Crushing On You: Travis and Gabriella (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book One) Read online

  “Okay.” Gabby liked the idea of choosing a name for this dog. It would be like starting fresh.

  “Keep in mind,” Travis said as a look of concern came over him. “If her owner shows up, you would need to give her up.”

  Gabby didn’t like the idea of falling in love with a dog only to have to give her away, but that was part of the deal. “Of course.”

  Just like she would have to give up Travis if he moved away, even if she fell in love with him.

  Not liking where her line of thinking was going, Gabby asked Travis if he was ready to go to the zoo.

  “I sure am.”

  When they arrived at the Sacramento Zoo an hour and a half later, Travis helped her from his car.

  “Which exhibit would you like to see first?” he asked.

  Gabby grinned. “The big cats, of course.”

  Travis laughed. “Of course.”

  He bought their tickets and led her inside. Almost immediately she heard the cries of the monkeys. Memories of visiting the zoo washed over her, and she laughed with happiness.

  “How long has it been since you’ve been to the zoo?” Travis asked.

  “Several years at least.”

  Deciding to take a chance, Travis intertwined his fingers with hers, and when she didn’t pull her hand from his, he smiled.

  “The big cats are this way,” he said.

  Gabby loved the feel of Travis’s hand enveloping hers, and she was thrilled to be spending the day with him.

  A few moments later they stood in front of the lion enclosure. One male with a magnificent mane and several lionesses were inside.

  “They’re so beautiful,” Gabby murmured. She watched them for several minutes, then she turned to Travis. “They remind me of Sadie. Just ginormous versions of her.”

  Travis smiled. “Yeah, I don’t think you’d want one of those curling up on your lap.”

  Gabby laughed. “That’s for sure.”

  They watched the lions for a while, then they moved on to the tigers, then the snow leopard. When Travis kept his hand in hers, Gabby was elated. With a sidelong glance at the man she’d crushed on for ten years but was only now getting to know, Gabby’s heart warmed with a soul-deep caring—a caring she’d never experienced before. Even with Brandon Monroe.

  Was this love? Was this what it felt like?

  Not sure what to call the way she was feeling, but positive she was heading in the direction that would bring her eventual heartache, she was torn between wanting to run in the other direction and wanting to throw herself into this relationship wholeheartedly.

  “Are you hungry?” Travis asked after they’d looked at several more exhibits.

  Desperate to think about something besides her future with Travis, she nodded. “Yes.”

  Happy with the way the day had gone so far, Travis only released Gabriella’s hand when he had to pay for their food. He carried the tray to a nearby table where they sat across from each other.

  He set out the food, then asked, “What would you like to see next? Maybe the reptiles?”

  Gabriella laughed. “The reptiles aren’t my favorite. How about the giraffes?”

  Travis smiled. “Whatever you’d like.” He didn’t care what they saw as long as Gabriella was by his side.

  Was that what was most important? Were his priorities changing? What about his career aspirations?

  Acknowledging that putting Gabriella in the equation had changed things, for the first time Travis considered the idea of staying in Emerald Falls.

  He had only been out with her a couple of times. Was he really ready to overhaul his career plans?

  When he looked at her, he knew that plans could change. Even his.

  Chapter 20

  On the drive back to Emerald Falls, Gabby felt relaxed and content. Travis had held her hand the entire time they were at the zoo, and she had loved it. He had yet to kiss her, but that would happen eventually, and she looked forward to it.

  Was that where she was now? Ready for Travis to kiss her? What about her worry that he would break her heart when he left the next summer? Had she forgotten that?

  She thought about that for a moment.

  What if he didn’t leave? That would change everything. That could happen.

  Knowing there was a bit of denial going on—maybe more than a bit—Gabby tried to convince herself that the future wasn’t written in stone, that it was okay to open her heart to Travis Haywood.

  “Here we are,” he said as he pulled up in front of Emerald Falls Veterinary. He turned to Gabby with his eyebrows raised in question. “Are you ready to meet your potential foster dog?”

