Page 20 of Pack Plus Three

“Yeah, those are the ones,” I admitted.

“Did you lock your door?” he asked, frowning when I shook my head.

“Didn't think I needed to lock up if I was just coming over here.”

Jeremy sighed. “Where are your keys?”

“Right by the front door, above the shoes. I can go lock up,” I said.

“Stay here. I'll be back in a minute with your shoes, then we can go get your fries. After I lock your door.”

“Blame the baby brain!” I called after him as he walked out of his apartment. Gilbert came and sat next to me, not even bothering to follow his owner. “I would have just gone to get my shoes and keys myself, but I have a feeling your dad would not be very happy about that,” I told the dog.

He just looked up at me with those big puppy dog eyes.

He totally agreed with me.

Chapter 10

Jeremy

Iwas happy to run to Daisy’s apartment and grab her keys and shoes. Part of me wanted to insist on driving her to get fries, but a little light exercise was probably good for her.

Grabbing her shoes, I checked to see if she had any sturdier pairs and was disappointed that there weren't any. Daisy wasn't the most stubborn of people, but she definitely wouldn't let me buy her new shoes. Yet.

Maybe I could get her a gift card and say that it was left over from Christmas? I wasn't above lying to help her. If things went the way I wanted them to, then soon enough, Daisy would be totally open to my love and affection and overbearingly caring ways.

But I had to take things slowly.

She'd clearly been hurt before. Her current predicament was evidence of that. I didn't know how she would react if I just came barrelling in, insisting on all this change. Everything I wanted to do was for her own benefit, but she could be resistant to that.

I was pleased to see that the deadbolt was still firmly in place. I hoped she had been using it. When I had left that first night after installing it, I had waited until I heard the click of the latch before going back to my own place.

Part of me had considered installing a security camera outside of my own front door. The camera would conveniently also cover the space in front of her front door, so I could make sure she was safe—y’know, because I was a good neighbor.

I was probably going into stalker territory, but frankly, I was beyond caring. I wanted Daisy to be safe and happy; if I had to do some creepy things to make that happen, well, that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

Once I locked her door, I placed her keys in my back pocket and made my way back. Daisy was leaning over and petting Gilbert. They looked so perfect together. Despite her clearly exhausted and aching state, she was radiant.

“I've got your shoes. They were right where you said they would be.”

“That's good.” She laughed. “Knowing my baby brain, I probably would have forgotten that I'd left them in the trash can or something.”

“Have you been leaving things in the trash can a lot?” I asked, not sure I really wanted to know the answer.

“I put a load of clean laundry in the trash the other day. My stupid pregnancy brain thought it was the laundry hamper. I had to wash them all over again.”

I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh at her. “That’s...something.”

“You can laugh. It’s downright idiotic. I really hope once this little parasite leaves my body, I will get some semblance of my intelligence back.”

She sat down on the armchair and leaned forward to try and get her shoes on. Unfortunately, her belly was in the way, and she made a frankly adorable grunting noise as she did so.

“Here,” I smiled at her as I knelt and gently took her shoe off her. “Let me help.”

She groaned. “I'm useless.”

“You're not useless. You're growing an entire human being right now. I think it's forgivable that you can't manage a lot of things,” I reasoned, gently sliding her foot into the shoe and tying up the laces. Up close, I was treated to a waft of her delectable pastry and apple scent. God, I wanted to drown in that scent. “There, ready to go.” I smiled up at her.

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