Page 81 of Forgive You

What are you doing, Jules?You love him?

Fuck, Julie. Hold your horses.

We both get back to our stuff and we take it all to his car, then get dressed beside the vehicle. We move in silence, but I’m fully aware of the small glances my way.

“You two heading out?” Jordan runs a hand through his wet hair, his board tucked beneath his arm.

“Yeah, I’m gonna drive her home,” Jason says before Jordan’s eyes cast over my shoulder and he tips his chin.

“Look, you got a new friend.”

Before I can open my mouth, he nudges his chin behind me, and the cutest dog carefully moves my way with a wagging tail.

“Well, hello, little fella.” I lower myself to his level, scratching the scruffy thing behind his ears.

He’s not a big dog, spotted like a Jack Russel and shaped like a small labrador, with friendly eyes to match it. Fluffy fur smooths below my palm, and he’s definitely not as dirty as you expect him to be if he’s a stray.

“Who are you? He doesn’t have a collar.” I look up at Jason, pulling a white t-shirt over. His head.

“So?”

“So? He’s probably a stray.”

“Okay.” He keeps looking at me with questioning eyes, and I roll mine.

“Jason, we have to take him with us.”

“No, we really don’t.” Jason shakes his head while Jordan chuckles. “What are you laughing at? You take him.”

“And that’s my cue to go. Bye!” Before his brother can throw out another argument, Jordan bolts to his car twenty yards away, every intention to ignore whatever might be bellowed against his back.

“Asshole!” Jordan calls out, then his frown finds me again, then flips it to the cute little mutt.

My furry friend’s eyes are softly closing, his neck angling so I can scratch him exactly where he wants.He’s such a sweetheart!He reminds me of Charlotte and Hunter’s dog, though he’s at least a foot shorter than their Leonberger. Not an ounce of attitude in him, though.

“We should get him checked out at the vet. Maybe he’s chipped.” I glance up at Jason again, admiring how handsome he looks with the sun cascading behind him, though his frown only deepens.

“Baby, there are tons of strays in LA.”

I swallow. Every time he calls me baby, it sounds so good.

“We’ll just take him to the vet to see if he’s chipped.”

“Jules.” It’s a groan, but I also hear victory.

“Come on, Jason. Look how cute he is.”

“He’s a mutt.”

“You said you’d do anything for me.”

His eyebrow lifts as if he’s sayingreally? But like, yeah,really. I bite back a grin.

“Brat.”

22

Idon’t even like dogs.

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