Erik
Taking the leash from Tianna, I clip it onto Bass while Remy does the same for Treble.
It’s a nice evening, and movement should make the conversation easier. It won’t require forced eye contact.
“Should we take them through the back gate into the park?” I ask, rising from my crouch.
She nods as we head out, her between us. Both dogs pull slightly, eager to range out and sniff.
“If we let them mostly sniff and set the pace,” I say, “every fifteen minutes is roughly the equivalent of an hour of exercise. A twenty-minute walk should be enough before dinner.”
“I don’t think we’re making it far,” Tianna observes as we move only a few inches before stopping at a hedge.
Progress is slow. We pause at nearly every step, the leashes going taut and slack again as the dogs work along the sidewalk. We end up standing in a loose semicircle.
Tianna glances between us, arms crossed, fingers kneading at her elbows.
“Tianna,” I say, “are we making you uncomfortable?”
She startles and looks up at me, brown eyes wide. When she doesn’t answer, I continue.
“Remy informed me I may have overwhelmed you. That was not my intention.”
“No, Erik.” She pauses, licking her lips, her gaze dropping to her shoes. The dogs tug again, easing us a few inches down the sidewalk.
“I… I…” she stammers. “I’ve never been in a relationship. I was a virgin when…”
She trails off, still staring at her shoe. Her shoulders draw up toward her ears.
I look at Remy for help. He’s staring at Tianna too, then takes a step back.
I don’t think we’re crowding her. She placed herself between us. Still, I consider it. She is very small between us. I inch back as well.
Her hand comes out to rest against mine, the one without the leash.
“I’m worried you’ve both built something up in your heads that may never happen. I like you both. I don’t want to disappoint you.”
Her voice drops to barely above a whisper at the end.
When Remy finally speaks, his voice is low. His grip tightens on the leash, but he doesn’t look away from her.
“Tianna,” he says, “we take our cues from you. Always.”
He pauses, breath steadying. “Until you’re ready, you lead. Neither of us want to take anything from you. We want to give you something safe. Something good.”
Her gaze darts between us. “Doesn’t that cost you something?” she asks quietly. “What do you get out of it? I don’t understand. I’m not… I’m not easy. And you could have anyone.”
“You are the first woman I’ve ever seen,” I say. “You understand the music. I didn’t think I would find anyone. I wasn’t looking.”
Remy exhales. “You’re kind. You’re funny. You’re loyal. Being around you makes me feel at ease.”
He glances at me, then back to her. “We want to be that for you too. If you’ll let us.”
Remy and I switch leashes as the dogs tangle, and we move forward again, stopping near a tree this time.
Tianna is no longer crossing her arms. Her hands twist together in front of her.
“What would it look like?” she asks.
