Page 36 of The Reality of Us
Eloise was imagining things. Owen wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at the camera. And she was standing next to the camera.
“He definitely isn’t,” she muttered. His words still stung. Yeah, she was super dressed down today, and a whiff of Eau de Canine lingered around her, but to be told so bluntly he didn’t find her attractive? Not a moment she needed to relive.
“Tilt your chin up a bit, Nate. Great. Hold steady, guys,” Eloise called. Lowering her voice, she whispered to Alice, “But you were right about Murphy, and he needs a home …”
“I wish I could,” Alice said. The last few weeks Dougie and Rico hadn’t been able to come to see her, and the pang of loneliness in her chest almost physically hurt. Murphy’s tongue lolled out, and he gave the camera a huge, cheesy grin.
Maybe Eloise was on to something?
Besides, how hard could it be having a dog?
She went out running each morning, and dogs loved to run. If she got the shearers’ shed, he could come to work with her. She tried to imagine the look on Phoenix’s face if she’d had Murphy with her when he’d accosted her in the park. Phoenix hated dogs.
“You know what? I’m going to do it.”
“Really?” Eloise grinned.
“Yep. I could use a friend out here.”
Eloise looked up from her camera, eyes softening before she looked through the viewfinder again. “You should come to trivia next week with us. It’s part of life out here. I should’ve reached out earlier, but I was trying to give you some space to settle in.”
“Oh, I wasn’t hinting or anything. The space has been good. I’ve needed it.” She was a candle making pro because of it. Alice brushed at her legs again.
“You guys are done.” The brothers stood and stretched. Eloise turned back towards Alice. “But you really should come. Everyone’s dying to meet you properly.”
“Maybe.” Alice stepped forward, and Murphy broke away from Rafferty, bounding towards her.
“Hello, gorgeous,” she said, burying her face into the soft fur of his neck. How anyone could not want this ball of love was beyond her.
“Guess what,” Eloise said. “Alice’s going to adopt Murphy!”
“Really? Is that a good idea?” Ahh, yes. Right on time. Someone to rain on her parade. The fact it was Owen hurt even more after his confession earlier. She’d thought … well, it didn’t matter what she thought.
Alice’s head snapped up, and Murphy licked her neck like he knew she needed help to stay calm. She arched an unattractive eyebrow at Owen. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“A dog’s a big responsibility, and you live in an apartment. A small apartment filled with boxes of candles,” Owen said. He’d commented on the number of boxes that had spilt out of her bedroom and into the lounge room two days ago when he used the shower.
“Plenty of people have dogs and live in apartments. Besides, I’ve got a plan for my candle business.” The old stove in the shearers’ shed suddenly looked very good.
Owen shrugged, unbothered or oblivious to the bite to her tone. “Maybe a smaller dog, then. Less food, vet bills. He looks like a Bernese mountain dog.”
Alice couldn’t have cared less about what type of dog Murphy was. He was a sweetheart. And an orphan! Surely a Bernese mountain dog would enjoy running in the mountains. If it was in his name, it’d be in his blood. This would be better than fine.
She wrapped her arms around Murphy’s neck, her decision made. “You hear that, buddy. You’re going to be all mine.”
“Oh, shoot, the light’s going. We need to hustle, Alice,” Eloise said, and Alice looked over her shoulder. The sky had changed while they’d been in the barn, the fingers of burnt orange sinking closer to the horizon.
“Give me ten minutes to fix my hair and face,” Alice said.
Eloise folded up her tripod, attached it to her camera backpack. “Let’s go with a natural look. You brought jeans, yeah? Pop them on with a nice white shirt, I’ve got a spare in the kitchen if you want, bare feet, and leave your hair out. I promise I’ll make you look great—not that you need any help. You’re gorgeous.”
Nice someone thought so.
13
“Come on, big guy,” Alice said fifteen minutes later. Murphy leapt up onto the bench, his paws resting on her thighs. She settled one hand on his back, the other arranging the ruffled skirt of her one-shouldered coral dress so it sat perfectly. Eloise’s outfit suggestion would’ve been simpler, but Alice had wanted something bolder, more polished. An outfit that said she was doing just fine on her own, thanks very much. She wished she’d gotten a pedicure, but this wasn’t Vogue.
“Owen, can you move the big light closer to me? Yep. Yep. There. That’s as good as it’s going to get.”
