Personally, I thought she could take Logan. But it wasn't for me to say. Or was it?

  "What?" Ellie raised her brow with exaggerated incredulity. "You're without words? I can't believe I've rendered the great orator Dex Rushford speechless." She clapped like a delighted child.

  "I have words."

  "Well, hold them for a moment longer while I blow your mind some more. Polish up your tux, good buddy, old college pal, and business partner—you're going to be in my wedding party."

  Shit. I wasn't a wedding kind of a guy. I'd been half hoping she'd never find a wedding venue and just put off ever marrying Christopher. Do the Shelby and Dex thing. I hated weddings. I was the "make my regrets and send a gift" type of person. The invited guest you could count on not to have to order a chicken dinner for. And buddying around with the bland Christopher as his groomsman, when I thought Ellie was making a mistake marrying him…

  "Doesn't Christopher have enough friends? You have to rope me into being one of his groomsmen? Ever thought about tying a steak around his neck?"

  "Groomsman? What are you talking about?" She gave me an incredulous, yet somehow smug, look. "Those are Christopher's responsibility. I'm asking you to be one of my bridesmaids."

  Shelby (Guilty child. Caller of former fiancés.)

  The miracle of life is something beautiful. After Dex left, I sat next to Bella's happy family nest, admiring the way she'd grown into motherhood in the space of a second, it seemed.

  Children. Suddenly the thought hung in the air with an ominous weight. Dex and I had never talked about having children. In one fell swoop, all my commitment issues came flooding back.

  Did Dex want children? Did I? Well, yes, certainly. In the abstract sense. I loved children. I just wasn't sure I was ready for one.

  What would Dex's child be like? Too smart for my own good? Able to outsmart their mother at every turn? Or creative like me, and therefore totally understandable by me? Brilliant in all areas like Dex? Able to get away with all kinds of devilment and mischief? With a wicked, adorable sense of humor? Would our child love dogs or be anti-pet?

  And what would a child of ours look like? Morbid curiosity, that. Destructive testing was the only way to find out. Our child would have to be adorable. Or we would think so, anyway. But what did looks matter if it was a lovable person? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  My heart raced. My palms grew sweaty. A child was the ultimate in commitment—a lifetime commitment. You couldn't have one and return it if you decided later you weren't up to the challenge of raising it.

  But would puppies be enough for Dex and me? Would I finally succumb to the biological call of motherhood?

  Dex was an only child. If he didn't procreate, his family line would end. Die out. Would having children create pressure from our families to set a date and marry?

  So many questions, so few answers. Only one thing was certain: I had promised to call both Mitch and Jesse as soon as the puppies were born. I always kept my promises. And thinking about something less commitment-oriented would be calming.

  Oh, boy. When talking to exes was more soothing than my thoughts, I was in big trouble. I reluctantly moved to the kitchen so I wouldn't disturb Bella. I grabbed my phone.

  I called Mitch first. Get the worst over with. I was hoping I could simply leave a message. But, of course, he picked up immediately. As if he'd been lying in wait.

  "Shelby. I assume you're calling with news." As always when we spoke these days, his voice seemed forcedly level.

  He was trying. He really was. But beneath it all was an undertone that was almost hopeful. As if I would change my mind and realize my mistake in breaking our engagement.

  If I did, would he punish me? Or take me back? I had no answers, but the point was irrelevant. I was in love with Dex. There would be no mind changing.

  I guessed I couldn't blame Mitch, but I wished he'd totally let go and find someone who made him as happy as Dex made me. If he'd been open to it, I would have suggested he call Ashley Harte, the matchmaker Jesse was using at my recommendation. I hadn't yet met Ashley, but she was a friend of Dex's and highly regarded as Seattle's top matchmaker. Jesse glowed about her. Which is saying something coming from a tough-guy miner who didn't glow about anything.

  "We have puppies!" I intentionally exclamation-pointed my announcement, trying to sound as perky as possible. Trying to blot out the bleakness of his recent personality.

