Page 101 of Wag More Bark Less

“He’s a lifer?”

“I forget you were Army, too.”

Ellie managed to climb into Alyssa’s lap and now had both paws on her shoulders. She didn’t offer hugs to just anyone, which only made me certain the two of us had a connection beyond meeting a couple of weeks ago. Damned if I knew what it was, though.

“Did something happen?” I asked carefully. “Is he okay?”

“He’s pissed off, but he’s fine. The military is forcing him to medically retire. Aspen—those are her cupcakes by the way—is his sister. She called to tell me because, well, she knew I’d feel some type of way.”

I didn’t follow why this news might be upsetting. It sounded like Thoren would be coming home. And for a woman who’d been in love with him since she was nine, that sounded like good news. Unless . . .

“Is he with someone else?”

Alyssa let out a soft laugh as Ellie crawled out of her lap. “You know, if he was, I think this whole thing would be easier.” She looked back at me. “I finally accepted our fate. The last time he was back, just a couple of months ago. I accepted we didn’t have a future. It was the hardest damn thing I’ve ever had to do. And now, when I’m stuck in Bluebell Springs, he’s coming home against his will.”

“Maybe you’re getting a second chance?” I offered.

“Ha! We’ve had twenty second chances. We’ve run our course. This is just going to be rubbing salt in the wound.”

“I know we said no pity⁠—”

“I’ll make an exception this time.” Alyssa’s grim expression brightened a little. “Now that I’ve spilled my guts, tell me, how long have you been sleeping with Luke?”

I was glad I decided not to retrieve a couple of beverages from the fridge or I’d be choking on mine.

“I’m not—we haven’t—” I let out a defeated sigh. “But something happened. Multiple somethings. Are you sure this isn’t weird for you? This your best friend’s brother, right?”

“You’re right. Luke is like a brother to me. But I can disassociate for a good cause. You clearly need someone to talk to who won’t try to talk you out of bad decisions.” Alyssa stood from her chair. “How set are you on chili for dinner?”

“Honestly, I’ve been eating chili for almost a week straight.”

“Kat’s Place has a dog-friendly patio. It’s a little drizzly out, but part of it’s covered.”

“What about the cupcakes?”

“Save them for later. You can have dessert after dessert.” She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“I’m not sleeping with Luke.”

“But you want to.”

Because she wasn’t wrong—and I really did want a girlfriend to share every sordid detail with—I flipped the crockpot to warm, shot Luke a text letting him know my change of plans and encouraging him to help himself to the chili, and grabbed my keys.

“I’ll drive.”

THIRTY-FIVE

LUKE

“It’s my year to drive the tractor,” Phil insisted.

“I always drive the tractor on even years,” Bernie fired back. “I’m driving the tractor this year.”

The two had been bickering about the damn tractor for the past thirty minutes, and for once, I didn’t really care. I had a belly full of Maggie’s chili—not the recipe yet, but one she felt was close enough to share with the veterans for lunch today—I slept like a damn baby for a full eight hours, and I was fifteen minutes late to the Legion Hall this morning because I had my lips suctioned to Miss Mayhem and my hand down her skinny jeans. I could still hear the cute, desperate way she panted my name when she came. And no one, not even Phil or Bernie, was going to spoil my good mood.

“Chief, you got to settle this,” Phil demanded.

“Me?”