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“I think I just got myself a puppy,” he slowly said, looking at her with slight shock. “I wasn’t sure what to do, but I couldn’t let her take him back.”

“Neither could I.” She leaned in, creating a tight circle. “You were amazing, especially with Sam. We really had no other choice, did we?”

He sighed. “No. Let’s go introduce our new addition to the rest of the family and get a vet to look at that leg.” He shook his head. “But damn, he’s a cute one. And special. I can feel it.”

She stared at Owen, torn between hysterical laughter and tears as the walls she’d carefully built to keep him away crashed down around her. “Yes, he certainly is.”

They walked toward Mia and Ethan, and Chloe wondered why she already felt like they were a family.

thirteen

“Ican’t take the cuteness,” Harper said, watching the puppy toddle around the blanket, peering up at them. “Ophelia, please can’t we take him inside?”

“No. I’ve told you over and over, Harper, no animals in the inn. Guests can be allergic and dog hair gets everywhere. You know the rules.”

Owen swallowed a laugh as Harper gave a pissy grunt, eliciting Aidan to laugh and tug playfully at her hair. “Mo gra’ you’ll have all night to cuddle with him. Did you settle on a name yet, Owen?”

Harper had already volunteered to take the puppy overnight so Owen and Chloe could sleep at the inn. Jonathan and Alyssa were staying with Mia and Ehtan. Owen knew the pup would be in perfect hands.

“No. Figured Chloe can give me a hand with such an important task.”

“It has to be a Disney name, of course,” Chloe said. “To stay with tradition.”

All of the rescue animals at the Bishop farm were dubbed with names from Disney characters they all loved. They took the naming seriously, knowing once an animal received a name, the new identity represented a chance at a new life of happiness and care.

And a rebuilding of trust.

Harper had gone into full rescue mode and after a thorough vet visit, found the puppy had carpal hyperextension syndrome, caused by poor muscle tone. The condition was common in certain puppies. Thank God, it was nothing serious and would eventually heal on its own—the idea that a perfectly healthy puppy would’ve been dumped without thought burned through him, but he had to make peace with it or he’d explode.

It was something he’d learned well in animal law. So he rescued the ones he could, and that made a difference.

It had to be enough.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up. Chloe gave him a smile, and he realized she sensed his thoughts and distress. She’d always been completely in tune with his emotions, a woman who truly understood him from the inside out. He gave a small nod in thanks, took a breath, and stood.

“I’ll get him settled in the barn while we eat,” he said.

“The birthday girl is going to freak if she sees him,” Ethan said, glancing toward the porch where Mia was playing with Evie. “Better keep him hidden or it will be like playing with Hei-Hei all over again.”

“Oh, stop, she’s an angel with the animals,” Harper said. “She’s just fascinated with the chicken’s head feathers.”

“Personally, I’m glad Hei-Hei found his match,” Owen announced. “Let him be the one running away and terrified.”

Aidan arched a brow. “Still have issues with him, Owen? One day, you two will need to form a truce.”

“Only truce we’ll ever have is when he’s on the table for dinner.”

“Owen!” Chloe gasped. “That’s terrible.”

“Just kidding, babe. Meet you inside.”

Laughter scattered behind him. He realized he’d used the familiar endearment without thought, but somehow, it felt right. Today, they’d made progress. The farm was definitely helping strip back the layers so they could re-discover each other all over again.

He set the puppy up in a small crate, next to the horses in the barn for company. The black furball settled right in to sleep, exhausted by the stressful day. He gave Flower and Bambi a stroke on the nose and fed them a carrot. “Keep watch on him, okay? I’ll be back.”

When he got back to the inn, everyone had gathered in the dining room for the party. The guest of honor wore a red sparkly party dress, red Dorothy-like shoes, and a birthday crown. Her highchair was decorated with balloons and wavy sparkly flags that fascinated Evie. She waved her chubby fingers, watching them float and fly in delight.

The table was filled with all the comfort foods he loved. Salted, maple cured ham sat amidst cut apples and bacon, and endless side dishes of mashed potatoes, biscuits, vegetable quiches, and creamed spinach. He ate heartily, relaxing into the familiar banter of the family, a twist of compliments amidst good-natured teasing and insults between the men. Kyle’s father, Patrick, was at the other head of the table, grunting now and then, but basically concentrating on his full plate. Jonathan held his own, even when Ethan pushed at his politics, and Mia hotly defended her PR client against her husband, to everyone’s amusement.