Page 71 of Forecasting the Forward

Becca peers up at me, her eyes wide. “I think she just peed on me.”

“Oh, fuck,” I say with a wince. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”

“Maybe she’s marking territory. Now I’m definitely her momma,” she says with a breathy giggle.

Fuck me.

This woman never ceases to amaze me.

The following day,I headed back to work, and was immediately called into Brad’s office.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked from the doorway, hesitant to step foot in the room.

“Yeah. Leave the door open,” Brad says as he pulls at the neck of his shirt. Is he nervous? “Look, Becca. Clearly I overstepped with our last conversation. Looking back, I can see that I came across pretty creepy.”

“You did,” I admit.

“I owe you a sincere apology. You remind me a lot of my younger sister, and I think I took the role a little too far. Not only did I overstep a professional boundary, but also a physical one. I never should have placed my hand on your shoulder, and I promise it willneverhappen again.”

“Thank you,” I respond with a slight stammer. I did not expect the conversation to go this way at all.

“Word on the street is you’re now a married woman?” he asks. “Will you be changing your name?”

“Oh,” I say, surprised. “I hadn’t even thought about that yet.”

“Rick wanted to do a story about the marriage, but I told him no. An athlete suddenly marrying someone in Vegas is a bit of a breaking news situation, but since it involves one of our own, we won’t be addressing it.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that. It’s been a whirlwind.”

“Are you …” he trails off before looking me in the eye. “Are you okay? Happy?”

I feel a smile break across my face as I nod. “I am very happy. Jacob makes me feel so content.”

Brad laughs. “You don’t call him Jax?”

I shake my head. “He’s never been Jax to me. I get to see the man no one else sees. The patient, caring, and peaceful man. Jax is a hockey star, but Jacob is my husband.”

It’spossible I bit off more than I can chew with Jacob’s guinea pigs. And yes, I did mean that as a pun.

After carefully watching Jacob’s routine for a week, I thought I had everything under control for his first road trip. Boy was I mistaken.

He said they liked spinach. How was I supposed to know they’d basically yank it out of my hand and then fight over it? I was accidentally bitten when I tried to separate Rose and Lily. That was after Dahlia kicked her poo onto my shirt. Daisy hides from me, and I can’t coax her out from one of the huts, no matter what I try.

In an attempt to make things fun, I ordered these edible ball treats. The amount of research I did on toys for guinea pigs ispretty hysterical. The balls are good for exercise but also for their teeth. Jacob told me he occasionally lets them out of the cages.

As I nervously survey the cages, I hear a loud sigh from under the door. Thunder will not give up his desire to meet the pigs face-to-face. Thankful for that noise as a reminder, I take a towel and jam it under the door to ensure no pigs make it out of the room. That’s all I’d need to happen. “Hi, honey. How was your trip? By the way, my dog ate one of your guinea pigs.”

I really don’t want to have that conversation.

Alright, Becs. Put on your big girl pants and do this.

Gingerly opening the first cage, I’m able to grab Bluebell quickly. She squeaks once, then settles into my palm. Next is Rose, who side-eyes me before pooping in my hand. Lovely. Lily and Daffodil are harder to catch, but as soon as they’re set on the ground, they gleefully jump around.

I had to lure Daisy out of one of the huts with a treat. Jacob said she was the eater of the bunch, and now I understand. She weighs quite a bit more than the rest.

Finally, I track down Dahlia, who nervously shakes as I carefully put her in my hand. White with black spots, she peers up at me, and I think I fall in love with her immediately. “Well, aren’t you just adorable?”

I sit on the floor by the door, watching the pigs scope out the room, but Dahlia won’t leave my hand. She seems content to hang with me instead of roaming around with her sisters. Are they even related? Whatever.

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