“Well, holy sh … shoeshine, it’s huge.” Instinctively Teesha backed up as the big black mountain of dog ambled her way.

“She’s a Newfoundland—that’s what the shelter said, and the vet confirmed. She’s about nine months old, so she’ll get a little bigger. And she’s as gentle as a baby lamb.”

“I don’t know any baby lambs.”

The dog sat at Teesha’s feet, looked up at her with soulful eyes, and held out a paw.

“She’s housebroken, sits, shakes, fetches. Her breed’s called nanny dogs because they’re so patient and careful with kids.”

As she spoke, Adrian carried the bouncing, arm-waving Phineas over to meet the dog.

“Adrian—”

“Do you think I’d get a dog that would hurt this beautiful boy? Or anyone? This is Sadie, and she’s a big, fluffy mound of love.”

“Sexy Sadie.” Grinning, Monroe bent down, rubbed his hands over the dog, who thumped her tail and waited for more.

“Somebody found her—they think her owner just dumped her the way some very-bad-word people do when they decide they don’t want a dog. They’d taken her to the shelter the day before Popi and I went in. So it was meant, wasn’t it, Popi?”

“Love at first sight,” he agreed.

Adrian crouched down.

“Dog, dog, dog. Bark!” Phineas tapped his hands on Sadie’s head, a gesture she accepted as willingly as Monroe’s rubs. Then she licked the boy’s face and sent him into wild laughter.

“She’s smart, too. I googled the breed right there in the shelter after she stole our hearts. Smart, highly trainable, loving, gentle, patient, adores kids especially.”

“I always wanted a dog.”

“Sophia and I talked about another dog after we lost Tom and Jerry. I think we never did because we had to wait for Sadie.”

“Well, you combined years of waiting and wanting into one big-ass reality.” Finally, Teesha laid a tentative hand on the dog’s head.

“Let’s get you all settled inside.” Dom drilled a finger in Phineas’s belly. “And we’ll have some wine.”

“Popi.” Monroe opened the cargo door. “You’re speaking my language. No, sir, I got this. If you pour that wine, I’d sure be grateful.”

“I’ll give him a hand.” After another smacking kiss, Adrian passed Phineas back to Teesha. But he just wiggled down so he could throw his arms around Sadie.

“Why don’t you give Teesha a hand with our boy here,” Adrian suggested. “And pass out those cookies you baked when I wasn’t looking.”

“Can’t have a young one in a house without cookies.”

She went around to the cargo doors, grabbed a couple of bags. “So … any chance of talking the two of you into moving down this way?”

Monroe smiled at her. “Teesha’s used to the city. I wanted the country life, so we compromised on looking at the suburbs. But with you here, I think we’ve got a shot.”

“Really? Really? You’d move here?”

“I like the quiet,” he said in his dreamy way. “I can hear the music in the quiet. She’s going to need something with neighbors,” he continued as they carried bags toward the house. “And where she can walk to shops and stuff. We gotta think of good schools, safe streets.”

“I’ve got three houses picked out to start.”

He looked down at her, shook his head. “No moss ever has a chance on you, my Rizz.”

“Popi knows everybody, including the best Realtor in the area.”

“We’ll work on it,” he told her.

Adrian knew she’d made the right choice in design consultants when Kayla came to their meeting with a tablet full of apps, a tape measure, a paint fan, and lots of ideas.

Tall and slim, her streaky blond hair in French braids, she radiated enthusiasm.

“What a great space.” She’d already crouched down to rub and coo over Sadie. “So much more good, natural light than I figured—and I worried you’d have low ceilings. But this is awesome. I’m nervous. I’m trying not to sound goofy, but I’m nervous. This is my first real consult. Friends and family don’t count. I don’t want to mess it up.”

“You’re doing fine.”

She straightened while Sadie politely sat nearly on Adrian’s feet. “I should’ve said—I want to say how grateful I am you’d give me a chance. I mean, I don’t even have my degree yet.”

“I hadn’t graduated high school when I did my first fitness video.”

Kayla’s pretty hazel eyes widened. “Is that really true? You kind of think it’s made-up. Like an urban legend.”

“Absolutely true. Three friends and I produced it, and it gave me my start. My on-my-own start. Maybe, if we click on this, it’ll give you yours.”

“But no pressure.” Kayla hugged her tablet and laughed. “Okay, I did some research on home gyms, but you don’t have any like treadmills or circuit training machines in your videos. I watched a bunch of them, too, so I know you use a lot of outdoor locations along with I guess it’s studios.”

“That’s right. The body’s the machine. Sometimes the machine needs tools.”

“Like weights, stability balls, yoga mats, and all that.”

“Exactly. So I’d need those creatively displayed—and I’ll give you a list of what I’d use most often.”

“I’ve got an idea of your style from watching the videos, and some interviews, but maybe you could tell me what you want here. The look. And I’m really hoping you don’t want to bust out that bar or the fireplace. They’re really cool, and just a little way back and bougie.”

Adrian grinned at her. “We just had our first click.”

An hour and several clicks later, Kayla gathered her things. And Maya came down the steps with towheaded Collin’s hand firm in hers.

“Dom said to come right down. Hi, Kayla.”

“Hi. Hi, Collin. I’m so sorry about Lorilee, Maya. I didn’t know her very well, but she was so nice. I’m just so sorry.”

“We all are. Hard times.” She took a deep inhale as Collin stared at the tail-wagging Sadie with huge eyes. “Dom said to tell you he was going in to the shop for a while.”

“He did? He did!” Adrian pumped her fists in the air, executed two fouetté turns. “This is the first time he’s left the house.” Then she pressed her hands to her face, struggled back the tears. “Sorry, Kayla.”

“No, no, don’t be sorry.” As her own eyes filled, Kayla hugged Adrian tight. “I’m going to work up a couple of designs, and I’ll text you, okay?”

“Yeah. Good. Thanks.”

She left by the glass patio doors, while Maya and Adrian watched each other with damp eyes.

“First,” Maya began, “who have we got here?”

“This is Sadie, and she’s as sweet and gentle as she is huge. She loves kids.”

“For breakfast?”

“This morning she took the half slice of bacon Phineas offered her before we could stop him, and took it as delicately as a duchess.”