbed wine and got herself a glass. “I dated Kurt for a few years. I thought for sure we’d get married. We got along well. We never had any issues.”
“Did you live together?” he asked.
“No. He liked what he liked. He had a house and wanted me to move in with him, but I liked my house and wanted to stay. I guess I figured when the time came for the next step, we’d both have to sell what we had and compromise and get something new.”
