Page 96 of The First Time

It’s a puppy.

I don’t know where it came from, but he is wearing a blue collar and licking my feet.

I giggle as I squat down to pet him. His tail is going crazy with excitement as I scratch his head. I think he’s a golden retriever.

“Hey there, buddy. Aren’t you just the cutest?”

His tongue hangs out of the side of his mouth like a goofball, but he smiles up at me while I continue to scratch his head.

“Why did you run away from home? Let’s look at your tags,” I say gently as I pick him up.

I grab his collar and twist it around until I find a gold dog tag. My breath catches in my throat when I read his name.

Biscuit.

I look up to see if I can spot anyone, and that’s when I see him. Josh is leaning against a tree looking devastatingly handsome in his jeans and black button down.

“He’s cute, isn’t he?” he says as he pushes off the tree and starts walking towards me.

When he reaches the dock, standing next to me, he scratches Biscuits head.

“His name is Biscuit,” I tell him, like maybe he doesn’t know this dog. Maybe it’s all a weird coincidence.

His face breaks out in a wide grin. “Indeed. I thought Biscuit had a good ring to it. Don’t you think?”

“You mean, this is your dog?”

He kisses the top of Biscuit’s head. Tell me there’s anything sexier than a strong, masculine man giving affectionate kisses to a puppy? Trust me, there’s not.

“He’s not my dog. He isourdog.”

“Our dog?” I ask, stuck between disbelief and overwhelming joy.

A strange sensation starts in my chest, spreading like wildfire through my veins. Doubts and fears swarm my body, warning me not to get too excited.

He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Yes, Freckles. Our dog.”

“I don’t understand,” I say on a breath.

“Well, there was a story you told me recently, and I guess it inspired me. There was once a seventeen-year-old girl who used to picture her happy ending with her prince charming. She wanted a house on the water in the town she grew up in, and a dog named Biscuit to keep them company.”

Tears prick my eyes as I snuggle Biscuit. He continues. “But you see, her prince charming was an insecure idiot who had some lessons to learn in life. Even when he finally won the girl over ten years later, he fucked up again.”

My lips curve into a faint smile as I let out a low chuckle. His eyes crinkle at the corners, sparkling with amusement. “He fucked up, huh? What did he do?”

“Oh, he fucked up big time. He let those insecurities rear their ugly head, and stormed off one night, leaving her stranded.”

“Wow,” I say, biting my lip. “What a dick.”

“Oh, he didn’t stop there. Then he decided he was done letting anything get in the way of his love for her. He got so into devising a plan to woo her, that he didn’t realize he was ignoring her and making her feel that same way he made her feel a long time ago. So, he decided to accelerate the plan.”

I raise my eyebrows. “The plan?”

“Yes, the plan to woo her. Keep up, Freckles,” he says with a wink.

“Ah, yes. The plan. And what exactly does this plan entail?”

He extends his arms out and looks around. “Our happily ever after,” he laughs lightly.

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