Chapter 28

Gabriel watched as Rowan sat in the middle of a cage with some sort of Beagle mix sprawled all over him. They thought she'd been used in a puppy mill and simply abandoned when she got too old. Gabriel shook his head at himself and tamped down the anger at the injustice, because Rowan had surprised him once again. He'd thought Rowan would have gone for a puppy, or at least a young dog, but this sweet girl was estimated to be ten years old and didn't seem to know how to even play.

"It's likely she's been kept in a crate for most of her life," Erin, one of the shelter volunteers, said. "But she has a clean bill of health, all her shots, and she was spayed when she arrived seven months ago."

"And no one's been interested in all that time?" She was a sweetheart, and it looked like love at first sight between her and Rowan.

Erin shook her head. "Older dogs are always the last to be adopted and many never are."

Gabriel let himself in the small area, noting the bowl, the padded bed, and the small door that led to the outside. Rowan looked up.

"I think your dad's getting the black one he saw originally." The shelter thought he was around four, surrendered to make way for a new baby. In fact, after they'd been here for the first hour, he'd texted Adrian to suggest the shelter hold an adoption event at the club. Adrian had passed him the baton and basically told him to have at it.

He had an idea that Rowan and the littles would have a blast putting it together, and when they got their own house, Rowan could have as many damn dogs as he wanted.

"I think she's picked you." He hunkered down and offered his hand out for her to sniff, which she did very delicately, then offered him a cautious lick as he stroked her ears. Rowan nodded eagerly.

"I'm going to call her Lady from Lady and the Tramp." He hesitated. "That's if it's okay." He sent Gabriel such a look of utter longing Gabriel almost rolled his eyes. They were both going to be spoiled rotten. The dog and his boy. Really, Gabriel was screwed if he hoped to maintain any discipline at all.

"You stay here with her, and I'll go fill out the paperwork. Good thing we're moving to the house in a week." And it was also a good thing the apartment allowed pets. He doubted he would have been able to get Rowan to leave without her. Not that he hadn't made doubly sure before he suggested they visit.

Rowan waited in the car, chatting with his dad while Gabriel rushed into the pet store and grabbed the basics. Philip could get what he wanted later. Apparently, Hilary had enough at home for now for when she looked after her son's dogs, so they were going to take their time.

They were going to visit Clare tomorrow and Gabriel had also checked to make sure they could bring the dog, which thrilled Clare. Gabriel had taken the details of another older dog, a smaller one, but the exact size for Clare's lap when she whizzed about in her electric chair. He rolled his eyes. They would both be the perfect addition to his family.

And he stopped dead in the middle of the aisle between the dog food and the guinea pig bedding and thought about what he'd just said.

His family.

Rowan had made that happen. His baby boy. Rowan had taken in a man who had been torn between guilt, responsibility, and apathy and made him remember not only what had attracted him to the lifestyle in the first place, but also given him a purpose.

Patrick had clapped him on the back last night and asked him, tongue-in-cheek, what it felt like to be spoiled rotten. He hadn't needed to answer because it hadn't been a serious question. They'd both seen the understanding in each other's eyes.

He rushed out of the pet store and Rowan's gaze unerringly found his, softened, and shone with love.

And he sent it back with everything in him.