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I removed my oxygen mask. Teague tried to stop me, but I swatted his hand and crooked my finger. He leaned close. He smelled like smoke and home.
I brushed my lips against his. He saved my life. Our lives. I couldn’t live without this man, and he needed to know that. “I love you.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Teague
“You didn’t haveto go to these lengths to get us in a fancy apartment.”
Pepper elbowed Miss Adeline in the side.
“I heard that,” Vivian said as she straightened the table of dog treats for humans.
Pepper blushed. I hid my smile.
Vivian had suggested postponing the fundraiser, but these two had insisted it go on. Pepper’s exact words had been “get it over with” because she knew many of the dogs would be adopted as a result of the event. It had been nine days since the fire, and even though the doctor had ordered bed rest for both of them, they were here. Upright. Caring for their dogs. I’d never known anyone, let alone two hard-headed women, take such care for dogs before. She amazed me. They both did really.
“It worked, didn’t it?” Miss Adeline elbowed her back. “But you blew us shacking up with another handsome man.”
Pepper rolled her eyes.
Lincoln had insisted we all stay at his place, but Daniel and Vivian had offered one of the empty apartments in their building. Pepper felt it was best to go there because most of the dogs were already there and they had room for more.
Lincoln would’ve gladly transformed the basketball court, but Pepper was right.
They’d gone straight from the hospital to a new home, and we’d all adjusted well.
Daniel shook my hand. “Were you able to salvage anything?”
My loft had been a casualty of the fire too. I’d had visions of knocking down the wall between the two apartments but not like that.
“A few things. The most important ones.” I pointed to Pepper and Miss Adeline.
They hadn’t made any decisions on what they were going to do with the destroyed property yet. Daniel and Vivian were kind enough to give them all the time they needed to figure it out.
“We’re going to get these babies a ton of money today.” Vivian looped her arm through her husband’s. “Aren’t we?”
“I assume we’re both writing a check,” he said dryly.
She bumped his hip. “Ding. Ding. Ding.”
Pepper shifted uncomfortably. She had a hard time taking help or money from anyone. Though she was learning to, it still wasn’t easy for her.
Ash pawed my leg. I stooped and she rolled over. “You want a belly rub?”
By a miracle, she’d recovered from smoke inhalation twice. And now that I had expert help, she was mine. Well, ours. But she always had been. It just took me longer to realize that.
Sadie and Muffy crept to the buffet table. They sniffed and looked around innocently. Pepper watched with amused hawk eyes.
Muffy put his head on the table. Sadie went for it, snagging a treat Garrison had crafted. The towering display toppled.
It rained treats on their heads. Muffy gobbled up as many as he could like a vacuum.
“Sadie,” Pepper scolded before she covered her mouth.
These two were up to their old ways like they’d never missed a beat. Dr. Lyons hadn’t been confident they’d make it through the first twenty-four hours, but somehow, they’d fought for their lives. After a few more days, Sadie had caused so much trouble at Dr. Lyons’s office they’d given her a going away party when she’d recovered.
“Told you the guests would love them,” Vivian called to Garrison.