  Gabby smiled. “Yes.”

  Travis helped her from the car, then led her inside the clinic. “She’s in the kennel.”

  A moment later they stood in front of a kennel that held a beautiful yellow lab. Gabby knelt in front of the kennel as Travis opened the door.

  With her tail wagging, the dog slowly stepped out of the kennel. A cast covered one of her rear legs.

  Tears sprang into Gabby’s eyes—the sight of the bandage reminded her of the injuries Travis had told her about. “She’s so sweet.” Gabby glanced up at Travis, who was watching her, then she turned her focus back to the dog. “Do you want to come home with me, you little sweetie?” Running her hands over the dog’s head, Gabby believed the dog was smiling.

  “What do you think?” Travis asked.

  Gabby glanced at him. “I think I want to take this sweet girl home.”

  “Great. I’ll fill out the paperwork, and then we can take her to your place.”

  Forty-five minutes later, the three of them arrived at Gabby’s house. As she climbed out of the car, Gabby tried to imagine how Sadie was going to react to the new resident.

  “Have you decided on a name?” Travis asked as he followed her to the front door.

  Gabby had been about to put her key in the lock, but she paused and gazed at the yellow lab. “I’ve been thinking about it.” She glanced at Travis before looking back at the dog. “I think I’ll call you Buttercup.” She lifted her eyes to see what Travis thought.

  He nodded. “I like it.”

  Gabby smiled. “Now we’ll see what Sadie thinks.” A moment later she pushed the door open and stepped inside. She had a hold of Buttercup’s leash, and when Sadie came into view, she gripped it tighter. “Can you hold onto the dog?” she asked Travis, who took the leash. “Come here, kitty,” she said to Sadie as she approached the cat. “You need to meet your new sister.”

  “Sister?” Travis said with a laugh. “They’re not even the same species.”

  Turning to him, she said, “I know. I just want them to be friends.”

  He smiled. “I understand.”

  Inching towards Sadie, Gabby spoke softly, and eventually was able to scoop her up.

  “Don’t force them to meet if they’re not ready,” Travis said.

  With a nod of acknowledgment, Gabby stayed several feet away from Buttercup. It didn’t matter, Sadie hissed at the dog with wild abandon and squirmed until Gabby let her go, then she ran off to another room.

  “I don’t know if this is going to work,” Gabby said, discouraged.

  “Give her time. To her, the dog is invading her territory, and she’s not going to accept her easily.”

  “I know.” Gabby sat on the couch.

  Travis appreciated all that Gabriella was trying to do, but he had his doubts that Sadie would come to accept Buttercup. Still, it was worth a try. With the dog’s leash in his hand, he sat near Gabriella.

  “Buttercup hasn’t had her dinner,” he said. “I’ll get the food we brought and we can see if she’s hungry.”

  “Why don’t we sit out back? That way Sadie can come into the living room after we leave and sniff where Buttercup was. Maybe she’ll get used to Buttercup’s scent.”

  “Good idea.” Travis stood and followed Gabriella out back. He hadn’t been in her backyard before, but when he stepped
onto the patio and saw the welcoming patio furniture, the wide expanse of dark green grass, and the colorful flower garden that edged the fenced yard, unexpected serenity settled over him. “Your aunt created a beautiful backyard.”

  “I know. I love it back here.”

  “Uh,” Travis said as Buttercup yanked against the leash. “Are you sure you want a dog back here? You know she might destroy it.”

  “Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that.” Then she smiled. “You never know. She might be well-trained.”

  “Maybe.” He turned his attention to the dog. “Sit.” Buttercup immediately sat. Travis smiled at Gabriella. “What do you know?”

  “See? I’ll bet she knows all kinds of commands. Aren’t labs really smart?”

  “Yes. Smart and loving.” Travis paused. “Is it okay if I let her off of her leash?”

  Gabriella nodded.

