The Wall of Winnipeg and Me - Mariana Zapata Page 0,170
the edge, trying to get out, or get on me, I couldn’t be sure.
The soap went everywhere; I could feel it on my face. My top was soaked, and it was still one of the happiest moments of my life. That face just killed me a little.
Why hadn’t I gotten a dog before? For me?
“What are you doing?” the voice asked from behind me.
I froze there with my arms in the bathtub; one was busy holding the puppy who had his paws on the edge while his head peeked over the rim and the other was on the tap in the middle of turning it off. Looking over my shoulder, I frowned over at him, grabbing the towel I’d left on top of the toilet seat.
“I told you to wait in your room,” I muttered, only slightly disappointed he’d ruined the surprise in a way. I only had to look at those expressive big, brown eyes on that beautiful puppy face to get over it.
I was in love.
And a huge part of me didn’t want to give the puppy over, but I knew I had to.
“What is that?” Aiden’s grumbling voice grew just the slightest hint louder, curious, so curious.
Wrapping the towel around the wet, almost scraggly looking ball of innocence, I pulled him to me as I got to my feet and snuggled him one last time before glancing up at the man standing the in the doorway. Aiden’s eyes were wider than I’d ever seen and might ever see them. Down at his sides, his fingers twitched. Those dark orbs went from the bundle against my chest to my face and back again. Pink rose up on the tips of his ears and he asked once more, “What is that?”
I thrust the little guy forward. “Merry Christmas, big guy.”
The man known as The Wall of Winnipeg took the towel-wrapped bundle from me and simply stared at it.
Should I have gotten him something else? There were a couple other small presents I bought him, but this was the big one. The one I’d been shaking in excitement over.
“If you hate him…”
The dog let out a sharp playful bark that sliced through the air. I got to watch as four emotions flash across Aiden’s features. Confusion, recognition, surprise, and elation.
He brought the baby up to his face.
Aiden stared at the retriever for so long, I started to think I’d imagined the elation that had been on his face a moment before. But I knew he liked animals, and he’d mentioned once in an interview how much he wanted a dog but wanted to wait until he had more time to be a good owner.
But the longer I waited, watching, not sure what to expect, the more surprised I was when he tucked the soft yellow buddy under his chin and moved his arm to cradle it to his chest like a baby.
Ah hell. I hadn’t been prepared. My body wasn’t ready for Aiden holding a puppy like a baby.
Shit, shit, shit.
“Vanessa…” he kind of choked out, making the situation worse for me.
“Merry Christmas,” I repeated hoarsely, torn between smiling and crying.
He blinked, and then he blinked some more as his free hand touched the small, perfect features on the young, innocent face. “I don’t know what to say,” he kind of mumbled, his eyes glued to his puppy. His chin tipped down, and I swear he cuddled the dog closer to him. “I’ve never…” He swallowed and glanced up at me, our eyes meeting. “Thank you. Thank you.”
Was I crying? Was I seriously crying?
“You’re welcome.” I might have, kind of, smiled at the blurry vision of these two. “I know you said you don’t have time for relationships, but there’s no way you can’t make time for him. Look at him. I loved him the moment I saw him. I was almost about to play it off like I bought him for myself when you walked in.”
He nodded quickly, too quickly for my heart to handle appropriately. “Yeah, you’re right. I can make time.” Aiden licked his lips and pierced me with a brief look that had me frozen in place once again. It was the single sweetest, most eye-opening expression I’d ever had anyone directed at me. “I’m starting to understand that you can always make time for the things that matter.”
* * *
Hours later, we were sitting on the floor in the living room with the new love of Aiden’s life, and I was thinking that this had