Cocoa makes a beeline for me, jumping up against my legs. I ruffle his ears, genuinely glad to see him. The little troublemaker has grown on me.
“So, how should we do this?” I ask.
“We’ll set up here,” she decides, arranging the scene. “You sit on the couch with Cocoa beside you. I printed out some photos of Princess so we can scatter them around. You’ll introduce her, explain the situation, and I’ll hold up the signs with the rescue organization’s contact info.”
It’s more elaborate than I was expecting, but I go along with it. “Sounds like a plan.”
We spend the next fifteen minutes arranging and rearranging the setup. Nicole is surprisingly meticulous, insisting the lighting has to be just right and the angles absolutely perfect. Meanwhile, Cocoa keeps trying to eat the photos of Princess, apparently mistaking them for treats.
“Cocoa, no!” Nicole scolds for the third time, retrieving a slightly damp photo from his mouth. “Princess is a friend, not food!”
I can’t help but laugh. “Maybe we should just roll with it. Have Cocoa be the chaotic element. It might make the video more engaging.”
Nicole pauses. “That’s actually genius. People love bloopers and authenticity. Okay, new plan. Weembracethe chaos.”
She beams at me like I’ve just handed her a victory, then presses a quick kiss to my cheek before she can overthink it. My heart stumbles like I’ve missed a step.
When we’re finally ready, I prop my phone up against a stack of books on the coffee table and hit record. Nicole gives me a thumbs-up from behind the camera.
“Hey, everyone,” I begin, feeling slightly awkward. I’m not great at this influencer stuff. “Dominic Neelson here. I want to introduce you to someone special today.” I hold up the least-chewed photo of Princess. “This is Princess, and she’s looking for her forever home.”
As I launch into an explanation of Princess’s situation, Cocoa decides this is the perfect moment to jump into frame, directly blocking the camera’s view of my face.
“Cocoa!” Nicole giggles off-camera, trying to rein him back. Cocoa wiggles free and sits proudly in front of the lens like this was always about him.
“Cocoa’s a rescue too,” I add, nudging Nicole into the frame. “She adopted him through Fur-Ever Homes.”
“That’s right!” Nicole beams. “And he takes his ambassador roleveryseriously,” she adds with a laugh. “But Princess is the real star here.” Nicole holds up the sign she made, and Cocoa immediately diverts his attention to her, jumping up and trying to lick her face as she attempts to hold the information steady.
I can’t help smiling as I give Cocoa’s ear a quick scratch. “Now, Princess is a very special pig with some unique needs,” I continue, doing my best to keep a straight face. “She’s looking for someone who appreciates the finer things in life, just like she does.”
Nicole manages to hold up the sign with the rescue’s contact information, and I point to it. “If you think you could give Princess the royal treatment she deserves, please contact Fur-Ever Homes USA at this number or website.”
Just as I’m wrapping up, Cocoa lunges for the camera, knocking it over with his nose. The video ends with a close-up of his curious sniffing, followed by an extreme close-up of his tongue trying to lick the lens.
We both burst into laughter as I retrieve my phone. “That was a disaster,” I say, wiping tears from my eyes.
“No, it was perfect!” Nicole insists, taking the phone from me to review the footage. “Look how adorable it is! No one can resist a dog who cares about a pig in need.”
We watch the video together, heads bent close over my phone. At some point, her head tips against my shoulder, like gravity decided for her. I stay perfectly still, not wanting to break the moment. Our video is pretty funny, with Cocoa’s constant interruptions and Nicole’s futile attempts to maintain order. Despite the chaos, the important information about Princess is all there.
“You’re right,” I admit. “It’s charming in a messy sort of way. Kind of like us.”
She smiles. “I like that.”
I add some text overlays with Princess’s requirements and the rescue’s contact information, then post the video to my social media accounts with the caption: “Help Princess find her palace! This regal pig deserves a kingdom of her own. #PrincessDeservesaPalace #Fureverhomes”
“Done,” I announce, setting my phone down.
Nicole claps her hands together, bouncing slightly on the couch. “This is so exciting! You’re using your platform for good! Princess is going to find the perfect home, I just know it.”
My phone starts buzzing immediately with notifications. “Looks like people are already responding,” I say, picking it up again. “Wow, that’s a lot of comments already.”
Nicole squeals and launches herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck in an impulsive hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re amazing!”
I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She feels small against me; her hair smells like strawberries. I press a kiss to her forehead and hold on a second longer than necessary, struck by how natural it feels—like she’s already carved out space in my life I don’t want to give back.
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