  Travis undid the leash, then said, “I’ll get her food out of my car.”

  As Travis walked through the house and to his car, he thought about the day he’d spent with Gabriella. Pleased he’d been able to hold her hand all day, the next step was to kiss her. Imagining how that would go, he smiled as he lifted the container of dog food from his trunk.

  While Travis went to get the food, Gabby sat in a patio chair and watched Buttercup explore the yard. Following her nose around the yard, Buttercup seemed to be enjoying her new home.

  “What do you think, girl?” Gabby asked, then softly added, “I hope Sadie will be nice to you.”

  Worried about how the two animals would get along, Gabby hoped it would all work out. It was probably only temporary anyway. Buttercup’s owners were probably searching for her right now.

  Watching the yellow lab nose her way around the yard, Gabby once again thought about the consequences of falling for Travis only to have him move away.

  Maybe she needed to slow things down, see if she was really willing to risk her heart.

  “Do you have a bowl?” Travis said a moment later as he came into the backyard.

  “Oh.” Gabby turned to look at him—she’d been so deep in thought that she hadn’t heard him approach. “Yeah. I’ll go get one.” She stood, and as her eyes met his, her heart and her head warred over what to do.

  Chapter 21

  Gabby dug through her cupboards as she looked for the perfect bowl. Stop stalling, Gabs. You’re going to have to go out there and face him and you’re going to have to make a decision.

  Sighing, Gabby grabbed two bowls, then shifted her gaze out the window to see Travis kneeling beside Buttercup, stroking her back and talking to her. He was so sweet with animals. What would he be like as a father?

  Eyes widening, she tried to school her thoughts.

  Why was she thinking about him like that when she hadn’t even decided if she was going to continue seeing him?

  But she knew why—because she wasn’t ready to let him go. Not yet.

  “Here they are,” Gabriella said as she held a pair of bowls.

  Travis turned at her voice, and his eyes went to her face. How had she become more beautiful in only a few minutes?

  Holding back the ridiculous smile that wanted to show on his face, Travis stood and walked towards her.

  “I’ll put water in this one,” she said, then she held out an empty bowl for him to take.

  He took it from her, and when their eyes met, Travis wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. But before he could act, she turned towards the water faucet and he was left to fill the food bowl.

  A few moments later they set their bowls on the ground and watched as Buttercup began eating.

  “Looks like she’s hungry,” Gabriella said.

  Travis nodded. “She’s been eating pretty well since her surgery, which is always a good sign.”

  “Is there anything special I should do to take care of her?”

  Travis turned towards her, and when he saw how warm and open her expression was, he had to suppress the urge to kiss her.

  Wait for the right moment.

  “It would be best if she didn’t run around too much for a while,” he said.

  “How will I know if her leg’s healing okay?”

  A grin spread across Travis’s face as he got an idea. “If it would help, I can come over each evening and check on her.”

  “Yeah. That would be good.”

  He liked the enthusiasm he heard in her voice, and he hoped it wasn’t just because she was concerned about Buttercup. “Great.”

  “Do you want to sit on the patio?”

  He agreed, and when she sat on the porch swing, he sat beside her.

  “Thank you for taking me to the zoo today,” she said. “It was so fun to see the animals.”

  Travis smiled. “Let me guess. Your favorite part was seeing the big cats.”

  She chuckled. “Yes. I’ve always loved them. They’re beautiful—so powerful, yet so graceful.”

  Travis nodded. Just like you. Well, maybe not the powerful part, but you are definitely beautiful and graceful.

  Trying to turn his thoughts away from his attraction to her, he asked, “Would you ever want to go on an African safari?”

  Gabriella’s eyebrows rose. “Is that an invitation?”

  He laughed. “I don’t know if I could afford that any time soon, but it would be a once in a lifetime experience.”

  “Yeah. It certainly would be.” She smiled. “And for the record, yes, I would want to go on an African safari.”

