“I heard about that study!” she exclaimed. “Those were groundbreaking results, and I was very proud of our little local vet school.” She gave Stella’s fuzzy head a rub. “You’re a famous success story, Miss Stella.”
The little dog climbed right onto her lap and curled into a ball.
“Dolittle is in the house.” Declan could feel the goofy grin on his face as he sat in the middle of the grass, his whole being falling for this tenderhearted woman who stole the hearts of people and animals. Including his. Especially his.
“He thinks I can talk to animals, Stella,” she whispered into the dog’s ear, smiling at him as she did. “Can you understand me?”
Stella looked up and licked Evie’s chin.
“Oh, you can? You, the little dog who was once blind but now can see?” She winked at Declan. “There’s a lot of that going around these days.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“That creatures change, you know? Sometimes all by themselves, sometimes with a medical intervention, sometimes with the help of…” She looked toward the house. “People who love them.”
“You think I’ve changed?” he guessed.
She studied him for a long moment, stroking Stella’s head, thinking carefully before she answered. While he waited, he felt his heart kick up a little and his whole body inch toward hers.
“I think you’re the Declan I’ve always known,” she said softly. “But based on what I’m picking up from your family’s comments? That man has been absent for a long time.”
He blew out a breath. “Twenty years, E. Lost and blinded by a fog of grief and resentment.”
“But you’re back?” she asked.
“You are.” He reached out to slide his hand under her hair. “Which seems to have made all the difference in the world.”
For a long time, they didn’t speak, but held each other’s gaze, close and quiet.
“Are you going to kiss me or not?”
“We have an audience. A big, opinionated, pushy bunch of agitators who are right this minute putting money on whether or not we will.”
“Well, someone should win that bet.” She leaned in and kissed him, long and sweet.
He could have sworn he heard a response from the crowd. And he couldn’t have loved them more at that moment.
* * *
Evie had sweat off her makeup and had two grass stains on her jeans, but the Terrible Terriers, led by Shane Kilcannon with Molly as his co-captain, beat the Bloodhounds by one touchdown, so she didn’t care.
Grabbing a bottle of water that Destiny and Christian were handing out on the sidelines, Evie high-fived the opponents and realized the smile she’d been wearing most of the day wasn’t going anywhere.
“There’s a happy lass.” Gramma Finnie came down the stairs from the porch, beckoning Evie closer. “Come and talk to the oldsters in our rocking chairs, will ya?”
“Of course.” As if anyone could say no to the small but mighty Irishwoman. She followed Gramma Finnie to the back, a massive covered deck that looked out over an endless view of the foothills and mountains.
But her gaze wasn’t on the scenery. Colleen Mahoney sat on a sofa, sipping tea, talking to Yiayia. The two doxies were stretched out in a patch of sunshine, while Rusty and Goldie snoozed under an empty chair.
“Nothing broke, and no one cried,” Colleen said as Evie and Gramma Finnie joined them. “When the kids were young, that’s what Annie Kilcannon and I used as our yardstick for a good game of touch football.”
“I don’t know,” Evie said. “The Bloodhounds looked pretty dejected when Declan scored that last play. There might have been tears.”
“Declan?” Colleen looked at Gramma Finnie, eyebrows raised. “Told ya, Mom,” she said under her breath.
Evie took a sip of water and settled next to Colleen on the sofa, waiting for a little bit more of an explanation. But Yiayia leaned forward in her rocker and put a hand on Evie’s knee.
“You’re so good for him,” she said. “Perfect, in fact.”
Evie swallowed and smiled. “Declan and I’ve been friends for a long time,” she said, sliding a look at Colleen. “I remember camping when Ella was so small you wanted to zip her in a tent so she didn’t go flying into the lake.”
“I’ve spent most of her life trying to zip that girl up so she didn’t go flying…somewhere.” Colleen’s dark blue eyes danced, sending nothing but warmth to Evie. “And I remember Declan coming home from third grade mad at me because I didn’t send cupcakes in for his birthday, and his name got added to your cake in glitter frosting.”
Evie laughed, getting a jolt of pleasure that they had shared memories. She never wanted the tragedy of twenty years ago to come between them, but then, she never really had a chance to talk to Declan’s mother about it. “That birthday was the start of a great friendship, Mrs. Mahoney.”
“Please, call me Colleen.” She reached over and took Evie’s hand. “We’ve missed you,” she said quietly. “And Yiayia is right. You’re good for Declan.”
“Like a tonic,” Gramma Finnie added.
“Well, I’m glad…” She looked out toward the grass, catching sight of him joking around with his brothers. “And I’ve missed him—er, you all—too.”
“Truth’s out,” Yiayia teased.
“Now how do we get you to stay, lass? What will it take?”
Evie blinked at Gramma Finnie. “To stay longer today or…in Bitter Bark?”
“Mom,” Colleen chided Gramma Finnie. “You’re not usually the one who’s so blunt.”
“Right? That’s my job,” Yiayia said, grinning at her friend and raising a hand for a high five. “Welcome to the dark side, Finola.”
“Oh hush.” The old Irish lady flicked her knotted fingers at Yiayia’s palm. “I’ve known this lass since she was a wee girl, and her grandfather and my Seamus played cards together for years. Once, when he had no cash on him and owed Seamus money, your grandfather gave him a copy of Thaddeus Bushrod’s History of Bitter Bark. Did you know that?”
Evie shook her head. “I
