“Makes me feel a little better, but yeah, it doesn’t fix the issue.” I bury my face in my hands. “Okay, just talk this out with me, please. In reality, there’s not much I can do about what happened. A call to the police most likely would result in a warning to Charlie at best. And he still has a right to implement a ‘no dogs’ rule, so as long as I want to keep Dottie, I have to leave. At the end of the day, that apartment sucks, I need to move anyway, but my lease isn’t up until the end of January.”
Lucie claps her hands. “Okay, let Dex buy you out of the lease agreement, please. I’m begging you.”
“Luce, no, I can’t let you do that. Not to mention, where would I live?”
“You can live with us.” Lucie gestures toward their penthouse as if the solution was that simple.
I look to Callie. “Has she forgotten she’s about to get married, having a baby, and is raising a five-year-old?”
Callie folds her lips together to stop her laugh. “She has a point, Luce. Let’s call your place a last resort. Jen, you knowour place is always open, but we run into the same problem, our apartment has a legit no pet policy that isn’t complete and utter blackmail.”
I lean back in my chair with a sigh. “I know, but…I won’t give up Dottie, and frankly, I don’t want to go back there.”
Lucie sits back down in her chair with a huff. “You’re not going back there. End of discussion.”
“Okay, Mom, so what do you suggest I do?”
Lucie chews on her lip for a bit, but then Callie speaks up.
“You might not like it, but it’s a temporary solution for now.”
“We’re listening,” Lucie says, sitting up. I should have known she’d go full mother hen, but there wasn’t exactly any way around it. I’m officially ankle deep in the shit now.
Callie shrugs. “Beck owns his place and dogs are welcomed in that area. They have a dog park right across the street. He’s gone for the next week, so it’d be just you and Dottie. Maybe you could stay there for a bit until we figure out a plan.”
Beck’s place? No, absolutely not.
I don’t even get a chance to say no before Lucie’s on board. “Perfect, problem solved.”
“No, problem not solved. I can’t just crash at his place. Especially not without his permission, and then…just no, the answer is no.”
“Jensen,” Lucie uses her stern, but freakishly calm mom voice. “I know things are complicated?—”
“Pah-ha, Lucie, no.”
“Just hear me out.” She holds her hand up. “Callie can talk to Beck about it. We all know, without question, that he’d be okay with it, especially given the situation.”
“He really would,” Callie adds. “But I can talk to him and still leave the details to a minimum. The house is empty, you could just stay there for a day or two until we get a new plan. Will and Dex can also go with us to move you out whenever you need.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and run through every single option I can think of, but dammit, I’m running on fumes. “Fine. But only if Beck’s okay with it, and we work out a better solution before he comes back.”
Callie stands up, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Deal, I’ll go call him now. Do you need one of the guys to help you get some stuff from your place?”
I shake my head. Even the thought of going back there today makes my body feel this weird tingling mixture of rage and exhaustion. “I have my gym-to-work bag in my car. It’s got enough to hold me over until tomorrow, and I’ll pick up a small thing of dog food for Dottie on my way. I don’t think I can handle any more drama today.”
Callie nods. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I sit soaking up the silence from Lucie until Callie closes the sliding door. With the barely contained giddy look on her face, I already know what she’s about to say. “I know this sucks, but it could have some bright sides.”
“Lucieeee,” I groan. “No, I’m agreeing to this, just be happy with this solution for now.”
Her mouth opens then shuts. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I’ll stop, I promise.”
“Thank you,” I huff out, then dial back the attitude. “I know you want me to be happy and want to help. I just can’t right now. I love you and I love the idea that we could have the dream of being with guys who are best friends…but I just don’t know if it’s in the cards for me and Beck. Now, especially, is not the time I want to be thinking about that.”
Lucie reaches for my hand. “I know. I promise I’ll tone it down.”
“Thank you.” Holding her hand for a moment, I let another small bit of the weight today has added go. “Let’s go back inside.I’d hate to get on Daddy Dex’s bad side if I have Dottie overstay her welcome.”
