After We Fall (Take the Fall, #3)(18)

A light breeze stirs the loose pieces of hair around her face as I draw closer. There is so much wariness in her eyes, but with that, I find determination, which means she’s ready to put me in my place for good or—who am I kidding? Of course she’s going to put me in my place for good, but I’m not going to give her additional reasons to do it.

“Hey there. Sorry about Jake interrupting playtime,” I say, keeping my voice friendly. “He was pumped to finally get out here.”

Jake and his lady friend jump around us.

I glance around for the cocker spaniel’s owners. Two men sitting at a park bench at the edge of the park wave and I tip up my chin in acknowledgment.

“That’s John and Carl,” Evangeline says. “John’s recovering from pancreatic cancer, so he can’t play with Brandi like she wants and needs. Carl is his home nurse.”

“Congrats to John on coming back from that. One of the guys down at the station battled with it—not pretty at all. I’ll be sure to speak to him before I leave.” I turn my attention back to the dogs, instead of to Evangeline, like I want, and get down on their level. “Brandi, huh? Jake sure knows how to pick them.”

Brandi licks the side of my face while Jake shoves her out of the way to do the same. Apparently, there are some things Jake won’t allow.

I can’t help but grin.

“He picked her?” Evangeline asks.

I lift my gaze, careful not to linger on her legs or breasts. “They’ve played together a few times, and he doesn’t like it when we have to leave. Usually, it’s crowded when we come and I have to keep a close eye on him, so I never got a chance to speak with her owner.”

“Oh.” She licks her lips, a nervous habit and not one meant to get me going, but damn, it’s hard not to be attracted to her. “Um…I guess I’ll go, now that Brandi has a playmate.”

“Why?”

She shrugs. “I don’t have a dog. The only reason I’m here is because Brandi got away—saw a squirrel or cat, according to John—and ran into me while I was on my walk.”

“They had to appreciate that.”

“Yeah, Carl was not happy. He was in the middle of chasing after her when she literally ran into me and wrapped her leash around my legs.” She rubs her thigh. “I hit the ground pretty hard, but luckily I was on the grass and not the sidewalk.”

I fight back the urge to assess her injury. “Good thing the two parks basically circle each other.”

Evangeline nods. “Which is why I’m not needed anymore.”

“I don’t know about that.”

Her gaze flies to mine. “Why else would I stay?”

“Maybe you need someone to play with.” Before she can get outraged, I continue on. “I have a couple of balls—”

She frowns, but her gaze slides down my body. “I bet you do.”

Digging my hand into a pocket, I pull out two tennis balls. “What else could that bulge in my pants be?”

Her cheeks flame, then her lips twist, but she’s not mad. I can see it in her pretty eyes, but the look is fleeting.

“I have no idea.”

“How to work these?” I hold out a ball to her. “Jake tends to like it when I throw one for him to fetch. Bet Brandi feels the same way.”

Her jaw works a little, like she’s dying to tell me off, but what can she say without assigning a deeper meaning to my words. She grabs the ball and calls Brandi’s name. The dog stops and waits. Evangeline throws, and when I mean throws, she throws, clear to the other side. Brandi goes racing after it, Jake hot on her heels.

I whistle through my teeth in a show of appreciation. “Damn, girl, you almost hit the fence.”

A proud smile slips on her face. “Thanks.”

“Not sure if I should bother throwing mine. Jake’s going to be mighty disappointed when it doesn’t go as far as yours.”

“Try it anyway,” she says as the dogs come racing back.

Brandi drops the ball in front of Evangeline and sits, her tail wagging. Evangeline praises her while scratching behind the dog’s ears.

“Fetch, Jake,” I say, throwing the ball.

Once again, both dogs take off and come back. Evangeline and I take turns throwing, then start tossing the balls at the same time.

“You’re good with dogs,” I say.

“I grew up on a farm.”

“Have you ever considered fostering a dog?” I ask.

“No.” She shakes her head, her light brown ponytail swinging. The sun highlights the blond streaks in it, turning her hair the color of honey. “Is Jake a foster?”

“Yeah. I’ve had him for a couple of months, but there’s a forever family who’s interested in adopting him, so…”

Tossing Brandi another ball, she says, “You’ll miss him, won’t you?”

“More than I thought I would. He grew on me.”

“Is that your plan with me?” she asks, and the ball I’m holding slips out of my grasp.

“I don’t have a plan for you.” Bending over, I grab the ball and throw it. Jake races away. “In fact, the only plan I have is to grab some tacos from Domingo’s truck when Jake finally has enough.”

“There’s a taco truck?”