Page 71 of Almost Always

Callahan huffed, breadcrumbs all over his face. “What are you whispering about?”

“Come here,” she said, trying not to laugh as he wobbled over on his knees. She cleaned his mouth with a wet wipe and handed him a bottle of water. “We’re planning more picnics. Would you like that?”

“Really? Are there more parks in Wildes?”

“I’m sure, but we can find out.”

“Yes!” He was on his feet, sloshing water everywhere. She heard Rafferty sigh, but neither of them said anything. His joywas infectious and to be part of the reason why he was happy was an added bonus. “Can I take Boots for a walk?”

“Don’t forget the poop bags and keep him on his leash.”

Even though he looked exhausted, the senior dog was on his feet and the two of them rushed off, filled with laughter and happy woofs. Rafferty’s hand landed on her side and she was dragged back against his chest. Smiling, she inhaled the fresh scent of him mingled with dirt, leaves and everything else nature.

She felt his warm breath against the side of her head before he said, “I’d like to take you to dinner.”

“If I recall, I asked you first.”

“And I hate what happened after that, so nowI’masking.”

She smiled and nodded. “I’d love that. I’m free this week.”

“Great. Do you have any preferences on where we go or what we do?”

She shook her head, tilting it back slightly to look at him. “I’m not picky, as long as I get to be with you.”

“I think I can make that happen,” he said softly and kissed the bridge of her nose.

“I’m glad we got to spend the day together.”

“Me too.”

Snuggling back against him, she watched Callahan and Boots for a moment before adding, “I know I joked about not believing in fate, but I think that’s what this is.”

Most of her life, she thought that was a whole lot of baloney. Was it her fate to grow up with a terrible mother or be separated from the first boy she loved or to lose the people dearest to her? It made no sense. Fate did play a part in bringing them back together and for that, she was grateful.

“Well, she finally got something right,” he whispered.

* The State University of New York

CHAPTER 22

JUNE

Neither of them were truly free that week. Not that they didn’t see each other, but it was in small bursts between him running from Wildes to Allenwood and video conferences with New York. He was certain he’d never been that busy when he lived in the city, because he was spending close to six hours answering emails and redrawing plans every single day. He still loved the work, but when it was keeping him from taking Daisy out or sharing more than a quick kiss, he hated everything.

Then there were the training hours he had to keep showing up for. While he was glad that there weren’t any serious fires, being in Allenwood when he could be at home was grating on his last nerve. However, the firehouse was preparing for the start of summer. With school and colleges letting out, they knew that chaos would ensue. Plans were put into place, schedules were reworked and it became very clear he wasn’t going to see her as much as he would have liked.

It was an absolute boon when the community center upped their hours and added more activities to their summer roster. It kept Cal busy for most of the day. Rafferty was glad his sonwas finally settling into Wildes, because the first few weeks were worrisome. Thanks to making a new friend—sorry,best friend—Cal seemed to be enjoying himself. Sure, he still had a few moments where he didn’t feel confident, but he was getting there.

Cal was at home that day because of fumigation at the center, so Rafferty was working from his home office. So far, it had been a quiet day with zero calls from Allenwood, but he’d also let Gladys know that he might not be able to respond either way. While his son ran around in the backyard with Boots, he answered emails. The work with the Upper East Side lady was going off without a hitch, the other garden project was hitting every snag imaginable. Which added to his frustrations and was a huge part of why he was working more hours than usual.

Leaning back in his chair, he looked out the big window of his office and smiled when he saw Cal lying on his back pointing up at the sky. Boots was on his side, licking his son’s face. He’d always known that a pet could change someone’s life, but he’d never considered it until they got to Wildes. More than that, his son was happy. He wore his colorful clothes more often and on days they were out and about, he wore his tutu. He’d also noticed Daisy and Cal’s matching nail polish.

He knew that she wasn’t going to love and leave them, that this relationship was one for the long haul. The years after his divorce were spent worrying about what kind of woman he’d meet next and how they’d fit into his life. With Daisy, he didn’t even consider that she wouldn’t become a part of his family. It’s where she belonged, after all.

His phone buzzed at the same time Cal let out a squeal. He checked on his son and found him playfully wrestling with the dog. They were covered in grass and dirt, which was definitely going to be fun to wash off later. He grabbed his phoneand smiled when he saw texts from the woman filling all his thoughts.

Hero

---