A beautiful woman with brown hair and a warm smile stands up to greet me. “You must be Nix. It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m Tina.”
I clasp her hand. “Hi, Tina. Thank you so much for working with me for this event.”
“Thank you for calling us to help.” She gestures to two women standing beside her. “This is Melissa and Olivia. They run Louie’s Legacy.”
Melissa shakes my hand. “We’re going to find some great foster homes for these litters tonight.”
“I hope so. I love what your agency does to help animals. I think it’s a great alternative to a shelter.”
“We think so too. The foster parents we work with are amazing. They potty train them and get them ready for their forever homes.”
I reach into my back pocket and unfold the envelope I shoved in there. “I’d like to make a donation to the agency. Can I give you a check?”
Olivia’s eyes widen. “Oh, yes. That is so kind of you. Thank you so much.”
I pull out the second envelope and turn to Sadie. “And this is for you to help with the shelter.”
Her lips part on a gasp. “Thank you so much, Nix. This is amazing.”
I smile, and my heart swells with pride. “My father left me some money when he died, and I haven’t been able to figure out what to do with it until now. I know it’ll go to good use.”
“It definitely will.” Sadie nudges me with her elbow. “The boys in blue are here.”
My head whips around as James and the cops from his precinct waltz through the front door. He’s in a navy-blue T-shirt with the yellow state police logo over his chest and a pair of dark jeans. His large frame and handsome, chiseled face demand your attention—and judging by the way every woman in the room is staring, I’d say he has it.
But my favorite thing he’s wearing is the rarely seen wide smile on his face when he sets his honey-colored eyes on me.
When he gets close, he dips his head and presses a soft kiss to my cheek. “It looks amazing in here.”
“You think so? The balloons aren’t too much?”
He shakes his head. “Just the right amount.”
“How are you feeling?” I gesture to his hip. “What did the doctor say about the stitches?”
“He said they’re healing nicely, and that I had a very capable nurse taking care of me all week.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks, and I bite back a smile.
“Come on.” He ushers me toward Leo at the hero table. “You need to eat something.”
“No, I’m fine. I just need to—”
“Eat.” He hands me a paper plate. “You can make yourself a plate, or I can make one for you and feed you in front of all these nice people. Take your pick.”
I glare up at him. “You’re extra bossy today.”
“You should’ve seen him setting up the tables this morning.” Leo mimics James’s voice. “They’re not centered. Where’s your measuring tape? You have to make sure they’re even.”
James shoves his brother’s shoulder. “They were crooked. You can’t have crooked tables.”
I grin and pinch James’s cheek. “Your OCD is adorable.”
He rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “I just wanted to make sure everything was perfect. I know how much this event means to you.”
My heart melts into a ball of mush in my chest. “Thank you, James. Seriously. I appreciate you.”
“What about me?” Leo stuffs a wad of bread into his mouth. “I helped too.”