Page 45 of Say Yes

“I could cook if you want.”

“No.” He hoped he hadn’t sounded too anxious, but in truth, Sara’s cooking was almost inedible. “We deserve a night out.”

“All right. I’ll have all the housework done before you get home.”

She was always so eager to please him, working extra hard to uphold her end of their bargain of sharing the chores. He shook his head, knowing better than to argue with her again. She was adamant that she always do her share. She worked so hard at making the relationship work, but she never gave him what he really wanted—a declaration of love.

* * *

SARA HURRIED THROUGH the house, making certain everything was tidy, sparing herself enough time to get ready for dinner. She wanted to look extra nice tonight, since Gavin was taking her out. She did her best never to look frumpy around him, though there wasn’t anything she could do about her hair, which would always have a tendency to go its own way, regardless of her coercion. Gavin had told her once that he liked it for that very reason.

She was dabbing on a touch of makeup when the doorbell rang and all four dogs began barking at once. She had to shove animals aside to reach the doorknob, and when she opened it, she wished she hadn’t bothered.

Her ex-fiancé, Ted, stood on the front porch, his hands shoved into his pockets, a suave smile on his handsome face. She took two steps back.

Her simple movement jump-started the outraged barking. All the animals seemed to vie for the greatest show of bluster, growling and snarling and forcing the hair on their backs to stand up. All but the poodle, who couldn’t get his hair to oblige. But he made up for it by taking small, snapping bites of the air very near to Ted’s leg.

“What the hell! Where did you get all these creatures?”

Sara had her hands full trying to calm the animals. “These are my pets. Hush, dogs!” They ignored her. While they had each openly accepted Gavin, not a single one of them seemed inclined to allow Ted past the front door.

Except for Satan.

Satan just sat and watched from a padded chair arm, his round eyes unblinking, his expression suspicious.

Ted tried to shout over the noise. “I’d like to talk to you, honey.”

“I’m not your honey.” Sara made a grab for Maggie, who was behaving in a very un-Maggielike manner. She caught the dog’s collar and began dragging her toward the kitchen, at the same time urging Tripod forward with the edge of her shoe. Ted stepped inside and stared.

“My God. That dog’s missing a leg.”

She ignored him and whistled for Melon, the only one of the bunch who would respond to such a command. The heavily pregnant animal lumbered behind, but she kept looking over her shoulder and growling at Ted. Since Melon was a singularly ugly bulldog, it was a sight to cause awe.

Ted called out, “The damn poodle is still threatening to bite me. Whistle for it.”

“Won’t do me any good,” Sara yelled between bouts of barking. “He’s deaf. Can’t hear me anyway.”

Ted stared at her in amazement. Then his expression suddenly softened. “My poor baby.”

Sara closed the low gate to the kitchen and admonished the dogs to quiet down. Gavin had purchased the spring-action gate after having a night with Sara interrupted. Tripod and Maggie had decided to sleep with them, and Satan, of course, had refused to be left out. In truth, Sara wondered if Satan might not have led the troop.

She picked up the poodle and set him gently over the gate then turned back to Ted. “Now, what exactly did you need, Ted?”

He maintained his tender expression and pronounced, “You. I need you, Sara. And obviously you need me, too.”

Sara stared. “What in the world are you blathering about?”

“It’s plain to see, sweetheart.” He shook his head in a pitying way and smiled again. “You’re surrounding yourself by these pathetic creatures because you miss me. You need to be loved.”

Sara felt as if someone had poleaxed her. She needed to be loved? It wasn’t just permanency she craved? No, of course not. She did want to be loved. She wanted that so desperately, she’d been afraid to admit it, even to herself. She’d been doubly afraid to admit it to Gavin.

Then she stiffened her spine. No more. She wouldn’t remain a coward. She loved Gavin and he deserved the truth, despite what his reaction might be. If he didn’t care enough about her, if he couldn’t learn to love her, then he might want to go now before her feelings began to suffocate him.

Sara paced. How to tell him? She couldn’t very well just blurt it out…

Ted cleared his throat. “Sara?”

She glanced up, surprised to see Ted still standing there. He moved closer, and all the animals were quiet, as if waiting. Sara blinked at him in question.

---