  "Good. How many Corgis do I have to choose from?" There was the tightness in his voice again.

  "Bella had seven puppies. You have your pick of any of them—"

  "But how many are purebreds?"

  Damn he was persistent and single-minded.

  "They're only hours old," I said, still trying to sound optimistic. "It's too early to tell for sure. But there appears to be at least one." End on a bright, upbeat note. Good strategy.

  "I have my pick of one?" He made a sound of disgust. "Not much of a pick, is it?"

  Why hadn't I noticed his sarcastic nature earlier in our relationship? Before things got serious to the point of engagement. Mitch was the opposite of the contagiously optimistic and witty Dex.

  "You have your pick of all seven. It's only your desire for a purebred that's holding you back. They're all adorable. Every one of them. You'd have to have a hard heart not to fall in love with at least one of them." I tried hard not to sound like I was scolding him.

  "I want a Corgi, Shelby. You know that."

  "I do. Which was why I went ahead with breeding Bella as you requested. But I only agreed to one batch of puppies. You'll have to make do. I had no control over how many Corgi puppies Bella had.

  "You might have to adjust your expectations. You originally told me you wanted a puppy as a part of Bella and a connection to her. All of the puppies are hers, no matter whether they're full Corgis or half-breeds."

  "Sometimes you're a piece of work, Shelby. Those half-breeds will be half your new lover's dog's. You think I'll be happy with that reminder in a puppy that is supposed to be my companion for the foreseeable future?"

  I took a deep breath to control my temper. I wouldn't lash out at him. Not if I could help it. Yeah, I understood his point. But he had to get over it. Mitch was hurting. I was largely the cause. But I couldn't help thinking I'd made the right decision in breaking things off with him. Why hadn't I seen this dark, sulky side before? Maybe I really had been in love with love and nothing more.

  "When will you know for sure?" There was the anger seeping through again.

  "That I don't know," I said. "In a few weeks, I'd guess. After they open their eyes. At about three weeks we should be able to tell how many males and females we have, too. We didn’t try to determine their sex at birth. Dex didn’t want to handle them too much—"

  "I want a female. Like Bella. And I'll be coming for my puppy at the earliest possible time. I want a first look at the litter as soon as possible to tell who's what and what sex."

  "I don't know, Mitch. That wasn't the deal—"

  "Three weeks, Shelby. As soon as we're off the phone, I'm calling my breeder. I'll bring her with me. She'll be able to identify the breeds and sex. At six weeks, I'm taking my puppy."

  The last was uttered like a threat. Why did he sound ominously like the wicked witch in a bad fairytale who was coming for the promised firstborn?

  The phone went dead.

  I stared at it, infuriated. Bastard. It was hard to believe that I'd wasted two years of my life on him. I'd just been counting time until I met Dex again. Lucky me. Fate liked me, it appeared.

  Still shaking, I called Jesse.

  "Hey, Gold Digger." There was the sound of big equipment in the background.

  Jesse had just recently given me the nickname Gold Digger. Part of it was a tribute, making me one of the Gold Digger family. They often called each other Gold Diggers. Part of it was because he thought it was funny and adorably teasing because I was engaged to a billionaire.

  "You have a warped sense of humor," I said. "Have you hauled all the mother lode out yet?"

  "I'm working on it. Sweating out the rest of the season, which is always too short. Do we have puppies yet?"

  I pictured him whipping off his baseball cap and wiping his forehead, brow raised in eager anticipation of my answer. Jesse was ridiculously eager for puppies. Super cute about it. After talking to Mitch, Jesse's attitude was refreshing.

  "All I can say is clear your schedule for early September and book a flight to Seattle to get your puppy."

  He let out a whoop.

  I smiled to myself. I liked Jesse.

  "How many? Are they healthy? Are any Auggies? I want the biggest bruiser—"

  I laughed. "Seven. Very healthy. And Dex thinks six of them are probably Auggies. But it's hard to tell for sure just yet."

