Page 14 of We're One

I look at the puppy then start throwing out names before I can stop myself. “How about Bella, Daisy, Luna, Princess?”

Zach is shaking his head as he laughs. “No, I don’t want anything cheesy,” he says. “She needs a terrifying name since she’s a fierce protector.”

As if to prove this point, the puppy lets out another growl that makes me chuckle as she tugs hard on the sleeve of my sweatshirt. I tug back and she really likes this game.

“You’re going to need to get her a rope. She loves tug-of-war,” I tell him.

“I can see that. I’m going to owe you a new sweatshirt.”

I shake my head. “This thing is old and made for puppy games.”

“Do you have a dog?”

“No, I wish. My apartment doesn’t allow them. Besides that, I work too much, and puppies need a lot of attention. I watch them at the dog park every morning I walk, and I volunteer at the shelter once in a while and get some play time in. I have a hard time there though, because I want to take every single one of them home with me.”

“I can see that,” Zach says. “We always had dogs at the ranch, but none were mine alone. I might have to get her a companion so she doesn’t feel lonely.”

“Or you can give her lots of love and attention,” I suggest, sounding a bit judgy.

“Hey, I might be the best pet owner alive.”

“We’ll see,” I say. “At least I’ll get to see her while the decorating is happening. She’s going to grow fast.”

“Yes, she will.”

“How about Honey?” I suggest as a name. The puppy stops tugging on my sweatshirt and jumps up to lick my chin again. “I think she likes it.”

Zach laughs as he shakes his head. Then he looks at the dog. “Honey?” he questions, not sounding thrilled with the name. The puppy immediately looks at him and barks. “Dang it, that’s not a fierce name at all, but it looks like she wants it. “Dozer,” he says in the same sweet voice. The dog tilts her head and looks at him with question. “Honey,” he repeats, and she barks again. “I guess Honey it is.”

I beam at the puppy. “Honey is perfect. You’re the sweetest thing ever.” The puppy licks my chin again, then sees a squirrel and bounds off of my lap, tugging on the retractable leash as she chases it. I guess this is my cue to get up. Zach holds out a hand to help me, but I ignore it and push against the ground with one hand while holding my coffee cup with the other.

“Well, I better get going. I want to finish my walk, and I have a lot of work to do,” I tell him. I can’t stay here having a friendly chat with this man. My days are already filled with thoughts of him. I absolutely can’t bond with him over a dang dog.

I take a step to leave when Honey runs back to us, tangles between my legs, and makes me trip. I stumble forward, straight into Zach’s arms, my nearly full cup of hot coffee splashing out and soaking the front of both of us before the cup tumbles to the ground.

We both jump back, the hot liquid making me wince. Then I look over at Zach’s shocked expression as his white shirt is plastered to his chest with an ugly brown stain all over it. I can’t help it when my lips twitch and then a giggle bursts from me. He glares at the puppy, making me want to scoop her up to protect her. The poor little thing is wagging her tail, wondering what this new game is all about. She seems proud of her handiwork.

“Well, that wasn’t pleasant,” I finally say when the giggles die down. I begin to shiver as the liquid cools. I see goosebumps on Zach’s neck as well. It’s way too cold out to be wet right now.

“No, doesn’t feel too good,” he says with a little clatter of his teeth.

“I better get home and clean up.”

His gaze zeroes in on me. “Do you live close by?”

Mayday! Mayday! I should lie, should tell him I have to jump in my car and drive miles. I’ve never been good at lying though. I don’t want him to know where I live, but all he has to do is watch me exit the park to see that I live on the other side of the road.

“Um, yeah, next to the park,” I mumble. He gives me the same puppy-dog eyes as Honey’s giving me, and I relent. This is stupid. Don’t do it. Don’t do it, I command myself. But somehow, the words spill from my traitorous lips.

“Would you like to come over and dry off?” What in the actual hell am I doing? If I could kick my own ass I would. This nearly makes me grin as I think about the movie Liar, Liar and the scene with Jim Carey doing just that.

“Are you sure it won’t be an inconvenience?” Zach asks, but as I start walking, he’s right at my side with Honey happily walking next to me, her tail still wagging away.

Yes, it’s an absolute inconvenience, but I can’t take the offer back now. “It will be fine,” I tell him, though I’m not so sure it will be fine. I can’t have this man in my private sanctuary. I look at Honey and decide my bad decision-making is all her fault. I’ve been melted by her sweet puppy essence.

We walk in silence as I internally berate myself for the invitation. Thankfully Nikki will be home, so it isn’t like we’re going to be at my apartment alone. We stop when Honey makes a detour to go potty. I’m pleased when Zach pulls out a puppy bag and cleans up after her without looking the least bit put out. He tosses the bag in the garbage at the exit of the park, and the two of us cross the street to my place. I grow more nervous. I hope Nikki’s dressed. She tends to take a while in the mornings.

We enter my building and thankfully no one’s around to rat on me for letting a puppy inside. The policy says we can’t own pets, but it doesn’t say anything about them visiting us once in a blue moon. I move to the staircase and begin my assent to the third floor without even thinking about it. The only time I use the elevator is when my arms are full of things. Otherwise I like the exercise of the stairs. I don’t get enough movement with my job when I’m on my computer so much.

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