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tags off the flyer. “I’ve been thinking about getting a bike.”
    She glanced at the ad, which had a detailed drawing of a Harley Davidson underneath a headline asking for members to join. “I don’t think Dykes on Bikes is your kind of ride.”
    His smile was crooked. He’d spent a lifetime covering up his disability, and even though Sara had found out, he was still loath to acknowledge there was a problem. “It’s a great way to meet women.”
    “Are you looking to meet women?”
    Sara was reminded of yet another one of Will’s traits, which was that he had an uncanny knack for keeping his mouth shut when he didn’t know what to say. This resulted in the sort of awkward moments that made Sara’s dating life look downright ebullient.
    Thankfully, Will’s order was up. Sara stood back as he took the box of pizza from the tattooed and multipierced waitress. The young woman gave Will what could only be called an appreciative glance. He seemed oblivious as he checked his pizza to make sure they’d gotten the order right.
    “Well.” He used his thumb to twist the wedding ring on his finger. “I guess I should go.”
    “All right.”
    He didn’t move. Neither did Sara. A dog started barking outside, the high-pitched yips traveling through the open windows. Sara knew there was a post and water bowl by the front door for people who brought their pets to the restaurant. She also knew that Will’s wife had a little dog named Betty, and that the care and feeding fell mostly to him.
    The yipping intensified. Will still made no move to leave.
    She said, “That sounds a lot like a Chihuahua.”
    He listened intently, then nodded. “I think you might be right.”
    “There you are.” Dale was finally back from the restroom. “Listen, I got a call from the hospital …” He looked up at Will. “Hi.”
    Sara made the introductions. “Dale Dugan, this is Will Trent.”
    Will gave a tight nod. Dale returned it.
    The dog kept barking, a piercing, panicked yelp. Sara could tell from Will’s expression that he was prepared to die rather than acknowledge ownership.
    She found some mercy in her heart. “Dale, I know you need to get to the hospital. Thanks so much for lunch.”
    “Sure.” He leaned in and kissed her squarely on the lips. “I’ll call you.”
    “Great,” she managed, resisting the urge to wipe her mouth. She watched the two men exchange another tight nod that made Sara feel like the only fire hydrant at the dog park.
    Betty’s yips intensified as Dale walked across the parking lot. Will mumbled something under his breath before pushing open the door. He untied the leash and scooped up the dog with one hand, keepingthe pizza box steadied in the other. The barking stopped immediately. Betty tucked her head into his chest. Her tongue lolled out.
    Sara petted the dog’s head. There were fresh sutures crisscrossing her narrow back. “What happened?”
    Will’s jaw was still clenched. “She got into it with a Jack Russell.”
    “Really?” Unless the Jack Russell had a pair of scissors for paws, there was no way another dog had made the marks.
    He indicated Betty. “I should get her home.”
    Sara had never been to Will’s house, but she knew the street that he lived on. “Aren’t you going right?” She clarified, “This way?”
    Will didn’t answer. He seemed to be gauging whether or not he could lie to her and get away with it.
    She pressed, “Don’t you live off Linwood?”
    “You’re the opposite direction.”
    “I can cut through the park.” She started walking, giving him no choice. They were silent as they headed down Ponce de Leon. The traffic noise was loud enough to fill the void, but even the exhaust from the cars couldn’t overshadow the fact that they were in the middle of a brilliant spring day. Couples walked down the street hand in hand. Mothers pushed baby carriages. Runners darted across four lanes of traffic. The cloud cover from this morning had rolled eastward,