  "So I have a choice of six and Mr. Stick Up His Butt has a choice of exactly one." Jesse laughed.

  "Something like that," I said. "I'll leave it up to you to call Luke and book the filming. I can't wait for you to see the puppies, Jesse. They're adorable—"

  "They're hairless right now, if I'm not mistaken."

  "Well, yeah. But they're still so precious."

  "Spoken like a true woman. How's our Bella taking to motherhood?"

  "Only a few hours in and she's already taken to it like a pro."

  "Fantastic. I can't wait. Neither can my crew. We're looking forward to the enthusiasm of a new puppy around here. We could use a mascot. I even have names picked out."

  "Male, female, or unisex names?" I asked. "And are you going to share them with me?"

  "Not on your life. I won't know the exact name for sure until I pick out my puppy. And stop trying to get me to commit to a male or female. I'm going to pick a puppy based purely on my gut reaction to them and them to me. The one I bond with will be the one I choose. The one who seems to have the personality I'm looking for."

  "And what kind of personality is that?" I asked.

  "Alpha enough to take care of itself and submissive enough to be mellow and lovable."

  I laughed. It was good talking to Jesse. "That about covers it."

  "Send me pictures as soon as you can, Gold Digger."

  "As soon as Bella lets me near enough," I promised.

  "I want progress pictures along the way. I wish I wasn't so far away. I wish I could be part of their growing up. I'd like them to get used to me before I have to cart one off. I don't want my puppy to feel lonely and sad when I take it away."

  For a tough miner, Jesse could be awfully sweet.

  "The puppies will be all cute and furry by the time I see them. All grown up, comparatively. Might be hard to choose—"

  "Just don't take my favorite, Jesse."

  He laughed. "Hours in and you already have a favorite?"

  "Maybe…"

  Chapter Four

  I Heard It Through the Grapevine

  Shelby (Maker of phone calls. Secret keeper.)

  I had one more call to make. "Mom. Hey, where are you now?"

  "We're at the Grand Canyon, hon. It's gorgeous, but I think there's some bad juju here. Your dad and I have been bickering since we pulled up to the visitors' center. That's not like us."

  "So long as no one pushes the other off a scenic viewpoint. I don't want any calls from park rangers telling me one of my parents died a suspicious death from falling off a panoramic point. No lies about the other trying to get the perfect picture."

  Mom laughed. "Nothing as serious as that. Maybe it's being in the RV together too long. But you know your dad. He might try getting the perfect picture. He always gets closer to the edge than I like. But I'd be the first to try to save him. I'd have my hand out to him to grab him and stop his fall first thing. That's what you do when you love someone."

  Dad made an unintelligible comment in the background, but it sounded jovial enough. Then he shouted, "Are you calling to announce the birth of a batch of puppies? I hope so. I have a bet with your mother. If the puppies are born today, I win."

  "Congratulations, Dad! Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Bella had seven healthy puppies this morning. Both mother and pups are doing great, one happy little family."

  "That's fantastic, hon." Mom clapped. "Except that Dad will never get over his gloating."

  "I have an intuition about these things. I said there would be seven, too, didn't I?"

  "You did," Mom said. "But that wasn't such a guess. You looked up the typical size of a litter on the Internet. Six to eight. You had one-in-three odds of being on the money."

  "Your mother never wants to give me full credit." Dad laughed.

  "No bickering, you two. Ignore the bad canyon juju." It was good to hear their voices.

  "How many Corgis?" Mom asked, obviously trying to mask her concern. But it was obvious from the question.

  "It's hard to tell, but hopefully at least one." I explained the situation.

  "One's enough to get Mitch off your back," Dad said. "That's all you need."

  My parents' opinion of Mitch had fallen considerably since he tried to kidnap me from a wedding I was attending. They had to concede that he wasn't perfect after all, and certainly not perfect for me.

  "This is perfect puppy timing," Mom said. "The puppies will be about to open their eyes by the time we get home on the thirtieth."

