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Charlotte woke up to Sam standing over her, dressed for work.
“Wow, Stevenson.” She stared up at him and blinked a few times. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you looming over people while they are sleeping is creepy?”
Sam laughed and bent the rest of the way down to press a kiss against her forehead.
“I wasn’t looming. You just caught me about to wake you. They called me to work, and I have a favor to ask you.”
“No, I won’t do it,” she yelled, then yanked the blankets over her head.
“I didn’t even ask you yet.” Sam laughed, trying to yank back the covers back. When he couldn’t budge them, he settled for poking her until she used up her air laughing and was forced to emerge.
***
“Hello, I’m Charlotte Baker. Sam Stevenson said he’d call and let you know I would take his shift today?”
Charlotte closed the door to the SPCA building, fully engulfing herself in the scent and sounds of the animals. The girl behind the desk looked up from her files with a friendly, somewhat harried smile. “Hi, Charlotte. Thank you for coming. I’m Naomi. Will you follow me? I’ll set you up with some dogs.”
Twenty-odd canine faces popped to attention when the two women entered the room. Some grinned and wagged excitedly, pressing at the bars. Others sat back, watching with wary eyes that broke Charlotte’s heart.
“I’ll give you two dogs to start with,” Naomi said as she took a double-clipped leash off a hook. “Sam likes to take four, but he’s bigger than us, and I suspect a little crazy.”
Charlotte laughed. “You know him well then?”
“Sam’s been volunteering here in this branch for years. At Christmas, he donates his entire paycheck to the shelter.”
Charlotte blinked, taken aback. “He does?”
The other woman bobbed her head. “We built a dog run out in the back even. It has a plaque with his name on it and everything. He basically paid for the whole thing. What didn’t come out of his pocket, he helped us raise with bottle drives and stuff. We dedicated it to him, even though he forbade us from doing so.”
Charlotte shook her head. “That sounds like Sam.”
“So.” Naomi paused outside the cage of a grinning, scruffy fellow who reminded Charlotte of the Benji from her childhood and cast Charlotte a quick sideways glance. “Are you Sam’s girlfriend? I never heard him mention anyone, is all. But a guy like that...” she trailed off, her cheeks darkening.
“I am,” she said. The words left a warm glow in her chest every time she said them. Charlotte squatted next to the door and extended a hand to the dog. “I’ve known him since I was little. He and his siblings and I all grew up together, and we just recently started dating.”
Naomi nodded. “Those are the best types of relationships, in my opinion.” She gestured to the dog with her chin. “This is Tenley. She’s a mixed terrier breed,” she said, directing the subject away from Sam.
Charlotte greeted the dog, laughing when the little mutt flopped onto her back, nearly knocking Charlotte to the floor with her eagerness for a belly rub.
Naomi selected another cage. “This guy just came in a couple of days ago. His owner passed, and the friend who was taking care of him just wasn’t able to commit full time.” She slid the latch back and opened the door. “Come on, Rocky, old fella.” She patted her knee, and a glossy black body strolled out of the cage. “He’s just the sweetest thing.”
“Oh, my God!” Charlotte gasped, and she dropped back to her knees, tangling herself in the leashes. “Rocky, honey! It’s you.” Rocky butted his head against hers, happily slurping at her face. Charlotte looked up, tears blurring her vision. “Sam is going to need this dog,” she said before bending to kiss Rocky’s head.
Naomi looked confused. “Sam told me he couldn’t have a dog of his own.”
“Well, that’s going to change. Sam has his parents and me, and we are going to give Rocky a home.”
Charlotte told her the story of Mr. Edwards and Rocky’s adventure through the hospital. By the time she finished, Naomi was staring at the dog with tears in her own eyes.
“Please,” Charlotte said, “I know you have procedures and stuff, but can you help me with this? I swear Rocky will be in excellent hands.”
Naomi nodded. “I know he will.” She drew a shaky breath and squeezed Charlotte’s arm, her pretty face splitting into a grin. “I’ll start the paperwork while you are out walking.”
***
Charlotte’s hands were shaking on the steering wheel by the time she parked the car in front of Sam’s apartment building. She grabbed her phone and hit call on Sam’s number, taking a deep breath.
“Hello, beautiful.” He answered after the second ring, his voice groggy. With a pang, Charlotte realized she had forgotten Sam was sleeping after his shift.
“I’m so sorry I woke you,” she said in a rush. “But the craziest thing happened. Can you come outside? I have a surprise for you.”
“Mmmhmm,” he answered amicably, but Charlotte heard a yawn muffled by the rustle of blankets. “Let me clothe myself, and I’ll come right down.”
“What’s up?” Sam appeared at the apartment’s front doors a few minutes later. He had pulled on soft, low-slung pajama pants, and his blond hair stuck out at all angles. Charlotte, for once, found she had no words and just stared at him from where she stood behind her car.
Sam rubbed his eyes, frowning. “Chuck? What’s going on?”
Sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, Charlotte stepped out from behind the car, pulling Rocky along with her.
Sam jerked with surprise, then came forward and dropped to his knees in front of the dog, inspecting the droopy, grinning face. “Oh, my God.” He gave the dog a quick hug and stared at Charlotte. “It’s Rocky!”
She nodded, almost sobbing at the sight of his face. The light caught in his eyes and turned them impossibly blue with excitement and joy.
“He’s yours, Sam, or ours rather. I had to put both our names on the registration and swear left and right I’d be helping with him while you are at work.”
“How—” Sam swallowed hard. “Thank you,” he said, his voice husky. “I can’t even believe this.” He made to stand, but Charlotte dropped to the ground in front of him. She put an arm around Rocky, raising the other to push the hair off Sam’s brow. Words clawed at her throat with the want of freedom. At last, she let them out.
“I love you.” They came out hesitant at first, but the look on Sam’s face empowered her. She ran her hands over his cheekbones. “I love you, Sam, and Rocky loves you, and I’m going to help you with him, and your parents are too, and we’ll make sure he has the best life.”
Sam’s eyes were bright. He squeezed them shut for a moment, then met hers again. “I love you too.” He let out a gasp that could have been a laugh or a sob. “And my knees are killing me.” One popped when he stood and held his hands out to her. “I love you too,” he repeated, pulling her close. Rocky let out a woof and flopped over at their feet, content to warm his belly in the spring sunshine.