Page 16 of Charlie and Her Sweet Escape
He nodded along, agreeing with everything I said. “You know what? I’ll see if I can get that leave of absence,” he started, and I almost squealed. It was going to happen. I was really going to find a way to get the money my mom needed. But then he continued, “On two conditions.”
My excitement plummeted. I had a feeling I was going to hate these conditions.
“First,” he said, “move to Juneau with me. You know it’s the right thing to do.”
A protesting sound crawled up from the back of my throat. Greg’s family was pushing him to set up at the office therepermanently, so he was going back and forth between the two towns every other week. But I didn’t want to leave my mom or my job. I’d managed to get the same faculty position my dad had worked until he died. I even had his same office. Mom had dug up a picture of me and him that he’d had on his desk, and I put it there too. I was maybe three or four years old in the picture, holding his hand and looking up at him like he was my whole world. Being there made me feel close to him.
I’d already explained this all to Greg, and he’d agreed that he’d continue to travel back and forth for now. It wasn’t ideal, I got that, but I’d thought it was already settled.
“Second,” he said, “get rid of the three-legged foster mutt.”
“No!” Panic clawed its way toward my lungs and made my voice tight. “I haven’t found Hansel’s forever home yet.”
He pretended to look at his watch. “Got a few days to figure it out.”
In the last six months, Greg had made his stance onnotwanting a dog absolutely clear. When we were first dating, he’d thought my animal rescues were cute. He’d even said he could picture himself with a dog or two someday. But recently, he’d changed his mind. I’d pushed back. Negotiated. Given in. But I still hadn’t fully accepted it. If he’d changed his mind once, he might do it again once things settled down.
“Hansel doesn’t take up much space?—”
“Charlotte, where are your priorities? With me or with an animal?”
“With you. But I don’t think I need to choose between you?—”
“You kind of do.”
If Greg would just let me get in a full sentence for once! My eyes welled up.No, no, no.Not right before a game, when anyone could look over and see me get emotional.
Greg frowned at something over my shoulder. “This is a private conversation.”
Bennett loomed over us with a stormy expression. “The game’s about to start.”
“I’m aware of that.” Greg’s shoulders tensed.
“Hey, Bennett,” I said, faking a cheery tone. “How would you like to adopt a dog?”
He tore his gaze away from Greg, and it softened when it landed on me. “Found another one?”
I laughed, but it was flat to my own ears. “No. Hansel needs a place to go.”
“Why?”
I blinked so many times, Bennett became blurry. “We just can’t have a dog right now, and I know I can trust him with you…”
Bennett stared at me, seeing way more than I wanted him to.
Greg scoffed. “Bennett can’t?—”
“I’d love to,” Bennett said firmly. A petty part of me enjoyed Greg getting cut off for once. “I’ll be out at sea through Thursday. Want to bring him by Friday?”
“Yeah. That works.” I could do this. I could give my dog to Bennett. And maybe I could dog-sit Hansel when Bennett was leading a fishing excursion. Some of my sadness lifted at the thought. This was the perfect solution. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said with a wink that made Greg’s arm stiffen beside mine.
7
BENNETT
Forrester Sibling Group Chat
