Jackson didn’t bother to drive all the way home to walk Eddie on the beach. Instead, he steered his car to the central boardwalk, parking outside of the coffee shop. Seeing the shutters down reminded him where Lydia was right now. At Nate and Ally’s house, no doubt entertaining the rest of them with stories of her travels. She had a way of talking that made everybody listen. She wasn’t a show off, not at all. But she was interesting.
Intriguing, even. He was damn certain she wasn’t like anybody he’d ever met.
When he opened the back door of his car Eddie leapt out, his tail wagging so hard Jackson could hear the swoosh it made in the air. His furry body was almost trembling with excitement as he looked from the ocean then up at Jackson, waiting for the command that would let him run to the water.
“Okay, go.”
Eddie gave a yelp and barreled toward the empty beach, not stopping he careened across the golden sands. He’d made it to the ocean’s edge before Jackson had a chance to lock up his car, lolloping into the water with a howl of delight.
Stuffing a ball in one pocket and Eddie’s leash in the other, Jackson ambled onto the sand. Eddie was swimming in the shallows, his paws digging at the foamy water as he turned and looked at Jackson expectantly. Pulling the tennis ball from his pocket, Jackson lobbed it into the waves in front of Eddie, who splashed and crashed until he reached it, securing it in his jaws. He swam to the shore, running toward Jackson, spray flying everywhere until he came to a stop and dropped the ball at Jackson’s feet.
There was an expression of utter bliss on Eddie’s face. For him, life didn’t get any better than an evening swim and a ball being thrown a hundred times.
“Hey!” a deep voice called from the boardwalk. Jackson turned to see Lucas Russell standing on the concrete path, an ice cream cone in one hand, a stroller in the other. His son, Arthur, was sitting in the stroller, his legs swinging as he gripped a waffle cone so tightly it was sagging in the middle
“Unc Jack!” Arthur called when he spotted Jackson. “Daddy, Unc Jack there.”
“Hey buddy, you enjoying that ice cream?” Jackson called out. Arthur strained at the straps of his stroller to get out.
Lucas unclipped his son and gently lifted him out of the stroller, steadying his treat when it threatened to tumble to the ground. Jackson walked over, keeping one eye on Eddie who was still happily playing with the ball, and ruffled Arthur’s hair.
“You don’t stop growing, kid,” Jackson told him. “I think you’re gonna be bigger than Griff.”
Not that Lucas was small. The town’s fire chief was over six feet, with the kind of muscles you only got from hard, constant work. His hair was closely cropped, revealing a warm California tan.
“I hope not. He’s already bankrupting us with new shoes every month,” Lucas said dryly. “And you should see how much he eats.”
Arthur took a mouthful of ice cream, as if to underline his dad’s point.
Noticing he wasn’t the center of attention anymore, Eddie ran out of the ocean to where they were standing.
“Look! Dog!” Arthur flung his arm out to point. Eddie gave him a curious look, and shook his body, water droplets flying through the air. They showered the little boy, and Arthur screamed with laughter and held his ice cream out to the dog.
“Ah no, buddy. Dogs can’t eat ice cream,” Lucas said, gently moving the cone away from Eddie. Looking up at Jackson, he lifted his brows. “I heard you got a dog. Didn’t believe it, though.”
“It’s only temporary.” Jackson took the ball back from Eddie and threw it into the ocean. Arthur clapped his hands as Eddie careened across the sand, following the line of Jackson’s throw. “I’m taking care of him until his owners are found.”
“That’s what Ember said. I thought she was joking.” Lucas looked over at Eddie, who’d just reached the ball. “I gotta say, you’re a natural. Wouldn’t have believed that either.”
“We swim, too?” Arthur asked Lucas, pointing at Eddie doggy paddling in the ocean.
“Not tonight, pal. Your mom would kill us.”
Jackson laughed. “Has she gone over to Ally’s for girls’ night?”
“Yeah. How did you know about that?” Lucas took a napkin from his pocket and wiped a trail of ice cream and drool from Arthur’s chin.
“Lydia told me. Autumn’s sister,” Jackson told him. When Lucas raised an eyebrow he added, “Don’t look at me like that. She’s helping with Eddie. It’s kind of her fault I have him.”
“I wasn’t looking like anything.” Lucas laughed. “I was just thinking about the dog. He looks good on you. You seem, I don’t know, more relaxed than I’ve seen you in a while.”
Yeah, maybe that had something to do with Eddie. Or perhaps it was more due to Lydia. Whatever it was, Jackson definitely felt happier. As though he was able to breathe a little easier. Live a little more. Lydia had only been here for a few days, and she’d already turned everything upside down.
“You okay?” Lucas asked. “You seem a hundred miles away.”
It was on the tip of Jackson’s tongue to say he was fine. And really, he was. But he also wanted to talk to someone. To one of his friends. And he knew for damn sure he couldn’t talk to Griff.
“I was just thinking,” Jackson murmured, as Eddie ran back again. This time he stopped in front of Arthur, dropping the ball at the boy’s feet.