Hershey's Choice Read online

  Hershey paused to sniff the ground so Ryan let his dog lead the way along the path. “What do you smell, Hershey? A critter?” Squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, and a variety of birds were plentiful in Shooby. The park had feeders installed on the trees, which the thousands of visitors kept filled with nuts and seeds.

  Ryan didn’t dare voice his thoughts on meeting a woman. Hershey would surely take the initiative and make the encounter happen. The last thing Ryan wanted was another crazy woman flipping out.

  Hershey continued to investigate until his skilled nose narrowed on its target, and their stroll changed to a jog then a run.

  Ryan gripped the leash tight. “Here we go again.” Owning an engineering company, he took breaks when a quiet moment arose, but Hershey always found a way to stretch the hour.

  ****

  Britt slowed her pace, allowing her pulse rate to return to normal. She extended her arms over her head and leaned to one side. The stretch of muscles through her legs and upper body felt good. A morning jog was a perfect mind and body workout. Yesterday’s misfortunes were left behind. Today would be better. At least she hoped.

  Last night’s restless sleep wouldn’t deter her from making the best of the day. She had dragged her tired body from bed and made a quick bite to eat. Ten minutes later, she dressed in her fleece jogging outfit. The baby blue pants ended below the knee, and her pink-camo tank top peeked out a few inches above the zippered hoodie. She gathered her hair into a ponytail, pulled a ball cap over her head, and grabbed her car keys.

  To be one of the first joggers on the paths, Britt arrived early. She passed a few elderly couples out for their morning stroll and a group of women speed walking. Britt often wondered why they didn’t walk or jog, instead of looking like they were ridding themselves of an embarrassing itch in a spot they couldn’t scratch in public.

  A shiver ran down her spine each time a man with a dog passed. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of yesterday. Britt’s stomach had churned all night after bingeing on potato chips and ice cream. An attempt to forget the disastrous wedding, the bear scare, Mr. Arrogant with his enticing eyes, and throwing away the new coat she had only worn twice. The images were like a bad case of the hiccups. No matter how long she held her breath, she couldn’t get rid of them.

  When Britt bent to retie her shoelace, she felt a thunderous pounding on the ground beneath her feet. She glanced over her shoulder and stiffened. “No way! Not you again.”

  The large, brown bear-dog ran toward her, his muscled legs propelling him at full speed.

  His approach would hit her within seconds. There wasn’t even time to jump into the bushes. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body. Worst case scenario, she’d be trampled to death by the beast. The more favorable scenario…damn, there isn’t one.

  Britt held her breath and anticipated the impact of the massive dog. What seemed to take forever was only seconds as a heap of crusher-dust pebbles showered her back. She slowly opened her eyes and turned.

  The bear sat at attention, directly in front of her, panting hot breaths across her face. He then opened his mouth to reveal his large pearly whites.

  Britt said a prayer, but she didn’t move an inch.

  A warm tongue stroked her face from chin to forehead, over and over again.

  “Ugh!” She stood and wiped her face with the sleeve of her hoodie. The beast wasn’t here to kill her, unless his choice of death was by slobbery wet kisses.

  “You?” Mr. Arrogant stared, eyes wide.

  In a city known for many parks, how was it possible for that man and his dog to be here? “What is with you and your dog? Are you following me?” Britt’s pulse skipped a beat. She stared at his clenched jaw line.

  “No. I’m not a stalker.” He laughed. “We purposely avoided the downtown. I had no idea you were here. If I had known, I would have taken my dog to another park.”

  “Gee, thanks.” Why did his stated attempt to elude her presence hurt her feelings?

  Mr. Arrogant kicked a pebble with the tip of his running shoe. “Well, you did threaten to report Hershey.”

  With the mention of his name, the dog stood on all fours and stared at Britt. The corners of his panting mouth curled into a grin.

  Do dogs smile? She brushed the gravel from her clothes.

  “I’m sorry Hershey scared you again. He’s a good boy and very friendly. I thought he caught the scent of a squirrel or a female.” He pointed a finger upward. “A female dog, not a female person.”

