My head snaps around. “Dove?”
Her pretty eyes blink round, and her mother dives forward. “Dove? You’re awake!” Noel kisses her cheek. She kisses her other cheek and her neck and the side of her hand. “Oh, my baby… my sweet, angel baby…”
I step back, giving her room as happiness, relief, gratitude, joy surge in my chest. Going to the head of the bed, I reach down to stroke her soft hair.
“How are you feeling, sweet pea?”
“My head hurts.” Her voice sounds tired. “I was so cold. I held onto Akela. She was warm. She tried to get me out…” She looks up at me, and her little eyes go round. “I’m sorry I didn’t go home like you said.”
“It’s okay… You’re not in trouble….” I don’t know how to say this. “Don’t ever do that again, okay?”
She nods, solemnly. “Is Akela okay?”
Noel gathers her up for a kiss as the nurse enters the room and starts moving quickly, making notes and checking her vitals.
Dove’s blue-green eyes never leave us. “Is Mamma your princess now?”
I only smile, so thankful for a second chance. “We’ll talk about everything when we get home.”
33
Noel
“Five times four?” Leon leans on the bar with Dove perched right in front of him.
“Twenty!” She shouts, doing a little jump.
“Two times two?”
Her head cocks to the side. “Too easy… Four.”
“Okay, try this. Seven times…” His voice trails, and her eyes widen. “Nine!”
Her little lips part, and she thinks a moment. “Sixty-three?”
“Yes!” Leon holds up his hands and she high fives both of them hard. “Baby genius for the win!”
That gets him an instant frown. “I’m not a baby!”
Taron laughs from where he stands, leaning against the opposite bar as he watches them. He is so damn sexy in a black tux with his hair pushed behind his ears and his ocean eyes full of love.
I linger a moment letting the sight of them flood my veins with joy. I’m not sure it’s possible for me to be happier than I am right now.
As if agreeing with my thoughts, the best dog in the world trots up to my side and puts her head under my hand. I squat down to give Akela a good head scratching, and she licks me right in the face.
“Oh!” I laugh. “Easy on the makeup, girl.”
Leon declared Akela a hero.
Dove declared her daddy a hero.
Sawyer and I say they’re both right… Taron, of course, says he just did what any good dad would do. I’m sure Akela would say for a Siberian Huskey, a dunk in a freezing lake and helping save the life of a little girl is all part of the job. I love them all.
Standing, I smooth my hands down the front of the floor-length evening gown I’m wearing. It’s sleeveless, made of thick navy silk with a full skirt and a beautiful floral print near the bottom. I went back and forth over wearing my hair up or down and finally went with down, over one shoulder.
Taking a nervous breath, excitement tightening my throat, I make my grand entrance.
“Mamma!” Dove gasps, holding her cheeks. “You’re a princess!”
“Dang, sis,” is the best I get from Leon.
Taron’s expression squeezes my chest. He straightens, taking his hand out of his pocket, and he appears stunned, like he’s seeing the sunrise for the first time. “You are so beautiful.”
Heat floods my cheeks. My heart beats faster, and I look down, letting a dark wave fall across my cheek. He slides it away with his fingers and pulls me into a hug.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep inhale of his scent. I feel the strength in his body, and the reins binding my heart are finally loosened. The fear is gone, and I’m free to love this man completely, with my head and all my heart.
“I’m really glad you decided to go tonight.” His voice is low, but I feel his arm moving.
Looking around, I see our daughter tugging on his sleeve. “Me too, Daddy…”
He grins and picks her up, holding her on his hip. She puts her arm around my neck, pulling all three of us together in a hug, and I kiss her hair.
A moment passes, and my brother piles into my side. I start to laugh, lifting my arm and pulling Leon into our group hug. Next thing we know, Akela shoves her nose into the middle, and Dove starts to wiggle.
Taron lets her down, and she hugs Akela before skipping into the living room, our dog following behind her.
“Y’all have fun.” Leon follows after her, and I turn to my date.
“Shall we do this?”
He holds out an elbow, and I slip my hand in it.
We’re back in the civic center, and it’s about the same as it was the night of the Peach Ball. Looking around, I see the familiar faces of our friends smiling at us. The whole town knows about what happened to Dove… and how we all saved her, but mostly her daddy.
“So glad you guys could make it.” Ed Daniels stops us at the door, shaking Taron’s hand and giving me a hug.
Sawyer is in the back talking to Jeff Priddy, and when our eyes catch, his brows rise. He gives me a little thumbs-up, and I shake my head with a grin.
Mindy swirls up with a guy I don’t know right behind her. She’s in a gorgeous butter-yellow gown, and her date is in a well-tailored lavender suit. It’s clear they’re not together in a romantic way.
“Gorgeous.” She steps forward to kiss both my cheeks. “You look like a supermodel.”
“Thanks.” I hug her back, speaking close to her ear. “I expected you to be with Deacon.”
“He’s in Dallas.” She motions to her escort. “Noel, Taron, this is William. We met in art school, and he’s looking for a new roommate.”
“Nice to meet you, William.” Taron shakes his hand, and William’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Is this the hero I’ve been hearing about? You are wearing that suit, sir. Bravo.”
“Ahh… Thanks, I guess.” Taron pats his shoulder, and Mindy laughs.
“You have to learn to take a compliment, T.”
“Wait…” My brow furrows. “What’s all this roommate business? You’re moving out?”
“I’m thinking of moving to Dallas. I’ve got a job offer at a design firm, and well… I think it’s time for a change.”
“Nooo…” I hold her arm, but she pushes me.
“It is your birthday. Dallas is not that far away, and you can come see me any time. We’ll talk about it later.” She puts her hand in William’s arm and blows me a kiss. “Happy birthday. Have a ball!”
They sweep away, and I look up at my gorgeous man.
He looks down at me, and smiles, taking my breath away. “Shall we dance?”
The band plays a slow Christmas song about driving home for Christmas, and Taron pulls me close, placing his hand against my lower back and holding my other to his chest.
We sway side to side, and I’m lost in a magical place with his arms around me, the yellow twinkle lights glancing off his hypnotic eyes, and the heat rising from our bodies pressed together.