Page 99 of Best Laid Plans

"Yeah."

He came to my side of the desk, leaned, and brushed his lips against mine. "Thanks, Sugar."

"Seriously, not a fuckin' matchmaking agency here." Nina filled the doorway of my office, her fists at her hips. She was holding back a smile.

I cleared my throat and straightened.

"This is a workplace," Nina continued.

Anson raised both his hands, palms out. "Sorry, Nina. Won't happen again."

"Right, and pigs will certainly fly," she muttered as she walked away.

I grinned. "Busted."

Anson looked at me and laughed, the kind of light-hearted laugh he used to give me all the time when I first knew him—a laugh that chipped away at my armor.

Good Lord, but this man was trouble!

Chapter 37

Anson

"We can walk to where we're going?" Nova asked.

I'd asked her to dress casually and for the outdoors. I also told her to be ready to leave by seven, which meant that we didn't go for a morning run.

"Sort of," I told her cryptically.

She was in a pair of tailored blue shorts with a collared white sleeveless T-shirt that did wonders for her tits, and was going to give me blue balls.

Her hair was in a ponytail, and her face was made up in a way that it looked like it was not. She had a small backpack with her that she slung on one shoulder. She reminded me of the girl I used to know, and I felt a pang for the years we'd lost, and for the innocence she'd lost because I had been incapable of getting my head screwed on right.

On that crisp spring morning, it took us twenty minutes to reach River Street. The historic waterfront, known for its charming cobblestone streets, vibrant shops, and restaurants, was also the hub for various boat tour operators, including those offering dolphin cruises.

"We're going on a boat ride?" Nova asked excitedly.

"Yep. But not just a boat ride, this is our very own private dolphin cruise."

She lit up like fucking Vegas from space. "No. How did you know?"

"I may have asked around." It was Katya who had told me that Nova had always wanted to see the dolphins but had never seemed to make the time. This was after I'd managed to convince Katya and Trevor (who grudgingly believed me) that I was sincere in my efforts to win back Nova and that I loved her.

We boarded a private boat, and the captain introduced himself to us.

Nova seemed a bit hesitant at first, but as we set out onto the Savannah River, I saw her shoulders relax, and a small smile appeared on her lips. The gentle hum of the boat's engine and the sound of the water lapping against the hull were calming, and I hoped this was just the beginning of a day that would help her let go and enjoy herself.

"Isn't it amazing that there are dolphins in the Savannah River," she beamed.

I hadn't known about the dolphins, but had gone out of my way to learn before I booked this cruise.

As the boat glided through calm waters, the first mate suggested we keep our eyes peeled for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.

"Look over there!" I pointed to a pod of dolphins playing in the distance. Nova's eyes widened with delight as she watched them leap and dive gracefully through the water.

"They're beautiful," she said in awe. "I've never seen dolphins up close before."

We leaned against the railing, watching the dolphins for a while, their playful energy infectious. While the marine mammals entertained Nova, I watched her, absolutely loving her excitement. She looked so much lighter, her usual seriousness replaced with genuine joy.

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