Read Finding Forever (Living Again #4) for Free Online

and here he was, sleeping in.
    As he stepped in the steaming hot shower, his mind drifted back to Lacey. He really hoped she was there this morning. He knew what he had to do, and that would mean that Max would have to wait five extra minutes to see him.
     

     
    Brant swung open the truck door, getting the box carefully out of the passenger seat. Attached to the box was a balloon that said Happy Birthday, and a stuffed dog that looked like Max was on top of the box. It was the most effort he had ever put out for someone he just met the day before, but he felt like she needed a good cheering up.
    Propping the door open with his foot, he guided the balloon into the lobby of the vet’s office, then let the door go and slid his shades on top of his head. He wasn’t sure who he was more nervous to see this morning: Lacey or Max.
    Karen, the receptionist, eyed him as he made his way to the counter. “Good morning, Mr. Tucker.”
    “Good morning,” he answered, not responding to the question she had in her eyes about what he was carrying. “Is Dr. Russell in?”
    Karen looked over her shoulder, and he turned to see Lacey standing in the doorway to one of the exam rooms. Today she was wearing multicolored fish scrubs, her hair loose around her shoulders. Her eyes jumped from his face to the balloon bobbing above him, and she lifted an eyebrow.
    Taking several steps towards her, he smiled, his heart rate picking up even though he attributed it to nerves. “Good morning, Lacey.”
    She looked back at him, her crystal eyes piercing through him as she studied his face. “Good morning, Brant. What do you have here?”
    He indicated behind her. “Can we go in?” Her eyes widened fractionally, but she nodded her answer, turning to walk into the room. He set the box on the counter, taking the stuffed animal and the card off the top.
    “This is for you,” he started. “To say thank you for what you did for Max yesterday, and to say Happy Belated Birthday.”
    She took the stuffed animal and card from him, hugging it to her chest while looking at an invisible spot over his shoulder. She was embarrassed, he surmised.
    “How did you know it was my birthday?”
    “I heard your sister tell you yesterday, at the river. I just thought that you should maybe get a birthday do-over.”
    “A birthday do-over?” she repeated.
    “Yeah,” Brant shrugged. “You know. Pretend today is actually your birthday so it doesn’t have to be a sad day, and I was the first to give you a present.”
    Her mouth opened and closed a few times, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Her hands worked the soft fur of the stuffed animal, her eyes linked to his.
    “Y-you did this, for me?”
    He nodded, wanting badly to step closer to her, to envelop her in his arms. But he forced himself to stand still and wait for her. “Open the box.”
    She broke eye contact, reaching for the box. Taking the lid off, she gasped. Brant had stopped at Let’s Eat Cake, the best bakery in town, and gotten her their specialty, a ginormous apple streusel. It was a place of weakness for him, and he stopped there at least once a month to indulge his sweet tooth in between shoots.
    “Brant.” His name sounded like a breath, and it did something to him that he wasn’t sure if he liked or loved. “How did you know?”
    “Know what?”
    She turned back to him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. Uh oh. He had done something wrong. “These were my mom’s favorites. We used to go there every Saturday for breakfast.”
    Shit. Here he was, trying to do something nice, and he made her upset again. Out of all of the things they had there, he just had to pick the thing that she shared with her mother. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be sorry,” she said, surprising him by coming closer to him instead of running for the hills. “It’s so ironic.”
    “What is?” She stepped forward and put her hand on his forearm, and he swore he visibly jumped. She touched