  Britt raised an eyebrow. “If you use your dog to pick up women, your technique sucks. Scaring the bejeebers out of them doesn’t work.” Unable to resist, she slowly extended her hand, letting the dog sniff first before she patted his head.

  “I’d have to disagree.” He raised a brow. “I think you’re warming to Hershey.”

  Yes, she was, but Britt wouldn’t tell Mr. Arrogant she loved dogs. “When your dog isn’t terrifying, he’s kind of cute.”

  “We are irresistible.” The man chuckled, and Hershey danced from one paw to another.

  She rolled her eyes. “Ego clearly runs from pet to owner.”

  Mr. Arrogant held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Ryan.”

  Britt smiled and accepted his warm handshake. An electric burst of tingles ran from her fingertips to her arm. Frowning, she jerked her hand from his. “Britt.”

  “Nice to officially meet you, Britt.” He pointed to his dog. “I guess Hershey needs no introduction.”

  “Not really.” She laughed, scratching the dog’s head. “He doesn’t like to be ignored, does he?”

  Mr. Arrogant…Ryan frowned. “Yes and no. Hershey isn’t overly sociable.”

  Britt took a step backward. “You said he was friendly.”

  “He is.” He glanced at the dog then back to Britt. “He doesn’t like some women.”

  Is that a warning? She took another step backward.

  “Wait. Let me explain.” Ryan shook his head. “Hershey is friendly, and likes women, just not the ones I date.”

  “Oh.” So, he was single. Not that she cared. “With the way I’ve witnessed him charging toward me, I wouldn’t want to see what might happen if we were dating.” Damn! Too late. The words spilled from her mouth before she realized the insinuation.

  His brow rose.

  Britt adjusted the ball cap on her head. “Not that I’m interested in dating you, because I’m not. And I don’t mean to say those words in a bad way, because you seem to be a nice guy.” Oh my goodness, someone stop me! He didn’t say anything about dating, so why was she babbling like an idiot and making a complete fool of herself? “I’m unavailable,” she blurted then pressed her lips tight together.

  Narrowing his gaze, Ryan glanced at her left hand. “You’re married?”

  “I’d rather shoot my own foot than walk down an aisle.” She placed a hand on her hip.

  Scratching the side of his head, he chuckled.

  She must sound completely off her rocker. Well, she wasn’t trying to impress him, and his opinion didn’t matter. “There’s nothing wrong with marriage. It’s just not my preference.” Britt coughed to clear the lump in her throat. “I’m not interested in dating you or any other man.” He didn’t ask me out. Stop talking! Had she lost her mind?

  “You don’t like men?”

  “Heck no. I mean yes, I do.” She was having an out-of-body experience. Britt inhaled a deep breath. “My best friend is a guy. Nathan. He’s a baker. Our fathers are friends, so we grew up together.” Too much information. She wanted to crawl under a rock.

  “All good to know.” Ryan tugged Hershey’s leash to have the dog sit as a couple walked by.

  “I have to go.” Before I humiliate myself further.

  Hershey lifted his front left leg.

  Britt bent to shake the dog’s paw. “Hershey, if we ever meet again, a gentle nudge is all I need.” She patted the soft fur on his head. “No surprise attacks, promise?”

  Tilting his
head, he lifted his paw again.

  She laughed and sealed his assurance with another hand-to-paw shake. Britt stood and faced Ryan. “Nice to meet you.” When she turned to leave, she discovered her path was blocked by Hershey’s large body.

  The dog stared at Ryan.

  “Right. I almost forgot,” Ryan said. “I have your coat.”

  “My coat?” She frowned. “I threw it away.”

  “I felt bad about what happened, so I pulled your coat from the trash and took it to a dry cleaner. I gave the clerk an extra tip to ensure its immediate cleaning.”

  “I’m sorry you wasted your time and money.”

  “The stain came out.”

  “Oh.” His gesture made her smile, but his reason for digging through a filthy garbage can and taking her coat to a cleaner made her curious. “Why would you go to so much trouble? How would you know where to return my coat?” She stiffened her stand. “Unless?”

