Page 147 of Will Bark for Pizza
I moved the sheets to the dryer, and went for the living room curtains next. I wasn’t sure whether a cycle in the washing machine would help them or not, but for now, it would have to do.
I was antsy.
I resisted the urge to head into town. It didn’t matter what destination I set out for. I’d end up at the bookstore.
Aspen’s advice echoed.Don’t try to fix her problems. Just support her while she sorts everything out.
So instead, I went out to my truck to retrieve the last of my things, mostly a dirty load of laundry I’d start after the curtains were finished. But as I closed the back door, a glimmer of shiny red caught my eye through the thick of trees.
A red Jeep.
Kira.
I tossed the laundry bag into the back seat of my truck and headed down the narrow dirt-packed trail to the boat dock. As the waves rocked almost violently against the shore, I picked up my pace. Surely she and Husker weren’t on the water today.
Except, I spotted Kira standing on a paddleboard a good twenty yards from the boat ramp, paddling away from shore. She wobbled as she fought the choppy waters. I didn’t see Husker on the board or in the water, and it didn’t appear that Kira was looking for him. That brought me a small sense of relief because Kira always put him above her own safety. On a day like today, that could be a deadly impulse.
She wasn’t wearing a life jacket.
I’d never seen Kira wear a life jacket on Ghost Lake. I was told she was a good swimmer. Butgooddidn’t guarantee she was strong enough to fight water moving this quickly. My fists balled at my sides.What the fuckis she doing?
I didn’t realize I was kicking off my shoes until I saw her fall in.
I didn’t wait to see if she resurfaced.
I dove in and swam.
FORTY-SIX
KIRA
I was shiveringfrom head to toe as Beckett carried me to his cabin, too frozen to argue that I could walk.
I didn’t want to walk.
Not if it meant surrendering his warmth.
The warmth I shouldn’t want but now craved all the damn time.
“What were you thinking, Red?” His scolding was gentle and filled with concern.Realconcern.
Ah, fuck, I was falling for this guy.
“I needed to clear my head.” It was a partial truth, but I didn’t tell many people about Mom visiting me in my dreams. Beckett wouldn’t understand why I had to get on the water to find her.
Not that I did find her.
And now my paddleboard was lost at sea.
Well, shit.
“We need to get you warmed up,” Beckett said, sounding much too serious for my liking. I could think ofplenty of ways I enjoyed being warmed up by Beckett Campbell. But his tone told me this was not the time to test those waters.
“This looks different,” I said, noticing the furniture change. And where were the curtains for the living room window?
“I’m all moved in.”
“Oh.”
