Weather
Channel. That was a safe enough option.
Savannah smiled at him in appreciation and
headed back into the kitchen.
A short while later, she hesitated at the
threshold of the living room, a casserole dish in her hands. “I
made beef wellington, would you like some?”
She couldn’t have known that was his favorite
and his mother used to make it for him on special occasions. “You
made wellington?”
She nodded. “It’s my favorite.”
“Mine too.”
All that week Savannah had made elaborate
meals for Cole. Eggs benedict for breakfast, panini sandwiches for
lunch, that afternoon she’d baked and decorated six dozen sugar
cookies, and now it was beef wellington. She didn’t know how to
make the right portions for just two of them either, so leftovers
were stacked in both the fridge and freezer. He’d have meals for
the next year at this rate.
Malcolm’s words rang in his
head… Savannah’s the nurturing type … she needs to get in a
healthy routine … He wasn’t sure all this cooking counted as a
healthy routine. She rarely left the kitchen, and when she did, she
didn’t know what to do with herself.
Cole was still full from lunch, but he forced
down a few bites of the delicious meal, praising Savannah for her
efforts. He noticed that she barely ate any of the food she cooked,
like she was doing it solely for his benefit. He decided it was
time to act.
Cole returned an hour later, wondering if he
had made the right decision. The puppy wiggled in his arms, anxious
to get down and play. Crap . What if Savannah didn’t even
like dogs, or what if she was allergic? Deciding it was too late to
turn back now, Cole unlocked the door and went inside.
Not seeing Savannah, he carried the
Maltese-Poodle puppy toward her bedroom and knocked at the door.
“Savannah?”
He heard her sniffle. “Just a second.”
The puppy let out a whimper and reached out a
paw toward the door scratching to get in, like it somehow knew it’s
mother was inside. Savannah slowly opened the door. A smile
lighting up her tear-streaked face. “Cole?” She blinked, an
unspoken question forming on her lips.
“She’s for you. She’s fourteen weeks old. A
family bought her from a pet store, and then changed their mind and
dropped her off at the shelter down the road. She’s yours. If you
want her.”
“Oh, Cole.” Savannah lifted up on her toes
and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you. She’s so cute.”
Cole handed the squirming thing over to
Savannah, who promptly kissed the top of its head and cradled it on
her hip like a baby. She captured his attention and held it. Cole’s
lips turned up in satisfaction as he watched the touching
sight.
There was no denying the dog was cute. She
was a whopping six pounds of fluffy cream and tan fur, with a tail
that wagged non-stop. Cole wanted to adopt a German Shepherd, or
some other manly dog, but when he saw this little thing that looked
more like a gremlin than a dog, he knew it was the one Savannah
would want. And if the way Savannah buried her face in the puppy’s
fur and murmured unintelligible baby talk to it was any indication,
he’d done the right thing. His heart squeezed in his chest — the
feeling unfamiliar and startling. But he reminded himself he’d only
done this to get her doctor off his back. Animal therapy or some
shit it was called.
“What are you going to name her?” he
asked.
Savannah’s lips curved into a smile. God she
was beautiful when she smiled. “I get to name her?”
He nodded and watched her eyes light up.
“I’ll have to think about it.” She smiled,
holding the puppy out at arm’s length to get a good look at
her.
Cole left again with the excuse of needing to
pick up a collar, leash and dog food. But mostly, he needed to
escape the overwhelming feelings brought on by Savannah’s sweet
murmurings to the puppy.
Chapter 10
“Come here, Cuddles.” Savannah scooped the
fluff ball up from the floor and balanced the dog
Channel. That was a safe enough option.
Savannah smiled at him in appreciation and
headed back into the kitchen.
A short while later, she hesitated at the
threshold of the living room, a casserole dish in her hands. “I
made beef wellington, would you like some?”
She couldn’t have known that was his favorite
and his mother used to make it for him on special occasions. “You
made wellington?”
She nodded. “It’s my favorite.”
“Mine too.”
All that week Savannah had made elaborate
meals for Cole. Eggs benedict for breakfast, panini sandwiches for
lunch, that afternoon she’d baked and decorated six dozen sugar
cookies, and now it was beef wellington. She didn’t know how to
make the right portions for just two of them either, so leftovers
were stacked in both the fridge and freezer. He’d have meals for
the next year at this rate.
Malcolm’s words rang in his
head… Savannah’s the nurturing type … she needs to get in a
healthy routine … He wasn’t sure all this cooking counted as a
healthy routine. She rarely left the kitchen, and when she did, she
didn’t know what to do with herself.
Cole was still full from lunch, but he forced
down a few bites of the delicious meal, praising Savannah for her
efforts. He noticed that she barely ate any of the food she cooked,
like she was doing it solely for his benefit. He decided it was
time to act.
Cole returned an hour later, wondering if he
had made the right decision. The puppy wiggled in his arms, anxious
to get down and play. Crap . What if Savannah didn’t even
like dogs, or what if she was allergic? Deciding it was too late to
turn back now, Cole unlocked the door and went inside.
Not seeing Savannah, he carried the
Maltese-Poodle puppy toward her bedroom and knocked at the door.
“Savannah?”
He heard her sniffle. “Just a second.”
The puppy let out a whimper and reached out a
paw toward the door scratching to get in, like it somehow knew it’s
mother was inside. Savannah slowly opened the door. A smile
lighting up her tear-streaked face. “Cole?” She blinked, an
unspoken question forming on her lips.
“She’s for you. She’s fourteen weeks old. A
family bought her from a pet store, and then changed their mind and
dropped her off at the shelter down the road. She’s yours. If you
want her.”
“Oh, Cole.” Savannah lifted up on her toes
and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you. She’s so cute.”
Cole handed the squirming thing over to
Savannah, who promptly kissed the top of its head and cradled it on
her hip like a baby. She captured his attention and held it. Cole’s
lips turned up in satisfaction as he watched the touching
sight.
There was no denying the dog was cute. She
was a whopping six pounds of fluffy cream and tan fur, with a tail
that wagged non-stop. Cole wanted to adopt a German Shepherd, or
some other manly dog, but when he saw this little thing that looked
more like a gremlin than a dog, he knew it was the one Savannah
would want. And if the way Savannah buried her face in the puppy’s
fur and murmured unintelligible baby talk to it was any indication,
he’d done the right thing. His heart squeezed in his chest — the
feeling unfamiliar and startling. But he reminded himself he’d only
done this to get her doctor off his back. Animal therapy or some
shit it was called.
“What are you going to name her?” he
asked.
Savannah’s lips curved into a smile. God she
was beautiful when she smiled. “I get to name her?”
He nodded and watched her eyes light up.
“I’ll have to think about it.” She smiled,
holding the puppy out at arm’s length to get a good look at
her.
Cole left again with the excuse of needing to
pick up a collar, leash and dog food. But mostly, he needed to
escape the overwhelming feelings brought on by Savannah’s sweet
murmurings to the puppy.
Chapter 10
“Come here, Cuddles.” Savannah scooped the
fluff ball up from the floor and balanced the dog
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