Page 7 of Wilde Hearts

I nodded. “Tell me what I should do.”

“Call Doug.”

Staring at her, I let out a disbelieving laugh. “What?”

“Call him. Right now.”

“Mom, I think he’s dating someone. He was talking about moving to Estes Park for her.”

“You don’t see him in town anymore?”

I had to stop and think about it. “No, not in the last couple of months.”

“I still think you should call him.”

For a hot second, I almost pulled out my phone. Then, with a quick shake of my head, I said, “No. If it was meant to be, we’d be together.”

One brow rose slowly. “I think you’re afraid to find out if he’s still in town, and still very much single.”

Narrowing my eyes, I studied her. “Wait a minute. Wait a damn minute, Vivianne Wilde. What do you know?”

She had the audacity to feign innocence. “I don’t know what you mean?”

“Bullshit. What do you know about Doug?”

A slow smile spread across her beautiful face. “I know he’s single, and I know he’s still living in River Falls.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “How do you know that?”

She shrugged. “A mother knows these things. I should get back in there before someone comes looking for us.”

She started back toward the house, then turned and walked backward. “By the way, he works a twenty-four-hour shift starting tomorrow morning. Just in case you happen to be near the fire station.”

My mouth fell open in shock. Once she’d walked through the door, I shook my head and laughed.

Ensley

“This is ridiculous,” I mumbled to myself, as I turned and walked away from the fire station. “What are you doing, Ensley Wilde?”

My conversation with my mother yesterday left me thinking nearly all night. So much so, I barely got three hours of sleep. And now here I was, aborting the plan to casually walk by the fire station like a pathetic fool. Dark circles under my eyes and sleep deprived. Quite the catch, if I do say so myself. That was why I was here. I was tired and obviously delirious.

I stopped abruptly, turning to head back toward the station—then stopped myself once again.

“No. No, I’m not doing this.”

Spinning around yet again, I marched away. I’d go to Anna’s Table, get some breakfast, then get my day going. I wasn’t going to think about Doug Sanders another second.

I turned the corner onto Main and immediately crashed into a solid body.

I let out a small yelp as strong hands clasped my arms to steady me.

“Ensley?”

I instantly knew that voice. I looked up into the dark brown eyes of Doug.

Lord, he was a good-looking guy. The memories of the nights we’d spent together, wrapped up in his bed, came back. He was a decent lover, a bit…boring at times. But he always made sure I was pleasured first. He was nothing like Colt, though.

My body had come to life with my first lover.