Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
All I know is that I’m looking forward to a night at home watching a cartoon more than I ever imagined possible, and it’s all because of these two incredible people. People I’m already so devoted to that I place the call to the animal shelter while Mel starts dinner and Chase plays with his toys in the living room. I even find a cardboard box in the house’s closet and head outside to help Starling collect Nutty when she pulls up on her way home from work.
I’m hoping Nutty will make a run for it, but the little bastard jumps right into the container with a happy squeak, like he’s been waiting his entire life to hang out in a cardboard box.
“Definitely someone’s pet,” Starling says, stroking his head.
“Could still have rabies,” I say. “Don’t drop your guard.”
Starling laughs. “I’ve already had the shots, so I’m covered either way. I had to get them after an injured possum scratched me. But squirrels rarely have rabies. Especially ground squirrels.”
“Ah,” I say. “That’s why he doesn’t have the fluffy tail.”
“Yep. And good thing, too. You can’t keep tree squirrels as pets in Minnesota. But ground squirrels are fine.”
I scowl. “Like that makes any sense.”
“That’s the government for you. Sometimes, I think they try to keep things from making sense.” Starling grins as she gently closes the lid of the box. “I’ll get this little guy checked out and let Mel know as soon as he has a clean bill of health. Tell her I have an extra enclosure someone donated at the shelter, too. If she decides to adopt Nutty, she can have it free of charge.”
“I’ll tell her,” I say, glumly.
“You sound excited,” Starling says, laughing again. “Not an animal fan?”
“Not a Nutty fan. He seems to like humping my face. A lot.”
She looks up, her brows lifting. “Really? That means he thinks you’re his playmate. That’s playful squirrel behavior. They hump for a lot of reasons, most of them having nothing to do with actual mating.”
I bare my teeth. “Great.”
She laughs again. “Okay. Say hi to Mel and Chase for me. I’d come in, but I have to jet if I’m going to get Nutty checked in at the shelter before I have to be home. Christian and I have date night tonight, and I need to get dressed in my costume.”
“Sounds good, thanks, Starling,” I say, turning back toward the door only to turn back a beat later. “Did you say costume?”
She waves. “Bye! Have a great night.”
“You, too,” I say before slipping back inside.
Mel’s setting the table to my right and looks up. “Did you get him in the box? Already?”
“Yep, he hopped right in and is on his way to the shelter as we speak. Starling said humping is a form of squirrel play.”
“Kinky,” she whispers, laughing when I roll my eyes. “Food’ll be ready in about an hour. I don’t suppose you’d want to run Chase a bath, would you?”
“I sure would,” I say, hollering over my shoulder. “Chase. Let’s get a bath party started. I bought bath chalk at the hospital gift store today, and I need to draw chickens on the walls.”
Chase leaps up and runs past me toward the ground floor bathroom. “I’m going to draw chickens, too! I love this place!”
Mel and I both laugh, but when our gazes connect, the laughter fades.
After a beat, she reaches out, giving my hand a squeeze. “I’m not going to push, but whenever you want to talk, just know I’m here, okay? Like you were there for me.”
“Thanks,” I say, knowing she means it.
But I have no idea how to talk to her about this, this secret that weighs heavy on my shoulders, foretelling doom for my newest, most precious dream.
Chapter 19
Melissa
Dinner turns out beautifully if I do say so myself. Chase devours his balsamic chicken, sourdough rolls, and dirty green beans and asks for seconds, and Aaron makes happy eating sounds throughout the entire meal.
His happy eating sounds remind me of other happy sounds he makes during…other activities, but I do my best not to think about that.
Even if he needs surgery and will be sticking around Bad Dog for longer than expected —the reason I suspect he isn’t eager to talk about the results of his scans—he’s still only here temporarily. Soon, he’ll go back to his fast-paced, pro athlete life, I’ll return to my solo, small-town existence, and this brief interlude will be a thing of the past.
But it will be something I’ll remember far more fondly than I ever expected to when I first agreed to let Aaron stay with me.
Just sharing a meal together and snuggling on the couch with Chase to watch Finding Nemo is more fun than I’ve had in a long time. Everything feels so easy and relaxed with Aaron. He clearly adores Chase and Chase adores him—he insists on sitting on Aaron’s lap during the scary shark scene, instead of mine—and as I watch my son press a good night kiss to Aaron’s cheek after we brush teeth, my heart feels like it’s going to overflow.