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“Surprise,” Dee said.
I cocked my head, my confusion deepening. “Well, I am that.” I looked at Zack. “What’s going on?”
“First, I’d like to introduce you to the buyers of the Skaggs Place.”
I whirled toward my sister, my eyes widening. “You are the engaged couple buying Zack’s place?”
“That would be us,” Dee said, putting her arm around Hank.
“This is so awesome,” I said, dancing around the foyer. When I passed Zack, I punched his arm. “You are horrible. You knew I’d love this.” I whirled toward Dee again. “He’s been hinting that he might move somewhere else.”
Zack draped his arm around my shoulders. “She got so nervous, she proposed.”
“Zack! You’re not supposed to tell that.”
Dee and Hank laughed while my face heated.
“Would it help if I brought you a present for your engagement?” Dee asked.
My frown returned. “I am so confused.”
“I’ll explain,” Zack said. “These two were supposed to come over this afternoon after I proposed to you. They were bringing a cake and your present, which I do not see. Guys? Present? Cake?”
Hank got a sheepish look on his face. “Yeah, we got the cake like you asked, but the present ate it.”
I looked at Zack and arched a brow. “My present ate my cake? What in the world have you done?”
Dee shrugged. “Backyard. It seemed the safest place.”
I grabbed Zack’s hand and pulled him through the house and into the backyard, where I promptly squealed with delight. A large, black puppy galumphed toward me, spilling over its feet on the way. On the dog’s face was a smear of icing.
“You got me a dog,” I said. “A very big dog.”
“She’s a rescue,” Zack said. “The animal shelter said she’s a six-month-old lab and golden retriever mix. I know you’ve been missing Baxter.”
“Oh, Zack.” I started crying and hugging him. “Thank you. She’s beautiful. Does she have a name?”
“Not really,” Zack said. “The pound has been calling her Belle.”
I wrapped my arms around the dog’s neck as the puppy slobbered all over me. “Oh, Belle, I love you so much. We are going to have so much fun.”
“I think you did good, brother-in-law-to-be,” Dee said.
“Thank you.”
“Sorry about the cake,” Hank said as he shook Zack’s hand.
“No big deal. There’s always cake.”
“Show Andi what we got,” Dee said to Hank.
He nodded and headed out through the fence gate.
I was sitting in the grass playing with Belle, the dog lying on her back with her legs in the air while I scratched her belly.
The fence gate squeaked seconds before a black streak shot through the yard.
“What was that?” I asked and then started laughing as another black dog ran over to greet Belle. “Who is this?” I asked as I rubbed the new dog.
