Ella nods, biting into her lower lip. I can see her eyes starting to water because every bit of this is overwhelming. I decide to make it easy on her.
I push forward, smack a kiss on her mouth, and bound off the bed. “Okay… I’m out of here. Get some sleep.”
Ella settles down onto the pillows, watching me get dressed. I pat my back pocket to make sure my wallet is there, front pocket for keys, and grab my cell phone off the dresser.
I glance back to find her studying me with a fond smile.
“I love you,” I say. So fucking much.
“I love you,” she replies simply but clearly. “And tonight was wonderful. Thank you.”
I wink, then start backing for the bedroom door. “We’re all still good for tomorrow, right?”
Because tomorrow, we spring the puppy on Lucy. She knows she’s going to foster one, but she doesn’t think she’s getting it until next week. We sort of fudged the delivery date so it would be a surprise.
Ella suggested she fix dinner, and I show up with the puppy. She’s going to go shopping tomorrow morning for the supplies we’re going to need for the next few weeks. While the guide dog organization we’re working with supplies what we need for a puppy, it’s for only one household. Since the pupper is going to be hopping between my house and Ella’s, we need a duplicate set.
“At six,” Ella says with a nod. “I’ll make your favorite.”
My heart pangs at the small but completely thoughtful gesture that she’d think to make me her to-die-for baked ziti. “Can’t wait.”
She blows me a kiss. I leave because she’s asked me to, and I’ll be seeing her tomorrow. I’m a patient man, and I can wait until she’s sure we will make this work.CHAPTER 11SteeleI can only imagine Lucy’s joy when she opens the door. I’ll be standing there with the pup in hand, but I know I am practically vibrating with excitement myself. Not only because we’re going to be shocking the hell out of our daughter, but also because I did this with Ella.
No matter what our differences may have been or still are, we came together as a team, made a great parenting decision, and we’re doing this for Lucy as a family unit. That means more to me than anything.
I glance over at the little wire kennel the service dog foundation gave me to transport him in. It’s a sweet, twelve-week-old chocolate lab named Brody. He’s pretty chill, curled into a round ball, but he’s not sleeping. Eyes open and alert, as if he’s just waiting to find out what’s around the next corner.
The back of my Range Rover is loaded with two boxes of food, dog toys, bowls, a leash, and appropriate treats. That will go to my house for when Lucy and Brody come to stay. Ella has an identical list at her home, already purchased and hiding until we hand the puppy off to Lucy.
Have to admit… today was fun. I had team meetings and light practice. Throughout the day, Ella and I texted back and forth. Some of it was practical, like making sure we agreed on all the dog rules we’d lay down with Lucy tonight. Some of it was lighthearted teasing. Some of it was sexy.
I can’t remember the last time I texted my wife throughout the day just for the hell of it. I had fun with it, and I know without a doubt she had fun with it, too. Which made me realize what a douche I’d been for never doing something as simple as letting her know she was on my mind in just such a way.
I make a mental note to send her flowers tomorrow—just for the hell of it. I’m going for a quick overnight trip as we play the Vegas Spades, and I want to let her know she’ll be on my mind.
Pulling into the driveway, I cut my headlights so Lucy doesn’t see me approach. I shut the engine off, quietly get out of my side, and press the door closed rather than slamming it. On the other side, I open the passenger door, then spring the latch on the wire kennel, and Brody totters straight at me with tail wagging.
I lift him in my arms, hoping like hell the Claritin I took will keep my sneezing and watery eyes at bay. Quietly, I shut the door and then move over to a small patch of grass to the right of the driveway. I place the puppy down so he will go potty before I bring him in.
Never having had a dog before, I had no clue what it takes to raise one. The people at the service dog foundation were helpful, though, spending about an hour with me today when I picked Brody up to explain exactly how we would care for him the next two weeks, which included potty training tips.