Chapter 17
Dahlia stood at her stove, staring into the pan of bacon.
She knew if she looked at herself in a mirror, she’d find a dreamy look on her face.
Her morning with Dutton had been one she wouldn’t soon forget.
He’d made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
But more than that, he’d made her feel loved.
Honestly, she’d never felt that way with her ex, Myles. She’d always been the one to dote on him. Not the other way around.
The bacon sizzled, pulling her out of her adoration haze, and she chuckled at herself. If she wasn’t careful, she was either going to get hit with hot grease or burn her kitchen down. Neither was on her to-do list.
After pulling the bacon from the pan, she covered it with a paper towel and went to work on the waffles.
While the waffle iron was doing its thing, she paused to look out the window at Dutton and Shortcake.
Dutton was throwing a ball for her, and while she was decent at fetching it, she wasn’t good at giving it back.
So after each throw, there was a game of keep-away that had Dutton laughing while Shortcake continued to force him to chase her.
It didn’t escape her notice that the scene was her vision of perfect domestic bliss.
A lazy Sunday morning after a couple of rounds of incredible sex, followed by her man playing endlessly with her pup while she cooked her favorite breakfast. Add in the lovely scent of fall, and there was nowhere Dahlia would rather be.
When the waffles were ready, Dahlia placed the food on the table.
She was just about to call Dutton in when she spotted something glowing from the small bookcase on the opposite wall.
Both curious and apprehensive, Dahlia approached the bookcase and then let out a woosh of air when she realized it was Gwynn’s journal that was glowing.
That was new. She’d never seen it do that before.
Grabbing the journal, she flipped it open. Words started to scrawl on the page at a rapid rate.
Warning! Warning! Dahlia, you need to be careful. That man is not safe to be around. Send him home now!
Frowning, and more than a little irritated that Gwynn was trying to interfere in her love life, Dahlia said, “You’re worrying for nothing. Dutton is a good guy.”
He’s dangerous. I’m only trying to protect you. That man will only bring you trouble. Trust me.
“How could you possibly know that? Look at him playing with Shortcake. That’s not a man who is trying to bring me trouble.
” Dahlia felt like an angsty teenager whose parent was warning her away from the bad boy.
She did not appreciate having to defend Dutton to her fairy godmother. Gwynn didn’t even know him.
I’m in communication on this side with someone from his past. Please, Dahlia, stay away from him. I’m saying this for your own good.
Anger started to swell in her chest. “If it’s someone from his foster family, they can’t be trusted, Gwynn. They used him and forced him to do things he didn’t want to do. Things he deeply regrets. He shouldn’t have to pay for that for the rest of his life!”
My concern is only for you. Have I ever steered you wrong before?
“Gwynn, I love you, but in this, I’m going to need you to butt out.” Dahlia slammed the journal closed. And when she spotted Dutton and Shortcake headed for the door, she quickly put it back on the shelf.
The journal glowed brighter than ever.
Dahlia swore under her breath, grabbed the journal, and shoved it into a drawer where she didn’t have to look at it. Thankfully, the drawer closed tight enough that the light didn’t seep around the edges.
“Hey, looks like breakfast is on,” Dutton said. He moved to her side and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “It looks and smells amazing.”
“Thanks,” she said softly, still trying to recover from her encounter with Gwynn. Her nerves were jumpy and her earlier contentment had flown right out the window.
“Is something wrong?” Dutton asked, his brows furrowed in concern.
“No,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “I was just trying to remember where I put the extra bottle of syrup.”
Dutton glanced at the table, spotting the almost full bottle, and said, “Unless we plan on swimming in it, I think there’s plenty here.”
She pasted on a flirty smile and said, “Maybe we’ll play with the extra later.”
He let out a snort of laughter and took a seat at the table.
Dahlia went to the treat container and got one for Shortcake before she sat across from Dutton.
For a long moment, she just held her coffee mug in both hands as she watched Dutton doctor his waffles.
He had a sweet smile on his face, was relaxed, and radiated sunshine as he beamed at Shortcake, who had just curled up at his feet.
Gwynn was wrong. She had to be.
Dahlia knew in her heart that Dutton would never intentionally cause her trouble. In fact, if she were a betting woman, she’d lay odds that if he ever thought his presence was going to hurt her in anyway, he’d be the first to insist that she stay away from him.
No.
While she cared what Gwynn had to say, she would not be walking away from Dutton.
Not now. Not after what they’d shared.
