He shook his head rapidly, and she chuckled."Okay, point taken."
"Now, where are these doggies?I'm looking forward to seeing them again."
"Well, shit.I was so nervous about getting you here that I didn't even think — we should have stopped at Rosa's on the way to pick them up."He gestured toward his SUV."Do you want to get in and we'll—"
"How far is it to walk?I bet they'd enjoy a run on the way back here."She smiled."And I already know we don't need to worry about them getting lost.They know their way home."
He chuckled and offered her his hand."You're right.It's not far.We drove past Rosa and Luigi's cottage when we came out here that day."
As they set out, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side."And I should warn you now — Rosa's going to be really pleased to see you, and she might give me a hard time."
"Why would she give you a hard time if she's going to be pleased to see me?"
He chuckled."Because she figured out what was going on that day.You thanked her for letting us walk the dogs here, remember?"
"Oh."She made a face."Right.Well, like we said, all that's behind us now."
"Thanks, Callie."
She rested her head against his shoulder as she said, "You don't need to thank me.I was the one who made things so difficult.If I didn't have such a hang-up — or chip on my shoulder — about the difference in our finances, you wouldn't have needed to hide anything, would you?"
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head."That's a pretty generous way to look at it."
She chuckled."Maybe.Or maybe I'm just prepared to admit when I was wrong.But I think we've talked it to death now, don't you?"
He nodded, happy to let the subject drop once and for all.
"Then let's go get these puppies of yours.I can't wait to see them."
Chapter Twenty-One
When Callie opened her eyes on Friday morning, she stared at the white ceiling above her for a moment.White ceiling with fancy trim around the edges, a light fixture that looked like nothing less than a chandelier?What the—?
And then she sat up when it came back to her.
She was at Ollie's place.
She looked around.Everything was so...clean.And nice.She made a face.Nice was such a small word for the grandeur of the room.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched.The place was lovely; she had to admit it.She didn't know how she'd feel about it when Ollie let her inside yesterday.It was big and fancy, there was no denying that, but it didn't feel cold and empty like she'd expected.It felt warm and welcoming — although maybe a little bit empty.Maybe lonely.
She smiled.Maybe it was a reflection of its owner.
She pushed to her feet, and Ollie's T-shirt hung down to her thighs.He was awesome.They'd had such a good time hanging out with the dogs.He'd shown her all around the house, and she loved it.She didn't mind telling him that, either — or that all her assumptions about it had been wrong.It felt like a home in its own way.Granted, not any kind of home that she'd ever lived in, but—
She laughed out loud when she took a step and one of Butter's toys squeaked under her foot.
She hadn't known how things would go at bedtime last night.Of course, she'd been kind of hoping that Ollie might invite her into his room, but it was best that he hadn't.There'd be time for that — although she hoped that time would be coming soon.
He'd walked her up here to this room, the one she'd picked out earlier.This one was the lightest and brightest and had an amazing view over the vineyards and rolling hills.The dogs had come with them, and in the end, Ollie had waited while she changed into one of his T-shirts and climbed into bed.Then he'd sat on the edge, and when she invited them, the dogs had jumped up, too.
Butter had disappeared after a while but came back with his toy and presented it to Callie.Ollie had joked that he was leaving it so that he'd have to see her again.
She picked it up and set it on the end of the bed before heading into the shower.
She'd already selected one of Ollie's T-shirts and a pair of sweats to wear today.And she'd rinsed her underwear last night and left it on the heated towel rail thing to dry.She was impressed that it had worked, and she wouldn't need to wear a pair of his boxers.
She smiled; he'd seemed to like that idea.
