“
I’ll let you off your leash, but you have to show some manners. No humping, no pissing on anything man made, and keep the crotch greetings exclusive to your four-legged fury friends. Got it?”
Swarley nods because I’ve made him part human over the past few months and I’m pretty sure I saw him roll his eyes at me too. Guess I’d better start getting used to sassiness and eye rolling … read that on a parenting blog too.
Note to self. Find more positive bloggers that paint the picture of parenthood with rainbows, fairies, and pixie dust.
“Sydney?”
I turn. “Hey, Dane!”
He bends down to let his dogs off their leashes. “Gosh, I didn’t think you’d be back. How was Paris?”
Which part? The view of the ceiling from the couch or the drain from the top of the toilet?
“Great!” Extremely sugarcoated … maybe teetering on an outright lie.
“So how long are you staying?” He rests his hands on his hips.
Dane is adorable. I’m sure grown men don’t like to be called adorable; hell, I didn’t like it when Lautner said it to me, but Dane is just that. Tall, dark, and admittedly handsome with a boyish grin that makes me want to take him home, bake him cookies, and pour him a tall glass of milk.
“I’m not sure. Trevor and Elizabeth just moved to San Diego and I’m staying at their house until it sells or until I find something else.”
He cocks his head to the side. “Yet, they left Swarley?”
Turning my gaze to look for the wild pooch, I shake my head. “Their condo association doesn’t allow large pets. They’ve been looking for a new home for him, but for now I have him.”
“You two have come a long way since the first day you showed up at my office.”
Clasping my hands behind my back, I look down and kick at the dirt. “Yeah, you’re right. As of lately, I’ve considered taking him myself. But until I know where I’m going to end up, offering it would be a little premature if not irresponsible.”
“Grad school with a dog. You’d have to find some place to live that allows pets.”
My faces wrinkles as I peek up at him. “I’m not going to grad school, at least not for a while. Something’s kind of come up.”
“Oh?” Dane’s hands shift from his hips to crossing over his chest as he widens his stance.
I blow out a long breath, scrubbing my hands over my face. My fingers trace my eyebrows as I meet his eyes again. “I’m … pregnant.”
Dane’s eye are going to pop out of his head and the dogs will be chasing them if he opens them any wider. “I’m sorr—or congrat—or—”
I smile because his adorableness doubles when he gets all nervous and starts stuttering.
“It’s congratulations now … ‘I’m sorry’ was last month.”
He nods in slow motion. “So you came back for Lautner?”
“No … well, yes, but that backfired on me. He’s … moved on.”
“Moved on? Are you serious? From … you?”
I shrug, bobbing my head up and down.
“Well … he’s a fuc—a freaking idiot.”
As much pain as this conversation brings me, I still manage to let a giggle escape with an accompanying smile.
“You’re right. He is a fucafreaking idiot.”
Dane grins.
“Especially because he’s with Claire.”
His eyes go wide again. “Dr. Brown?”
I nod. “Dr. Fucafreaking Brown.”
Dane mouths WOW!
“Exactly.
”
”
Jewel E. Ann (Undeniably You)