“Don’t, Dec.” She looked up at him. “Don’t dwell on what-ifs and what-wasn’ts.”
He slid his hand under her hair, his touch gentle, his palm callused. “For smart people, we’ve been so damn dumb.”
She gave a sad smile. “When I’m in Bitter Bark, I’m always dying to see you, but terrified I might.”
“Then you walked into Linda May’s…” He thumbed her jaw. “What did you think when you saw me?”
“Of all the bakeries in the world…” she joked.
“Seriously.”
“I thought it simply wasn’t fair that you are so damn good-looking and that I would have loved to have watched you change from a boy to a man and that I knew right then and there what my best moment of the year would be.” She gave a smile, relieved to make the admission. “What did you think?”
“That this time, I wasn’t going to let you slip away.”
“And here I am. Unslipped.”
He ran his fingers over the nape of her neck, sending a thousand chills down her back. “So, E. Can I keep seeing you while you’re here? Can we pick up where we left off? Can I stop making excuses to come over and just…come over?”
She eased closer to him, still locked on the intensity in his dark eyes. “Yes.”
He gave her that slow smile. “That was easy.”
“All you had to do was ask.”
He wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her closer. “One more Birthday Game question?”
“Keep them positive, like happiest moment or best meal?” she guessed.
“Best kiss.”
She leaned into him. “I’m pretty sure it’s the one I’m about to get.”
“Yep.” He was still smiling as he lowered his mouth to hers, but that smile disappeared as their lips met, very lightly at first, then with more pressure, more purpose, and more pleasure. She slid her hands up his shoulders, taking her time to appreciate the shape of him, the same way he coasted his hand up and down her back.
“Evie,” he murmured.
“Declan,” she echoed, making him laugh a little as he drew back to look into her eyes.
“It’s been a long twenty years.”
“No kidding.”
Still holding her gaze, he rubbed his thumb along her lower lip. “Not one day passed that I didn’t think about you.”
The confession nearly collapsed her heart. “I tried to forget,” she admitted.
“I never tried,” he said with a sad smile. “Because I hate to fail.”
She opened her hands and let her fingers slide into his hair, and even his head felt wonderful in her hands. She didn’t want to think how good the rest of him would feel. “I’m here until the end of the year.”
“Let’s make up for lost time.” He kissed her again, angling for a sweeter connection, opening his lips for a tender touch of their tongues.
She took the invitation, weak-kneed from the lightning bolts shooting through her, hot and fast and sudden while she kissed him again.
Then a big furry paw landed on her boot, and Judah let out a long, insistent howl.
“Is he in pain?” Declan asked as they broke apart.
“The pain of being ignored.” She reached down to give him some love. “You’re right, big boy. Let’s get you home. Big day and an early-morning call in the OR tomorrow.”
“We’ll be there. In fact, would you like me to pick you up and take you guys in?” Declan slid his arm around her and reached down to rub Judah’s head.
“I have to be at the hospital by five, and you just finished a twenty-four-hour shift. Judah and I can get there on our own.”
“Or I could stay tonight.”
She hesitated, mostly because of the heat that whipped through her. “Not the night before surgery,” she said.
“Then maybe the night after.”
She smiled, snuggling closer. “If surgery is a success.”
“You hear that, buddy?” He gave Judah’s head another pat. “Be good on that table tomorrow, and…and…”
She waited, watching, wondering where he’d go with that. “And?” she prompted.
“I was going to say I’ll be a happy man, but I already am. You’ve forgiven me, and we have a second chance. What could be better than that?”
She knew exactly what could be better. Thank God he hadn’t asked about her biggest regret as part of the Birthday Game. Because she might have told him, and knowing Declan, he would have offered right then and there to give her the one thing she wanted most.
And she might have said yes.
Chapter Fifteen
Declan was only a little surprised at the number of family members who wandered into the Vestal Valley College Animal Hospital that morning. Yes, his immediate and extended family frequently showed up for any event that required “support,” but this operation wasn’t at Kilcannon Veterinary Hospital or Waterford Farm, and Judah wasn’t exactly a family pet.
Still, a stream of women he knew and loved began to pour into the surgery waiting room shortly after eight. Gramma Finnie and Yiayia were first, followed by his sister-in-law Cassie and her mother, Uncle Daniel’s wife, Katie. After they greeted him and found coffee and chairs, Pru came in with her father, Trace, walking Danny into the room.
“Let the games begin,” Pru called out on a laugh. “Dan the Man has arrived.” She slid into the chair right next to Declan. “Mom’s so excited to be in on this surgery. She said watching Dr. Hewitt work is like taking a master class.”
He smiled, proud of Evie, as always. “It’s good to know Judah’s in such talented hands.”
Trace made his way over, his muscular, tattoo-covered arms stretched down to let Danny grip his index fingers and toddle along, half on his own power, half by using his dad for balance. His dark eyes darted around the room with intelligence and curiosity, his mop of nearly black hair already a tousled mess, as if to announce this kid played hard.
“What happens if you let him go?” Declan asked, getting a wide grin from Trace in response.
“Well, looks like he’s got his eye on you, so…” Trace straightened and slid his fingers out of Danny’s