And Gwynn was just going to have to get used to it.
“Where do you take her for walks?” Dutton asked as Dahlia was dressing Shortcake in her harness.
“Usually down by the river. There’s a nice walking path,” Dahlia said.
When she glanced up, she saw that Dutton’s jaw had tensed and his lips were pressed together in a strained frown.
Oops. That was probably the wrong choice.
“But if you don’t want to go down there because of the fire, I understand. We can go somewhere else.”
He glanced away briefly, and when he looked at her again, he’d obviously tried to force himself to relax. “There’s a nice walking path behind Briggs’s place. It’s not paved like the one at the river, but it does lead to a nice lake.”
Dahlia hesitated for just a second as she remembered Gwynn’s words, and doubts suddenly crept in.
Would she be an idiot if she went wandering off into the woods with him when there wasn’t likely to be that many people around?
Was she the too-stupid-to-live character that always went into the basement in a horror flick?
“I’m open to other ideas if you don’t want to take Shortcake through the woods,” he said, sounding just as uncertain as she felt.
“No. No,” she said quickly. “It would be good to see how she does in the woods. I was just…” Dahlia waved a hand, indicating that it wasn’t important.
She fully believed what she told Gwynn. There was no reason to doubt herself now.
She’d just given her whole self to the man in the last twelve hours.
If she trusted him enough for that, surely she could trust him to take them on a hike. “Let’s do it.”
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll let Briggs know we’re on the way.”
Dahlia knew she was being a little ridiculous, but she couldn’t help feeling relieved that Briggs, and likely Melissa, would know she and Dutton were out in the woods.
She got busy filling Shortcake’s portable water bottle and packing some treats for her.
All the while, she admonished herself for second-guessing Dutton’s trustworthiness.
Dammit, Gwynn. Why’d you have to go and make me question him?
Dutton grabbed Shortcake’s leash and got her all hooked up.
When Dahlia was finally ready, she found the two of them out front with Shortcake snuggled up in his lap, staring up at him adoringly.
That was all she needed.
If Shortcake trusted him, she would too.
“Ready?” she asked.
He chuckled. “I am, but I don’t know about this one.”
“Shortcake,” Dahlia said in a sing-song voice. “Are you ready for walkies?”
The pup’s head popped up, and when she saw Dahlia with the backpack she took on their walks, she jumped off Dutton and ran toward the Corvette.
“Whoa!” Dutton grabbed for the leash, but the Havapoo was too fast for him. It trailed behind her in the dirt.
Dahlia just laughed. “Don’t worry. She’s not going anywhere. Well, not anywhere that isn’t the car, anyway. She’s just a fan of it, as am I.”
“That makes three of us,” Dutton said and grabbed her hand as they walked over to the car.
“Do you want to take your car and meet me there so you don’t have to come back later?” she asked him.
“Nope. It’s fine here.” He picked up Shortcake, and the two of them piled into the car. “I don’t want to miss a moment with my two favorite girls.”
Dahlia’s heart melted right then and there.
“Works for me.” She climbed into the driver’s side, smiled at her two passengers, and then took off down the road.
They made it to Briggs and Melissa’s place in just under ten minutes. The moment they stepped out of the car, Briggs appeared on the porch and waved.
“Hey, brother,” Dutton said as he and Shortcake climbed the porch steps.
Dahlia followed, and Dutton introduced her to Briggs and Melissa, who’d just appeared from inside.
“It’s really nice to meet you both,” Dahlia said, holding her hand out.
They took turns shaking her hand.
“Welcome to Keating Hollow,” Melissa said.
“Thanks.” Dahlia shoved her hands into her pockets, feeling a little out of place. It was too soon to call herself Dutton’s girlfriend, but she wasn’t just a friend, either. Things had become decidedly more than friendly between them in the last few hours.
“Now, who is this gorgeous girl?” Briggs asked as Shortcake started poking around.
“That’s Strawberry Shortcake,” Dutton said. “Dahlia recently adopted her from the rescue. She’s a Havapoo.”
“Oh. Em. Gee. That is the cutest puppy I have ever seen!” Melissa practically squealed. “I didn’t even see her there. Can I pick her up?”
Dahlia nodded. “As long as she’s okay with it.”
Melissa bent down and put her hand out to Shortcake. After the dog let Melissa pet her a few times, Melissa scooped her up and snuggled her while telling her what a pretty little girl she was.
Briggs looked over at Dutton. “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”