Page 23 of Hold Me Instead
She gave him her bestwatch itlook, which disappeared when Maple trotted over to sniff her hand.
“Oh my, are you Maple?” Charlie cooed, crouching to greet his dog. “Aren’t you sweet?” Maple licked her cheek, a gesture that heated Zachary in a way that only confused him.
His voice finally clicked into gear. “How’d you know?”
“Grandma Jeanie loves to show photos of her,” Charlie said, petting Maple’s crimped ear.
Right.He swallowed hard, watching Charlie whisper to Maple. “Thought I’d bring her by today while I got started.”
Without giving him a glance—he couldn’t blame her, his dog was the best—she replied, “Thought we were meeting at lunchtime.”
“Considering the state of our office, figured it couldn’t hurt to organize a bit.”
“Our office—”
“Okay, Dad’s side. His mess of a desk.”
Charlie gave Maple a kiss on the head and stood. Zachary’s eyes stayed locked on the spot where her lips had landed as Maple sauntered to him and sat. His fingers gently touched the top of her head, and all he could focus on was that Charlie’s lips had been there last.
Yes,that is where her lips were.That’s what happens when you kiss.Your lips touch a spot on someone—in this case,my dog.These are facts.
Why those details about Charlie stood out to him, though, when Maura had done the same thing moments before, was beyond him. Watching Maura, he’d been hit with a warmth through his chest only family could generate. Watching Charlie, that warmth burned into a sizzling heat that shot through his body and made his palms sweat.
His eyes refocused on Charlie, who’d been talking this whole time.
He cleared his throat. “What?”
Patiently, she repeated, “Dr. Fletcher is here today, so you’ll have to work around him if he’s in the office.”
“Ah, right. Dr. Fletcher.”
“Did you meet him yesterday?”
“No.”
“Okay. He’s great. He’s stepped in before, during vacations, that sort of thing.”
“I’ve heard.”
Charlie raised her eyebrow, but when he didn’t expound, she turned toward the hallway.
Zachary signaled Maple to follow, and he hustled after Charlie as though he’d lose her in the small building. He glimpsed her swaying hips before she disappeared into the office, and the narrow hallway felt empty, despite a tech who gaped at him as he passed.
A poster board taped to the wall stopped him, Maple following suit. It held a layout of the vet hospital and its parking lot, tags pinned in various spots with labels like Dog Treats, Bandana Tent, and Grill Tent.
Zachary’s eyes widened. “Grill Tent,” he muttered. He glanced next to the poster board at a sheet titled EFVH 40th Cookout Sign-Up. “Harris. Don’t tell me the cookout’s still on.”
Charlie popped out of the office, and Maple’s tail wagged. “Of course it is. Why?”
Zachary pointed to the form. “That’s two Sundays from now.”
“Yeah.”
“Dad just had a heart attack.”
Charlie furrowed her brow. “I know.”
Zachary flipped his hand at the sheet. “We don’t have time for this.”
