“Thanks for coming. I have no idea what my mother was thinking, asking you to join us, but I’m glad she did.”

“Me, too.”

She kept an eye on Harrison and Belle, who walked in front of them. The boy had a firm grip on the leash—not that Belle ever tried to get away. She didn’t enjoy adventures. In her mind, danger always lurked. Still, it was sweet that he was protective, considering how big she was. Her head was about level with his chest.

“She really likes your son,” Reggie said, watching the Great Dane step a little closer to Harrison.

“She’s a surprisingly sweet girl. She was polite at the table, unlike Burt.”

“He’s a beggar, but he mostly stays by my dad, so it’s less of a problem for the rest of us.”

They arrived at the dog park. It was nearly eight and bitingly cold, so no one else was there. They all went inside the gate. Reggie unclipped Belle, who looked at her doubtfully, as if asking why she would do that.

“Come on, Belle,” Harrison said, running across the park. Belle loped after him, her long strides allowing her to catch up easily.

“She’ll keep an eye on him,” Reggie said.

“Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”

“Maybe.”

Reggie wasn’t sure what to make of their post-dinner walk. She had assumed that after cleanup, Toby would collect his family and leave. Instead, when she’d mentioned going to the dog park, he offered to go with her. Harrison had come along, while Judy was visiting with Reggie’s mom.

Now, in the cold night, with the stars twinkling above them, she wondered why he’d wanted to prolong the evening. Not that it mattered—he was good company.

“How does it feel to be back in Wishing Tree?” she asked.

He looked at her. “It’s been over a year, so it doesn’t feel new anymore. This was home before and is home now.” He flashed her a smile. “It is kind of nice to return as a success.”

She laughed. “I’ll bet. You used to be such a bad boy. There has to be a lot of satisfaction in showing people what you’ve accomplished, pretty much all on your own.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“Maybe not for a big city, but for Wishing Tree?” She grinned. “My parents were very nervous.”

“I won them over.”

“You did, and they were grateful that you didn’t start a trend. You were my one and only bad boy.”

He leaned against the fence. “Why did you want to go out with me?”

“Is that a serious question?”

“Yes.”