Page 28 of Accidentally Yours
Paige swallowed. Oh. He had no idea what he was walking into—the Lion’s den.
This was going to be a complete, painful disaster.
Chapter Eleven
Ethansteppedontothetrain just before the doors whooshed shut behind him and the rhythmic clatter of the tracks started humming beneath his feet. His messenger bag, slung over his shoulder, held his laptop and notepad. And nestled against his chest, peeking out from the sling wrapped across his torso, was Queenie.
All five regal pounds of her.
She lifted her tiny Chihuahua head, ears twitching like radar as she surveyed the train car, her expression unimpressed—as if she were deciding whether public transportation was beneath her. Ethan chuckled and gave her head a gentle scratch. “I know, Queenie. It’s not the private car you deserve.”
He scanned the packed train, spotting Paige toward the back, her computer open on her lap, fingers poised over the keyboard. Engrossed in her work, she didn’t notice him until he dropped onto the seat next to her.
“Hey,” he said as he shifted Queenie so she wasn’t squished between them.
Paige looked up, blinking as if surfacing from deep inside a scene. “Hey—” Her gaze drifted downward, and her brows lifted in surprise. “Who—who is this?”
Ethan grinned, unhooking one side of the sling to give Queenie the dramatic introduction she deserved. “This is Queenie.” He tilted his head toward his dog’s tufted ears. “Queenie, this is Paige. We’re writing a book together. Also, she’s my girlfriend.” Then, dropping his voice, he added in a conspiratorial whisper, “Not really. It’s just pretend.”
Paige’s lips twitched as she closed her laptop. “Wouldn’t want to keep any secrets from Queenie.”
“Never,” Ethan agreed, stroking Queenie’s fluffy, chocolate fur. “She’d never forgive me.”
Queenie sniffed the air, assessing Paige’s worth, then huffed softly and curled into her sling, unconcerned. “She likes you,” Ethan declared.
“She does?”
“Yep. Otherwise, she would’ve growled. This is her ‘I don’t mind this lady’ stance.”
“Discerning and a little grumpy, huh? My kind of girl.” Paige leaned over a bit, as though she wanted to make sure the little fur-royal heard her. “I like you too, Queenie.”
“This is good,” Ethan said, smiling at Paige’s proclamation. “She’s pretty picky, but I’ve found Queenie’s an excellent judge of character.”
“Well, obviously.” Then Paige cocked her head, eyes dancing with curiosity. “Not the kind of dog I pictured you with.”
“Oh?” Ethan arched a brow. “What did you picture?”
Paige pursed her lips, considering. “A husky, maybe. A lab? One of those huge, scary Akitas?”
He scoffed. “Something more manly?”
“You said it, not me.” She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping like she was letting him in on a secret. “I respect the small dog, big attitude dynamic. Chihuahuas keep everyone in check. Doesn’t matter the size of the opponent. They take no prisoners. I appreciate the tenacity.”
Ethan smiled. “Me too.”
He set his bag at his feet, shifting to get comfortable on the hard plastic seat. “She was my grandparents’ dog. My grandma couldn’t take her when she moved into the memory care facility.”
Paige’s expression softened, the teasing slipping away, replaced by something quieter. Something that looked like understanding.
Ethan ran his fingers over Queenie’s tiny head, the soft rise and fall of her breath grounding him. “I take her to visit my grandma every few days.”
Paige didn’t respond right away, but she held his gaze, something flickering behind her eyes. Pity, maybe, but also recognition. Like she was seeing a different side of him, something she hadn’t quite expected. And for the first time, Ethan realized Paige was a lot like his stubborn little Chihuahua. Fierce. Discerning. Maybe a little prickly on the outside, but underneath? There was softness. Loyalty. A heart that ran deeper than she let on.
And whether or not he wanted it, she was getting under his skin.
Ethan cleared his throat, pushing aside whatever weird realization had just crept in. “So, where are we going?”
Paige adjusted the pen tucked behind her ear. Her brows drew together. “What do you mean? We’re here.” She gestured around the train car, the rattle of the tracks humming beneath them, the city flashing past the windows in a blur of steel and glass.
