Page 119 of Training the Heart

@Nash I love you baby, but you definitely do follow me around like a puppy. Sorry not sorry.

As I said.

NASH

A German Shepherd puppy. A mean one

CECE

Yes, of course baby

NASH

And wild, can’t be trained.

CECE

The wildest.

This conversation has gone off the rails as usual.

NASH

Wade?

I’m going to regret this but what?

NASH

Remember the time you told me if a woman ties you up in knots to shoot you where you stand?

Fuck off.

NASH

No need to be hostile. Just wanted to say welcome to the club

I put my phone in my pocket and make my way to my bedroom, where Ivy is finishing up on the phone with her mom, who two and a half weeks into rehab is doing excellent. Thriving with the treatment, in the coordinator’s words. I gather by the way she’s crying that Ivy has just told her the news about little bean. We just attended our twelve-week ultrasound and everything looks perfect, in the words of Ivy’s new doctor.

We’ve been making space in my cabin for all of her things, which aren’t many, just what she brought with her to Silver Pines

She hangs up the phone and sniffs,

“I’m never not crying these days … especially when, Wade … Iknow.”

I look down at her, and swipe a tear from her cheek, genuinely not knowing what she is talking about, but that happens a lot when she’s in a rambling kind of mood.

“Know?” I ask as I grab my keys off the dresser and put them in my pocket.

“I know. I asked my mom to get the name of the donor program that helped with her treatment, so I could send them a thank you,” she says as I move in front of her and kiss the top of her head.

Shit.I never really intended for her to find that out.

I push her hair off her shoulder and use my thumb to rub her cheek as she looks up into my eyes.

“You’re totally busted, Mr. Ashby,” she says with a knowing look. “Angel’s Wings Foundation?” she adds.

I nod. “Yes, it was technically created by the ranch and we didn’t do it alone. Nash helped too. When I told him I was going to do it, he wanted to go in together. As far as the name … not only did it seem fitting, we had to think of it on very short notice.”

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