  “Don’t glare with suspicion. I swear I’m not following you. After yesterday, you’re the last person I wanted to see today. Truth be known, I thought you were a little crazy.”

  “How dare you!” After today, she’d provided reasons to think her crazy, but yesterday, she had acted as anyone would when they were frightened and had their new coat ruined.

  Hershey nudged Ryan’s leg with his nose.

  He patted his dog’s head then met Britt’s stare. “I get you’re not into me and the feeling is mutual. Our meeting here today is total coincidence. Regarding your coat, I know someone who has one similar. I asked her where she bought it and hoped the store clerk could track your purchase to contact you. Did you walk here or drive?”

  She regretted thinking badly of him and was disappointed to hear he wasn’t into her. “Car.”

  “I live a few blocks from here.” He pointed to the street leading out of the park. “If you still want your precious coat, you can follow me. You don’t even have to get out of your vehicle. I’ll bring out the coat. You can then leave and never see us again.”

  Britt squeezed her hands together. Ryan was nice, but her stomach twisted in a tight knot. Uncertain about following a stranger, she second-guessed her gut feeling. In the past, she had been wrong about nice guys.

  “I’ll meet you in the parking lot. I drive a blue Ford pick-up.”

  He didn’t give her a chance to respond.

  Ryan tugged Hershey’s leash and walked toward the entrance of the park.

  Britt followed a few steps behind and smiled each time Hershey looked back.

  Approaching the parking lot, Ryan pointed to his truck. He waited for her to get into her car before driving onto the side street.

  She turned when he turned, and when Britt got stopped at a red light, she saw Ryan slow his truck ahead to wait.

  Once she reclaimed her coat, she’d never see Ryan and Hershey again. She should be content, but the garment didn’t hold as much value anymore. Britt would actually miss bumping into Mr. Arrogant and his beast of a dog.

  Chapter Two

  Five minutes later, Ryan pulled into a driveway.

  Cape Cod-style homes lined the street of an older neighborhood. Along the sidewalks, maple trees stood tall with a balloon of leaves at the top. Britt parked next to the curb. She turned off the ignition, watching Ryan and Hershey walk the concrete pathway. The house followed the traditional Cape Cod design of simplicity. A steep, pitched roof and a front door bordered by two multi-paned windows on each side.

  Ryan waved before unlocking the door and stepping inside, leaving the door open.

  Two minutes passed. She frowned. How long did retrieving a coat take? Britt drummed her fingernails on the steering wheel. This was silly. She could meet him halfway. She got out, hurried up the walkway, and waited on the step. For another minute, she lingered near the entry. Then curiosity bit. Britt peered inside before taking another step into the small foyer.

  The split-level house had a large living room to the right and a dining room to the left. The ambience was pure male. Large, black leather furniture dominated the living room, centering on a huge flat-screen television. A dart board drew her attention as the main focus on the dining room wall. The large piece of cork board, to protect the wall from missed shots, had not served its purpose. Hundreds of tiny holes dotted the plaster. The table held a deck of cards and several stacks of poker chips. Both rooms were littered with clothing. Sweaters, T-shirts, and socks were scattered everywhere. Not a family photograph or piece of art work to be seen.

  Ryan’s left hand didn’t hold a wedding ring. He might have a girlfriend, but this cluttered mess hinted single status. An unmistakable bachelor pad where guys gamed and watched sports. Not the setting to bring a woman after a romantic date.

  “I didn’t get a chance to houseclean this morning.”

  At the sound of Ryan’s voice, she jumped. This place hasn’t seen a cleaning in several days. Britt leaned against the door, hoping she hadn’t been caught snooping.

  Grimacing at the mess, he picked up a handful of clothes from the floor and tossed them on the sofa. “I thought your coat was in the spare room, but it must be upstairs. I’ll be another minute.” He smiled. “Hershey will keep you company.” Ryan walked around the corner and up a set of stairs.

  Hershey sauntered toward her to sit by her feet.

  She bent to one knee and whispered in his ear, “How do you live in this chaos?”

