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“Oh, what kind of surprise,” I say in a sing-song voice, spinning in his arms.
“One that’ll have you screaming my name.”
“That is my kind of surprise,” Tori beams over her shoulder, walking away with Mr. Silver.
I spend the drive guessing what my surprise could be. “Cowboy, give me a hint,” I whine after getting it wrong repeatedly. A smug smile rests on his face as he watches me struggle. “I hate surprises.”
“I know. That’s why this is so entertaining.” I narrow my eyes at him and wish I had something to wash the smug smile off his face. Instead, I sit back and enjoy the ride.
We stop off at a small diner on the way to wherever we’re going. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. Kase probably stopped because the rumble of my stomach was so loud. I tried to mask it by moving around in my seat, but nothing stopped the hunger protest.
“Are you getting me a puppy?” I ask before shoving a fry into my mouth.
His lips twitch and I think I figured it out but then he says, “Nope, but a good guess. If you were to get a puppy, what would you want?”
I tap my finger on my lip thinking. “Hmm… A German Shepherd.”
He does a double take. “I figured you’d want a little cute dog.”
“Little dogs are cute, but I want a protector.”
“What? That’s what you have me for.”
I smile at his frown, having no doubts he would do anything for me. “Will you shake your leg too when I hit the right spot?” I joke.
His frown turns up, flashing one of his dimples. “You hit the right spot and I’ll definitely shake it.”
I throw a fry at him. “You and your dirty mind.”
“I’d love to discuss how dirty it really is, but we need to get going.” He reaches over, grabs a few fries off my plate and stuffs them in his mouth. I slide my plate over and he finishes them in a minute flat. And I thought I was hungry.
The drive is quick and I glance over at Kase, brows pulled together, when we drive into an empty parking lot. I lean forward, gazing out the front window at the huge white warehouse building, wondering why we’re here. Kase parks and slides out of the Jeep. He walks around the back of the car and stands by me, staring at the nondescript building. I scan it looking for a sign. I spot one on the door.
The Lighthouse.
I’ve never heard of this place, yet I drive by it when I go to the women’s shelter. It’s only a few miles down the road. Kase weaves his fingers through mine. “C’mon, let’s go take a look.”
“What is this place?”
“Your surprise.”
My eyes dart back and forth from him to the building. “Should I scream your name now or later?” I tease because I don’t know what else to say in my confusion.
He chuckles, poking me in the stomach. “You think you’re funny, huh?”
“I have my moments.”
He pulls me to the front door and inserts the key to unlock it. When we walk inside, it’s a waiting area. The place has recently been renovated, the smell of fresh paint and new couches and chairs fill the space. It’s very inviting with colors of grey and orange. I like it. He leads me through another locked door, past the reception desk. The desks, chairs, and computers are all brand new. When we enter the main area, my eyes widen at the massive space. The center of the room has couches, chairs, beanbags, and tables. There are rooms down both sides of the building, at least eight of them.
I feel like I’m supposed to see something that will give away why we’re here. When I glance at Kase, his eyes stay pinned on me, watching every reaction I have. I tilt my head and walk around. The first couple of rooms remind me of doctor offices and then the next ones remind me of therapist’s offices with comfortable couches. Still not having a clue, I keep walking. There’s a dressing room type room filled with women’s clothes. I pass more offices and then I stop and gaze into an enormous playroom. A large window allows me to peek inside. Bright colors fill the room with toys and a TV on the wall. I continue my perusal of the place, slowly walking the perimeter of the room.
I freeze when I poke my head into a room. Light from the large window floods the room. There are backdrops hung and professional photography lights. It’s a photographer’s dream room if they are shooting inside.
Is this my surprise?
I spin around, looking for Kase, but he scares me when he’s right behind me. “Oh!” I say, taking a step back. “I didn’t know you were right behind me.” I point to the room. “Is this my surprise? Did you get me a job?”
He slowly nods. “This whole place is yours.”
