Page 48 of The Billionaire's Pawfect Match

CHAPTER 23

ISAAC

The leather steering wheel is cool under my hands, the engine purring as I navigate the familiar roads. Baxter sits beside me, his head occasionally nudging against my arm, his restlessness only slightly annoying.

“We’ll be there soon, buddy,” I tell him. “It’s somewhere you haven’t been, but there’s grass. You’ll like it.”

Emily’s laughter echoes in my mind, a melody that’s become the soundtrack of my days. We’ve been inseparable this past week, her presence sunlight breaking through clouds. It’s new, invigorating, and yet there’s a familiarity in it that tugs at something deep within me. She fits into my life with an ease that both excites and terrifies me.

I turn into the cemetery, the gates looming, iron-wrought and silent. The car rolls to a stop on the gravel, and I cut the engine. Baxter whines softly, sensing the shift in my mood. I pat his head, the coarse hair slipping through my fingers.

“Come on, boy,” I say, my voice subdued.

We step out, the quiet pressing in around us. Gravestones stand like sentinels, their inscriptions holding tales of lives lived and lost. Baxter stays close, his leash slack in my hand as we weave through the markers.

My father’s grave is fresh, the earth still unsettled. I release Baxter’s leash, trusting him to stay nearby. He sits, a silent guardian as I approach the stone. It’s stark, the letters etched deep — a testament to a man who left too soon.

“Hey, Dad,” I start, my throat tight. The words come slowly. “I don’t know why I came here today. I know I haven’t… visited.”

I snort and shake my head. “I don’t even know if you can hear me from wherever you are now. I guess… just in case you can, I wanted you to know that… things have been… good.”

I tell him about Baxter, how he’s learning new commands and listening better to me each day. I can almost hear my father’s gruff approval, see the nod of his head. He was so austere, so uptight, but with Baxter a different side of him came out. A softness that I never understood and often rolled my eyes at. However, after adopting Baxter, I finally get it.

Sure, I have some destroyed furniture to show for our journey here… and there was that time I almost surrendered him to the shelter. But that was me, refusing to see what was really going on. Just like Emily argued, Baxter was grieving the loss of his human. He needed my understanding and patience, not my anger.

“Emily,” I say, her name a sigh on my lips. “She’s Baxter’s trainer, and she’s incredible, Dad. She sees me, not just the money or the image.” I chuckle, a soft, disbelieving sound. “I’m falling for her, hard.”

The anger that once burned hot within me simmers down to embers. My father wasn’t perfect, but neither am I. Standing here now, with love budding in my heart and a loyal dog at my side, the bitterness that clung to me like a second skin continues to peel away.

“I thought I’d be mad forever,” I confess to the unyielding stone. “But I’m not. Things are looking up, and… I think you’d be happy for me.”

Baxter noses my hand, his dark eyes filled with a comfort that no human words could provide. I kneel beside him, burying my face in his neck. He licks my cheek, a simple gesture laden with empathy.

“Let’s go, buddy,” I murmur, standing up. “I have plans with Emily tonight.”

Back at home, I feed Baxter dinner, take him out once more, then get him settled in his crate. He’s been doing good in it for a few hours at a time, even though he clearly doesn’t love being in it. It’s a lot better than him destroying the penthouse or eating something that will poison him, though.

“Be good,” I say, though I know he will be. Confidence blooms in my chest; Emily has done well with him.

And so have I.

I change quickly, choosing a shirt I know Emily likes. It’s soft, blue, the color she says brings out my eyes. I smile at the thought, tugging at the collar. This is new, this desire to impress, to be seen through someone else’s gaze.

I grab my keys, lock up, and head back out. The car door shuts with a thud, sealing me inside my own bubble of excitement.We’re meeting at a spot for dinner that’s close to the shelter, which is why I’m not picking her up for tonight’s date.

Emily’s waiting out front of it, a silhouette against the glow. She turns, and her smile hits me like the first ray of sun after a long night. She’s beautiful, stunning in a way that’s less about her features and more about the life behind them. Her eyes find mine, and everything else fades.

“Hey,” she breathes, stepping closer.

“Hey,” I echo, taking her in. The dress she wears hugs her curves, a deep red that speaks of wine and roses. I want to tell her how amazing she looks, but words seem inadequate.

Instead, I step forward and press a kiss to her lips, hoping that will be enough. Judging from the look on her face, it is.

“Shall we?” she asks, gesturing to the entrance with a tilt of her head.

“Let’s.” My hand finds the small of her back, guiding her through the door. My touch is light, respectful, but beneath it courses a current of longing, electric and undeniable.

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had dirty, sweaty thoughts about the two of us. But I know that anticipation makes everything all the sweeter, and I don’t want to rush things and make what’s growing between us complicated by physicality. I would rather haveherlead when it comes to that.

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