Shane didn’t want to go into details about the conversation from that morning. “I said a lot of stuff I’ve been thinking for fifteen years.” He wasn’t sure if Robin would judge him or just accept what had happened. “I…oddly, I felt better after unloading on him.”

“Do you think it’ll help?”

He scoffed. “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think he understands the full repercussions of his actions.” He didn’t need to detail that he’d told his father that he had nothing to offer Robin. What would that help?

Nothing, he told himself.

He had, however, followed Doctor Sloan’s advice and told Robin he loved her. That big ol’ admission hung between them, and they hadn’t been able to talk about it. He wanted to bring it up, but at the same time, he just wanted to eat hot dogs and chips and stretch out on a blanket and listen to the bluegrass band until the fireworks started.

He’d said it. She’d heard him. She could do with the information what she wanted.

“But you feel better?”

“A little, yeah.” Shane repositioned his fingers on the steering wheel. “It was nice to let go of some things I’d been holding onto for too long.”

“It’s hard to let things go.”

“Yeah.” Shane knew better than most. Who else would’ve perpetuated their three-year crush on a woman they saw once a year? Most men would’ve moved on a long time ago. Probably after that first time she’d thrown his dinner invitation back in his face.

“All right.” He turned into the parking lot at Lady Bird Johnson Park and swung into a spot. “I’m ready for chocolate cake and barbeque chips. Preferably in the same bite.”

Robin giggled and slid across the seat to jump down from the truck after him. “That’s sick.”

“Sweet and salty and savory,” he said. “It’s delicious.”

“Wait. You’ve actually had chocolate cake with barbeque potato chips?”

“No.” He chuckled and dodged out of her reach as she swatted at him. “But it sounds really good.” They held hands and wandered around the festivities at the park. He got his hot dogs, and his chips, and his cake. And sweet tea and then popcorn while they waited for the sun to darken enough to start the fireworks.

Then he got to lie on that blanket the way he wanted to, and hold Robin close to his heart, and kiss her as the first blue fireworks exploded against the black backdrop of the sky.

And though it had started badly, Shane decided day eighteen with Robin was the best one yet.

Four days later—Shane was counting, after all—he finally got his chores done before six o’clock at night. The stars had aligned, because Robin had texted that her job at Sunnyside Farms had ended early.

He pulled up to the shelter only moments before she parked beside him, and she squealed as he swept her into his arms. “Wow, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” He didn’t mind that she smelled like metal, and fire, and horse. It was one of the most alluring scents to him, actually.

He kissed her and pressed his forehead against hers. Those three little words bubbled against the back of his throat, but he didn’t dare say them again. She hadn’t brought up his confession, and he felt like he’d put the ball in her court.

“Let’s go find us a dog,” he said, and she practically skipped to the entrance. The scent of bleach mixed with animal hit him, and he almost turned right back around.

“So nothing too big,” she said. “The whole house is under three hundred square feet.”

“I’m aware.” If they spent time together in the evenings, it was usually at her house. He couldn’t find more than ten seconds of privacy at his cabin, though she seemed to enjoy spending time with his brothers as much as she seemed to like kissing him.

A staff member led them to the medium-sized dogs and Robin started reading name cards, which included ages and breeds and known health problems.

“What’s a sheltie?” she asked, crouching down in front of the long-haired, black and white dog.

“It’s a Shetland sheepdog,” Shane said, bending to look at the dog too. “He’s pretty.” The sheltie had a broad white chest, with classic gold markings on his cheeks, which faded into a black halo around his head and ears and all down his back and tail.

“I like him.” Robin held out her hand and the sheltie inched forward to sniff her. “Can we see him out of the kennel?”

Joan, the staff member, came forward with a set of keys and she let the sheltie out of his kennel. “We just got him,” she said as the dog inched forward.

“That’s a good sign,” Shane said. “He’s not afraid.”

“He’s a good pup,” Joan bent down and patted him. “His name’s Arthur.”

“Arthur,” Robin said, and the sheltie cocked his head at her. She looked at Shane, and he could read the hope in her eyes before she said, “Please?”

He waved at the dog. “How much does he weigh?”

Joan looked at him like that was a bizarre question to ask.

“She lives in a tiny house,” he explained.

“Oh, he doesn’t take up much room.”

“Yeah, but her house is two hundred and eighty square feet,” Shane said, enjoying the way Joan’s eyes widened. “Total.”

“He’s much bigger than my previous dog,” Robin said, kneeling down and scrubbing her hand along Arthur’s back. The dog practically purred, and Shane shook his head.

“I don’t think it matters how big he is,” Shane said. “She wants him, so we’ll take ‘im.”

“There’s some adoption paperwork,” Joan said, and Shane nodded.

