Page 126 of 15 Summers Later

She opened the door to the office and greeted a couple of the newer volunteers, Jennifer Quinn and Olivia Morales.

“How’s everything today?”

“Quiet so far. Everyone seems pretty happy.”

“That’s good. Have the dogs had their exercise?”

“Not yet. The first two are about to head out.”

She wouldn’t mind a good walk. She decided to grab a couple of the dogs and walk them along with whatever volunteer was on the schedule that day.

She was about to go into the dog area when the door opened and Rocky, their Siberian husky, and his Aussie shepherd pal, Zeus, pranced out...followed immediately by Sierra Gentry, holding their leashes.

Madi jolted, her face heating instantly. All she could think about was the awkwardness of their last meeting, when Sierra had caught her and Luke in an embrace at the farmers market.

“Oh. Hi. I didn’t realize you were on the volunteer schedule today.”

Sierra shrugged and seemed to focus on anything but Madi.

“I’m not. I wasn’t doing anything this morning and was feeling sorry for myself since Mariko and Yuki went on a family vacation to Colorado. I figured I would come and help out for a while. Walking the dogs is always a good chance to clear your head.”

“True enough. Funny, I was about to do the same thing.”

“We can wait and you can grab a couple of the dogs and come with us, if you want.” Sierra made the offer tentatively.

Sensing it wasn’t an easy suggestion for her to make, Madi agreed immediately. “Sure,” she said. “Give me a few minutes.”

She decided to take Lulu, a mixed-breed boxer, and Rosie, a bulldog. Both were well-behaved and enjoyed interacting with the other dogs.

Soon she and Sierra set off around the building toward the trail that ran through the farm’s twenty acres, moving slowly to let the dogs sniff each other and every clump of grass.

Madi knew that the sensory stimulation of a walk was as important to dogs as the exercise.

“I also came to the shelter today because, um, I was also hoping to have the chance to talk to you,” Sierra said.

“Oh?”

The girl sighed. “I’m sorry I was a jerk yesterday. It’s just...some days I really miss my mom a lot, you know? It’s weird to think about my dad kissing anyone else but her. It was extra weird to see him kissingyou.”

Madi really didn’t want to have this conversation when she felt hungover and gritty-eyed from her sleepless night.

“Why is that?” she managed.

“Because you’re our Madi. Aunt Nicki’s best friend. You’ve always been, I don’t know, kind of like another aunt to me, right? I never thought about you and my dad together.”

Madi gripped the dogs’ leashes. “We’re not together,” she said quickly.

Sierra gave a scoff and an eye roll at the same time. “Oh please. I saw you yesterday. There was more chemistry between you than Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in thatPride & Prejudiceshow we watched together. You like him, don’t you?”

“Colin Firth? Yes. Very much. What’s not to like?”

Sierra made a face. “Not Mr. Darcy. My dad. You like my dad.”

Likewas such a bland word. Her feelings ran leagues deeper than that. She loved him with all her heart, for a hundred different reasons.

“Yes. I do. Your dad is a pretty wonderful guy.” She decided to be honest with his daughter. “That still doesn’t mean we’re together. We have...kissed a time or two. But that’s all.”

Madi stopped near the goat pasture. “Really? Because last night, he told me I would have to get used to seeing the two of you kissing because he intended to do a lot more of it.”

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