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I shake my head. “Just a few more minutes.”

“Okay,” he says, turning back to watch the puppies climb all over each other.

“I actually have a question for you.”

His eyes widen and he sits up straight. “Oh, shit, this is new. Let me prepare myself.”

“Shut up.” I laugh, shoving him. He falls to one side and a few puppies jump up and swarm him. “I was wondering if you could tell me more about Logan’s grandparents.”

“Yeah,” he replies with a soft smile and from just a look, I can see his fondness for them. “So, as you know, my home life wasn’t great and Logan’s dad ran off when he was a kid so his grandparents watched him when his mom had to work. They had this cabin out in the woods with a lake in the backyard and we loved going out there. Elsie and Samuel were just amazing to be around, you know? They had the kind of energy that drew people to them and as a kid from a broken home, seeing their love for each other and for Logan, it just stuck with me.”

“I was always jealous when I saw a dad and daughter out somewhere, like they were taunting me with the missing piece of my life, you know?” I offer up and he nods.

“Yeah, there was definitely some of that but mostly they taught me that I didn’t have to be my upbringing. Samuel knew about my mom and her boyfriends, so he always made it a point to teach me how to treat a lady and how to be a good man.”

“He did a pretty fantastic job.”

He flashes me a shy smile. “Thanks, Princess.”

“How did they fall in love?”

Chance laughs, shaking his head. “Well, if you asked Samuel, he would tell you about the time he saw Elsie kick a bully in the shin on the playground. They were just kids and he said he knew in that moment she was meant for him.”

“And if you asked Elsie?”

“They had always been friends, but she didn’t find out about Samuel’s feelings for her until high school. After he graduated, Samuel joined the Army and it was hard, but they made it work. After he was discharged, he built the cabin for her.”

“Sounds like you know the story pretty well.”

He nods. “Yeah, well, they told it often and they would look at each other and you could just see the connection. Even as a kid, I recognized it was something special and I wanted it. And now, I’ve found it.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks and I glance down at the puppy in my lap. “I never thought I’d be happy like this. After everything they did to me, I thought this wasn’t in the cards for me, but you showed me how wrong I was.”

“Anytime you need me to straighten you out, I’ll be here, Darlin.”

I roll my eyes and he laughs as I set the puppy in my arms down to play.

“You ready to get out of here?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah.”

We take the puppies back to their cages, making sure they’re all comfy before we head back out to the hallway. Chance takes my hand and pulls it to his lips, smirking at me as he kisses it.

My mood is definitely improved from earlier and despite my objections, I know this is exactly what I needed. Plus, Chance was right. If anything happens, someone will get in contact with us. I can’t spend all day in my apartment, worrying myself to death. If Ivy were here right now, she would insist I get out and have fun with my man.

“So, where to next?” I ask as Chance opens the passenger door of his truck and helps me up.

“The apartment.”

“What? Why?”

“Because, you need to change,” he says, glancing down at my t-shirt. I wince at the dog hair and pee spot before nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, okay.”

Nodding, he shuts my door and circles behind the truck before climbing in behind the wheel and firing the truck up. As we pull out of the parking lot, he grabs my hand and I turn to the window, a smile on my face.

Who knew I could be this happy?