As they went back out to the lobby, Shane muttered, “Well, that didn’t take long.”

“What can I say?” She danced in front of him, pure joy radiating from her face. “I know what I like when I see it.”

“Oh, is that so? Is that why you wouldn’t go out with me the first time I asked?” He caught Joan looking at them before she bent to pull open a filing drawer.

“Yes, that’s exactly why,” Robin said, a fibbing air about her.

“But you’re takin’ the dog home with you. I didn’t get to do that.”

She leaned into his side. “I know what to do with the dog.”

Shane met her gaze, and while she was still flirty and fun, he also found a measure of seriousness there that was all too familiar.

“Men are about like dogs,” he said. “Feed us, let us sleep in your bed, and put us outside sometimes.”

Joan snorted, and Shane gestured toward her. “See? I’m totally right.”

Robin gave him a half-glare before turned to Joan. “Are you married?”

“Yes, ma’am. Twenty-four years to the same man.”

“And is he right? You feed your husband, let him sleep in your bed, and then put him outside sometimes?” She leaned her elbows up on the counter, standing on her tiptoes to do so, a flow about her that Shane found so sexy.

“He’s about right.” Joan slid the paperwork toward Robin as Shane laughed. “Though sometimes dogs smell better.”

Robin’s pealing laughter filled the shelter, and Shane shook his head at her. “C’mon now. I’m starving. The sooner we get this dog adopted, the sooner we can go to dinner.”

“Oh, I’ll need you to fill all this out.” Joan pushed a pen closer. “And you can’t leave an animal in a car in this heat.”

“Of course not,” Robin said, shooting Shane a look. “We would never do that. We’ll drive through somewhere.”

Shane said nothing, but he had a feeling this sheltie was about to change his life. For better or worse, he wasn’t sure yet.

“Are we keepin’ the name?” he asked.

“Of course,” Robin said, the pen stalling on the paper. “He knows his name, don’t you, boy? Don’t you?” She dropped her voice to a sort of growly cartoonish tone before resuming the paperwork.

“We can train him to go by a new name,” Shane said.

“I like Arthur.”

“You do?”

“You don’t?”

“It’s all right, I guess.”

“It’s very royal. Regal. Kingly.” She kept filling out the paperwork, and Shane decided to stop distracting her. He honestly didn’t care what she named her dog, and he wandered over to the bulletin board to look at the items hanging there.

“If you’re both adopting, you’ll both need to sign.”

Shane spun back to the counter. “We’re both adopting?”

“I told you this was our dog.” Robin waggled the pen at him. “Now come sign.”

Without much of a choice, he scribbled his name on the line. She paid the fee, and Joan handed him a leash with a pretty little sheltie on the end of it.

“All right, Arthur,” he said, the name tripping against his tongue. “Let’s get you out to your new home.” He led the dog through the door. “It’s a ranch, and there are a lot of animals. I think you’ll like it.”

“He’s right,” Robin said, talking to Arthur like he was human and not canine. “You’ll really like Grape Seed Ranch. Everyone does.”

He opened the passenger door and pointed to the interior of the cab. “Load up.”

Arthur jumped up and in, and Robin beamed like he’d just solved global warming. She climbed up behind him and Shane mumbled, “What have I gotten myself into?” as he rounded the hood of the truck.

Back at the ranch, she jumped down and said, “C’mon, Arthur. Let’s go explore your new house.”

“Wait a second,” he said. “He’s half my dog. Why do you get to take him on the first night?” He got the reaction he wanted—open mouth, wide eyes, chest rising and falling as her breathing quickened.

“I’m kidding,” he said with a chuckle. “Though I did partially adopt him, I suppose you can have overnight custody of him.” He crouched in front of Arthur. “Is that okay with you? I don’t know if she snores, but I know my two brothers do, so you’ll probably be happier here.”

“You can have him during the day,” she said. “I bet he’d love to run with the other barn dogs.”

“He’s a herding breed too,” Shane said. “I’ll train him to move the cattle.” He tousled the dog’s ears and straightened. “Well, I guess I’ll let you two get settled.” He swept his arm around her and drew her in for a proper kiss.

All the things he carried around with him disappeared when he was kissing Robin. With her delicate, passionate touch, his courage increased, and he said, “I love you, Robin. See you tomorrow, okay?” before stepping back and turning toward his truck. There. He’d said it again. And it felt so nice coming out of his mouth. It felt so good to love instead of hate, and another piece of anger he’d been holding onto for so long melted away.

“Wait,” Robin said, and he twisted back to her.

“Yeah?”

Her fingers wound up the leash she held and then released it. Twisted it. Released it. He waited, because she’d asked him to but she still didn’t say anything.