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Hearing about Muffin and Derry’s nightly routine was a comfort. “I’m so glad you’re here for her, Derry. And it’s nice to have you around!”
Barrett’s stomach growled, loudly, and Derry laughed. “The big man needs to eat, and so does Muffin.”
I smiled up into Barrett’s severe face and he shrugged. “I didn’t have lunch.”
We picked up food on the way back to my place, ate, and fell into bed shortly afterwards, both of us exhausted.
Chapter 38
Fundraiser
Barrett
Saturday morning dawned bright and warm. Willa buzzed around getting ready for the day, with no sign of the vomiting from the morning before. He admitted to himself that the thought that she might be pregnant had crossed his mind, and it evoked emotions ranging from sorrow to exhilaration. There was no question, he wanted her pregnant with their child, he just wanted it to be at a time of her choosing. The presiding emotion that morning was relief, mixed with a tiny bit of disappointment.
Fundraising days were typically crazy busy, and he had no reason to suspect today would be any different. Rhys, Bex, Zale, Mara, and Olivia would be at the shelter for the greater part of the day. It was paramount that everyone communicated with Mara throughout the day to let her know who had Olivia so that they could both enjoy themselves.
Rhys decided that Cole and Amelie would stay with his parents until Sunday morning, and Willa had agreed to go there for a late lunch. She was too busy to be nervous. He might be wrong, he hoped he was, and she would be fine, but he was betting that without Mara, Bex, and all the kids there, she was going to be out of her element.
“Viking!” She yelled, “Let’s go!”
He shook his head. If she only knew how he curtailed the urge to carry her off to an island somewhere. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head on his way out the door, in wonderment, still, that he slept with this woman in his arms every night.
She hummed, off-key, all the way to the shelter, breaking off occasionally to tell him something or other.
“So, someone will be watching Muffin the entire day?”
“Yes, curly.”
“And there will be no tours of the surgery?”
“That’s correct.”
“Okay.” She rubbed her palms down her thighs and huffed out a breath. “Okay.”
“And if Muffin is able, we will bring her to your place after lunch at my parents’ place.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was soft. It hurt him.
“Don’t thank me, Willa,” he said gruffly. “We’re bringing her home to die. It’s not something I want to give to you.”
She reached across the seat and placed her hand on his hard thigh. “Thank you, Barrett. It means the world to me that she doesn’t die alone.”
He shook his head as if to argue but she cut him off. “Without me being there. I know she wouldn’t be alone, but I want to be there. I just want her to have a home where she’s loved for once in her life.”
“Curly, you’ve already given her that. Please, know that. She has known love because she has known you.”
“Thank you, honey.”
“I’m going to get you a puppy one of these days,” he promised gruffly.
“Yeah?” she teased. “Is it going to come with a white picket fence?”
He turned quickly enough to catch the look of shock on her face at what had just come out of her mouth.
He grinned at her, his teeth a flash of white in that wild beard. “White picket, wrought iron, drawbridge, whatever you want.”
She laughed and the panic left her face.
