Page 51 of The Secrets We Built Together

"Well, I'll be," Helen said, adjusting her glasses as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I've never seen him take to anyone like that."

Honestly, most people assumed Titus was stuffed because he didn't react at all.

Titus stood on his hind legs, front paws balancing on the edge of Amelia's carrier as he tried to get closer to the baby. Amelia, who'd been sleeping peacefully, opened her eyes and let out a delighted gurgle at the dog.

Honestly the relief that I was currently feeling was nearly enough to make me pee myself. For now, we seemed to have escaped further questions. But for how long?

"They're going to be best friends," I declared, delighted by this unexpected development, but also simultaneously worried that the awful smell that seemed to emanate from Titus might seep into the baby.

Helen and Marie exchanged a look, and then Marie nodded at Helen, who cleared her throat. "Blake, dear, I believe I've been a bit harsh on you. Anyone who can charm Titus like this deserves a chance."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Oh, put the poor girl out of her misery, Helen."

Helen sighed dramatically. "Very well. Blake, would you like to join us for lunch next Wednesday? On a trial basis, of course."

I'm pretty sure I squealed. I definitely bounced on the balls of my feet like a hyperactive child. "I would love to! Thank you, thank you!"

Xander was watching me with amusement, picking up Amelia's carrier. "We should probably get going. Amelia's due for a nap."

We said our goodbyes, and I practically danced out of the bookstore, unable to contain my excitement.

"Oh my god, that was a disaster. Do you think that was a disaster? But maybe they bought it because they invited me for lunch,” I babbled, and then the excitement suddenly took over my nervousness. “I can't believe it! I got in! I'm in the Wednesday Lunch Club!"

"I still don't understand why you're so excited about having lunch with my fourth-grade homeroom teacher," Xander said as we walked to the car. “And I wouldn’t worry. Probably. I think we’re okay.” He glanced over his shoulder nervously and I decided right then that the best way to deal with this was to definitely ignore it.

I am blossoming into adulthood with all these insanely sensible life decisions that I’m making recently! Yeah, right. I wasn’t even convincing myself with that lie. I was terrible at this.

Still, dwelling on it wasn’t going to help so I decided to grasp onto something else to distract me.

“Mrs Shulster was your teacher?!"

"What... no." He frowned, then sighed. "Damn, it's too late to get away with that lie, isn't it?"

"Oooo, I wonder if Billie will come," I said, already planning my strategy for extracting all the embarrassing childhood stories about Xander. "She'd know all your deep, dark secrets."

"Oh no." Xander groaned. "Okay, if talk turns to the summer I was twelve, it's all lies."

"Does the straight-laced, perfect Xander Farrington have a shady past?" I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my heart.

"Those sheep were that way when we got there!" he blurted out, then burst into laughter—a real, genuine, belly laugh that made his eyes crinkle at the corners and his whole face light up.

Amelia, as if sensing his joy, let out a little giggle from her carrier.

"That's right, little bug," he said, looking down at her with such tenderness it made my heart ache. "You'll stand up for me, won't you?"

We reached the car, and Xander placed Amelia's carrier in the back with practiced ease. When he returned to my side, his arm slipped around my waist, natural and possessive all at once. I leaned into him, savoring the warmth.

"So," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "let's solve the mystery of what other meat based products you feel the need to carry around with you."

"Oh no, I'm not spilling my secrets until you tell me about these sheep you assaulted."

"Blake!" His eyes widened in mock horror. "You can't go around saying stuff like that." He glanced around as if checking for eavesdroppers, then his head tipped back with another belly laugh.

"I like seeing you like this," I told him, the words slipping out before I could think better of them.

His laughter softened into a smile that reached his eyes. "I like being like this."

The look he gave me then—warm and full of something I was afraid to name—made my chest tighten. I knew right then I was in trouble. The kind of trouble I'd spent years running from.

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