I decided to go help out at the shelter so I didn’t have to watch Rhett move out. I felt like an asshole for not helping, but I just couldn’t face it. I could only hold my cool facade for so long. I needed distraction.

Dogs and cats who were very excited to see me always provided just the medicine.

Sarah was surprised to see me. “Hey, were you on the schedule today?”

I widened my eyes and stapled on my most fake smile. “No, I just needed to get out of the house.”

She raised an eyebrow and tapped her foot. “Should I even ask?”

“Probably not,” I said. “What’s on the to-do today?”

We spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning cages and grooming animals. I told her about my plan to work with them more, and to YouTube the training. I could possibly gain interest for their adoption, and generate support for the shelter.

I just needed to run it by David, but Sarah agreed he would probably be all for it. He had his hands full transitioning back to take over his father’s vet practice, his new marriage, and getting his girls ready for back-to-school. Any extra work we wanted to do for the shelter always went over well with David.

It could keep my mind off Rhett too. It was perfect.

At the end of the day, after I helped Sarah close up the shelter, she pulled both of my hands into hers. “I have something today but do you want me to come over tomorrow night?” She searched my face, which always made me feel like she could see into my soul.

I averted my eyes. “Why is it I am older than you, but yet I feel like you take care of me all the time?” I grumbled.

She shook her head and laughed. “Don’t try to side track me. Blink once if you want me to come over, and blink twice if you want me to come over but don’t want to say it.”

I stared into her eyes as long as I could, our childhood game of stare eyes now with raised stakes. Finally when I couldn’t take it any more, I blinked.

“I knew it!” she crowed. “Should I bring Beckett?”

I tipped my head back, and looked at the white clouds drifting past in the darkening blue summer sky. In a few months it would be pitch black at this hour. “Why not,” I said. “I can be a third wheel on your date.”

Sarah laughed and punched me on the arm. Then she pulled me in for a hug. “Come here, dummy. I love you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” I agreed, patting her on the back like I was pacifying her. As if I was doing her the favor.

“We will bring wine and food and you will tell us all your troubles.”

I opened my mouth as if to object, but she pulled back and looked me straight in the face. “I told your mom I would take care of you. That’s the only reason she didn’t insist you live with her. Remember?”

I sighed. “You’re right.”

She searched my eyes back and forth. “So let me do this.”

That night, I got out of the shower and heard Rhett’s truck rumble into my driveway. I pulled on some clothes and ruffled a towel through my hair just in time to hear him knock.

He didn’t try to open the door and he didn’t stick his head in. He knocked. I guess the doorbell would have been even more impersonal.

I opened the door, not knowing what to say. I felt small and vulnerable, but I didn’t want to feel played. I didn’t want him to think I was the idiot who caught feels.

“Hey,” I said, holding onto the door for support.

He tipped his head and crinkled his eyes at me. He didn’t smile — it was more like a rueful line. Like he was looking at his past with fondness. “I think I got everything out,” he indicated his hand toward the guest house. “If I forgot anything, let me know and I’ll come get it.”

My breathing caught in uneven ragged sections. “Okay,” I said. I held onto the door and leaned against it. Thank god it was here to hold me up.

“My whole life, I always had to move on from things,” Rhett said. “I’m used to it. I knew it would happen with this too. It’s all I know.” He looked down and kicked his toe against the concrete.

So this really was it. I wasn’t going to humiliate myself by making it into a big deal if he wasn’t.

“Yeah,” I said, trying to keep my voice light. “It was fun, eh? You got a trained dog. I got a bathroom. We had some good times.” I heard my voice lift at the end of my last sentence, like I was trying to convince myself.

He smiled, his white teeth flashing at me with his cover model grin. “Yeah, we had some fun.” He raised his eyebrows and looked away, running his hand through his dark blonde hair.

My heart pounded, but I had to give it a shot. “Do you want to come in? Just one more time?” I winced as I said it. Now he would never want to hang out with me again, and I looked desperate besides.

He searched my eyes back and forth and took a breath in. “Nah,” he exhaled. He looked back and pointed at Tiger, who was sniffing and running around my yard. “He needs to get in before it’s too late to do a routine, and I’ve been moving stuff all day. I’m pretty beat.”

“Oh yeah, sorry,” I said. Fuck my life, why did I do that?

“Don’t be!” he said. “But I just wanted to give you this.” He held the guest house key out. I held out my hand, palm up. He placed the key in my hand, our fingers brushing, and the same electricity that ignited our summer buzzed between us. His eyes widened, and he pulled his hand back.

“Wow!” he said. “Okay, uh, I guess that’s it?” he said.

All I could do was nod. I was afraid my voice would crack if I tried to answer.

He walked back toward his truck, his boots crunching on the gravel. I stepped into the doorway, half onto the porch, and leaned on the door frame. He whistled for Tiger, who immediately ran to his side. He picked up his dog and put him in the truck, closing the door instead of climbing in after him. Then he walked back to me.

My heart pounded. “Did you forget someth…” was all I got out.

“Just one more time,” his voice a gruff whisper. He gathered me up in his arms and pressed his lips against mine. I yielded immediately, wrapping my arms around his neck. I kissed him back, knowing it was the last time.

His stubble raked against me, the sandpaper feel contrasting with his full lips. His tongue twined around mine, and the electricity of our earlier touch, the chemistry of our every contact, blazed between us.

Finally, too soon, he let me go. “I’ll see you around, Oscar,” he croaked. He kissed me on the forehead, sprinted toward his truck and drove off into the night.