Page 86 of Never Kiss Your Neighbors

“Aunt Marissa just sent another video over,” Mom says, when she sees me at the table coloring.

Auntie Marissa sends a picture or video of Goldfish almost every day, and I love it, but sometimes it also makes me miss him more.

“He’s so cute!” I can’t help but laugh as I watch him lying flat on his belly, sniffing a treat that’s just in front of his nose.

As Mom clicks off of the video, she says, “Maybe you can send Auntie Marissa a picture of your dog today.”

“What are you talking about, Mom?” Sometimes, she’s silly these days, but now she’s being kind of mean.

“Here, follow me.”

When I take her hand, she leads me toward the back door. Cam and Wyatt are kneeling on the patio, and there’s a wriggly little puppy in Wyatt’s arms. It’s black and white and brown, with the cutest, floppiest ears, and a little wagging tail.

“Mom, it’s a puppy!” I’m jumping up and down, while Mom takesforeverto open the door.

“She’syourpuppy, sweetie. Cam and Wyatt picked her out for you.”

“Let her smell your hand,” Wyatt says when I finally get out there.

“Hello, little puppy.” I’m so excited, I’m shaking, but I hold out my palm and the puppy licks my fingers, making me laugh. “She likes me!”

“You’ll have to think of a name for her,” Cam says.

Wyatt sets the puppy down, and she follows me out into the grass. When I sit down, she crawls all over me and licks me some more. When I get up and run, she runs after me.

I show her around the big yard, and tell her about Goldfish, sure they’ll be friends, too. “We’re going to have so much fun!”

When we get back to the house, Mom, Cam, and Wyatt are all standing together, smiling.

Stella

“Jessie’s going to sleep a lot better with the pup running her around the yard,” I say.

“Hopefully the puppy will sleep good, too,” Cam says, “though he’ll need potty breaks in the middle of the night until he’s older.”

I cringe. “Really? I’ve never had a puppy, or even a dog before living with Goldfish.”

Cam pats my back. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of the night shift, since our work schedule is more flexible than yours.”

The men have been making my life easier in so many ways. I feel spoiled, actually.

They bought this beautiful house for us to live in. There’s so much space for all of us, including an office and a workshop for the guys, a home office just for me, and a playroom for Jessie.

They also built a big, new playset for Jessie in the back yard, and covered the ground around it with thick, spongy mats to protect her from injuries.

They care for both of us in so many ways, and more than I ever imagined was possible.

They’ve become my best friends—though, of course, they’re so much more than friends.

“Good thing we got the pup after your parents visited,” Wyatt tells me, as the three of us watch Jessie and her new best friend. “Your mom doesn’t seem like the type who likes dogs.”

I shake my head. “You’re right. She doesn’t.” I let out a sigh at the memory of their visit. It wasn’t horrible, but it would have been so much worse without Cam and Wyatt keeping the mood light, like no one else can.

At least my mom didn’t have anything negative to say about our new home. Though she doesn’t express it, I think she’s relieved that Jessie and I are living with Cam and Wyatt. Maybe she worries about us, in her own weird way.

Last year, I met Wyatt’s parents, and they were so lovely and accepting. His mom was especially kind to Jessie, and she keeps in touch with me often. I’ve met Cam’s parents, too, and though they were a bit standoffish, they seem like decent enough people.

“Do you think Jessie’s going to come up with a name for the pup that’s as creative as Goldfish?” Cam asks.

---