Page 41 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“So, first things first,” she says, probably unaware of the knife she just stuck in my gut. “If we’re going to pull an all-nighter, we’ll need food. That’s probably the most important thing I learned in college.” She quirks her brow. “I’m thinking pizza. So I’ll run over to Antonio’s and grab us a jumbo sausage and pepperoni.”
“Sure,” I say under my breath.
“No good?” She scrunches her nose. “Antonio’s pepperoni and sausage used to be your favorite.”
It stillismy favorite, and the fact that Natalie knows this makes the knife’s edge that much sharper. “No. That sounds great.” I dig in my back pocket, then remember my wallet’s not in my scrubs. “Hold on. I have cash.”
“No, I’ve got this.” She waves me away. “I’m a working woman with a new job on the horizon. I can afford pizza.” She cuts her eyes to LuLu. “I’ll be right back, beautiful. You take care of Brady when I’m gone, all right?”
When I’m gone.
She spins on a heel and breezes down the hall. The bell at the exit jingles as she leaves. It’s an all-too-cheerful reminder that she’ll be leaving for good. Soon. With a throat full of stones, I dress LuLu’s stitches, and settle her back in her kennel. Then I head to the lockers to grab my notebook.
From experience, I know highly charged moments make for effective drafting sessions. So while my emotions are running this close to the surface, I want to get some of these words out. Pulling a chair up to the counter beside the kennels, I start to write.
There’s something special about sentences crafted by hand. A visceral connection to the words that’s better than what I produce directly on my laptop. Before I know it, I’ve got ten new pages.
My ideas are flowing so fast, I feel like I could go on for hours. But writing’s just a hobby, not my real job. I have actual responsibilities.
So I return the notebook to my locker, sterilize my hands, and pull on a pair of gloves to do LuLu’s bloodwork. I take her to the exam room and position her on the table. As I prepare the needle and syringe, she looks back at me over her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” I murmur. Her big brown eyes are almost the size of her head. “I don’t like this either, but I’ll try to make it quick.”
By now, I’ve performed so many of these procedures, I could probably finish blindfolded. But I stay focused. Precise. Efficient. LuLu deserves my best efforts.
“And see?” I lift her quaking body. “We’re already done. No hard feelings, right?” I press her to my chest hoping my heartbeat can calm her, and she licks my neck in frantic slurps. “Aww. Hey there, girl. No hickeys now.”
“How’s she doing?” a voice says behind me. My stomach plummets like I’m being tossed off a cliff. I turn and Natalie’s in the doorway. She heard me talking to a dog. About hickeys.
“When did you get back?”
“I just walked in, but I think the entire town had the same idea we did. Antonio’s dining room is packed, and their takeout station’s all backed up. The guy at the counter said it’s going to be at least an hour for a specialty pizza. I didn’t want to wait, so he’s going to send someone over as soon as our order’s ready. Free delivery.”
“Patrick.”
“Who?”
“The guy from Antonio’s. His name is Patrick.”
“Ah. Okay. Well, Patrick said to say hi to you. So.” She grins and waves at me. “Hi.”
“Thanks for the pizza,” I manage. My gut’s still on the floor, and my throat feels hot.
“I was happy to do it.” Natalie dips her head. “We’ve got a long night ahead of us, and I’m pretty hungry after the beach.” When she comes toward me, I smell sunblock and sunshine.
“How are you doing, little lady?” she murmurs to LuLu.
“She’s still stable.” I look down at the dog, trying to focus on something other than Natalie’s scent. But it’s a losing battle, so instead I exhale. Keep the air going that direction. “Can you take her to the kennel for me while I get this sample ready to send out?”
“I’d love to.” Natalie gathers LuLu into her arms, snuggling her under her chin. LuLu wiggles up and starts kissing Natalie all over her face.
Yeah. I’m with you there, LuLu.
I’d give just about anything to see if Natalie’s lips taste as good as I remember. But that’s not in my job description, so while Natalie’s got LuLu, I process her bloodwork, then update the chart. Afterward, I find them out by the kennels.
Natalie’s still holding LuLu, cupped in her hands. “Your girl’s been waiting for you,” she says.Your girl. My pulse kicks up, even though I know she’s referring to the dog.
“Yeah. Well. LuLu needs to rest now.” I take her from Natalie, and our hands brush, a flare straight to my heart. I return LuLu to her kennel, arranging her in a nest of soft blankets. Then I refill all the dog bowls with fresh water.
“And who are these little charmers?” Natalie asks.
