“And I get to do it with a very special man.” Grandma Joyce smiled. “We’d better get back home and start packing since we’re leaving in a couple of hours. We’ll be gone for just two nights and we’ll be off-the-grid as you kids like to say, since we will be checking our mobile phones at the front desk when we get there. But we’ll be sure to give you both a call when we get back. We can do a double-date!”
Lori and I said goodbye to Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Wayne and watched them walk back to his car, holding hands the entire time.
I was jealous.
I continued to stare in their direction even after they got in the car and drove away. “Huh.”
Lori nodded, also watching them disappear in the distance. “I was just about to say the same thing.”
“I’m a little bit in shock right now. I know our goal was to set them up, but I guess I’m just surprised that everything went according to plan. And they’re already going away together. How long has it been since they met? Seventy-two hours?”
Lori nodded. “Something like that.”
I glanced at her. “It happened so fast. I guess when you know, you know.”
She smiled, not responding, but not taking her eyes off me.
We stepped off to the side so the promo assistants could start disassembling the booth and packing things back inside the radio station van.
Lori was quiet, but then glanced at me, smiling. “Do you have any plans for tomorrow?”
I shook my head. “No. You?”
“Nope. How about if we do something?”
I cocked my head to the side. “You mean like a date?”
Lori laughed “Yes. Like a date or something. A wise man once told me that when you see something you like, you’d be foolish not to start enjoying it immediately.”
I chuckled. “Well then, we’d better get started. What did you have in mind?”
“Let me think about that. I’ll let you know in the morning.” Lori kissed me.
It was kiss number five that Lori had initiated.
She pulled away from the kiss, studying me. “Are you okay?”
No. “Yeah.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded a little too much. “I’m great.” More ridiculous nodding. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” Lori smiled. “See you tomorrow.”
She squeezed my hand and walked toward her car.
After she pulled out of the parking lot, I decided to walk back to the adoption center to say goodbye to Kaitlyn before I went home.
Okay, that wasn’t exactly the truth.
There was a strong force urging me to go inside and I wasn’t going to fight it.
I had to go see about a dog.
Chapter Twenty-Two
LORI
I walked out to the balcony of my condo, glancing below at the cars and people on Pearl Street, and then over to El Pescador, my favorite fish place. I sat down and called the one person I couldn’t get out of my head.
Ben answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
I smiled. “Good morning.”
“Woof!”
Ben chuckled. “That wasn’t me, in case you’re wondering.”
I laughed. “Good to know. Where are you?”
“I’m at home.”
“Woof!”
“Do you have a dog?” I asked.
“I do now,” Ben answered. “I kind of adopted one yesterday after you left.”
“Kind of adopted one? How does that work exactly?”
“Okay, I definitely adopted one. I was getting ready to call you, actually. Would you mind coming over to my place today instead of us going out somewhere to do something? It’s his first full day at home and I wanted to be with him, to make him feel comfortable. If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I answered. “When should I stop by?”
“Come over now, if you want to.”
“Sounds great.” I couldn’t contain my excitement because I loved dogs and wanted to meet his. And of course, I was looking forward to seeing Ben again.
“I’ll text you my address,” Ben said.
After disconnecting the call I checked the text from him, surprised that he didn’t live far from my place. It was perfect because I was in the mood for a stroll and it was a gorgeous day in La Jolla, sunny and seventy-eight degrees.
I changed into jeans and my favorite Air Supply t-shirt, the one with the cover of their Greatest Hits album.
I was certain Ben would give me flack about the band, but I didn’t care.
Twenty minutes later, I stopped on the sidewalk, admiring Ben’s place in front of me. He had the cutest yellow house with a white picket fence around the yard, a flower garden in front, and wind chimes hanging near the front door.
It was absolutely adorable.
“Looks like you surprised me again, Ben,” I mumbled to myself, opening the gate on the white picket fence and closing it behind me.
I pressed the doorbell and waited.
“Woof! Woof!”
“It’s okay, it’s just Lori,” Ben said from the inside of the house. “I know you’re excited, but you need to sit. Good boy.”
Ben was already trying to train the dog, which made me smile.
He opened the door a few inches and peeked through the opening. “Welcome, partner.”
“Hey, partner.” I tried to look past him into the house to see the dog but couldn’t see a thing. “Are you thinking of letting me in?”
He smirked. “Not with that T-shirt, I’m not.”
I smirked. “Are you suggesting that your home is clothing optional? Do you have any octogenarian exhibitionists hiding in there?”
Ben laughed. “No, just a dog who’s going to lick you to death. Are you ready to meet?”
“Woof!”
He turned around and looked back inside the house. “Not you, I’m talking to Lori!”
I smiled. “I’m ready, too.”
Ben opened the door to reveal a beautiful black and tan German shepherd sitting there, obedient as can be.
The dog watched me, waiting, his tail wagging.
I placed my hand on my heart. “Oh, he’s so gorgeous.”
“He’ll thank you for that compliment with an onslaught of kisses the moment you step inside the house. Lori, meet Bob Barker.”
I laughed again. “Seriously? You named him that?”
“Woof!”
Ben pointed to the dog. “Well, I couldn’t help adding the last name, but it fits, doesn’t?”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The moment I stepped inside the house, Bob Barker came right at me with his tongue, licking my hands, my elbows, pretty much any part of my arms that were exposed. His tail wagged so hard it banged against the wall with a loud thump, thump, thump.
“It’s so nice to meet you too, Bob Barker!” I scratched him on the head, and behind the ears, which he really seemed to enjoy.
“Okay, enough licking.” Ben laughed and closed the door. “Come.”
Bob Barker immediately went to Ben’s side and sat.
I shook my head in amazement. “There’s no way you taught him that in one day.”