CHAPTER 44
Kenzie
“I’ve never seen Mr. Dane this happy,” Theo remarked as I poured him a cup of black coffee and handed it to him.
Dane and I had been back on the island for a week, and he’d taken some time away from his painting.
We’d been to Miami and Nassau, spending every single day together, whether it was off the island or at home.
Dane and I had celebrated our birthdays belatedly. I’d made him the promised dinner and a cake.
I smiled as I thought about the creative things Dane had discovered to do with the sweet icing. We’d both ended up a sticky mess, but it had been worth it.
“I’m happy, too,” I confessed to Theo.
“It shows,” he answered with a grin. “You two were made to be together. Just like my Emilee and me. I knew it from the way he looked at you on that first day.”
I put my own coffee down and crossed my arms. “How could you know that? He was horrible to me.”
“Because I ignored his anger. I only saw the way he looked at you.”
“How did he look?”
Theo took a sip of his coffee before he said, “Like he’d just found something priceless, but he was afraid to take it. Glad he finally came to his senses.”
Dane wasn’t the only one who’d needed to get some clarity. I hadn’t completely banished my demons, but I was working on it.
“Thanks for bringing the puppy,” I told Theo. “I hope Dane is ready for it.”
I’d arranged for Theo to bring another potcake dog, a female this time. I was hoping Dane would love her. Since she was as different as she could be from his deceased Picasso, I was pretty sure he could form a bond with her.
Theo grinned. “I’d say he’s about ready for anything you give him.”
“He loved Picasso,” I mused.
Theo bowed his head. “He did. I’ve always felt horrible that he got away from us, and he died because of that.”
“It was an accident. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Maybe. But it nearly killed Mr. Dane.”
“I think he’s ready for another dog,” I answered. “I thought if we had a female, he might be open to the idea. You said the puppy looks nothing like Picasso.”
He nodded. “Her coloring is different.”
“Good.” I wanted Dane to have another dog. The female Theo had delivered would never replace the animal he’d loved, but I was hoping he’d still be able to care for another canine.
Theo drained his mug and took it to the sink. “I’m off. I’m sure Mr. Dane will be fine. I don’t think there’s anything that can ruin his mood right now.”
I knew Theo had a schedule of things to check on around the island. “Tell Emilee I said hello, and don’t forget that tomorrow is your anniversary.”
Theo’s wife had shared that her wedding anniversary was approaching, and she was hoping for a vacation.
I’d passed on the information to Theo, and he’d promptly started planning. I knew that he’d booked a getaway for himself and his wife.
He grinned at me. “There’s no forgetting an anniversary. I’ll never forget the date that I married the prettiest, smartest woman I’ve ever met.”
I smiled until Theo was gone. He and Emilee were still in love, and they’d been married for a very long time. It was amazing to see the two of them together.
I picked up my coffee mug, cradling the precious pottery cup as I polished off my caffeine fix. I’d made the mug myself a couple of days ago, and Dane had painted it. It was nothing like his usual painting. The abstract figures were much lighter than his usual, appearing more as an expression of hope than one of despair. He’d left a space in the middle to paint “I love you more than you’ll ever know” into the space.
I’d been surprised when he’d brought it to me yesterday, and I’d certainly had no plans to use it, but Dane had cajoled until I’d promised that I’d treat it just like any other mug. He’d insisted that he could paint more if it got broken.
I’m slugging coffee from a container that’s probably priceless because it’s a very unique Dane Walker piece.
It felt strange to be drinking from a mug painted by one of the most revered artists in the world, but I didn’t think of it as a priceless piece. I saw it as an act of love.
I put the mug back on the counter carefully. I’d start making breakfast soon, but I couldn’t resist looking into the box at my feet. The potcake puppy Theo had chosen was adorable, and her dark brown eyes were beckoning as she whined softly for attention.
I knelt down and scooped her out of the box, holding her against my chest. I giggled as she promptly started licking my face.
“Do you need to go out?” I asked the cute canine. “Can I put you down, or will you pee on the floor, girl?”
I had no idea how to raise a dog, but somebody else in the house certainly did.
“She’ll pee, but we can clean it,” Dane said from above my head.
I looked up at him. He’d just gotten out of the shower. He was dressed in a pair of jeans, his upper body bare. His hair was still wet, and he looked delicious enough to eat.
“She was a surprise,” I told him nervously. I hadn’t meant to spring the dog on him this way, but he didn’t look upset.
“Let her run. She’ll have a lot of energy to burn off.”
I set her down, and she immediately started sniffing Dane’s feet before she shot off to dance around the kitchen.
I straightened up. “I don’t know how to potty train her. I hope you’re not mad. I know you wanted a dog, and I wanted one, too.”
We watched the puppy run around the area curiously before Dane scooped her up. His eyes were wary for a few moments, but once the female started licking his face enthusiastically, I knew he was hooked.
“She’s friendly,” he said huskily.
“She likes you.”
Dane cradled the pup with one strong arm. “They’re smart. She’ll potty train fast.”
“You’ll have to help me. I’ve never had a dog.”
“I’ll always help you. You don’t even need to ask.”
My heart was almost exploding through my chest wall. I loved this man so much that it almost hurt. “What will you name her?”
“You decide,” he suggested.
“But I bought her for you.”
“She’ll love both of us.”
I stared at the dog for a moment before I said, “Right now I’d call her Lucky since she’s cuddled up to you.”
“Jealous?” He cocked a brow as he looked at me.
“Maybe,” I teased.
He gently put the dog down on the floor. “You’ll always be the most important female in my life,’ he said huskily.
My heart tripped, just like it always did when Dane said something like that to me. I should be getting used to it. He didn’t skimp on affection with me, and I ate it up.
He wrapped me into his arms, and I put a hand behind his head and pulled it down to kiss him.
“Lucky it is,” I murmured once he’d lifted his head.
Would I ever get used to feeling so out-of-control with him?
God, I hoped not.