Page 14 of Finding New Dreams

Chuckling, I reached out to squeeze her shoulder, interrupting her familiar planning overdrive. “Let me guess, you already have a to-do list for me written out.”

Her cheeks reddened, but she laughed anyway. “Maybe. Just come out and get to know my friends. Hopefully, you’ll make a better impression with your shirt on.”

I hid a smile, thinking I’d made a very good impression on Rose last night. Or maybe not, considering the near-horror on her face when I’d opened the door.

Rubbing my fingers over the smooth beads of my bracelet, I followed Chloe down the hall.

The front door opened just as we walked by. Excited yips announced the arrival of a dog right before a blur of black and white skidded across the entryway to investigate my socks.

“Arwen!” a man’s voice barked.

The wiggly, panting blur immediately ran back to the man standing at the front door. He grabbed the dog’s trailing leash.

I knew from pictures that this must be Hunter, Chloe’s fiancé. His brown hair, long on top and short on the sides, looked wind-tossed, and his athletic t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers suggested he’d been out for a walk.

His narrowed eyes also quickly assessed me before he extended his free hand. “You must be Flynn. I’m Hunter.”

I leaned forward to grip it. “Yep, good to meet you. Sorry for coming in so late last night. I appreciate you leaving the door unlocked.”

“No worries. Don’t get a lot of break-ins around here.”

I gestured to the blue-eyed dog who was practically sitting on Hunter’s feet, gazing at him with adoration. “And this is Arwen? How long have you had her?”

Hunter’s expression softened when he looked down at his dog. “About a year now. We got her from the local animal rescue.”

“Can I pet her?”

“Absolutely.” He unhooked Arwen’s leash from her collar and nodded toward me.

She immediately took this as permission to finish her investigation of me, a bit calmer this time, while I dug my hands into her soft fur. She deemed me worthy enough to scratch her belly and gave me a wide puppy grin with her tongue hanging out.

“She’s a sweetheart,” I said, stroking her silky ears.

“Yeah, she is.” Hunter cleared his throat. “Would you like some breakfast? I make pretty decent blueberry pancakes.”

Feeling like I’d taken a successful first step in getting to know my future brother-in-law, I stood up and smiled. “Definitely. I haven’t eaten much since an airport burrito.”

Hunter nodded and moved past me to envelop my sister in a bear hug that lifted her off her feet. Giggling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss that had me focusing on Arwen.

But I couldn’t help the twin spikes of happiness and pain. Not that long ago, I’d had someone to hug and kiss after walking in the door. Well, any time she was home and not out partying. Which, thinking back on it now, should’ve been a warning sign that I was more invested than she was in making things work between us.

Too bad hindsight couldn’t shed any light on the present.

But I was happy for Chloe. After a rough time growing up with our parents and seeming a little lost, she’d found someone who seemed to genuinely make her happy. I knew what Hunter had done for her. The guy was already good in my book.

I clearly wasn’t cut out for this kind of relationship anyway. Shared pet, co-ownership of a small-town lodge, living together, and then tying the knot? That kind of life was meant for my sister. Not me. Never me.

Chloe tugged me away from my musings and Arwen, and the two of us headed for the main living space while Hunter went to take a quick shower before breakfast. Arwen hurried after us.

My focus immediately went to Rose and Gina sitting at a large farmhouse dining table. Neat stacks of invitations and envelopes lined the table, along with a handful of pens, a notepad, and stamps.

I’d taken a cursory peek around the house when I’d come in last night, noting the open, airy space of the living area and the rustic yet modern accents. Cabin comfort mixed with sleek, technical upgrades.

But all I wanted to see now was the sweet smile hovering around Rose’s mouth as Gina told her a story, gesturing around with her hands, while Rose carefully wrote an address on an envelope.

“And that’s why you should never watch a horror movie on a treadmill!” Gina finished with a flourish.

Rose let out a peal of laughter, which faded when she looked up and locked eyes with me.

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