“I see you’re not working since your laptop is stowed. That means I can rummage through your fridge for something to eat,” Prior said, rubbing his hands together.
“What the hell?” I asked, laughing. “Why didn’t you guys just bring snacks if you wanted to eat while you were here doing…whatever it is you’re doing?”
Prior grinned. “We could have, but it’s better to eat your snacks.”
I heard barking from the other room, and I grinned and went over to where Daisy was currently on her back paws, trying to get out of the octagon gate I had put up for her. She was still a puppy, and we had played hard earlier. Plus, she had gone for a long walk. Leash training was no joke. She was part Golden Retriever, part something else, though the vet I had talked to thought it was some kind of Collie. Macon and I agreed. I didn’t care. All I knew was that I was in love with my puppy.
“I was going to ask where our favorite niece is.” Macon pushed me out of the way and picked up Daisy, cradling her in his arms.
“I thought that was my puppy,” I said, a little hurt.
“But she’s so happy to see her favorite uncle,” Macon said, letting her lick his chin. I followed Macon out to the backyard to let Daisy do her business. We gave her cheers and then took her back inside for water and a treat.
“Puppy training looks to be going well.” Arden laughed, on her knees now as Daisy said hello.
“She’s a little nippy, so be careful,” I warned.
“Make sure you have a toy near if she starts to get chewy.” Macon handed over a key ring with a pacifier-type thing. It was one of her favorite toys, to the point that I had one upstairs and another downstairs.
“I’m seriously in love with this baby.” Arden ran her hands through Daisy’s soft, rust-colored fur.
“Are you going to get another one to go with your Jasper?” I asked, speaking of her white Siberian Husky.
Arden shook her head. “No. We’re working on the whole baby thing first.”
“And having a puppy and a baby might not be great, at least not at the same time.”
“I have a feeling Jasper’s going to be amazing with whoever we get,” Arden began. “However, I don’t want to overwhelm him. Or us, to be honest. It’s a long process, and we’re not even trying for only a baby. We know the waitlist for that takes forever, and children in homes are waiting for us, too. We know that. So, we’re taking our time. Until then, it’s just the three of us.”
Daisy licked Arden’s face before moving to go cuddle Cross on the floor. My siblings and I sat on the tile as Daisy moved between all of us, her tail wagging, looking excited that everybody was here for her. And now that I thought about it, my siblings could be here for her and not me. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame them. I loved my dog. I had thought about getting one for a while, and since my brother was a vet, he was the best one to go to. Daisy had been in the shelter, a little too hyperactive for the young family who had initially bought her. She had been an accident between two breeders, and I wasn’t a fan of the fact that they had tossed her to the curb.
Macon was looking into if anything could be done, but it didn’t matter in the end. I had a new puppy who was the best thing in my life, and I had my work. And my family. What else did a guy need?
Myra in that dress filled my mind again, and I held back a curse.
“So, I guess we’re setting you up on another date?” Prior asked, carefully not looking at me.
“Since the first date you sent me on was a bust, sure.”
“Hey,” Arden said, and I winced. Arden knew exactly why dating Myra wasn’t a good idea. But she wasn’t telling anybody, and neither was I. The fact that my twin had held onto this secret for so long hurt. Not because it was her fault, but because I had forced her to lie to everybody. Myra and I needed to do something about that. But I didn’t know what problems it would solve if we finally told everybody. If anything, it might bring about more of them.
Macon played with Daisy as he spoke. “So, Myra’s oh for two in the date department.”
“That’s what I hear,” I said.
“You met with Myra again?” Cross asked, seeming curious.
I shrugged, acting like it was no big deal. Because it wasn’t. “Of course. Didn’t Macon tell you? I had to stop by her house to pick up something for Dakota. She’d recently gotten home from her date and was drinking a huge glass of wine.”
Macon winced. “Hell. I didn’t know about the wine. Was the guy mean? Do we need to do something?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t think so.” I froze. “Shit. Maybe the girls should talk to her.”
Why was I so protective? I shouldn’t be. Myra had hurt me. I didn’t need to care about her. No, that was a lie. I had loved her once. Just because we weren’t together anymore, and she me didn’t mean I wanted her to be in pain or have to deal with assholes.
Fuck that. I wasn’t a horrible person. At least, I didn’t think so.
“Anyway, now that you have Daisy, you have someone in your life,” Prior said, and Arden slapped his shoulder.
“Be nice, or I’ll tell Paris that you were mean.”
Prior’s eyes widened. “Please don’t.”
“Afraid of the little missus?” I asked.
“I’m totally going to tell Paris that you called her the little missus,” Prior added drily.
I cringed. “Okay, fine. What’s said here does not go home to your other halves.”
“I can’t promise that,” Cross said. “I’m not going to promise that at all.”
“Fine,” I grumbled.
I did not want to feel jealous about the fact that they all had someone to go home to. They could talk to someone who cared about what they were feeling and what they needed.
I didn’t have that. But I did have Daisy. My girl licked my chin and then curled into a ball in my lap, promptly falling asleep.
“She’s too cute,” Arden whispered, reaching out to run her hand over Daisy’s nose.
“Yeah. And she’s all mine.”
“Put her back in her octagon on her little bed. That way, she knows she has a safe place.”
I nodded at Macon and did as he suggested before washing my hands and going back to the living room where everyone else had gone.
“I like that you can see her area from your couch,” Cross said.
I smiled. “I move it around depending on where I’m at. I want her to know that I’m here, but I also don’t want her to become too dependent.”
Macon nodded. “That’s a problem for a lot of puppy owners. As soon as Mom or Dad leaves, they whine and freak out.”
“Crate training sucks.” I sighed as I rubbed my temple.
“Is your head okay?” Arden asked, taking my hand.
“It’s fine. I was wearing my blue light glasses earlier, but then I took them off to go for a walk with Daisy and forgot to put them back on.”
“You know better than that,” Arden chided.
“I do. And I’ll be better. Promise.”
“Here, this will help.” Prior handed me one of my beers.
“Oh, thanks. So, we’re going to drink the entire six-pack?” I asked.