His leash had been looped tightly around a stone pillar just outside the doors, the metal clip pulled taut from how hard he’d been fighting it. The moment he saw Emma, his barking broke into a strained, desperate whine.
His body leaned toward her, muscles shaking, paws scraping against the floor as if sheer will might drag her back. “I know,” Emma whispered, not stopping. She walked past him. Straight toward the gift table. The silver box stood apart from the rest.