only one who has a key."
"How many keys are there?"
"One. No, two.” She raised her brows at him. Zach grinned. “I have one key at work and an extra one here at home. It's in a safe place."
"Are you sure?"
He shrugged. “Yeah. I haven't touched it in years."
"Maybe you should check."
He went down the hall to his bedroom and came back a few minutes later holding up the key. “Right here,” he said.
Ashlyn nodded, still thinking.
"And the one at work?” she asked. “Where do you keep it?"
"Locked in my desk,” he answered. “And my desk key is on my key ring, which is always with me."
"Always?” Ashlyn was skeptical. She'd heard many stories from her dad about how careless people could be with keys, thinking they were always safe and secure.
Zach's eyes shifted sideways and he grimaced. “Well, almost always,” he said. “I've never been that concerned, because I trust everyone who works for us."
Ashlyn smiled slightly and shook her head.
"I think dinner's ready,” Zach said, changing the subject.
They sat at the counter, eating and drinking. “This is really, really good,” Ashlyn said approvingly. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, the sauce rich and tangy. “You're a great cook."
Zach smiled at her. “Thanks."
When he served dessert, she wished she hadn't eaten so much beef. The cake was dense and moist, with a deep chocolate flavor. “I can't believe this has beer in it,” she marveled. “It's awesome."
When they were done, she tried to help with dishes, but both men waved her away. “Zach cooked, I'll clean up,” Connor said firmly. Zach put the leftovers in the fridge and then turned to Rocky.
"Want to go for a walk, boy?” he asked, and Rocky immediately leaped to his feet and started spinning in excited circles.
Ashlyn laughed at him.
"Let's go for a walk on the beach.” Zach grabbed a leash off a hook near the door, but didn't hook it to Rocky's collar. “We can walk off some of that dinner."
Only too happy to get a bit of exercise after all the food, Ashlyn followed Zach and Rocky out onto the deck, then down the stairs to the beach.
The low sun gilded everything with rich golden light. Their shadows stretched out long and thin across the sand as they walked. Seagulls cried out overhead, their pure white wings stretched in a soaring arc. Zach picked up a stick and threw it for Rocky.
"Good arm,” Ashlyn said approvingly. Zach glanced at her, looking pleased, and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, matching his stride as they strolled down the beach, watching Rocky cavort in the sand and waves. He brought the stick back and dropped it at Zach's feet, the ritual repeated numerous times as they walked.
"What was the meeting you were at this afternoon?” Ashlyn asked.
"It was a final meeting of the planning committee for the Pooch Picnic next weekend."
"Oh, I've heard of that,” she said. “You're involved with that?"
He nodded and threw the stick again. “We're one of the sponsors this year. It's a fun event, and the money goes to the Rocky Harbor Animal Shelter. That's where I got Rocky. So it's for a good cause."
"I've heard about it but I've never gone,” she said. “I thought you had to have a dog."
"Nah, you don't have to have a dog. You can come to the picnic and just watch the music or the dog contests. Then, in the evening, there's a wine and beer tasting party."
"Sounds awesome."
"Want to come with me next weekend?"
She hesitated. By next weekend, chances were pretty good Zach would want nothing to do with her. “Um ... I'd like to.” She hesitated. “Will you be busy working there?"
"I'll be busy for a while,” he said. “But we have lots of other volunteers, so I'll be able to have some fun. My buddy's band is playing one set in the afternoon, and I want to see them."
His hand slid from her shoulders and reached for her hand, swinging it between them as they walked. “I used to play with them.” He laughed. “We
"How many keys are there?"
"One. No, two.” She raised her brows at him. Zach grinned. “I have one key at work and an extra one here at home. It's in a safe place."
"Are you sure?"
He shrugged. “Yeah. I haven't touched it in years."
"Maybe you should check."
He went down the hall to his bedroom and came back a few minutes later holding up the key. “Right here,” he said.
Ashlyn nodded, still thinking.
"And the one at work?” she asked. “Where do you keep it?"
"Locked in my desk,” he answered. “And my desk key is on my key ring, which is always with me."
"Always?” Ashlyn was skeptical. She'd heard many stories from her dad about how careless people could be with keys, thinking they were always safe and secure.
Zach's eyes shifted sideways and he grimaced. “Well, almost always,” he said. “I've never been that concerned, because I trust everyone who works for us."
Ashlyn smiled slightly and shook her head.
"I think dinner's ready,” Zach said, changing the subject.
They sat at the counter, eating and drinking. “This is really, really good,” Ashlyn said approvingly. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, the sauce rich and tangy. “You're a great cook."
Zach smiled at her. “Thanks."
When he served dessert, she wished she hadn't eaten so much beef. The cake was dense and moist, with a deep chocolate flavor. “I can't believe this has beer in it,” she marveled. “It's awesome."
When they were done, she tried to help with dishes, but both men waved her away. “Zach cooked, I'll clean up,” Connor said firmly. Zach put the leftovers in the fridge and then turned to Rocky.
"Want to go for a walk, boy?” he asked, and Rocky immediately leaped to his feet and started spinning in excited circles.
Ashlyn laughed at him.
"Let's go for a walk on the beach.” Zach grabbed a leash off a hook near the door, but didn't hook it to Rocky's collar. “We can walk off some of that dinner."
Only too happy to get a bit of exercise after all the food, Ashlyn followed Zach and Rocky out onto the deck, then down the stairs to the beach.
The low sun gilded everything with rich golden light. Their shadows stretched out long and thin across the sand as they walked. Seagulls cried out overhead, their pure white wings stretched in a soaring arc. Zach picked up a stick and threw it for Rocky.
"Good arm,” Ashlyn said approvingly. Zach glanced at her, looking pleased, and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, matching his stride as they strolled down the beach, watching Rocky cavort in the sand and waves. He brought the stick back and dropped it at Zach's feet, the ritual repeated numerous times as they walked.
"What was the meeting you were at this afternoon?” Ashlyn asked.
"It was a final meeting of the planning committee for the Pooch Picnic next weekend."
"Oh, I've heard of that,” she said. “You're involved with that?"
He nodded and threw the stick again. “We're one of the sponsors this year. It's a fun event, and the money goes to the Rocky Harbor Animal Shelter. That's where I got Rocky. So it's for a good cause."
"I've heard about it but I've never gone,” she said. “I thought you had to have a dog."
"Nah, you don't have to have a dog. You can come to the picnic and just watch the music or the dog contests. Then, in the evening, there's a wine and beer tasting party."
"Sounds awesome."
"Want to come with me next weekend?"
She hesitated. By next weekend, chances were pretty good Zach would want nothing to do with her. “Um ... I'd like to.” She hesitated. “Will you be busy working there?"
"I'll be busy for a while,” he said. “But we have lots of other volunteers, so I'll be able to have some fun. My buddy's band is playing one set in the afternoon, and I want to see them."
His hand slid from her shoulders and reached for her hand, swinging it between them as they walked. “I used to play with them.” He laughed. “We
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