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“Can’t wait!” Amanda said, then gave her friend a wave. “Talk to you later. Have fun tonight.”
“Don’t eat all that banana cream pie for dinner,” Jo warned.
“Don’t worry. I was planning to share it with Loki,” Amanda said flippantly.
So what if she ate the whole pie by herself? Jo didn’t have to know she chose that particular pie because she still couldn’t push Gene out of her mind. How could she when her whole being told her he was it for her? Yes, Jo would say she was nuts to feel that way for a guy after only a freaking week. But her gut feeling had never been wrong.
Why is it failing her now?
Amanda didn’t know. Until she figured out the answer, she’d stay busy and share pies with Loki if she wanted to.
She was about to step out when Martha Rowland and her husband strolled into Sanctuary. She put on a smile and braced herself for the conversation she knew she couldn’t avoid.
“Amanda, so good to see you,” Martha greeted. “Are you leaving, dear?”
“Hi! Yes. I’m just on my way home.”
“Oh, good. You look like you could use some rest,” Martha said, her face concerned. “Doesn’t she, Douglas?”
Gene’s dad, whose facial features reminded Amanda of his son, just nodded awkwardly. Amanda was taken aback by Martha’s remark. Did she look that awful?
“How are you feeling, Amanda? Are you fully recovered from the accident and the entire ordeal with the… um, the Carsons?” Martha asked.
Martha deliberately omitted his son from the situation. Funnily enough, he was the one she hadn’t gotten over quite yet.
“Yes, I’m feeling fine,” Amanda replied politely. It wasn’t his parents’ fault their son broke her heart. “Are you getting a pie for dessert? We have one of your favorites today: mixed berries.”
“Oh good. I love those,” Douglas said.
“Is that a banana cream pie you got there?” Martha peeked at the plastic top of the box Amanda was holding. “Oh, that’s Gene’s—” The older woman paused. “I’m sorry.”
Amanda smiled at how ridiculous it was. She couldn’t let her one-week affair with Gene make things weird with one of her favorite customers.
“Please, Martha. Don’t apologize,” Amanda said.
“I don’t understand how my usually intelligent son can be so dense.”
Martha took Amanda’s free hand and gave it a light squeeze.
She looked like she wanted to say more, but her husband moved her away from the door. “We should let Amanda go home and rest, honey.”
“Yes, of course!” Martha said a bit too brightly. “You should be on your way. It’s good to see you, Amanda.”
Douglas herded his wife inside after a quick bye, and Amanda wasn’t sure what was going on. Maybe the universe was conspiring against her effort to shelf Gene in her mind vault.
Amanda still couldn’t get over the silly conversation on the short drive home. As soon as she got out of her car, she heard Loki barking from inside.
“I’m coming. I’m coming,” Amanda said as she rushed to unlock the door. “Boy, you must really need to go. It’s not like I’m late.”
Loki greeted her with his usual front paws on her legs and lolling tongue. But his excitement was more exaggerated than usual.
“Hey, buddy. Good to see you, too.” Amanda chuckled as she balanced the pie box in one hand, her purse and keys in the other, while receiving her dog’s exuberance. “Go do your business.”
Instead of going down to the lawn to his special spot by the forsythia bush, Loki ran to the next unit’s front door. He planted his behind in front of it, tails sweeping the floor from side to side. His eyes looked expectantly at the door.
Amanda frowned as she watched her dog waiting patiently. When she didn’t move, Loki looked at her and barked once.
“Miss Lydia isn’t there anymore, buddy. Nobody’s there to give you treats,” Amanda said.
