Chapter 38
Bella
MOM don’t bring back any dogs, no matter how cute they are
you have enough on your plate
BELLA Mom, I told you I’m not adopting a dog, just supporting Grayson and the charity
MOM you will take one look at them and want to get them all
BELLA so?
MOM so don’t
and say hi to Grayson for me
also tell him that it was the husband
BELLA will he even know what I’m talking about?
MOM absolutely
stop dead in my tracks. Layla’s yapping about her latest romance novelI which is going in one ear and out the other the moment I spot Grayson step out of a barn up ahead, a large carefree smile spread across his face as he
slaps Kieran on the back in greeting.
At first, I’m struck by the joy lighting his face, the happiness that seems to radiate off him, but as his eyes scan the crowd, his smile faltering, I find I’m not holding my breath because of how attractive he is today. I’m holding my breath because I think he’s — He spots me through the crowd, that smile stretching across his face once more as he lifts a hand and waves at me, telling Kieran something as he
makes his way over.
He was searching for me.
I feel like slapping myself. Of course he was searching for me. I’m here to be his pretend girlfriend; any rational fake boyfriend would seek their
partner out.
“Oh my god,” Layla breathes beside me.
“What?” I spin to her, watching as her icy blue eyes flick between me and Grayson’s fast approaching form. “Is there something on my face?”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s just…” Clearing her throat, she mutters, “Nothing.”
I make a note to pester her for answers later, only for my thoughts and the whirlwind of anxious flutters in my stomach to come to a halt.
In Grayson’s hand is a hot pink lead, and following its tether is the most adorable golden retriever I’ve ever seen. In its mouth is a small white Lamb Chop teddy bear, and its tail is thumping wildly as its eyes dart all around. To top off the cuteness level, it’s wearing a bright pink vest with a patch on the side that says, Hi! I’m deaf and a little anxious but I love people!
Layla and I both gasp in sync, our knees dropping to the grass as Grayson and the adorable dog get close. The dog makes a beeline for us, its tail wagging a mile a minute as our grubby hands reach out to pat it.
“Stop, this is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!”
Layla gushes, placing kisses all over the dog. “You are such a gorgeous doggo, yes you are. Oh, you’re so beautiful!”
Grayson chuckles. “Do I get a hello too or just Bambi?”
At the name, Layla and I burst out into coos and awes.
“Just Bambi. That’s the cutest name ever.”
Layla cries out, “Why do I have to be moving? I want to take you home.”
Lifting my head, I find Grayson smiling down not at Bambi but at me.
My cheeks heat. “How long has the shelter had her?” I ask.
His smile falters. “Six months.”
Layla and I both gasp.
“Six months?” I shake my head. “Why on earth…” My words trail off, what I was about to say dying on my tongue. No dog deserves this. “If I could I’d buy a huge block of land and take them all.”
Grayson’s lips twitch. “Great minds seem to think alike, Blaze.”
Layla’s eyes cut to mine at the nickname I can’t get Grayson to stop calling me. But who am I kidding, I have barely tried to make him stop. For some reason it makes my heart skip a beat despite not knowing why he calls
me that.
“Is she partially deaf?” I ask.
“From what the vets say she’s lost all hearing capability.”
“The poor baby,” Layla murmurs, now giving belly rubs to Bambi. “Who would ever want to give her up? Look at her, she’s so precious.”
“Would you want to adopt her?” Grayson asks, hopeful.
It makes me realize just how much he cares about these dogs getting adopted. It’s not just a social media post or how it looks to the internet, he truly cares.
Layla’s smile vanishes. “I wish. I meant what I said before, I’m moving to Berlin next week for a year.”
Grayson’s gaze immediately jumps to my face, a flash of concern there and gone before he turns back to Layla. “You don’t sound too thrilled about the move.”
She gives him a friendly smile. “It’s a sore subject.”
Remembering what Layla said before, I clap my hands. “How can we help? Put us to work!”
Taking the hint, Grayson drops the subject, and I don’t miss the grateful smile Layla sends my way.
“Just give any dog you pass love. A lot of them have tragic backstories and just want attention.”
Layla clutches her chest. “I hate people who do this to animals.”
“Same,” Grayson agrees, a faraway look entering his gaze. “The stories I hear at the shelter give me nightmares.” Shaking his head, his eyes widen before a pink tint blooms across his cheeks. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I’ve heard so much about you I feel like I’ve already met you.” Holding out his hand for Layla, he drawls, “I’m Grayson, and it’s so nice to meet Bella’s best friend.”
