Breathe?She didn’t think she’d taken a deep breath since the moment she’d set eyes on Bryson James.
Once they’d finished their coffees, they decided to change clothes and stop by Hadley’s to pitch in on her painting projects.
They’d heard all about Cheryl’s visit the day before and somehow managed to keep their amusement in check.Cheryl had never been dog friendly, and Hadley’s rescue had obviously sensed it.
The two picked up sandwiches for lunch, grabbing an extra just in case, and arrived a few minutes after noon.
“Here we go,” Tessa said, winking at Mary Elizabeth.
A knock at the door led to a loud round of barking from within and the sound of hurried footsteps.Hadley opened the door, looking a bit frazzled.
“Oh!Hi!”Hadley pushed open the screen door.“Come in.Sorry about the noise.”
After hugs and greetings, they followed Hadley to the kitchen, where she’d rigged up a barrier to keep Hershey contained.
“Oh, she is a big one,” Tessa said.
“Beautiful, though,” Mary Elizabeth hastened to add, knowing how quickly pet owners became defensive of their animals.Hadley had such a huge heart and the big, fluffy dog had the kindest eyes.No doubt Hadley had fallen in love instantly.“And so soft.”
“We brought lunch,” Tessa said.
“And came ready to work.”Mary Elizabeth made friends with the dog, fascinated with the texture of Hershey’s velvety fur.“You really are beautiful, aren’t you?”
“She’s so smart,” Hadley said.“I’ve been teaching her a few commands and she picks them up right away.She’s protective of me, too.I think we’re going to be good friends once we work out the kinks.”
“Kinks?”Tessa asked.
Hadley laughed wryly.
“Let’s just say she stole a paint roller and made quite the mess—and a pretty epic escape.Thankfully the guy working next door caught her before she got lost.”
Tessa met Mary Elizabeth’s gaze and began digging through the bag of food.“Oh, would you look at that.We have an extra sandwich.Hadley, you should invite your new friend over and share.To thank him for helping out.”
Hadley turned and leaned her slim hips against the countertop behind her, eyeing Tessa with a pointed look.
“Okay, what’s up with you two?Did Mom send you over here to check him out?”
“What?No,” Tessa said.“Don’t be ridiculous.Mary Elizabeth mentioned he was cute, though, and I thought maybe he might be into older women.You never know.I could be a cougar.”
Hadley and Mary Elizabeth laughed at Tessa’s comment because it was so true.
“Well, how about we take this out onto the porch, and if he makes an appearance, I’ll invite him over so you can test your flirting,” Hadley said.
“Sounds like a plan to me.”Tessa sent Mary Elizabeth a pointed, eyebrow-waggling look.
Within minutes they’d carried their lunch to the porch facing the Atlantic and settled in with large glasses of sweet tea.The surf crashed against the beach in the distance, and the sounds of summer were present, with the breeze carrying the unbridled laughter of children screeching as they ran from the waves.
“So did you really come to paint?Because if so, I’ll totally put you to work,” Hadley said.
“You have us for the whole afternoon,” Mary Elizabeth said.
“Mondays are my day off,” Tessa added.“The salon is closed and I am free.”
“And you want to spend your free time painting?”Hadley asked, sounding doubtful.
“You should know by now that if you need anything, we’re here for you,” Tessa told Hadley.“We thought you could use a hand is all.”
A loud bang sounded next door, and Mary Elizabeth noted all three of them turned toward the sound.