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She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You’re just jealous because Mia got to meet him before you.”
“Heck yeah, I’m jealous. Plus, I’m a better judge of character than she is. Less worried about everything.”
Del offered him a fist bump. “Truth. For a while there, she was hounding me about being cautious around him. After meeting him the other night, though, she hasn’t said a peep. Maybe seeing him with her own eyes helped her to realize how silly she was sounding.”
“She worries because she cares, you know that.”
“I do. But sometimes her paranoia starts to get contagious. I prefer to spend less time worrying and more time living.”
“Well, I for one am hoping things between you and Isaac work out. You’ve got the Delaney glow back, and it looks damn good on you.”
“Whatever.”
“Whatever yourself. But if that guy even thinks about breaking your heart, he’d better look out.”
Chase pounded a fist into his other hand, and Del shook her head.
“Like you’d hurt anyone.”
He shrugged. “I know people.”
Which was true, he did know a few guys who wouldn’t hesitate to talk sense into guys with their fists if they tried hurting her. They were all firefighters, and all worked under her father, the chief. Though Del would sooner take matters into her own hands than ask for any of their help, which they all knew.
“We’re just having fun, Chase. It’s way too early for hearts to get involved, much less broken.” Before he could argue, she raised her hand and continued, “But if he does me wrong, I’ll be sure to remember your offer.”
They spent the rest of the day organizing perennial displays and swapping conspiracy theories on a television crime show they both followed. As was usual when she was with Chase, they laughed a lot and the time passed quickly. Del also stopped by her father’s place a few times to check on Rex, who had been relegated to the house and its adjacent fenced portion of the yard outside his doggie door while her father was at work. Thankfully, each time she found him waiting at the door, eyes alert and tail wagging. But when she refused to let him out the front door, old Rex lay his head down on a soft whine.
“Sorry, Rexie, I know you hate being stuck inside all day,” she told him on her late afternoon visit. “Will seeing Louie tonight help cheer you up?”
His tail thumped against the floor in double-time, so she took that as a yes.
“Perfect.” Del gave him a gentle scratch behind the ears. “See you in a little bit with your buddy.”
True to her word, she returned to the farm at six thirty with Isaac and Louie in tow. The bulldog wiggled with excitement the moment he saw Rex. Once they’d stepped through the fence and unclipped his lead, the excitement turned into pure glee. He bounced in circles, then sped off doing zoomies around the yard, Rex barking playfully in hot pursuit.
“What a great idea,” Isaac said, pulling her into his chest. “We used to go to a dog park a few times a week out east. I know he’s missed it.”
They stood there in comfortable silence, watching the dogs run and play. She may have downplayed her feelings to Chase earlier, but standing here in Isaac’s arms, she knew things between them had begun to run deeper than “just having fun.” His touch was too familiar, her cravings for it too deep.
“Whereabout, out east?” she asked.
“New York.” He released her to take the Sweet Mash carryout bag from her hands and carried it to a patio set nearby.
Okay, that was more than he’d given her before. Maybe tonight he would finally open up about his past. “The state or the city?”
“Both. I have, er, had an apartment in Lower Manhattan. Used to take the subway to work every day.”
Del felt her brows rise. “Wow. Moving to Bourbon Falls must have been a serious culture shock.”
He smirked. “Just a bit. Although the longer I’m here, the less I miss all the hustle and bustle. Honestly, the quiet drove me crazy the first few weeks. If it hadn’t been for Louie and his frequent snoring, I may have lost my mind.”
Del laughed. She joined him to help unpack their meals, thankful their paths had been destined to cross. Why else would he have turned up here, now?
“He isn’t the quietest sleeper, that’s for sure.”
Isaac leaned closer, his lips kissing their way along the shell of her ear. “I can relegate him to the hallway if you want to stay over tonight. But I can’t promise I’d let you get a full night’s sleep.”
A pleasant shiver washed over her. “Sleep is overrated.”
