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“Judi, what are you doing back here?” Almost midnight now, Mike had been sitting with Lucky for hours. Lonely, wishing for Judi, understanding why she wasn’t here. His emotions were in the same uproar.

“Couldn’t sleep. So I decided to come and wait with you. If that’s okay?”

“I removed the breathing tube and IV a couple of hours ago, and he seems to be holding his own. Go ahead. Open the cage, reach in and pet him.”

Unlatching the door, Judi stuck her hand into the cage, and the instant she patted Lucky on the rump, his little tail started wagging. Lucky was finally coming around. Now he wondered if Judi would. “You’ll have to let his new owner know I’ve started the allergen panel.”

“He ruined an account I may never get a shot at again,” Judi said.

“So you’re getting rid of him.”

“I never intended on keeping him, Mike. You knew that. And you were supposed to be looking for a good home.”

“You are a good home, Judi.”

“But if I’m not that good home for him, Mike, what does that mean to us? You and me? All night I’ve been thinking that the only reason we keep getting together is because you’re trying to get me to keep the dog. Not because you want to be with me, but because you want me to be with the dog.”

“Sure, I’ll admit it. I wanted you to keep the dog...for his sake. But also because I wanted a reason to see you. Then when you told me you’d found him a home, it was like everything that was trying to start between us suddenly stopped. Since my life is so hectic, I wasn’t sure you’d keep trying.”

Judi flew into Mike’s arms. “I want to do more than keep trying. I want to stay with you tonight.” She wanted to stay with Lucky, but more than that, she wanted to stay with Mike while he stayed with Lucky — to get used to the life he loved, the life she hoped they would share.

“I have a cot here. But it’s only for one.”

Lucky pressed his nose to his cage. Then why don’t you both take the cot so I can get some sleep?

“Will it hold two if they snuggle up real close?” Judi asked.

Well, duh, you two. Disinterested now, Lucky turned back over and shut his eyes.

“I’m too busy to manage a relationship,” Judi said, slipping into Mike’s arms on the cot. “With any luck I’ll be working seven days a week real soon, maybe eighteen hours a day when my business takes off. And that’s what I want to do, Mike. You’ve got to know that. It’s what I have to do...what I love.”

“And I want that for you, Judi. Believe me, it’s not a problem. I’m not the kind of man who needs his little woman at home, greeting me at the door with pipe, slippers and the evening paper. I want the woman I love to be fulfilled in her life, doing whatever makes her happy. Because whatever makes her happy makes me happy.”

“Oh, Mike...I’d convinced myself it just couldn’t work between us. Your job, my job. Our lives are so different. Lots of hours, lots of time apart. But those details don’t matter. I know that now. The only thing that matters is us. The rest will be whatever we want it to be, and God willing, we’ll have a long time to figure that out.” It felt so good being there. A perfect fit, a place she never wanted to leave. “But let me warn you, I don’t have time to date....”

He kissed her on the back of the neck. “Neither do I.”

“Or cook other than professionally... Or do laundry... And I’m broke.”

“Ditto.” Then he moved around to the side of her neck.

“And I...”

“What?” he whispered.

“I love you and I’m tired of talking.” Judi rolled over into his arms. Raising up, she pulled off her T-shirt and tossed it onto the floor. “I gave your vet tech the rest of the night off, by the way.”

“I love you, too. And I already did that when I saw you on your way in.”

“So you had expectations?”

He pulled her down to him. “Since the first time I saw you.”

On the other side of the kennel, Lucky poked his head under the dog blanket. Pu-leeze, not in front of the puppy.