Page 45 of A Pizza My Heart

“What in the hell are you doing out here?”

“Well, Iwasrunning until your dog attacked me.”

She clasps my hand with hers and I pull her up off the sand. “Since when do you run?”

“Since when doyourun?” she echoes, adjusting the hat she’s wearing.

“I picked it up in Cali. Everyone runs on the beach out there.”

“I picked it up after you left. I couldn’t sleep and it didn’t feel right going to our spot without you…” She lifts a shoulder. “So here I am.”

She never went to our spot? In all the time I was gone, she not once went there?

Guilt eats at me. I’ve been back in town only a few weeks and I’ve already been there twice.

I’m such an ass.

I glance down and notice we’re still holding hands, and for a moment I hesitate to let her go. Her skin, though it’s covered in sand, feels so good on mine.

It’s just a hand, moron.

God, how am I going to date—fakedate her if I can’t even hold her fucking hand without being stupid about it? What the hell have I gotten myself into?

I slide my palm away from hers, sad to let go.

She dusts the sand off her ass and arms. “You seriously named your dog Mike? I thought you were joking about that. Mike is the most basic name I’ve ever heard.”

“Have you already been talking to Winston this morning? We had this exact same conversation about twenty minutes ago.”

She taps her temple. “Twin brain.”

“God, I forgot how annoying that is.”

“You’re just jealous you don’t have any siblings.”

“I love being an only child. I get all the Christmas presents.”

“You’re right, orange would look cute on me. Ishouldmurder Winston.”

“I’ll even help you bury his body.”

She fake gasps. “His best friendandhis sister? How could they!”

“They met him. That’s how they could.”

We laugh and Mike whines from beside me, wanting an official introduction, I’m sure.

“Up.” I pat my leg and he makes his way over. “Sit.” He plops his ass back in the sand. “Shake.” He sticks his paw out. “Wren, meet Mike.”

She bends to his level and gives his outstretched paw a shake. “Nice to meet ya, buddy.”

Though Mike is well trained, it doesn’t stop him from immediately reaching forward and dragging his tongue across her cheek.

I laugh. “That’s his way of saying hello, apparently.”

“He’s a cutie.”

She lifts her hand to wipe the slobbery kiss from her face, and my eyes are drawn to the red stream running down her arm.

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