pointed a finger at her. âYou know damn good and well about what. The house.â
She ducked her head and shrugged. âI donât know. What do you think?â
Frustrated, Buck stepped over the fence and sat beside her. âYou are planning to keep Tish, arenât you? Because I gotta tell you, if you donât, I will.â
Sadieâs head jerked up. âReally?â
âDamn right. She needs someone to love her a lot.Forever. She needs calm and quiet. In just the two weeks Iâve known her, sheâs gotten back more fur.â
Sadie looked caught between laughing and crying. âShe looks like a sleek little seal now, doesnât she?â
âSheâs beautiful.â Buck touched Sadieâs cheek, and he was appalled to see his hand shake. âJust as you said sheâd be.â
Sadieâs eyes were sad, and her smile wobbled. âSheâs fatter, too.â
âShe reminds me of a little sumo wrestler, especially when sheâs sneaking up to steal something from me.â He peered down at her. âSheâs not exactly graceful.â
Sadie leaned against Buck and laughed.
Buck melted.
And suddenly, Tish crept over.
They both froze. The little dog had her ears flat on her head, her big brown eyes watchfulâand hopeful. She slowly, so very slowly, did an army crawlâ¦right into Sadieâs lap.
âOhmigod,â Sadie whispered.
Butch blinked his big eyes in stunned surprise at this change. Since heâd been in Sadieâs lap first, Tish was now half sitting on him. She outweighed Butch by at least a pound, and for four-pound Butch, that pound was a lot.
But he didnât complain.
âSlow,â Buck whispered, âGo real slow.â He reached out with one finger and tickled the dogâschin. Her worried gaze transferred to him, and her tail lifted in a one-wag thump. She looked very undecided about things, but she didnât run off.
Holding his breath, Buck carefully tickled his way over her muzzle, to her ear, and then to the top of her little round head, which was no longer bald, but soft with chocolate-brown fur.
Tish let out a long, doggie sigh, dropped her head onto Sadieâs thigh and closed her eyes.
âYou did it, Sadie.â Buckâs heart swelled so big, it felt ready to pop out of his chest.
Enormous tears swam in Sadieâs eyes. âThis is stupid,â she whispered on a shaky laugh, âbut I feel like bawling.â
âYeah,â Buck admitted, âme, too.â
Sadie leaned on his shoulder. âButch has to have most of the credit.â
Reminded of his goal, Buck was quick to agree. âItâd be a damn shame to separate them now, donât you think? I bet Regina would love the idea of letting them play together. Sheâs taken only freelance jobs lately so she could be home more with Butch. And when she has to be away for regular business hours, she or Riley come home at lunchtime. If we were right next doorââ
With her head still on his shoulder, Sadie squeaked, âWe?â She twisted to see him. âYou think we should buy the houseââ
âTogether.â He smoothed his hand over the dogs, taking turns petting them. âItâs a good plan.â
She stared at him in mute surprise.
That irritated Buck. âYou know the dogs would like it.â
Sadie nodded. âYes. Butâ¦would you like it?â
He touched her cheek. âIâd love it.â
She bit her bottom lip, drew a deep breath, then nodded. âIâd love it, too.â
The tension left Buck in a rush. Then Sadie said, âBecause I love you.â
His back snapped straight. âWhat did you say?â
His strangled voice startled the dogs, and he rushed to calm them with soft pats.
Sadie held his gaze. âI love you, Buck Boswell. Youâre the most wonderful, loving, giving man. Even in my imagination, I didnât think anyone
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