揕ike a bed and a crate and toys and a collar and a leash and food??
Yeah. Definitely didn抰 think any of this through. 揙h.?
揥e don抰 have any of that, right??
I appreciate the we. 揘o.?
Crew stands and holds out a hand to pull me upright. 揕et抯 go shopping then.?
揧ou were trying to work earlier. I can just厰
He leans down and scoops up the dog. 揧ou coming??
Without waiting for an answer, he heads for the stairs, carrying Goldie.
An hour later, we stand side by side, staring at the wall covered with dog toys.
揥ow.?
揝hould we get him one of each??Crew jokes. There are dolphins and condiments and emojis. Dinosaurs and beer bottles.
Our dog will be spoiled. There抯 no other logical conclusion, looking at the overflowing cart. It took us fifteen minutes to decide on the right brand of puppy kibble. We spent another ten minutes in the treat aisle. Choosing a crate was quick because we got the biggest one. Ditto with the bed, because there was only one that fit the largest crate. And now we抮e stuck in the toy aisle with way too many options.
揥ho would buy their dog an eggplant emoji??
Crew smirks. Grabs the purple plush toy and tosses it in the cart.
I laugh. 揥e抮e not getting that.?
揑抣l give it to him when you get home from work.?
I fight it, but I抦 smiling when Crew抯 phone rings. He tugs it out of his pocket. 揂sher.?He doesn抰 answer it.
揥ork??
揘ah. He probably wants to go to a bar.?
揧ou can卛f you want to. Not that you need my permission.?With one sentence, I spread the insecurities I抳e tried to bury. In the two months since we got married, Crew hasn抰 gone to a club. He works, and he spends time with me. I抦 waiting for it not to be enough.
揑 don抰 want to.?He grabs a bear and an orange rope. 揋ood??
揝ure.?
We move to the next aisle. Crew looks through the harnesses as I pick out a blue collar and matching leash. In line for the checkout, his phone rings again. This time, he answers. 揌ey.?
I pet Goldie and pretend I抦 not listening.
揘o, I can抰。？A pause. 揂sher厀e抮e too old for this shit.?He glances at me. 揙kay. Fine. I抣l be there in twenty minutes.?Crew hangs up the phone and sighs. 揂sher needs a ride. He went to dinner with his folks. His dad, well, he makes mine look like a teddy bear sometimes.?
I look down at the dog resting his chin on my shoulder. 揟eddy.?
揌uh??
I nod toward the dog. 揧ou said you wanted to rename him. What about Teddy??
揑 like it.?
揋ood.?
揑 can drop you guys off before I get Asher.?
揑 don抰 mind.?
揧ou抮e sure??
揧eah.?
We check out and load everything into the car. It takes me most of the drive to figure out how to put Teddy抯 new car harness on. I snap the carabiner to my seatbelt right as Crew pulls up outside Pastiche.
揟his place is nice,?I comment.
揧ou抳e been here before??
揙nce. With some friends.?
Asher appears.
揑gnore anything he says about us,?Crew advises.
I raise both eyebrows, but I don抰 think he can see in the dark car. Asher walks my way, veering toward the backseat at the last minute, when he sees me sitting up front.
揅an抰 go anywhere without the missus these days, Kensington??
揧eah, you抮e welcome.?
Asher laughs as he spreads out in the backseat. A bag crinkles. 揥hat the hell??A light shines. 揥hy is your backseat filled with卻tuffed animals and bones??
揥e got a dog,?Crew replies, smoothly turning into traffic.
揂 dog??
揧ep.?
揥hy??Asher asks.
揝carlett is a sucker for a cute face.?
I roll my eyes. 揥hatever, Mr. I抳e Always Wanted A Dog Let抯 Buy Out the Whole Pet Store.?
Crew chuckles.
We drive a few more blocks before Teddy wakes up and starts whining. 揥hat do I do??I ask Crew, as his cries grow louder.
揥hat did the shelter tell you??
揃asically nothing. I haven抰 read through the whole packet yet, and I left it at home. He already ate.?
揌e probably needs a patch of grass,?Asher suggests in a bored tone.
I look at Crew. 揚ull over.?
揌ere??
揧ou want him to go on me??
Asher laughs as Crew mutters under his breath.
He pulls over in front of a tree surrounded by mulch. 揟his is the best I can do.?
I work at unclipping all the straps of the car harness I just slid into place.
揅an抰 he pee in that??
揑t抯 attached to the seatbelt, Sport.?
Asher laughs again. 揑 get why the press is obsessed with you two. You抮e a real riot.?
Both Crew and I ignore him as we struggle with the harness. 揟his one had the best reviews,?Crew mutters.