I could hear music when Cindy and I parked in Mr. Warner’s driveway. A sign on the door read, ‘Come on back’, so we did just that and found Joe and his neighbors having a good time. Long tables covered with blue and white checked tablecloths and mounds of food stretched around the perimeter of Joe’s yard. A large grill off to one side was smoking with meat of all kinds. The beef patties and okay, maybe even the hot dogs were calling to me. It was gratifying to see Tom, Emma, Tessa, Joe and many others with big smiles and their dogs playing around them. When Cindy set Baskerville down on the ground and he ran up to the nearest dog to play ‘which one is the alpha dog’, people noticed we’d arrived.
“Lucy!” I heard from all directions and several people lunged forward.
“Thanks for coming!”
“Thank you for saving my dog!”
“Thank you for rescuing my Buster!”
It was an onslaught of thanks and I nearly reeled back. I wasn’t sure what to say or even where to start. Thankfully, Joe muscled his way through.
“Now stand back, everybody. Give Lucy some room. You’ll have your chance to talk to her.”
Oh, boy. That meant that I would be here until midnight smiling and being humble. Before I could say anything, Joe tugged me away. People nodded and went back to what they were doing before we came in.
“Thanks, Mr. Warner. I need to catch my breath.”
“You looked a little anxious, Lucy, and I didn’t want you to bolt. Please spend a few minutes with those who had lost their dogs. They want so very much to thank you.” His deep look was met with slight resistance. “You’ve given them back a present more precious than gold. I know…I got my Winston back.”
Now he almost had me in tears.
“Hey, now. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Remember that I lost my dog too.”
“Then you know why Tom, Emma, Tessa and I want to thank you personally. Kindness like this doesn’t come around very often.”
I blinked watery eyes at him and nodded. “Sure, I can do that.”
He smiled, patted my face. “Good. Glad Cindy could make it too. I have a little surprise for her.”
“What?”
“You’ll see.” His eyes twinkled and he winked before leaving me in a state of wonder. What was he up to? The last time he had that look on his face, he gave me my Sherlock Holmes deerstalker cap and I haven’t thanked him properly for that gift yet. He was up to something.
I had spoken to almost everyone whose dog we had rescued and was chowing down on my second hot dog—complete with mustard, relish and chopped onions, okay, just the way I love it—when out of the corner of my eye, I spied Skip Callahan walking into the yard. No detective clothes for him tonight. His jeans and tee shirt indicated he was off duty and the way he was checking out the scene, I figured he was looking for some fun as well. It was priceless when Cindy looked up from her hamburger and her mouth dropped open, nearly spilling the contents on the table.
“Lucy,” he nodded when he reached us.
“Skip.” I arched an eyebrow at him in jest. We both glanced at Cindy.
A napkin covered her mouth and she was coughing, trying not to choke. I pounded on her back. “Need someone to do the Heimlich maneuver for you? I bet Skip would volunteer.”
She glared at me before swallowing hard and dropping the napkin. Her eyes finally darted back to a smiling Skip. Cute guy, if you like that sexy, Nordic god kind of look topped off with sultry bedroom eyes.
“What…” she choked out, “what are you doing here?”
“Mr. Warner invited me since I was Johnny-on-the-spot at the dog rescue. He said he wanted to thank everyone involved with getting the dogs back.”
“Well, that would be Lucy mostly.”
“Undoubtedly. Lucy’s the best.” His smile could have lit up the whole block. Jeez, couldn’t she see it? “May I?” When I nodded, he swung a leg over a bench and sat at our picnic table with us, right next to Cindy.
She opened her mouth, probably to object, when she poked my arm instead. “Look, Lucy.” She pointed to another man walking into the yard. Tall, handsome and looking every bit as good as Leonardo DiCaprio, Professor Eric Schultz shook hands with Mr. Warner and ventured a look our way. What in the world was he doing here?
“Who invited him?” I huffed.
“I did,” said Skip. His eyes challenged me.
“Why?”
“I didn’t want Cindy to be the only uncomfortable one here today,” he laughed. When he gently pushed fine hair off her shoulder and touched her chin, Cindy seemed to have a change of heart. A slow smile crept across her pretty face and she shrugged. I took that as an I’m-going-to-let-you-stay sign to him.
“Well, fancy meeting you all here,” drawled the deep voice behind me making me jump. Skip reached out to shake his hand.
“Take a seat, Eric. Glad you could join us.”
“Yes,” added Cindy sweetly, “it is nice to see you again, Eric. I thought maybe you’d gone back to Wisconsin.”
He shook his head, parked his lanky body next to mine. I hadn’t cast a look his way yet. I knew I’d been doomed when those Leo eyes caught me.
“Lucy,” prompted Cindy. “Say hello to Eric.”
I quickly took a bite of my hot dog and mumbled, “Hello, Eric,” with a mouth full of food. They all laughed. Laughed! They laughed at me. Well, that’s friends for you…
Skip angled his head to Cindy and she rose.
“See you in a bit,” she said to me as I chewed noisily. She and Skip walked off together to talk to Mr. Warner, Tom and Emma.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called,” he began looking contrite.
I tried to respond but I still had a lot of hot dog to chew.
“I got busy with a new lecture but I guess you’ve been busy too. Skip filled me in on what happened with the dogs. Congratulations,” he smiled. “Another feather in your private investigator cap.”
The bite of hot dog finally went down my throat. After getting a sip of water, I faced him. “I thought you were going back to Wisconsin.”
“Well, I have to sooner or later.”
“…Then maybe… we shouldn’t see each other any more, Eric.” When he opened his mouth, I continued. “After all, we live hundreds of miles from each other and maybe it’s for the best.”
“What if I didn’t live hundreds of miles from you, Lucy? Would you consider dating me then?”
I blinked, surprised. “What are you saying?”
Cute little crinkles appeared around his blue eyes. Eric/Leo had a sly look on his attractive face. “There’s a position open in the History Department at the university right here. I’m thinking of applying for it.”
He could have knocked me over with a puff of air. My back straightened and I stared at him. Trust me, this was a first.
“Lucy.” He tugged on a few strands of hair around my face. “You’re pretty and smart, funny—even when you don’t mean to be—and I think we should try this.”
“Try what?” My dry throat all but closed up. I grabbed for a bottle of water.
“Try each other out. Date, do those things people do when they’re in a relationship. Don’t you like me?”
He gave me that puppy dog look guaranteed to melt me where I sat. “Yes…yes, I like you.”
His hand caught mine and held it, his eyes gazed into mine. “And I like you. What do you say?”
“I…I can’t make a decision about your job for you, Eric.”
“Lucy, the only reason I’d apply for it is to see you on a more regular basis. You keep drawing me back to Reno.”
I nearly passed out. I swayed and he steadied me. A girl could get used to this.
“I’ve given you a lot more to chew on than that hot dog,” he laughed and rose. He stretched out a hand to me. “Come on. Let’s talk to some of these people who are thrilled you’re here. Thrilled that they know you.” His smile could have knocked me to my knees. “I know how they feel.”
So hand-in-hand, we went around the yard talking to all Mr. Warner’s neighbors, playing with their dogs, watching Baskerville run and talking with Cindy and Skip. It was nice. Pleasant. Not a bit stressful.
Hmm. A girl could certainly get used to this.
* * *