  "We're looking forward to the premiere party you're throwing for Gold Digger. We still can't believe our little girl is a TV star, can we, Mom?" The pride sparkled through in Dad's voice.

  Mom and Dad knew I'd been on Gold Digger. But not any details about my role on the show or how I got it. They didn't know anything about Jesse and me, obviously. Just that an old guy friend of mine was one of the stars and had gotten me involved in the show. Not even which star was my friend. Though they kept trying to guess. And Jesse was the main guess.

  Dad loved the show, which made things both exciting and awkward. Jesse wasn't his favorite on the show, but Dad seemed to like him well enough. How their opinions would change when they found out the truth was anybody's guess.

  I was going to have to tell them as much as I could beforehand to prepare them for the shock. But it seemed best to do that in person.

  "Of course, we're eager to meet this billionaire boyfriend of yours, too." Mom, who was usually so nice and supportive, sounded skeptical, almost critical. She'd been this way since I first told her about Dex. I didn't understand her attitude. She was usually all "if you're happy, we're happy" about my boyfriends. Why now, when I'd really found the one, was she acting up?

  "Um, yeah, about that. Dex is eager to meet you. Any chance you'll be home sooner?"

  "There's no hurry, is there?" Mom sounded falsely bright.

  Maybe it was just me, but from her tone, she didn't sound like she believed this relationship would stick. And, from her point of view and base of knowledge, if I hadn't even bothered getting engaged to him, what was the rush? I went through fiancés like water.

  "Dad and I are having such fun—"

  "Even with the bad juju?"

  "Still a lot of the country to see, sweetie," Dad said. "But we're looking forward to that party of yours. Our Shel knows how to throw a party, that's for sure."

  "I hope you're working on a special party favor souvenir," Mom said. "You're so good at that. One of your own designs on a T-shirt, maybe? Or a nice coffee mug—"

  "I'd prefer a gold bar. I think that would be great." Dad laughed.

  Now you could see which parent I got my party-planning skills from.

  I rolled my eyes. Good thing they couldn't see me. "Oh, there will be something special."

  When I got off the phone, I just had to call Dex. "Do you want children?"

  "Yeah, of course." He sounded confused. "But I'm not in any rush. Is that a deal-breaker? Do you want children?" That was the great thing about Dex. He understood when my commitment issues flared up.

  "Not a deal-breaker, and yes, I think so. Just out of curiosity, how many do you want?"

  "Would a dozen be a deal-breaker?"

  I laughed. "Very funny. Yeah, deal-breaker."

  "Damn. As an only child, I always dreamed of having a big family."

  "I hope you're kidding."

  "Do we have to decide how many now? Is Bella having puppies triggering this?"

  "Maybe. It just got off the phone with my parents. I didn't tell them our news, obviously. Just about the puppies. But it made me realize that this is something I should know. Something we should discuss before we make our news public."

  "Definitely," he said. "And we will. Just know that I love you. We both know we want at least one sometime in the future. We'll work it out."

  I relaxed. "You're right." I paused. "I hinted to my parents that they should come home early and meet you. They laughed it off. They're having too much fun on the road. That's what they said. But what I really think is that they're not taking our relationship seriously." I blew out a breath.

  "Given your track record, you can't really blame them."

  Brave man.

  "Shut up," I said playfully. "You would bring that up." I hesitated. "I really didn't want to mention this, but I get the feeling Mom has reservations about you."

  "What? About lovable little me? She hasn't even met me yet. I'm great. I'm a billionaire. I'll give you everything you could ever dream of."

  I laughed. "I know. It doesn't make sense. Dex, I have to tell them about us. As soon as possible. In person. But how am I going to do that?"

  "Easy." His calm manner was totally reassuring. "Find out where they'll be on Sunday. I'll rent a business jet and fly us there to meet them. We'll surprise them."

  "I don't have to find out," I said. "My parents aren't that spontaneous. They booked their campgrounds ahead of time. I have their itinerary."