Page 90 of Dr. Stone

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, approaching me, kissing my cheek, and then turning to Ash. “Hey, Ash. Thanks again for keeping the dog for us tonight.”

“I was just telling Andie that soon enough, you both won’t have to worry about him,” Ash answered.

“How so?” Jace laughed, his hand sliding to my lower back. “Does Jake have plans to drop him off at an animal rescue shelter?”

“He wishes, but no. Kaley and Duke are best buds at home and the sitter’s house. They’re becoming quite inseparable.”

“No shit?” Jace said as if his secret prayers had been answered.

I nudged him in his side. “We’re not dumping the dog you gave me on Jake and Ash,” I chuckled.

“I don’t see why not?” Jace said, eyes bright and practically filled with holiday cheer. “The dog loves their daughter,” he extended his hand out toward Ash, “Ash loves him, too, and I think we should do what’s best for everyone, mainly the dog, you know?”

I narrowed my eyes at him while Ash laughed.

“You spend way too much time working with my husband,” Ash said. “You guys get out of here. We can’t wait to see you at our place for dinner tonight.”

“See you then,” I said, taking Jace’s hand and leaving work to go wherever this place was he’d been planning to take me since his seventy-two-hour-long shift. “Okay, I’m very curious as to where we’re going. You sounded like a little boy who just walked into a room full of Hot Wheels last night when you called to let me know Ash would be taking me to work and you’d be picking me up.”

I eased my arm around his waist and leaned into him like we’d been a couple for years. His strong, imposing demeanorand commanding masculinity felt like second nature to him and to me.

“You’ll see, gorgeous,” he kissed my cheek.

We got into his sleek Aston Martin and drove up the coast, and I had no clue where we were headed.

“Ash told me about Sebastian’s dad,” I said. “I don’t know much about the Asters, but she said your family is close with them?”

He nodded, his hand casually gripping the steering wheel. “I’ve known them my entire life.” He smiled over at me, “Old man Sebastian is like an uncle to me. They’re some of our oldest family friends, doing vacations and other extravagant shit together for as long as I can remember.”

“It’s incredible that you saved his life,” I said.

His lips tightened and he let out a breath while changing lanes, “I’m thankful I was able to treat him like he was any other patient I’d bust my ass to save in that ER. I just had to bury my emotions pretty deep.”

I interlaced my fingers with his, loving the warmth and comfort I felt doing it. “I’m happy that you saved him. It appears you’re adamn finedoctor, Dr. Stone.”

He smiled and brought my hand up to his lips for a kiss. “It’s always awesome when I save a life, especially a friend’s.” He smiled at me, “Which brings me to what we’re doing today and why.”

“Ah,thisI’m excited to hear about,” I said with excitement.

“I’m doing this foryouwith the hope that you easily accept gifts from the heart?”

I felt all warm and fuzzy inside, as every woman did who was falling in love.

“Of course,” I laughed, seeing the same excitement I heard on the phone last night.

“Just the answer I wanted and needed to hear.” He kissed the back of my hand again. “So, unfortunately…” he sighed. “Lord, how do I present this?”

“It’s just me. Just say it,” I urged.

“Well, my family and their circle are a lot like what you saw and experienced when you were with Titus.”

He paused and waited for my response.

“Okay? Are you trying to tell me you’re going to start acting like them now?”

“Fuckno,” he stated emphatically. “Okay, after I saved Sebastian life, his wife, Margot, insisted that a celebration be thrown in my honor. I want you to come with me, and if you can’t find a sitter for Brandon?—”

“Icannotask Jake and Ash to watch him again,” I said, chuckling.