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“Of course we could do that,” I said softly into his shoulder.
He held on tighter, taking a steadying breath. “Thank you.”
I smiled against him, overcome with gratitude. All these years, I’d seen the same side of Hayes everyone else did, but now I knew better. And I felt so lucky that he chose to let me in, that he saw something in me too.
The puppy whined at my feet, and Hayes pulled back, giving him a weak smile. “Guess we better get some supplies for the little guy.”
I nodded. “I’m so excited. He’d look so cute in a little sweater.”
Hayes clapped his hand over his forehead and dragged it down. “You are not putting a sweater on that dog.”
My eyebrows rose. “Watch me.”
His smile was chagrined, and he leaned down to speak to the dog. “I’ll do my best, but you gotta know... she’s stubborn.”
I shoved his shoulder, laughing. “You should also know that Hayes is frequently wrong.”
Hayes snorted and put the truck into drive, and we headed toward town, discussing names for the puppy, feeling closer than ever.
But my job still hung over my head. I was running out of time to make a decision, and I didn’t want to choose wrong.
39
HAYES
My cheeks were hot as we pulled up to my dad’s house, Della and the fluffball, Chopper, sitting in the passenger seat in... matching T-shirts. The woman was a wizard because she had me in a matching shirt, too.
It made her smile too much to say no.
Thank God Dad had just invited Della and me over for dinner, because if my brothers saw this, I’d never hear the end of it.
Della squeezed my hand and said, “Nervous for me to meet your dad?”
“No, I’m nervous for him to see me in this shirt,” I retorted, gesturing at the light blue tee that matched Chopper’s. “And he already knows you.”
Della shook her head. “He knows me as Della, a family friend and insurance agent. Not as Della, Hayes’s girlfriend.”
My lips quirked at the sound of that. “Girlfriend?”
Her cheeks flushed in the cutest way, making her freckles fade amongst all the red. “Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”
“Don’t apologize,” I said, turning to her. “I like the sound of that.”
She smiled. “So I should call you boyfriend?”
“Call me anything you want,” I replied, kissing her cheek. “I’m yours.”
She smiled sweetly. “Aw, I like sentimental Hayes.”
Now my cheeks were getting hot again. “Don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.”
She scooped Chopper in her arms, reaching for her door. “I think the shirt already took care of that.” She laughed wickedly, and I reached to tickle her side, but she escaped, running toward the front door of the house as I chased her.
Damn, when did she get so fast?
“I’m around here!” Dad called from the patio on the side of the house.
Della let out a peal of laughter and darted around the house with the dog. “Hey, Gray!”