“Gus, buddy, I need to wash that blanket.”
Attempting to pull the dirty fleece blanket out from underneath him, the big guy rolls onto his back, sprawling out and letting me know that the laundry is going to have to wait for another day.
I resign, giving him belly scratches instead.
The bell over the front door catches my attention, but Cheryl is at the front desk, and she can greet whoever is walking in, so I bring my focus back to the lazy as hell yellow lab on his back.
“Mr. Zanders, welcome back,” Cheryl says, causing my spine to stiffen and my stomach to be filled with nerves.
I haven’t seen or talked to that beautiful man since the gala over a week ago, and that’s because I’m scared. I’m scared that he truly is nothing like the preconceived notions that follow him around indicate. I’m scared that he’s good. No, I know he’s good. I think I knew that before the charity gala, but it was confirmed when I learned that Active Minds was as much his creation as it was Maddison’s.
But I have no idea why he puts on a front for the rest of the world, pretending to be someone he’s not. He claims never to lie, but that seems like a huge one, and if he can lie about that, is he lying about his feelings for me?
I’m scared, plain and simple.
“And who do we have with us today?” Cheryl asks.
“This is Ella,” I hear Zanders say.
“Hi!” a small voice rings out, making me silently laugh as my heart aches.
I stay quiet, unsure if I want Zanders to know I’m here.
“Are we here for Stevie or Rosie today?” Cheryl asks, blowing my cover.
And why does she sound so comfortable with him? She’s only ever seen him once, and that was a quick moment from across the room.
“I get a choice today? How about both?”
That causes my cheeks to warm and my stomach to flip again.
As I walk around the barrier that blocks the dog’s playroom from the entryway, I quickly try to clean myself up. The last time Zanders saw me, I was in a gown with professional makeup on my face. This time, I’m covered in dog hair, my hair hasn’t been washed in five days, and I’m wearing my usual flannel and baggy jeans.
But as soon as I turn the corner and see Zanders staring at me like I’m the best thing he’s ever seen, I let those insecurities go, just as I do any time I’m around him.
His hazel eyes are soft as they bore into me, and I can’t help but be happy to see him. I’ve missed him, as strange as that is to admit.
My throat bobs in a deep swallow. “You following me?”
A content smile pulls at his lips. “Hey, Stevie girl.”
My cheeks heat as they do whenever I hear him say that name. Or “sweetheart” or just about anything else he might think of to call me.
I stay silent, still in shock that he’s actually here. But he’s wearing overly expensive shoes, his outfit is perfectly coordinated and tailored, and his watch shines the way only the over-priced ones do. It’s definitely him.
“EJ, I don’t know if you remember from Halloween, but this is my friend Stevie.”
That brings me back to reality, my attention shifting to the little girl holding his hand, her wild brunette hair falling out around the beanie on her head.
“Hi.” She waves at me across the room.
“Hey, Ella. What are you two doing here?” I direct the question at Maddison’s daughter but fully expect Zanders to tell me what the hell is going on.
“We gonna see doggies!” she excitedly answers.
“Is today the day?” Cheryl interrupts.
Brows furrowed, my head snaps back and forth between the stunning man decked to the nines and the owner of the shelter.
“I think so,” Zanders says, wearing his perfect megawatt smile. “I want Ella to meet her first, though.”
“What are you guys talking about?”
“You haven’t told her yet?” Cheryl’s eyes are wide with surprise before they shift to amusement.
Finally, I open the dog gate, letting myself into the front room. “Tell me what?”
“I’m adopting Rosie.”
My mouth drops open, eyes softening as I look at him. “What?”
“I’m adopting Rosie,” Zanders repeats with a laugh.
Tears sting my eyes, and I can feel my nose turning pink. “What?” I ask again, my voice cracking. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
His laugh is light and airy, but his gaze is soft and genuine, watching me struggle to keep from crying. “Because, sweetheart, I didn’t want you to think it was an attempt for me to win you over. To be honest, it has nothing to do with you.”
“He’s been coming here every week to see her,” Cheryl adds.
Tilting my head as I look at him, I can’t hold back any longer before I take three quick strides and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you,” I say into his chest.
He keeps Ella’s hand in his, but his free arm wraps around my back as his large hand gently strokes my rib cage. He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he holds me, placing a kiss on the top of my head.
“Okay.” I step away from him, wiping at my face. I take a deep breath, composing myself. “This is a good day. I need to stop.” I follow that up with an awkward laugh.
Zanders’ palm reaches out and cups my face, pulling me into him again. I melt into his chest as his body relaxes around me, his fingers threading into my curls as he holds me to him.
His fist tightens around my hair, tilting my face to his. “I missed you,” he rasps.
His heavy-lidded gaze darts to my parted lips.
“Here she is,” Cheryl rings out.
I pull away from Zanders as Rosie is led into the front room on a leash. She tugs away from Cheryl, wanting to get to the giant defenseman. As soon as Zanders bends down, Cheryl lets go, and Rosie runs right into his outstretched arms before flipping on her back, her butt moving a mile a minute.
“There’s my girl,” Zanders laughs.
He spends some time loving on the black and tan beauty, and my heart swells like you wouldn’t believe.
“They’re always like this together,” Cheryl whispers to me.
“Why didn’t you tell me he might be adopting Rosie?”
Cheryl knowingly shrugs her shoulders.
