Page 102 of Almost Perfect
“What are you up to?” I asked, grabbing her hand before she snuck away. She’d evaded me more than once already. She’d been in town for hours while I checked in on Sheridan, and now she was back, and cagey as all get out. I’d missed her, and with the wedding insanity starting up in earnest tomorrow, I needed time with her. Just me and her.
“Me? Nothing. I’m just here, innocent and pure, nothing sneaky whatsoever.”
Her gaze met mine, then flickered away. A bit of playfulness, and a bit of something else. Unease? But like she was covering it with the humor.
Totallyguilty, but about what?
I reeled her in, one hand on her wrist, the other coming to her waist. “Asinnocentas you sound, I’m not buying it. Is this something to do with the wedding?”
“No. I promise. No surprises there. I hate the idea of springing something on you that would make you uncomfortable.” She stepped into my space fully and wrapped her arms around my neck. That look hadn’t left her eye, but she swallowed, and smoothed her lips into a sweet smile. “But I do have a little surprise. And I’m hoping it’s a good thing. I’ve been assured it is, but I started to doubt myself today.”
My pulse inched up a notch. That didn’t sound likeI can’t marry you, but it didn’t sound like nothing. But surprise was good, right? Surprises weren’t bad things. They were good. And I could just see how this unfolded and it’d be fine.
I dipped my head, giving her no place to go. “I’m sure I’ll like it, if it’s from you.”
She huffed, and her forehead stayed lined with worry until the sound of what had to be Warrick’s car door slamming outside made her jolt away from me. “I’ll get the door.”
“I’m sure he’ll just come in the garage—”
“No, I think he— well, he told me— I mean, I’ll just get it.” She jogged to the front door, leaving me to stare after her.
More mysteries, but War couldn’t keep a secret for anything, so he’d probably be the catalyst to figure all this out soon enough. I occupied myself with chopping vegetables for dinner for a few minutes.
Muffled, low voices, clearly hers and War’s, filtered down the entryway. I couldn’t tell what they were saying other than a whispered “Good luck!” from Warrick, and the door shutting gently.
“Give me a sec and I’ll—”
A smalloofsound came from her, and I couldn’t stay put any longer. Dropping the knife and wiping my hands on a towel, I took a handful of quick strides and rounded the corner to see Calla leaning against the now-closed door, a wriggling ball of fur in her hand.
“What’s this?” I asked, but my heart thudded in my chest, because I knew.
She found my gaze as she brought an arm up to cradle the puppy—yes, now I could see it so clearly—and gave me a smile. “This is your surprise. It’s a boy. I thought he wouldn’t be ready to come home for another two weeks, but I had the date wrong. It’s bad timing, but that seems to be the theme of my life lately.”
“You got me a puppy?” I ran a hand over the soft fur of the little dog’s brown and black head.
She nodded, smiling at me even while biting her lip like she wanted to hold that grin back. “I did. I hope it’s okay. I thought it was this great idea, and then I realized maybe—”
“It’s more than okay. I love him already.”
And call me a sucker, but I did. Maybe for the way he seemed as obsessed with Calla as I was, based on his incessant licking of her neck and chin. Maybe for the love I knew he’d bring to our lives, and the not-small thrill that came from knowing he’d beours.
“Do you want to hold him? I never realized how wiggly puppies were.”
I took the little beast and tucked him into my chest. “Let’s sit. Then he can wander around a bit and stretch his legs.”
We moved to the living room and sat on the floor not far from the fireplace, a blanket spread beneath us to help with any puppy accidents. The January day was bright and cold, and since we were in for the night, I’d gotten a fairly large fire going. I settled back against a chair and watched the puppy rummage around, sniffing furniture, then circling back around to me and Calla. I wondered whether he could smell Charlie, even still, or if it was just all the new scents that overwhelmed him.
We watched the fluffy little one wander around, paws too big for his body, and laughed at how painfully adorable he was.
“I can’t believe you got me a puppy,” I said a while later, cuddling the yawning little thing in my arm.
She fidgeted, shifting where she sat and glancing away. “I worried it’d seem like I was replacing Charlie, but then I told myself that was stupid. I know you’ve wanted another dog. I hope it was okay I chose one. This guy’s a Great Pyrenees. He’s going to get really big, but I figured you wouldn’t want a tiny, yappy one.”
Keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t wake the snoozing little fellow, I said, “Definitely not. I think he’s going to be a great addition to our family.”
Her sharp inhale and sigh had me glancing at her, then stilling. There was that look again. I couldn’t abide it, when she’d done this sweet thing for me. A thoughtful gift, one we could share and enjoy as we started the next part of our story.
“Seriously, honey, I love him. We’ll think of a name, and we’ll take him to meet Sheridan. My mom will want to dog-sit, and Warrick obviously approves. I think Wilder’s a real dog lover too, so it’ll even be a way to connect with him when he gets back. I don’t want—”
