“Oh my goodness!” Ryann practically lunged at the puppy.
I deposited her into Ryann’s waiting hands.
She hugged the excited puppy to her.
“You need to be cool, Ry. That puppy’s gonna pee on your ass. You know puppies get excited and get to peeing.”
“Stop being a hater, Christian. I can take a shower,” she insisted.
“And on that note, I’m out. I don’t wanna see you at the house none this week,” CJ told her. “We’ll talk this weekend about when I’ll expect you back on the job. For now, just chill.”
She hugged him, careful not to crush the pup, then she let him out of her house and locked the door behind him. “Who is this? What’s his… her name?”
“That’s Mocha. She’s a girl. She’s a Yorkie Poo. She’s half Yorkshire Terrier and half Poodle.”
“Is she mine?”
I watched her love on the puppy who was excitedly receiving all of the love Ryann was giving her. “She’s a foster, Ryann. If you wanna be her foster mother, you can. I’ll have the lady from the agency, Tiffany, send over the documents for you to sign.”
“How long does fostering last?”
“It normally lasts until they’re able to place the dog. Mocha actually has a family. It’s a newlywed couple. The husband was recently deployed. The wife is coming back to get her once they get settled in military housing.”
“So how long could I have her?”
“Between two and three weeks.”
“I’ll do it!”
Mocha tried to lick Ryann’s face until Ryann finally put her down. I went into the carrying case, pulling out the dog’s collapsible travel bowls, food, and potty pads.
Ryann looked up at me with soft eyes before throwing her arms around my waist. She rested her head against my upper stomach area due to the difference in our heights. “Brix, I really appreciate you. The flowers, the food earlier this morning, the company. You’ve really gone outta your way to make me feel better about the IVF failing. Thank you.”
I hugged her tightly. “You’re good. I know I’m not your man, but I am the man that’s in this thing with you. It’s my job to pick up the pieces as best as I can when shit falls apart.”
“Thank you.” She snuggled into my chest, and I held her for a few moments longer. “Hey, Brix.”
“What’s up?”
“Let’s take her for a walk.” She bounced out of my embrace, bending down to scoop up Mocha.
The walk Ryann requested ended up turning into a visit to the local dog supply store, where she bought way more stuff than she would need to foster for two weeks. But since I knew whatit was, I let her make it and didn’t say a word. When the cashier told her the total, I even gave her half the bread to pay for the items.
Back at the house, Ryann fed Mocha, then fed us from the food that Gensie had sent over with me. The two of us ended up on the sofa watching television while Mocha drifted off in her newly purchase dog bed.
“She has the right idea.” I gestured toward the puppy. “It’s been a long ass day.”
“No lies told,” she mumbled.
I stretched my long body out as best as I could, resting my head in Ryann’s lap. With her fingers running through my hair, I was out like a light in no time.
I heardhis breathing when it evened out, but I didn’t stop running my fingers through his soft, curly Ceasar haircut. I actually moved down to his beard. I touched it gingerly, making sure I didn’t wake him, because it would be weird as hell for him to wake up with me playing in his beard.
My future baby’s daddy was fine, fine, fine! I knew his dad was Jamaican and his mom was black, so I really couldn’t explain why he looked Latin to me.
“Has to be the hair,” I whispered as I picked up a single curl and stretched it to see how long it actually was.
“What has to be the hair?” His voice, though quiet, scared the hell out of me. It caused me to not only jump but also remove my hand from his curls expeditiously.
