A cute blush rides up her cheeks. “I saw it last week at the Pink Hibiscus, and it made me think of you.” Her eyes widen with her stutter. “Y-your turtles…it made me think of your turtles.”
She was thinking of me? A warmth spreads through my chest, and my pulse kicks up a few notches. “I love it.”
She gives me a shy smile, then slips on her shoes and grabs the gray checked afghan off her couch.
“You sure you want to take that to the beach? I have a blanket in the car.” I gesture toward my truck.
“It’ll wash. Should I grab something to drink? Some snacks?”
I shake my head. “Already have a cooler packed for us.”
Her smile widens as she studies me. “Then I guess I’m ready to go.”
The ride to the beach is short…and silent. I hope that’s just because she’s still waking up, and I gotta say, sleepy Hannah is even more adorable…and very attractive.
Once there, I introduce Hannah to some of the other volunteers, who arrived early as well before traipsing our way to our assigned zone. An explosion of color in the sky heralds thebeginning of sunset, and a distinct chill rides the wind blowing in from the ocean.
I scope out an ideal location based on the nests in our zone and put the cooler down. “We can set up here and then start making rounds.”
Hannah drops her afghan onto one of the chairs. “You sound like a doctor.”
I grin. “Kind of fits, actually. This is like a delivery room when you think about it.”
For some reason, this makes her giggle.
“What’s so funny?”
She covers her mouth for a moment. “I was just thinking about your expression when Bandit pooped on your shoe, and I said you’d better get used to cleaning up messes like that if you ever plan to have kids.”
I bob my head in a kind of embarrassed acknowledgment. “I remember. But I’m sure I can rise to the call ofdoo-ty,” I raise my brows for emphasis, “when that day comes.”
She groans. “And you’re already proficient at Dad-jokes. I’m impressed.”
I grin, ridiculously pleased that she got my pun.
Her expression shifts, becoming more serious. “Is that something you want?”
“What? Kids?”
She tucks her chin and her voice turns soft. “Yeah.”
“One day. How about you?” This feels like the kind of thing you’d ask each other on a first or second date.
“Definitely. And lots of dogs.” There’s just enough daylight left for me to catch the impish gleam in her eyes.
“Define lots.” I walk toward the first nest we need to check.
She keeps pace next to me. “At least two. Three would be better. Two medium-sized dogs and one small one. Some kind of Chihuahua mix.”
“You know that one will rule the roost, right?”
She giggles again. “Probably. Dogs are so funny that way. They have no concept of size. That’s why small dogs behave so fiercely, and some large dogs act like timid mice.”
“I didn’t know that.” I love the way her voice takes on this wonder over little details.
She shrugs. “One of the many facts I learned in vet school before I left.”
“Do you ever think about finishing?”
