“I feel like this is a mistake,” Gabe said as he held the door open for Rachel. He felt the sweat on his palms against the metal door handle.
“Why? It’s all you’ve talked about for the last two weeks.”
“Yeah, but it’s one thing to talk about it. It’s another to have to actually go through with it.”
Rachel rubbed his arm as they approached the front desk. The woman sitting there had them sign in and, after asking a few questions, directed them to a small waiting room while she went to retrieve the person who would help them.
Gabe and Rachel took a seat as they waited. It wasn’t until Rachel put a hand on his knee that he realized his leg was jumping.
“You’re being ridiculous,” she said with a slight laugh.
“This is a big moment for me,” Gabe defended.
Rachel gave him a placating tap. “I know.”
“I don’t think you realize how big of a deal this is. It’s not every day a guy becomes a father.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to—”
Her words were cut off by a door swinging open. “Here he is,” Micah crowed as he walked toward them.
Gabe’s eyes shot toward the voice before drifting lower to the beautiful creature next to him. In that moment, all his nerves and reservations melted away. He sunk to the ground beside the bench he’d been sitting on and held out his hands. “Hiya, buddy.”
Not even a second later, Gabe’s arms were full of excited, wriggling fur. A giant tongue came out to bathe his face.
Rachel and Gabe had gone back to the shelter a few times since they’d gotten back together. With Rachel able to work remotely most of the time, she’d been spending considerable time at Gabe’s place in Philadelphia. After about a week of them mostly hanging around the house, Rachel decided they needed a project.
To Gabe’s chagrin, that project was helping him get over his fear of dogs. Gabe had tried to talk her out of it, but she’d become fixated on the idea, so back they went to the shelter.
Gabe had originally thought Micah was fucking with him when he had him spend more time with Torque, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. Once Gabe got over being nervous around the gigantic animal, Torque also relaxed. Not long after that—during dinner when Gabe was recounting his day with Torque even though Rachel had been there—she suggested that he just adopt the dog he was clearly in love with. Gabe had played it off by asking if Rachel was jealous, to which she shot him the finger, but the seed had been planted.
And now here they were, ready to adopt Torque and take him home. Thank God he was good with cats, since those little assholes had grown on him as well.
Micah handed over the lead, gave some last-minute instructions, and wished them all the best. It nearly killed Gabe to crate Torque for the ride home, but Micah and Rachel had both insisted that it was the safest way for him to travel. Once home, Gabe hopped out of his SUV and practically sprinted to let the dog out. “Come on, buddy. I’m sorry I had to lock you in that prison. The mean lady made me.”
Rachel shot him a dry look that made Gabe laugh. They led Torque around the small patch of grass on the side of Gabe’s building so he could sniff around and do his business. Then they walked him to Gabe’s condo.
Rachel hurried in front of them and started to unlock the door with the key Gabe had given her. She gave him a small smile before throwing the door open.
Gabe heard a loud, “Surprise!” before his eyes processed what he was seeing. Ben, Ryan, Jace, Aly, and some of his other close friends were all standing in his house wearing party hats with dog ears hanging from them. The living room had been decorated with streamers and balloons, most of which said “Congratulations” or “It’s A Boy.”
“You guys look like assholes,” Gabe said, but a laugh soon followed. Because really, who wouldn’t be touched by a surprise party for a dog?
“That’s good, because we feel like them too,” Ben said as he slid his hat off his head.
Everyone laughed and then walked over and greeted Torque. Torque was uncharacteristically shy at first, choosing to stay close to Gabe, but he eventually loosened up. Especially when Rachel brought out the cake she’d had made at a doggie bakery she’d found a few blocks from their place.
As his friends milled around and talked, Gabe sidled up to Rachel and put an arm around her shoulders. “Thanks for this,” he said as he placed a kiss on her temple.
She melted into him. “Of course. It’s not every day the love of my life becomes a daddy to someone else’s offspring.”
Gabe chuckled but then pulled her even closer. “Maybe someday I’ll be a daddy to your offspring too.”
Rachel turned his head and looked deeply into Gabe’s eyes. A slow smile spread over her gorgeous face. “Sounds like a plan.”