CHAPTER NINE
Like a predictable routine, the chime from the front door sensor sets off a chain reaction. A chorus of yips and howls erupts in the large breed room. In response, the small dogs begin barking. That gets the few held in the grooming area to join the hype squad.The collaborative effort creates a deafening symphony to greet whoever just entered Pampered Pooch.
The excitement surrounding me automatically stretches my lips into a wide smile. Just another day in paradise.
“Callie,” my boss yells across the room. “You’ve got visitors.”
I offer a quick nod in response. There’s no chance of her hearing me over this noise.
Stacey disappears from view, returning to her position at the counter. I don’t manage the desk for obvious reasons. On the rare occasion someone asks for me, I’ll venture from the safe haven of the dog rooms. It’s safer back here.
A fluffy mutt spins circles around me as I pad across the rubber mats. I step into the lobby and shut the soundproof divider to leave the chaos behind. My eardrums are thankful for the reprieve.
A loud squeak shatters the brief quiet. “Hi, Callie!”
I brace myself as Sydney crashes into my legs. “Hey, you. What’s up?”
“Chicken butt,” Harper’s daughter giggles.
“Very funny.” I look over at my friend. “This is a nice surprise.”
“We were in the neighborhood.” She laughs. “Get it? Small town. We’re always close by.”
“And I’m glad for that.”
Sydney tugs on my shirt and beams up at me. “Can we eat lunch? My tummy is super fussy. I gotta feed the grumbles.”
“Ah, yes,” Harper chimes in. “There was a slight ulterior motive of sneaking you off for a quick break.”
“Um…” I glance at Stacey to gauge her reaction. She’s already nodding, and then makes a shooing motion toward the street. “Looks like I’m free.”
“Yayyyy!” Sydney twirls to show off her ballerina talents.
“We just need to get this little cutie logged in for an hour or two.” Harper points to where their Pomeranian is patiently sitting by the gate. “She’s ready to play.”
“I’ll take care of checking her in,” Stacey smoothly interjects. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“Thank you,” I reply.
Sydney swoops down to pepper her beloved pooch with several kisses. “Be back soon, Glitzy. Don’t miss me too much.”
“She’ll have a blast,” Staceyinsists.
In response, Glitzy yips and begins scratching at the gate.
My boss grants her entry into the small breed room, temporarily flooding the lobby with happy barks. “As for you three, go feed those bellies.”
We wave to her and walk out into the warm spring weather. I tip my face to the sunny sky. “Where to?”
“Bent Pedal is next door.” Harper motions at the building.
My brows shoot to the clouds at her treason. “Isn’t that a direct competitor of Roosters?”
“Yeah, yeah. I thought that once upon a time, but it’s more about supporting our local businesses.”
“I dunno. Feels unfaithful.” My mind immediately goes to an image of Ridge seeing me at another restaurant when I rarely go to his.
“Would you feel better about Bean Me Up? Their patio is open.”
“Oh, yessss!” Sydney bounces on her toes as we start strolling in the direction of the bistro. “They have the bestest ice cream. Maybe Bradley will be there.”
I squint at the unfamiliar name. “Bradley?”
“You’ve met Garrett’s fiancée, right? Grace is Bradley’s nanny and we bumped into them At Bean Me Up once. Now he’s in kindergarten at the same school as this smitten kitten.” Harper rolls her eyes toward the little girl skipping along beside us.
“He’s super cute.” Sydney flutters her lashes to confirm her mother’s claim.
“Don’t even get her started,” my friend murmurs to me from the corner of her mouth. “And if your daddy hears more about this crush, he’s never gonna let you leave the house again.”
Sydney wrinkles her nose. “He’s a fun sponge.”
“What?” I laugh as we arrive at the patio entrance and find a table.
“He soaks up all the fun.” She makes a slurping noise that resembles moisture getting sucked into a hose.
“Oh, I see what you mean. Well, to be fair, you’re very young. Maybe it’s better to wait several more years before you think about boys that way.” I choose the chair that has a view of the lake in the distance.
She parks her little fists on her hips before sitting down. “I’m seven.”
“No way. When did that happen?”
Sydney frowns. “Did you forget my birthday? You were at the party.”
“I would never,” I rush to say. “November twenty-first is a very important date. It should be a holiday.”
Her eyes sparkle. “That’s a fantabulous plan. How do we make a holiday?”
“We just declare it as such.”
Harper claps while Sydney leaps from her seat to perform several impressive dance moves. “Okay, superstar. Let’s fix those hungry pains before this celebrity status goes to your head.”
On cue, a server stops over to give us menus and take our drink order. Sydney doesn’t hesitate to set her focus on completing the provided activity sheet. That allows Harper’s burning curiosity to unleash on me.
“So,” she chirps. “Yesterday went well?”
“Oh, yes. It was perfect.” My heart flutters at the reminder. “Ridge is such a gentleman.”
She snorts. “Didn’t know we were telling jokes, but that’s a good one.”
“He is,” I defend. “Just like a fairytale hero, he wants to storm in and to protect me from my father.”
