Page 11 of Camilla & Dallas
She wanted nothing to do with him. And Mateo promised that she wouldn’t have to see him.
So that begged the question.
Why on earth was her body reacting this way?
Cheyenne had insisted that she’d be fine when she’d dropped her brother off. Mateo had warned her he invited Dallas to dinner—but he hadn’t come.
It had been three days.
Three days!
And she hadn’t seen any sign of Dallas since he’d driven off with her brother in the direction of the hunting cabin they’d built last summer.
She was on edge, fidgeting as if she’d consumed several cups of coffee. Her fury had turned into a strange sense of anxiety mingled with an exhilarating anticipation. For seven years, she hadn’t seen him. For seven years, they hadn’t spoken. Seven full years wondering why he’d left without a word.
Answers.
Didn’t she deserve something from him?
She’d asked Cheyenne that exact question more times than she could count, and her friend had insisted Dallas wasn’t worth the energy.
Maybe she was right.
“I’m heading to town. You want to come?” Isabelle called from the open door. When Camilla didn’t answer, she hollered, “Camilla?”
“I’m good!” Camilla yelled, startling back to the present. “I’ve got some chores to do.” Chores that she’d been putting off because she’d been worried Dallas was going to pop up and ask if they could talk.
Not going to happen.
Under no circumstances would she waver.
If only Cheyenne was here to help her stay strong.
She blew out a heavy breath before she reached for her cowgirl hat that hung on the hook. Armed with her favorite pair of wranglers, her new boots, and her favorite hat, she headed outside.
The latest litter of puppies were now old enough for her to work with. Some of their clients didn’t want more than the basic commands, while others wanted the full menu. Camilla specialized in the foundational work, and she absolutely loved it. If she could get to the pen where she’d told Isabelle to take the puppies earlier today without seeing Dallas, she’d call that a win.
Yes, she knew that the warring thoughts in her head made her sound crazy. But maybe that was a given after how things had ended between them.
“I’m definitely crazy,” she muttered to herself as she hurried past the barn and toward the secondary structure. It had been a barn once upon a time, but they’d gutted it in order to suit their needs. They’d added windows and installed an HVAC system so the dogs and their puppies remained comfortable in all weather conditions.
Camilla reached the building and exhaled with relief as she tugged on the door.
It wouldn’t move.
Frowning, she ducked to the side to peer through the closest window. The dogs were in the pen, ready and waiting. No one was inside. Had Isabelle entered from the other door? Or had she locked the door behind her?
Camilla patted her pockets. She hadn’t thought to bring her keys, and she wasn’t in the right headspace to go back to the house to grab them. Unfortunately, she might not have a choice. Tossing back her head, she let out a groan.
“Something wrong?”
A very unladylike screech escaped her throat, and she whirled around to find the one person she had hoped to avoid.
Dallas looked good.
Toogood.
His beard was trimmed neatly along his angular jaw. His hair was trimmed and combed back, begging for her fingers to run through it. She missed the mussed look he used to pull off so effortlessly. He was older. But then again, they both were. Only Dallas had aged like a fine wine where she felt she’d gained a few too many wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.
