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“At least two, but if you want to go three or four, I’m happy to keep you in that bed to make it happen.” He caught Eliza under the arms seconds after he opened the door and she ran right at him.
“Four what? Puppies?”
“Not puppies,” Shelby said to Eliza. “But you can help Daddy feed Remmy his breakfast before you have yours.”
As he left, he held Shelby’s gaze. “Tonight. You and me. I can’t wait.”
She smiled. “Me, too.”
He tickled Eliza’s belly. “Tell Mommy happy birthday.”
“Happy birthday,” Eliza cheerfully called out. “Presents?”
“Later.” Chase added a shopping trip to his to-do list. “We need to hurry up or we’ll make Mommy late.”
“Someone woke me up very early,” she reminded him.
“My pleasure,” he shot back, giving her a wicked grin as his eyes roamed over the rumpled sheet.
He needed to get going because once Shelby left withEliza he needed to drive over to the ranch, do whatever needed to be done immediately, then head into town so he could pick up a very special surprise for Shelby.
He couldn’t wait for their night out and a chance to show her what their future could look like from now on.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“It’s her birthday.”
“She’s not going to want to celebrate it with you.” His mom knew just how to spoil Kyle’s good mood.
“Stay home. Leave the poor girl alone.” His father gave him that look that said not to defy him.
“I’m an adult. I don’t have to take orders from you anymore. Besides, today of all days she’ll want to see me. Birthdays are celebrated with family. I’m her dad. I have a gift for her, something only I can give her.”
“Don’t,” his mother warned. “You’ll only make things worse.”
“You’ll see. She’ll love it. And we’ll finally be together.” He closed the door on them.
“Don’t do it,” his father called.
“You can’t stop me!” No one would keep him from his daughter on her birthday. No one.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shelby rushed into the salon and smiled at Cyn, ready for a change.
“I have been waiting to do this forever.” Cyn waved her over toward the chair.
Shelby made the appointment first thing this morning when she got in to work, hoping Cyn could squeeze her in at the end of the day for a cut and style for her date tonight. A birthday treat. Something fun and frivolous. Something to make her outside reflect the changes she felt on the inside.
Shelby dropped into the chair and waited while Cyn wrapped the drape around her neck. Then she leaned back so Cyn could wash her hair in the sink behind her.
“I’m trusting you to make me look...” She wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to look like.
“Hotis the word you’re searching for.” Cyn turned on the water, made sure it was the right temp, and wet her hair. “You didn’t give me enough time to do a full color, but I can definitely give you a cut that will flatter your face and knock your Wilde man’s socks off.”
Shelby settled in and enjoyed the scalp massage while Cyn shampooed her hair. “You’ve got magic fingers.” Shelby relaxed like she hadn’t been able to do all day,because she’d been thinking about what she and Chase talked about this morning.
“You’re not the first to compliment me on my hand job,” Cyn teased. She really had it down to a science.