“That totally tracks.”
“Some of the stuff he said was so romantic.” I chew on my bottom lip while deciding what to share. “Such as he’ll treat me as a coveted prize, but as his equal. I’ll never be stripped of control again so long as his heart is beating.”
Harper whistles. “Wow, the brute sure puts on the moves fast when he wants to. Guess he saw a green light.”
“What do you mean?”
“That man has been crazy about you since last year, but he didn’t do a thing about it. Until now.” This isn’t the first time she’s mentioned something along those lines.
“I guess the moment was right.”
She nods. “You’re the neighbor material he’s been waiting for.”
Which reminds me. “Did you know Ridge owns the duplex?”
“No, but I’m not surprised. He has plenty of money stashed away from his professional hockey career.”
“I would’ve loved to watch him play.” There’s a wistful edge to my voice.
“Yeah, girl. It’s hot on the ice. I bet he was a beast out there. Google his best games.”
“Oh, that’s smart. I bet there’s a lot of footage.”
“Keep a towel close by to mop up the drool. Better yet, sit on one so you don’t make a mess on the couch.” Harper winks.
It takes me several seconds to gather her meaning. Heat floods my cheeks. “You’re bad.”
“What else is new?” She leans forward. “Have you kissed him yet?”
My blush burns hotter. I think back to how our date ended last night. He politely excused himself shortly after we took the picture together. Something about not wanting to overstay his welcome, which is similar to what he said in our texts. As if it’s possible for him to do either.
I shake my head. “That’s probably not going to happen for a long while. We just had dinner.”
“No dessert?”
A gasp wrenches from me. “Was I supposed to bake cookies or cupcakes? Maybe a pie would’ve been more to his liking. I totally forgot.”
She bursts into a fit of giggles. “Gosh, you’re adorable. I wasn’t referring to that type of sugary treat.” She seems to consider something. “But now that we’re on the subject of baking stuff in the oven, have you thought about protection?”
I furrow my brow. “Like pot holders?”
“Good grief, I can’t even with you. For when your relationship with Ridge progresses to”—she peeks over at Sydney who’s now concentrating on coloring a picture—“the intimate phase.”
“Why would I need protection from him?”
“It’s mostly his swimmers you should be worried about.” She wiggles her index finger to imitate a worm.
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to. This isn’t a topic they taught us,” I groan and rub my temples. “Even more so, that’s private. What happens in the bedroom is sacred between husband and wife.”
Harper’s blink is slow. “Oh, you’re going to wait for marriage.”
That gives me pause. “I suppose those traditions belong strictly to Billmoore.”
She shrugs. “Not necessarily. It just depends on your personal beliefs. Plenty of couples wait until their wedding night.”
My mind whirls fast enough to make me dizzy. “I haven’t given it much thought.”
There hasn’t been a reason to, until recently it seems. Sex is so far off my radar that it doesn’t even appear as a speck. But I do find Ridge extremely attractive. The thought of being intimate with him is definitely appealing. Warmth collects in my lower belly, and I shift on the seat.
“This is happening very quickly,” I add.
Harper must catch the stress tightening my features. “Hey, don’t worry. You’re not rushing into anything. But there are many options for when the time comes for the next step, and you want to prevent… you know. That way you don’t expand your waistline until you’re ready.” She widens her eyes and makes an arc over her flat stomach.
Sydney chooses that second to be done with her drawing. “Are you pregnant, Mommy?”
The idle chatter surrounding us abruptly ends. It feels like every pair of eyes shifts to stare at our table. Even our server pauses on her return to us with the drinks held in midair. Secondhand embarrassment flares in my cheeks and I duck my chin. Meanwhile, Harper winces and faces her daughter.
“No, I’m not expecting a baby,” she says loud enough to appease the crowd. Then she leans closer to Sydney. “And please don’t shout that. People are listening.”
The little girl glances around. “Why are they spying on us? That’s rude.”
“It’s just what folks do. Daddy will hear about this before I even get the chance to call him. Rumors in this town spread faster than”—she cuts herself off with a quick glance at her daughter’s rapt focus—“jelly on toast. We should probably put a lid on discussing your… reproductive safety choices until later. Otherwise, everyone will assume you’re preparing to do the deed with your grumpy neighbor.”
“Oh, no.” Flames erupt across my face. I peek at those seated nearby. Most appear to have lost interest in us. “The gossips aren’t that bad.”
“You’re not giving them enough credit. I heard about Ridge painting your door before he even finished the job.”
“That’s unbelievable,” I whisper as my stomach somersaults. “I still can’t believe he did that.”
Harper swats at the space between us. “Puh-lease. That man would do anything for you.”
“That’s not true,” I mumble.
“Wanna bet?”
“I don’t like to gamble.”
She laughs. “Then how about giving him a surprise? I think it’s your turn.”
“Like a plate of cookies?”
“Sure, he’s gonna love that.” When Harper wiggles her brows, concern spikes my heart rate. “But I have another suggestion that will satisfy more than his sweet tooth.”