Nicole
“Sit.” I hold the treat up, making the same motion that Dom taught me, and Cocoa plops his little butt down on the soft grass. “Good boy!” I click and hand him the treat.
Cocoa pretty much inhales it and then grabs his frisbee, sprawling out in the grass to chew on the edges, which will most likely affect its aerodynamics, but…
I need Cocoa to be as occupied as possible right now.
Leaving his leash attached to my wrist, I start laying out the picnic blanket and then set up the basket of sandwiches I made. Dom has planned most of our dates, but this time, I want to make my mark.
Well, or at least just show Dom that I care. I have big news to share with him, and I want everything to be perfect—as perfect as it can be with Cocoa the Tyrant present for lunch, anyway.
“We’ve totally got this,” I say under my breath as I set the picnic basket down on the blanket and carefully pick through it. I glance back at the door that leads to the courtyard, wondering if Dom will arrive on time.
Or if the cheese will start to get warm.
“I guess then you can eat them?” Cocoa bounds into my lap as I plop down onto the ground, my body angled toward where Dom should soon appear.
I hug Cocoa, scratching behind his ears as I release him. My heart pounds in my chest, which only leads to me feeling that much more anxious about this entire lunch date. I don’t even totally understand where our relationship is at, but I do know one thing…
I don’t want it to end, no matter where we end up geographically.
The breeze blows through my freshly curled hair, something that I worked hard on before I came downstairs. I glance down at my athletic skort and T-shirt. “Am I trying too hard?”
Cocoa responds by licking under my chin in the grossest way. I burst into a fit of giggles, and as I look up, I catch my breath.
There’s Dom, coming through the doors. He’s got on a plain black hoodie and shorts, his outfit completed with a pair of Nikes. It’s amazing how the man can make such basic clothes look phenomenal. I think it’s a gift of his. Seriously.
“Hey,” Dom greets me. “I was going to bring you flowers, but I realized that your hundreds of roses are probably still alive.”
“They are still living.” I laugh as he plops down across from me. I slide the picnic basket toward him and gesture to the contents. “I totally made all the food myself, so it might be horrible, but I tried.”
“A for effort.” Dom shoots me a wink and then shoves his hand into the basket, pulling out one of the subs.
Cocoa squirms in my arms, but I hold him, not letting him steal the sandwich that I’m sure he would if I gave him even a little slack. Luckily, since the new training routine, he doesn’t totally fight me.
Thank goodness.
“So.” I clear my throat, eyeing the picnic basket. My stomach is swirling too much for me to even consider eating right now. “How was your day?”
Dom takes a bite of the sandwich, shrugging. “It was good. How was yours?”
“Fine,” I say, feeling my face heat up. “I talked to the Cityscape investors.”
He nods, chewing his food. I wait for him to finish, thinking that he’ll ask more questions, but he doesn’t get a chance. Cocoa bursts from my arms, jerking the leash right off my wrist.
“Cocoa!” I yelp as my little terrier mix takes off across the courtyard. He heads right for the flock of birds that land in the corner. I clamber to my feet and chase after him, shaking my head.
I wasjustthinking how good you were doing! Ugh!I try not to trip over my own two feet as I race across the yard, where he’s bouncing around like a little nutcase.
“Cocoa,come.” I sharpen my voice and stomp my foot in frustration. “I need to tell him about the meeting I had today.”
Cocoa glances back at me, his little pink tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Dom finally makes it beside me, his sandwich still in hand. “He’s a quick little thing, isn’t he?” He’s laughing, head tipped back.
“At least he can’t escape the courtyard,” I huff, folding my arms across my chest as Cocoa inhales the dirt, grass, and whatever insects he comes across as he sniffs around where the birds once were.
“I wouldn’t jinx it,” Dom says through a mouthful. “I think it might end with him somehow scaling the wall and pulling the greatest escape yet.”
