Murphy’s grin widened, soft and certain. “A crime, huh?” He scratched behind the puppy’s ears, his chest aching with a warmth he hadn’t felt in weeks. “Guess I better fix that.”
He’d always wanted a dog. As a kid, he used to beg his parents, pointing at every lab or retriever they passed in the park. But with Patrick’s health needs, the time and energy had never been there. His family had already been stretched so thin that there was no room for a puppy, no matter how badly he’d wanted one.
Now, though . . . now he could.
He looked down at the puppy curled into his lap, sighing contentedly as though it already belonged to him.
Maybe this was exactly what he needed.
A few days later,Murphy sat cross-legged on the floor of his condo, a squirming golden retriever puppy nestled in his lap. The little guy gnawed happily on a squeaky toy shaped like a hockey stick, tail thumping against Murphy’s shin.
When his phone buzzed with a video call, he grinned as soon as he sawMomflash across the screen.
“Hey, Ma,” he answered, angling the phone so she could see. “Guess what?”
Before he could even explain, the puppy yipped, and his mom’s eyes widened. “Murph! You got a dog?”
Laughter bubbled out of him. “Yeah. Meet Finn.”
Voices called from the background. His sister appeared over his mom’s shoulder, squealing. “Oh my god, he’sperfect!”
Then Patrick pushed his way into the frame, his smile lighting up the screen. “Murphy, let me see him!”
Murphy held the puppy closer to the camera, Finn wriggling in his arms, tongue lolling. His family erupted with delight, everyone talking over one another, asking questions, cooing, gushing.
And just like that, his condo didn’t feel so empty.
This was what he needed. This was what he loved about his family, the way they could fill any room with warmth.
As the call wound down, Patrick leaned close to the camera. “Wait, wait. Can I say goodbye to my new brother?”
Murphy chuckled, lifting Finn higher so Patrick could wave. “Say bye, Finn.”
Patrick laughed so hard he snorted, and Murphy’s chest swelled with affection.
After hanging up, Murphy bundled into his jacket and clipped the leash onto Finn’s tiny harness. The puppy bounded toward the door, eager despite the thirty-degree chill outside.
As they stepped out into the snow-dusted night, Murphy felt a lightness he hadn’t in weeks.
No, he wasn’t ready to give up on Hillary. Not by a long shot.
But for the first time since Christmas, he felt more like himself again.
38
HILLARY
It was an unseasonably warm morning for February as Hillary made her way into work. She stopped for a moment to enjoy the rare glimpse of sun on these long gray winter days before heading into the center.
She opened her office door and smiled as soon as she saw it.
There it was, sitting in the center of her desk like clockwork. A vanilla latte with an extra shot.
She didn’t need to check the label. She knew.
Even though she and Murphy hadn’t really spoken in weeks, the coffee was always there on early skate days. Always with a little note.
Today’s was simple:Have a good day, Boss.
