Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Imogen
Okay, so I lied. But I didn’t want to tell him. Not after how rude he was in the text message.
I knew it was him. Knew it the moment Beatrice called from the front desk and said people were here to see Willow.
Who else would come to see her?
She was a wild bird.
Now I wished I had never saw him.
How could someone that hot be that damn grumpy?
And his daughter… holy cuteness alert.
I couldn’t even swallow after my first glance of him, barely made it through them visiting Willow, and even after saying goodbye, I couldn’t get him off my mind for the rest of the day.
Or the next day when they visited for a second time. Or the day after.
I basically stopped my other volunteer jobs just to be here and watch them with Willow. Yep, Donna told me I was crazy. But I couldn’t help it. Plus, I enjoyed being around the birds. I’ve thought about fostering a few.
On the third day they came in, we finally introduced ourselves, and I learned their names and the story of how they found Willow.
Watching him with his daughter slowly changed my mind. He wasn’t a grump with her. He was kind and caring. The love he had for her radiated off him in waves.
So there was a kind heart under there after all.
Suddenly, I didn’t care he was grumpy. I wanted to know him more. Wanted to crack his shell wide open.
But soon, Willow was leaving. Her leg healed nicely, and we planned on setting her free. I didn’t look forward to breaking the news to them. Especially not to Amylee.
It was just after three when the pair arrived, right on schedule. I greeted them out front and led them to Willow, where she now mingled with other birds in the facility.
While Amylee happily smiled and giggled at Willow, I looked at Ronin and nodded my head to the side. “Can I talk to you quick?” I took a step backwards and motioned for him to follow.
He looked at Amylee before following me a few steps away. Being this close to him without his daughter caused his cologne to fully engulf my senses and it was hard to focus on anything but him and his fucking hotness.
I cleared my throat and crossed my arms over my chest in hopes of regaining my posture. “Willow is scheduled to be let back into the wild tomorrow morning. I wanted to give you a heads up.”
“Shit.” Ronin scratched at his stubble, and I ignored the clench of my stomach. Did he have to look good with everything he did? “I don’t know how I’m going to break my little girl’s heart.”
“I would’ve suggested adoption, but Willow is a wild bird. It’s where she deserves to be.”
“What if I built an outdoor paradise for her?”
There went my heart. Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
“For the bird?”
“Yeah, like an outdoor cage, but a really big one so it doesn’t feel like she’s trapped.
I could screen it in and create a perch.
” He ran a hand through his hair and down his stubble again.
Fuck, he needed to stop being so damn hot.
“What am I even talking about? I already told Amylee that we couldn’t keep her.
She deserves to be free. But now I’m attached and stupidly impulsive… ”
His words trailed off and I tilted my head to the side as a smile played on my lips. There went my heart again.
“Crap. Did I really just say that out loud?”
I laughed. “I think you did.”
“I’m attached to a bird. Great.”
I looked around him, unable to see over his shoulder, and nodded toward his daughter. “So is she. It’s beautiful. There’s nothing like the bond between an animal and human.”
“I think you might just be right.”
“Listen, there’s one other thing. I am sorry but I am the woman you misdialed the other day. I lied the first time and I apologize.”
His faced turned dark. “Why lie?”
I shrugged. “You weren’t exactly friendly…I didn’t want there to be any awkwardness between us.”
His features relaxed. “I was a dick. I’m sorry. I can be sort of…a grump.”
I chuckled. “You don’t say. Plus, the please never message me again bit was sort of harsh.”
“It was my harsh. I’m sorry, I’m an asshole. Can we start over?” He held his hand out. “I’m Ronin, nice to meet you.”
When I slid my hand into his, it disappeared under his big large paw, and a shiver ran down my spine. “Imogen. Nice to meet you as well.”
Our hands stayed entangled as if neither one of us wanted to let go. Ronin held my gaze as the seconds passed between us, Amylee laughing happily in the background as the birds tweeted. “Loving animals is beautiful. But you know what else is?”
He didn’t wait for me to answer.
“You.”
I almost collapsed on the spot.
His words took me by surprise, and I clutched at the wall, suddenly needing support.
“Can I take you out sometime?”
“Wait,” I swallowed over the sudden lump in my throat. “You’re not married?”
He shook his head no. “Single dad.”
Yes!
“Perfect,” I nodded eagerly, like a little kid getting a toy.
I couldn’t believe it.
The grumpy single dad was asking me out.
All from a misdial…
“How’s Willow today?” Ronin asked his daughter, placing his hands on her shoulders after we walked back over to her. He shot me a grin and I almost melted.
Our date couldn’t come soon enough.
Tomorrow night! I had nothing to wear! Ah!
I’d have to enlist Donna’s help later.
“She’s good, daddy. But I think I changed my mind about something.” Amylee answered.
“What’s that?”
“I want Willow to be set free.” The little girl stated.
“What? Are you sure? I thought you wanted to adopt her.”
Amylee shook her head, a forlorn look etched across her young, adorable features. “You’re right. Willow deserves to be free. I don’t want to put her in a cage.”
Ronin leaned down and kissed the top of his little girl’s head. I was a puddle of goo, swooning over the two of them.
I reached over and squeezed Amylee’s hand. I looked up at Ronin and smiled. “You’re a great dad, in case no one’s ever told you before.”
“Thank you. That means a lot more than you know.”
I rested my hand on his. “Amylee, would you like to help us set Willow free in the morning?”
“Yes! Oh my God, yes, please! Can I, daddy? Please? Can I?”
Ronin hugged his daughter. “Of course. We wouldn’t miss it.”