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Leah gasped and put her hands over Ginger’s ears. “Don’t say that in front of her.” She nuzzled the top of Ginger’s cinnamon-colored head and the dog’s tail thumped against Dakota’s leg. “How did you end up with her if she wasn’t what you were looking for?”
“One day, four years ago, she showed up at the sawmill. A tiny puppy sleeping among a stack of logs. Dena and Jacy found her, cleaned her up, but after not being able to find an owner, they couldn’t agree on who should keep her.”
“So they decided you should?”
“Yup. I’m always the tie-breaker between the two of them. Usually on small stuff, like which one of them should cut their hair when they both wanted to, which one should get the slightly larger office at the sawmill, who had the right birthday present idea for Dad. Never had a puppy’s life depended on my decision.” He kneeled beside Leah and gave the pooch a petting under her chin causing Ginger’s brown eyes to drift shut. “I had a hard time deciding and then both of my sisters yelled, ‘You take her!’ So I did.”
“And you’ve lived happily ever after with Ginger here since that day.”
“Yes, I have, but…” He stood and took Leah up with him. “I’ve recently gotten happier.”
“Hmm. Have you taken on another pet?” She looked past him into the house.
He shook his head.
“Have you received a shipment of dirty magazines?”
“I don’t need dirty magazines.” He unzipped Leah’s fleece coat then pulled lightly on the sides to get her to come inside the house.
“Let’s see…” Leah put a finger to her mouth and squinted one eye in thought. “Have you won a brand new car?”
“Real men drive trucks.”
Her laughter filled his home and it was the most delightful sound. Normally he liked the quiet solitude of his cabin. Though he loved being around people and going on adventures, he also loved coming home to some peace.
Maybe I’ve had too much peace.
Perhaps it was time to disrupt that silence a little with one incredibly sexy schoolteacher.
“What’s made you happier then?” The lamplight from the living room reflected in her blue eyes and bathed her pale skin in a soft gold glow.
“I think you know, Leah,” he whispered, as he peeled off her coat and took in the paint-stained sweatshirt she had on underneath.
“Say it,” she whispered back, hooking her hands on his shoulders.
“You. You’ve made me happier, and I hope I’ve maybe done the same for you.” It was crazy how much he wished for that.
“I suppose I do have a little more pep in my step. It may have something to do with you.”
He pumped his fist in the air. “I knew it.”
“But does this sweatshirt totally kill any buzz you had going?” She pulled at the hem of her sweatshirt and looked down at it. “We did some painting at school today. Hallway mural. After the U.S. Department of Education made a stop in, of course.” She rolled her eyes.
“What did the suits want?”
“To ‘admire Maplehaven Elementary and the fabulous work we do there.’ I have a feeling they’ll be analyzing our test scores to see if saidfabulouswork meets their definition offabulous.” She picked at a bright green splotch on her sweatshirt. “I was going to change, but that meant stopping home and—”
“Delaying your arrival here.” He shook his head. “No, you made the right call, and you’re hot in an old sweatshirt too.”
“You’re saying that in hopes of getting me out of this sweatshirt later.”
“This is true.” No point denying it. He wanted her no matter what she was wearing.
“I like an honest man.” She patted his cheek and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before peeking out the porch doors at the back of the cabin. “If we’re going to hike, we’d better get on it. It’ll be dark soon.”
“You can hike in the dark, Miss Greenstead.”
“You can, but there are far better things to do in the dark, don’t you think?”