“Ella, this is Rosie,” he says.
He uses his body as a giant barrier between Rosie and Ella, giving them a moment to get accustomed to each other. Ella giggles as Rosie sniffs her hands, but she doesn’t move to touch her. She waits until Rosie gives her the go-ahead. Finally, when Rosie’s butt starts shaking back and forth, she licks little Ella’s hands repeatedly.
Zanders moves his body out of the way as Rosie falls onto her back in front of his niece.
Ella laughs, rubbing Rosie’s tummy. “I like her!”
“Yeah, I think we can check off ‘great with kids’ for her.” Zanders keeps his hazel eyes locked on his two girls.
I want to kiss him. I want to grab him by his button-down shirt and kiss him until I need to stop for air.
“So, are we doing it?” Cheryl asks.
“We’re doing it.”
Cheryl’s smile beams with excitement for the Doberman who has stayed here a year too long.
We head back to the front desk after introducing Ella to all the dogs and watching Zanders get comically covered in dog hair.
“So, I think I can have all her records and everything ready to go tomorrow,” Cheryl says to Zanders. “Is tomorrow a good day for pickup?”
“Tomorrow is perfect.”
“I’ll just need a phone number from you.”
Zanders hesitates.
“I think we can skip the phone number,” I interrupt, knowing how private Zanders is. Ryan is the same way, not giving out personal information to strangers.
“That’s okay,” Zanders says. “But can I give it to Stevie? Does that work?”
A mischievous smile pulls across Cheryl’s lips. “Yeah, that works just fine.”
“Sweetheart.” Zanders holds his hand out, bringing my attention back to him. “Your phone.”
In a small wave of shock that Zanders wants to give me his number, I swallow, pull my phone out, and hand it over.
I watch as his ring-covered fingers type in the ten digits with precision before adding his name.
Zee (Daddy) Zanders
I shake my head, laughing, holding my hand out to take my phone back.
But Zanders being Zanders, can’t help himself from adding an eggplant emoji next to his name. Then he tacks on a single heart before handing it back with a satisfied smile.
“And typically, we do a home visit before adoption, but since Stevie knows you, we can skip over that.”
“No!” Zanders interrupts. “I think we need a home visit. That seems important.”
He’s so full of shit. I know exactly what he’s doing.
“Stevie, this seems like a home visit you should do,” Cheryl says.
Looking over at Zanders, he wears a cheeky smile as I shake my head in disbelief.
“It’s not a date,” I remind him.
He holds a hand over his chest, mouth gaping in mock offense. “How dare you accuse me of tricking you into a date.”
The devilish grin he wears tells me that’s precisely what he’s doing.
“And the last thing is the adoption fee,” Cheryl adds. “It’s fifty dollars.”
Zanders lets go of Ella’s hand before digging into the inside pocket of his long wool coat. He pulls out a checkbook, sets it on the desk, and fills out a check.
As he fills it out, I watch with a content smile as Rosie sits perfectly calm on one side of Zanders with Ella standing at his other, patiently waiting for her uncle.
“Oh,” Cheryl awkwardly laughs, holding Zanders’ check in her hands. “You filled this out wrong.” Her cheeks are flushed. “It’s fifty dollars. This says fifty-thousand.”
Zanders tucks his checkbook away, stepping back to Ella and putting his hand on her head. “Oops,” he casually says, letting me know that nothing about that was a mistake.
“Well, we don’t want to waste a perfectly good check.” Zanders shrugs. “May as well cash that one.”
“What?” Cheryl laughs uncomfortably. “Oh no. I can’t accept this.” She holds the check out, wanting him to take it back.
“Please take it,” Zanders begs. “As a donation.”
Cheryl’s head cocks to the side, her lips tilting downward. “Thank you.” She rounds the desk to give him a hug.
Zanders wraps his arms around her but shoots me a soft smile over her shoulder.
I think I might be done for.
“Well,” Cheryl huffs, trying to wipe her eyes slyly, but I know she’s having a hard time. This shelter needs so much, and Zanders’ donation will take care of a lot of it. “We better get your picture on the wall.”
Cheryl grabs the Polaroid camera from below the desk as Zanders crouches down next to Ella, with Rosie sitting perfectly in front of them.
“Vee, get over here,” he calls out, waving me over.
“Oh, I don’t think—”
“Get over here. I need all my girls together.”
Pressing my lips together, trying to suffocate the way it feels to hear him refer to me as one of his girls, I take the space next to him, crouching down.
Zanders wraps his arm around me, his other one around Ella, pulling us both in close. My hand conveniently finds the inside of his muscular thigh as I rest it there while Cheryl takes the shot with Rosie right in front.
“Perfect,” Cheryl says after a moment when the black image shifts.
I reattach Rosie’s leash to lead her back for her last night here as both Zanders and Ella give her scratches and kisses goodbye.
“So tonight then?” Zanders asks me. “Seven o’clock?”
“Not a date,” I remind him. Or remind myself. I’m not too sure anymore.
He holds Ella’s hand, leading her to the front door. “Absolutely not,” he laughs. “See you tomorrow, Cheryl!”
As soon as he’s outside, he bends down for Ella to climb on his shoulders. He holds her feet as Ella rests her crossed arms and chin on his beanie, the two of them walking home.
And the only thought that crosses my mind is that I’m entirely done for.
