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“You’re a really great guy, Paxton. I hope you know that. And your pets are extremely lucky to have you.”

“That was nice of you to say, Aria. Thank you. Sasha is just as lucky as they are, because she’s got you.”

Sending a look of disagreement his way, I mumbled, “As much as I appreciate you saying that, I think Sasha might disagree with you.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“I’m serious. I think she likes me less now that we’ve moved here.”

“That can’t be true. What would make you say that?”

Shit.

I hadn’t been paying attention to what I was doing. I’dgotten caught up in speaking so freely with Paxton that I hadn’t considered where I was making it possible for the conversation to go.

I needed to backtrack in a way that wouldn’t lead to me needing to share things I didn’t want to.

“Well, I think working two jobs now that keep me out of the house isn’t making her happy,” I explained.

“Did you used to work at home when you lived in Birch Creek?”

Please don’t ask what I used to do,I thought.

“I did. I worked from home, but I also spent some time out of the house. It’s just that I’m out of the house more now than I was then. In the long run, being here is better for us, and Sasha is taking her time getting used to the change.”

Paxton parted his lips to ask another question, but he heard what had to be a familiar noise for him at the back door. Apparently, the pups were ready to come back inside. “It’s dinnertime,” he said as he moved in that direction.

I held Franklin back up to his perch, and he stepped right off my finger. Then I followed behind Paxton.

The dogs came bounding back inside, Patty looking for more love while Brutus expressed his displeasure over his dinner not being ready for him.

I laughed, feeling glad for the timing Paxton’s dogs had. There was no question our conversation was going to lead to him asking me more about my former job. And while I didn’t doubt there was the potential for it to go there again at some point, I was grateful I had avoided it for now.

Sure, I didn’t need to tell Paxton all the details. I couldmerely tell him that I used to paint. But I didn’t trust myself not to get emotional about it. Plus, if he asked why I stopped or if any of the paintings in my garage were originals, I’d want nothing more than to find a way to hide the truth. It’d kill me to lie to him. I wasn’t a liar.

But I didn’t know what other option I had.

Because if Paxton knew the truth, if he knew what I’d done before I moved to Steel Ridge, it was likely he’d walk right out of my life almost as fast as he walked into it.

FOURTEEN

Paxton

“I don’t think I could handle this.”

I’d just gotten the last of dinner set out for my animals when Aria made her declaration. I was happy to have her here now, as I was thoroughly enjoying her company, but her words left me feeling a bit unsettled.

“Pardon?”

Twirling a lock of her hair around her finger as she leaned her hips against the counter, Aria said, “Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s incredible what you do. I admire you for it. But I’m convinced I’d never be able to handle this level of commitment to pets. You’re responsible for so much.”

Leaning my hips against the opposite counter, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Ah, it’s not so bad. We’ve got a routine going, which seems to help. But the reality is that setting out food for one dog or three dogs doesn’t require much additional effort.”

“Maybe not. But you’ve added two cats and a bird to the mix,” she reasoned. “If I were you, I’d be so exhausted trying to keep it all straight, I’d probably never make myself any food.”

I gave her a half-smile. “I think you’d be surprised by what you’d do. I mean, it’s clear you’re a hard worker, considering you’ve got two jobs. And Sasha’s certainly not starving, so I think you’re doing alright.”

Her cheeks turned pink, her chin dipping slightly, as she murmured, “Thanks.”