Page 24 of Pinch of Love

And a therapist?

I shook my head and pulled out of the long driveway that had been overgrown on each side, making it nearly impossible to stay on the gravel.

The one thing I didn’t need was anyone psychoanalyzing me.

I was screwed up.

I knew it.

But I didn’t need to change.

I didn’t need to be analyzed.

I’d done plenty of that myself.

“Chewie,” I muttered. “What the hell did I get myself into?”

I followed Marcus to his house and noticed an extra car in his driveway. He hopped out of the car after I pulled in behind him and dashed up to my side of the Jeep.

“I’ll just go in and grab her and some of the stuff I ordered.”

I noticed the front door to his house was open, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw who had come into view. “Interesting. Don’t you think?”

My cousin chuckled, glancing back at the woman holding an orange fluffball. “I didn’t know she’d still be here.”

“What’s her name?” I waved at the redhead who was leaning on the doorframe, waiting for my cousin.

“Anita,” he said through clenched teeth. “It’s nothing serious. She knows it. I know it.”

“Whatever you say, Bro.” I snickered and shook my head. “Is she going to be okay with you giving the dog away?”

My cousin rolled his eyes, and I knew this was killing him. He loved to flip everyone else crap about dating but could never handle the heat on his own.

The redhead looked excited to see Marcus as he climbed the steps to his house and reached for Chewie as he went inside.

Within seconds, my mind drifted back to Maya. Apparently, there was no peace with her in town. What I needed to do was get the dog and go straight home. Forget about Maya and her giant toe and pray that I didn’t run into her again for the rest of her trip.

Which was unlikely.

But still a lofty goal.

If I stayed near my house and only went out sparingly, I should increase my chances of not running into her just enough to stay sane.

Although, I should stop by the hardware store and see if the adjoining gift shop inside had any pet toys or if the farm store had any special dog food for this small breed.

As I watched my cousinmanhandle the tiny pup and a bag stuffed with a tiny pink dog bed and food, I knew that what Marcus had waiting inside for him was something I never had and something I never wanted.

Even when I was in my twenties, I wasn’t the dude looking for one-night stands.

What I’d always wanted was what my parents had.

A family.

Long-term.

All boots in, ready to face whatever life threw at us.

But that wasn’t in the cards, and I wasn’t the kind of guy who could have meaningless encounters just for the chase of pleasure.