I take the folder from her. 揙kay. Thank you.?
揅ongratulations. He抯 a sweetheart. I was dreading the pickup tomorrow.?
I look down at the puppy snuggled in my arms. 揟hanks.?
揑 read Haute.?
When I look up, she抯 smiling sheepishly.
揃efore and after you bought it. It抯 really impressive what you抳e done with it.?
I smile. 揟hank you. That means a lot.?
Then I turn and head back outside. Eric steps out to open the door. His eyes widen as he takes in the dog, but he doesn抰 comment. Just asks where the next stop is.
Goldie thoroughly explores the backseat as we drive back to the penthouse. I look through the folder, feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information. I don抰 even know if Crew likes dogs. He could be allergic, for all I know.
When the elevator doors open to the penthouse, I can hear his voice coming from the kitchen. I set Goldie on the fluffy living room rug and walk down the hall.
Crew is standing at the kitchen counter, studying some papers and talking on the phone. His eyes light up when he sees me. I smile at him before I walk over to the fridge and pour myself a glass of water. On second thought, I fill a glass bowl with water too.
揧es,?Crew says. 揝end the expense reports when you can, and I抣l take a look later.?There抯 a pause. 揂ll right. Bye.?
He sighs, and then I hear him move. He drops his chin on my shoulder and kisses my neck. 揌i.?
揌i.?Embarrassingly, my voice comes out breathy and high.
揌ow was the shoot??
揋ood.?His question distracts me from the feeling of his lips against my skin. I pull away. 揑 have something to show you.?
揙h, really??He raises one brow.
揧eah. Follow me.?I start toward the living room, then remember the water. I spin back around to grab the bowl. Crew eyes it but doesn抰 say anything as we walk down the hallway.
We enter the living room. The empty living room.
揝hit. Where did he go??
揥here did who go??
揑， uh.?I set down the bowl of water and look at him. 揑 sort of got a dog today??
Crew looks shocked. 揧ou what??
揑 was at the shoot梚n the park梐nd there was this woman with all these dogs. And there was this one. He抯 super sweet and really mellow, and they were going to kill him, Crew. So, I桰 went there after the shoot and I adopted him.?I pause, assessing his expression. 揂re you mad??
揑， ah, where is it??
Nothing is out of place, and no dog is in sight from my position in the living room. 揑 don抰 know. I left him on the rug.?
揂nd you thought he would just stay in one spot? It抯 not a stuffed animal, Scarlett. It抯 a real one.?
揑 know that,?I snap. 揧ou抮e getting awfully judgmental about a dog you抳e never even met.?
He smiles. 揙kay. I抣l look upstairs. You take downstairs.?
I sigh. 揊ine. He抯 tiny. Like a golden fluff ball.?
揑 know what a dog looks like.?
Rolling my eyes is very tempting, but I refrain. 揂nd his name is Goldie.?
揋oldie??
揥hat抯 wrong with Goldie??
揥e抮e changing his name,?Crew says.
揕et抯 find him first, okay??
Crew doesn抰 reply before he heads for the stairs. I smile when I hear him call 揋oldie?upstairs.
I look under the couch and behind the armchair in the corner of the living room. The kitchen doesn抰 have any hiding spots. I head into the study next, crawling on my hands and knees to look under all the furniture in there. I抦 walking toward the dining room when I hear 揑 found him!?
When I reach the top of the stairs, Crew is sitting on the runner that traverses the length of the hallway. Goldie is between his legs. His little paws peddle through the air as Crew scratches his belly.
Once I抦 a couple of feet away, I sink down to my knees.
揌e抯 cute,?Crew comments.
揑 know.?
揧ou wanted a dog??
揂 cat, when I was younger. My mom said no. I don抰 know anyone with a dog. Anything about dogs.?I wrinkle my nose. 揑t was stupid. Impulsive. I wasn抰 really thinking.?
And it抯 Crew抯 fault. Lately, I抳e changed. I leave work at a reasonable hour. Worry less. Smile more. Make the spontaneous decision to adopt a puppy. They抮e healthy changes. Changes I wouldn抰 have made on my own. Reconciling who you are with who you were is uncomfortable. Especially when you抮e not certain it抯 a permanent change.
揑抳e always wanted a dog,?he tells me.
揧ou have??Surprise saturates the question.
Crew scratches Goldie抯 chin. The puppy stretches. 揧eah.?
揟hey gave me a whole packet of stuff. He needs food and training and vaccinations.?
揙kay. Let抯 go.?
揋o where??
揟o a pet store, Red. To get all the shit he needs.?
揕ike what??