  He rested his head on her shoulder, turned, and licked her cheek.

  “I guess this is where we part ways, Hershey.”

  The dog whined.

  She wondered how much of the human language dogs understood, because Hershey seemed captivated by her words. “Okay, I’ll admit, I’ll miss you, too. I might even miss your owner, but don’t tell him. We’d never work. I couldn’t date someone who’s a slob.” Why did thoughts of dating Ryan keep entering her mind?

  This house is a mess, and those dark and dingy curtains should be burned. A complete overhauling is what this place needs. With a lot of cleaning, some paint, and the help of an interior decorator, the home could have potential.

  Not that Britt had any intention of coming here again, even if the opportunity gave her the chance to see Ryan, and allowed her to practice the decorating skills she had only applied to art boards. “My head is so full of dreams, sometimes I have to remind myself to settle with reality.” She sighed and kissed the dog’s head.

  “Ms. Wells?”

  Recognizing the harsh voice made shivers run down her spine. Britt jumped backward and hit her head on the front door. Ouch! She turned in the direction of the chilling voice. No mistaking her client’s mother. The woman’s dark brown hair slowly faded to gray, and though her hazel eyes held strength and wisdom, they could also shoot daggers. “Mrs. Jerome.”

  “What are you doing here?” The woman’s red-stained lips were pressed firmly together as she walked from the sidewalk and onto the pathway to the house.

  “I…umm…I’m…” How could she explain her bizarre meetings with Ryan and Hershey, and lurking in an entryway without sounding like an idiot? This woman already detested the sight of Britt.

  “Spit it out, child. I asked a simple question.” Mrs. Jerome placed a hand on her hip, her stern glare demanding.

  “I’m here to get my coat. There was an accident yesterday—”

  “An accident!” She placed a hand on her chest. “Was anyone hurt?”

  The woman’s concern definitely wasn’t toward Britt. “Just my coat.”

  “What are you jabbering about?”

  “I met Hershey yesterday.” She held onto the dog’s leather collar, not to secure Hershey’s place beside her leg, but to provide a sense of protection from the dragon lady. “We kind-of collided, and my coat didn’t survive. Not thinking rationally, I threw it in the trash. Apparently, Ryan rescued my coat and brought it to a dry cleaner.”

  Mrs. Jerome’s stare narrowed.

  “We bumped into each other again today. I’m h
ere to retrieve my coat.” Why did she feel the need to explain the whole situation? Britt didn’t owe the dragon lady a detailed account of events, yet she couldn’t stop herself. The older woman would make a great courtroom judge, scaring the witness into spilling the truth on the stand. Why was Mrs. Jerome here? “Do you know Ryan?” A more relevant question.

  “Are you dating?”

  The woman had deliberately ignored Britt’s question and followed with a bizarre question of her own. Two could play this game. She stood straight. “Why are you here?”

  Mrs. Jerome moved her purse from one shoulder to the other then smoothed a hand over her designer suit jacket.

  Britt could spot the difference between an off-the-rack jacket and the cutting edge of fashion with its smooth lines and expert tailoring. She gave Mrs. Jerome points for style.

  “I’m visiting a friend who lives across the street. Are you dating someone here?” The woman pointed a finger at Ryan’s house.

  “No. I met Ryan and Hershey yesterday.” She patted the dog’s head. “And again today. Apparently, we frequent the same parks. I initially thought he was stalking me.” She added the last part as a joke, but Mrs. Jerome’s firm lips didn’t crack. Her steady stare made Britt shift from foot-to-foot, as the woman always did when they were in the same room together.

  A friend and his fiancée had hired Britt to plan their wedding. Her friend’s bride to-be wasn’t the traditional type. Cara wanted a theme based on Christmas in the summer with all the bells and whistles, while her mother preferred an elegant, classic wedding. The bride’s parents were covering the majority of the wedding costs, and Cara’s mother made her opinion perfectly clear. Her requests were to be followed. Britt mistakenly stated the bride’s wishes were her main concern. Not accustomed to having her demands ignored, Cara’s mother had taken an instant dislike to Britt.