Page 81 of Anton

“Anton?” My hand grips the edge of the door. “What are you doing here?”

And why is there a basket at my door?

It’s packed with candy and chocolate, an insulated bag tucked off to the side, and a gray stuffed hippo sitting right in the middle of it. One of its eyes is missing, which only makes it cuter. My attention swings from the basket back to him.

“Did you see who dropped this off?” I point a finger toward the basket.

But who?

He runs his fingers through his hair, avoiding me, and it takes a few long, aching seconds before he says, “I did.”

My eyes widen.

No effing way.

“You…really?”

Is he pulling my leg?

He gives a low, humorless huff. “Trust me, I’m more surprised than you are.”

Why would he do that? Is it because I told him I wasn’t feeling great?

Oh my God, this is so damn cute.

“Anton…” I place a hand over my chest, emotion climbing up my throat.

“Don’t make it a thing,” he mutters, picking up the basket, while I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling too hard.

He looks so uncomfortable that it’s almost hilarious. But no matter what he says, I’m so making it a thing. He cared that I wasn’t feeling well and showed up in a big way, and that means something.

Maybe Anton Marinov doesn’t know how to say what he feels. Heck, maybe he barely knows how to feel it. But this? This says plenty.

“You’re so sweet,” I tell him. “Thank you.”

His eyes cut to mine with a glare that does nothing but make me grin wider. “I’m not sweet.”

“Whatever you say, buddy.”

He groans, which of course only makes me laugh.

I pull the hippo out of the basket and hold it against my chest, my thumb brushing over its worn gray fur. “This is the cutest thing ever.”

“It’s my nephew’s.”

My eyes lift to his. “Lev’s?”

He nods.

“Oh my God, I love Lev. Now it means even more to me.”

“Well, that’s good, because if you hated it, you could blame him.”

“I could never blame him for anything.” Looking down at the hippo, I hug it a little tighter. “And how could I hate something this precious?”

Anton says nothing, his attention lingering on the stuffed animal.

Poor guy. He is so obviously out of his comfort zone, which only makes the whole thing mean more.