Layla’s smile stretches wide as she stands, to Bambi’s dismay. Shaking Grayson’s hand, she chuckles. “The same could be said for you. Thank you
for taking care of her, by the way. I know it isn’t an easy feat.”
“Hey!” I protest, but the pair ignore me.
“So, it’s not just toward me then?”
Layla rolls her eyes. “God no. She’s been this way since middle school.”
Bending down, I lock my gaze on Bambi’s brown eyes, noting how they seem to melt as she gives me a puppy dog look. “I don’t mind being ignored when such a cute girl like you is around.” I scratch behind her collar, seeming to hit a spot as her back leg begins to thump.
How could anyone give up a pet? I will never understand abandoning an animal that I willingly went out of my way to get.
As my heart pangs, I refocus on Layla and Grayson’s conversation, realizing that he’s handed her a clipboard.
“Thank you, this would help so much. If anyone talks about wanting to adopt in the near future, try and get them to write down their details so we can contact them about pets who come into the rescue. Even those who might want to foster.”
Layla’s nodding along, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she takes the instructions seriously. It’s the thing we both have in common and why we bonded so much in school. I was a stickler for rules and Layla never wanted to disappoint her parents or teachers. We were a perfect fit from the moment we met.
Grayson whistles as he spots something behind us. “Here you go, you can try on this big bastard. Care to put your name and number down for rescuing or fostering an animal in the future?”
A derisive snort at my back has me rising, then Kieran’s voice adds, “Fuck no, don’t put my number down.”
Grayson rolls his eyes. “The women at the shelter aren’t going to stalk you, Kieran. Believe it or not, not every woman loves you.”
“Probably the opposite,” I mutter, earning a snort from Grayson.
“Why don’t you put your number down?” he shoots back.
Grayson gives him a deadpan glare. “Just let her write your number down, dipshit.”
Kieran rolls his eyes but as Layla turns, his stride comes to a stop as he notes the clipboard in her hand. His smirk is slow but ravenous, and his eyes eat her up. “Okay, put my number down,” he drawls.
I’m about to snap my fingers in front of him like he’s a dog who needs to be told off, but to my utter shock, Layla looks him up and down, not affected
in the slightest. “No thank you. I don’t want to catch something if you touch my pen.”
My jaw practically unhinges. Grayson stands beside me, shell-shocked, as Kieran’s eyes widen.
“Have a thing against hockey players?” Kieran asks, blinking away his
surprise.
“Hockey players, no. Players, yes.”
“Damn, Lil,” I whisper, but she barely registers me as Kieran bites the inside of his cheek.
Grayson leans over, whispering under his breath, “Is she normally like
this?”
“Not at all.”
Kieran scoffs. “Trust me, you’ll want my number for later when you realize who I am.”
That has Layla stiffening. “I know exactly who you are. You’re the only dog here who deserves to be neutered and in a kennel.” With that, she spins on her heel, clipboard in hand as she stalks off.
My head tips back on a howl of laughter, Grayson doing the same. I have tears leaking out of the corner of my eyes from the shock of Layla turning down Kieran. I’ve never seen her like that with a man before. My sweet, kind, and caring Layla just handed Kieran his ass.
Grayson is hysterical beside me. “Holy shit, dude, I wish I got that on camera.”
Kieran clutches his chest as if wounded, his jaw open a little as he turns to us. “I’m going to marry that woman.”
Before either of us can stop him, Kieran is off, chasing after Layla and her flaming red hair.
Grayson shakes his head at his best friend’s retreating form. “He’s like a dog with a bone.”
“Then Layla’s assessment isn’t too far off.”
Grayson snorts at that. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t drool all over her.”
“Mr. Crawford?” a soft female voice interrupts.
Grayson turns to who I’m presuming is a worker of the shelter based on the uniform.
“ABC has arrived for the interview. They’re waiting in the main barn house, and they said they need an updated photo of the founder for the piece.”
“Well, that’s not happening,” he says in a flat voice.
“They aren’t taking no for an answer.”
“Seems like everyone is needing to be taught that lesson recently.”
Sighing, he shakes his head. “I’ll handle it, Liz, thank you. Have you met my girlfriend, Bella?”
It takes everything in me to not widen my eyes at how easily that title rolled off Grayson’s tongue. Pointedly ignoring the way my heart flips, I smile. “Liz, was it?”
She nods. “I’m one of the co-founders. Have been working with Grayson since the moment he opened Safe Haven Trails.”
My head cocks to the side, my hand in hers going limp. “Since he opened…?”
Liz’s eyes widen before cutting to Grayson. “Seriously?” she hisses.