  Travis rested his arm behind Gabriella’s back. He saw her glance at his arm, and then she smiled. Pleased that she seemed comfortable with the gesture, he asked, “What else is on your bucket list?”

  “Hmm. I haven’t really thought about it before.” She laughed. “I’m only twenty-five, you know.”

  “True, but think about it now.” He chuckled. “I know you like to climb trees. Have you ever thought of something, like, I don’t know…bungee jumping?”

  She sat up straighter and her eyes lit up. “That would be fun!”

  Already regretting suggesting it, he frowned.

  “We should do it,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.

  He threw his hands up. “Hold on. I never said I wanted to bungee jump. I just asked if you’d ever thought about it.”

  “I hadn’t until just now.”

  Laughing, he shook his head. “I think I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.”

  Gabby laughed with him, and when Buttercup came over to them and sat on the patio, then leaned against Travis’s legs, she said, “I think she likes you.” And so do I. The thought made her blush, and when Travis looked at her, she hoped her embarrassment wasn’t too obvious.

  “She’ll become attached to you soon.” His voice was soft and deep.

  Was he trying to tell her something, some sort of double-meaning? No, he’s talking about the dog. She shouldn’t read anything into it just because she wanted him to like her. She’d made that mistake with Brandon—that humiliating mistake of telling him that she loved him when he didn’t feel anywhere near the same. She didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.

  Glad she’d learned her lesson with Brandon, a man who didn’t mean as much to her as Travis was beginning to, Gabby smiled in response. “I just hope I don’t get too attached to her. I mean, I’m sure I will, but since her owner will come looking for her sooner or later, I don’t want it to be too difficult to give her up.”

  A gentle smile curved Travis’s mouth. “Let’s hope her owner finds her soon. I’m sure she would be ecstatic to be reunited with them.”

  Gabby looked at Buttercup. “I wonder what her name is.”

  “With any luck, we’ll find out soon.”

  Gabby looked at Travis, and when their eyes met, something passed between them. Don’t be too certain, Gabs. You thought you felt something like that with Brandon, and then…Nope.

  Desperately curious to know what Travis was thinking, but too fearful to ask, Gabby broke their gaze and l
ooked at Buttercup again. “I hope Sadie can accept Buttercup while she’s here.”

  A look of concern came over Travis. “If it looks like this won’t work out, let me know and I’ll make other arrangements for Buttercup.”

  Did that mean he wouldn’t come over to see her every night? Not willing to give up the possibility, Gabby smiled. “Let’s give it some time.”

  Travis nodded. “I agree.”

  They were silent a moment, then Gabby asked, “What’s on your bucket list?”

  The first thought that came to Travis’s mind shocked him. He wanted to find a woman to love, to marry, to have a family with.

  That had never been on his radar before—he’d been hyper-focused on becoming a vet and launching his career. What had changed?

  But he knew the answer. He had met Gabriella.

  At a loss—there was no way he would tell her what he was really thinking—he stammered, “Uh, I, uh, I hadn’t really thought about it before.”

  She chuckled. “As you told me, think of it now. What excites you?”

  You do. A smile slowly curved his mouth, and he decided the time was right. It was time to kiss her.

  With his arm draped across the back of the porch swing, Travis began to lean toward Gabriella. But at just that moment, Buttercup leapt to her feet and began barking, ending the moment.

  “I wonder if someone’s here,” Gabriella said, oblivious to Travis’s aborted attempt to kiss her.

  “Maybe.” Frustrated at the interruption, Travis vowed to create another opportunity.

  Chapter 22

  Gabby stood. “I’d better see who it is.” Tossing a smile to Travis, she walked into the house and towards the front door. Thrilled with the way her date with Travis was going, Gabby’s smile grew as she reached for the door, but when she opened it and saw who was standing on her porch, her eyes widened and the smile slid from her face.

  “Brandon?” A million thoughts raced through her head—what was Brandon Monroe doing in Emerald Falls? On her porch? Had he come all the way from Sacramento to see her? Why?