Page 2 of Here With You

“You’re leaving me?”

She swore he ended that sentence with the word “again.” It was written all over his face, even if he didn’t say it.

“I can’t babysit you. I have a life and important things to do.” She waved her hand through the air like an orchestra conductor. “I’m sure you’ve got things to do, too. Don’t you have a shift to pull for the town’s ambulance service?” His being a recent addition as one of the town’s EMTs was a blessing. At least that would give her eight hours a day where he wouldn’t be underfoot. She didn’t know what Brie and Carter were thinking, though. A resort manager needed to be on-site at all times. Well, she couldn’t have it both ways, so this way was the best.

“No, I’m not employed by the hospital. The day Carter drowned, I was only helping fill in while I was in town, but I’m not a full-timer.”

His words were both crushing and encouraging. Crushing because he would be around. But the words “while he was in town” alluded to him leaving, which meant this was temporary. She wanted to jump for joy but kept her happiness to herself. “You’re leavingagain?” She emphasized the word “again” because, ultimately, he had been the one who’d left town all those years ago.

To be fair, he had little choice. Once he’d turned his family in for fraud and lost everything, they’d disowned him. She broke off their engagement when he fell from grace, and her family no longer considered him a suitable mate.

“When I arrived, I didn’t have a long-term plan. Since then, things have changed, and I’m sticking around.”

Her heart sank. She could live in a world where Miles existed, but she didn’t want him next door. He stepped closer, and she bolted for her car. “I’ve got to go.”

“Do you have to, Emmaline, or are you abandoning me again?”

The way he said her name made her skin tingle. She once read cells had memories. Hers reflected on long days at the beach and longer nights in his arms. But how he said “again” erased that pleasant tingling, and shame danced across her skin. The feeling resembled ants—biting fire ants.

“I told you, I’ve got an appointment.”

“Fine. When does my training begin?”

“Right now.” She looked at the colorful beach towels and umbrellas dotting the sand. A toddler decked out in a life vest and arm floaties ran toward the water. Her mother dashed after her with a bottle of sunscreen in one hand and a sunflower hat in the other. “Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t be helpful because you aren’t. And most importantly, don’t be a pest.”

“Basically, do nothing?”

“Exactly. Can you handle it?”

He shrugged, then grinned. “I can do that.”

She got to her car and realized she couldn’t pull off the ruse of having someplace to be if she didn’t have her purse and keys, so she glanced at the mailbox. “Getting the mail, and then I’m out of here.”

“You do you,” he said. “Ollie and I will have a nice day on the beach. He loves the water.” He started toward his truck.

“Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach.”

“That’s not what my boss said. Carter told me to enjoy the facilities. Don’t forget, Ollie behaves. He listens so well, he’s almost human.”

She frowned and placed her fists on her hips. “Since I’ve subleased the property and my staff is running it, I imagine that makes me the boss, and I say no dogs on the beach.” She closed her eyes for a second and imagined Ollie digging holes and doing other unpleasant things.

He shook his head. “That makes you a renter, and I would imagine, as the manager, hired by the property owner, I have the last word.” Ollie barked again, and Miles moved to the truck and opened the door. The dog leaped out and dashed straight for her.

Em had nothing to brace herself against when the dog jumped up and knocked her over. She lay flat on her back on the gravel driveway while the dog licked her face like she was melted ice cream.

“Get off!” She wriggled and squirmed, but the dog was relentless. She turned her head to see Miles’s grin and knew he was enjoying this. “Can you make him behave?”

Miles let out a quick whistle and yelled, “Sit,” and the dog did—on her legs.

“That’s not helping.” She attempted to roll him off, but he was all muscle, and no matter what she did, he wouldn’t budge.

Miles walked forward and scratched the dog’s ear. “Now that I have your attention, maybe we should clarify the rules.”

“We know the rules. Carter and Brie asked me to train you. That puts me in the power position.”

Miles looked down and chuckled. “Are you feeling powerful right now?”

She let out a huff. “No, I’m feeling nothing below my waist. He’s cutting off the circulation to my legs.”

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