Grayson’s face turns red and suddenly everything clicks into place.
“You’re not just a volunteer…are you?”
Liz arches a pointed brow at her—I now realize—boss. “I’ll leave you to make amends for that one. I’ll deal with ABC, just be ready with the team for an interview, volunteer.” Liz spins on her heel, heading in the direction of the barn.
Bambi whines between us, demanding to be pet, and as Grayson kneels, giving her attention and love, I tsk. “No, don’t go being cute with Bambi.
What the fuck, Grayson?”
He flashes me a crooked smirk. “You think I’m cute?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “For the love of god, Grayson, focus on what’s important.”
His eyes never leave mine as he whispers, “I am.”
Ignoring the way he’s looking at me, I bend, giving Bambi belly rubs as she rolls over onto her back, her Lamb Chop dangling from her mouth. “You don’t think your girlfriend should know that you created one of the largest animal rescue organizations in the state?”
I can’t keep the hurt from my voice, and by the way his back straightens, I know Grayson heard it. His shoulders slump as he reaches out, placing a gentle hand on my knee. “I’m sorry I kept this from you.”
“Why don’t more people know?”
He rubs the nape of his neck. “Because it’s not about me, it’s about the animals, and if I announced I was not just a volunteer but the founder, that’s all people would focus on.”
“I get that,” I say, nodding until my chest pains. “But I don’t know why you didn’t tell me.”
His lips part, his eyes growing wide as he frantically searches my face.
“I’m sorry for hurting you,” he whispers, squeezing my knee. “I just…” He takes a deep breath. “It felt like I would be claiming it for the wrong reasons if I told you, and I didn’t want you to think of me that way.”
The sincerity in his tone, the way his eyes seem to plead with me, makes me pause. “You thought it would be showboating?”
He pokes his tongue into his cheek. “I kept picturing how it would sound in my head and all I came up with was, oh Bella, by the way, I own the entire organization and started it from the ground up. Pretty cool, right?”
“Yeah, it is pretty cool and not at all showboating.”
He gives me a blank stare.
A beat passes.
“Okay fine,” I relent. “I can see why you were unsure of how to say it.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m still hurt.” His eyes widen. “As your girlfriend,” I emphasize, hoping he buys it, but something tells me he doesn’t.
“Let me go do this interview, and then I’ll make it up to you.” His eyes are piercing mine, those blue depths stealing my breath, and suddenly all I can remember is the way he pinned me to the door and ravished my mouth.
That and the rink, the way he held me against him and so easily lifted me — I shake my head to clear the thoughts.
But the heat in his eyes tells me Grayson knows exactly what I was just remembering.
“Okay,” I whisper, surprised to hear my voice is hoarse.
His smile stretches, that lone dimple popping out to wink at me.
Suddenly, all I want to do is kiss it.
“I’ll come find you. Do you think you can watch Bambi? She seems to like you.”
Smiling down at the golden retriever looking up at me with big brown puppy eyes, I coo, “Of course I can.” But Grayson makes no move to leave.
Lifting my gaze, I find his on me, searing me to the spot.
The chaos around us pauses. The sounds evaporate, and suddenly, it’s just us.
My lips part as Grayson’s tongue darts out to lick his lips.
His hand is still on my knee, the heat of his skin burning me something
fierce, and I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing I am. That we’re in a public space and I am fully in the role of his girlfriend.
“Aren’t they waiting for you?” I probe, testing.
“They can wait some more.”
I can feel my body melting toward his, can feel the heat of my skin, the rush of my blood, the pumping of my heart.
Until a big slobbery tongue licks up the side of my face.
I burst out laughing at Bambi now sitting between us, panting. I can smell what she had for breakfast.
“Seems I’m not the only one vying for your attention,” Grayson drawls, the sound of his deep timbre voice sending a shiver down my spine.
My brow quirks. “You have some competition.”
“I’ve never shied away from a challenge.”
Biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling, I settle on, “You should really go before Liz comes back with another thing to be cross about.”
He rolls his eyes but stands. “She always has something to be cross with me about.”
I stand too. “I’ll keep Bambi company. Now go.”
Before I can blink, he leans over and kisses my cheek, his lips sending electricity through my body. I don’t even have time to say anything before he’s walking toward the barn. Bambi also seems to watch him go in stunned silence.
“You and me both, Bambi. You and me both.”
A low whistle has me flinching.
“That man is smitten,” Layla says as she comes to stand beside me.
My breath hitches. “No, he isn’t. We’re in public, Lil.” I drop my voice.
“It’s all a show.”
All fake, I remind myself.
Layla shakes her head. “I don’t think so. You should see how that man
stares at you,” she says wistfully.
“How does he stare at me?”
“Like you’re his reason for breathing.”
My eyes lock on Grayson as he peeks over his shoulder at me one last time before disappearing into the barn.
Suddenly, my chest is tight. I need to change the topic.
“If we want to talk about being smitten, let’s talk about Kieran with his
tongue hanging out. What the hell was that before?”
She winces. “I know. That was harsh, right?”
“Justifiably funny is more like it.”
Layla and I walk and talk around the park, hoping to have someone notice and adopt Bambi. People smile at her and the cute vest but don’t approach.
How odd.
Maybe because we don’t have a volunteer shirt on? Although Layla now has a Safe Haven Trails hat on her head and still has that clipboard in her hand which, as I peer over, I realize she’s been busy.
Layla groans. “I have no idea where that came from!”
“It’s okay. I mean, all things considered, it ended with him saying he wants to marry you, so I don’t think you knocked his ego down too much.” I pause. “As a matter of fact, do it again.”
She rolls her eyes. “I did… He found me.”
Eyeing her, I note that her cheeks are a little flushed. I pull Bambi and Layla both to a stop. She’s trying to lie. I gasp. “Oh my fucking god, are you attracted to Kieran?”
Layla’s eyes widen. “No!” A panicked look overcomes her before she blurts, “Well, I mean yes! Obviously he’s conventionally attractive.” She wrings her hands. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the puck bunny sites —”
“There’s puck bunny sites?”
“You have no idea. Anyways, Kieran is on them a lot, and I mean a lot.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. The man is a fuckboy.”
Layla nods feverishly. “I know, so tell me why he grosses me out but at
the same time I want to lick his face?”
My jaw drops open. “Layla!”
She shrugs, holding up her hands in surrender. “I know, okay? I know!
That’s why I was mean. I was hoping if I shut him down and ignored him the little stomach flips would go away, but then he just got smart with me and I don’t know why but that turned me on even more.” She snaps her head up.
“His eyes twinkled, Bella. Twinkled!”
I can’t help it, I laugh at her outburst.
She stomps her foot, whisper-hissing at me, “This isn’t funny!”
“But it is,” I say around a chuckle.
“All this time I’ve been judging these women for sleeping with him and then crying about how he wants nothing more, and then here I am in the flesh with him and my body reacts the same way!”
“He is charming, I’ll give him that much.”
“I feel gross.”
My brow quirks.
Layla relents, “Fine, I feel gross that I don’t feel gross in his presence.”
She licks her lips. “And it was…fun, teasing him. I’ve never teased a boy—
no, man—before.”
I wink. “Fun, isn’t it?”
“I hate to say it, but I absolutely understand his sex appeal now.”
“At least you won’t be here much longer to fall under his spell.”
“I would never,” she snaps. “I can admit he’s attractive but he’s slept with more women than I’ve even met.”
My phone rings, its shrill sound cutting off what I was about to say next.
Taking it out of my bag, I realize it’s the hospital.
“Shit, Lil, sorry. I have to take this.”
She waves me off, bending to pat Bambi. “That’s fine, Bambi and I will be commiserating over dogs.”
Snorting, a smile is on my face until I remember who exactly is calling.
“Hello, Bella speaking.”
“Hi, Miss Stratford?” a young female voice asks.
“Yes, this is she.”
A ruffle of paperwork comes over the line. “My name’s Mary, I work in the financial department at St. Luke’s Hospital. How are you today?”
My heart plummets. Did my wire transfer bounce? Has the price for the drug gone up?
“I’m well,” I murmur, too sick to my stomach to do polite small talk.
“Very well! I’m happy to be calling today to inform you that you were selected by an anonymous donor who has footed the bill for your mother, Mrs. Trisha Stratford, in full.”
Her cheery voice has my mind coming to a screeching halt. “F-footed the bill?” I stutter.
She’s talking as if someone just paid for my drink at Starbucks, not a bill costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Layla, hearing the utter disbelief in my voice, stands, worry lining her freckled face.
“Yes, that’s right, ma’am. The entire bill. It’s your lucky day, Miss Stratford. Congratulations to you and your mother! I’ll be sending over your copy of the receipt. Would you like that to be sent via email or physical
mail?”
“Email,” I hear myself say, but all I can focus on are those two words.
Footed bill.
GOOGLE SEARCH
Search: Can someone pay for someone else’s hospital bill anonymously?
Search: How do you pay for someone else’s hospital bill in full?
Search: Colorado charity that pays for people’s hospital bills.
