A laugh broke out of me as he moved to lick the side of my face. His tongue was surprisingly soft. I wiped his slobber away, and he just stared at me, tail wagging like crazy. Now that he was standing, I could tell he was tall, a bit above knee height.
As I sat there, staring right back at him, something in my chest clicked. Something I hadn’t felt with any other animal all day.
I reached out and scratched behind his big ears. His tongue hung from his mouth, looking like he was smiling at me.
“Who do we have here?” Emmie’s voice said behind me. I tore my eyes away from the pup in front of me as Emmie moved to sit beside me on the ground.
“I saw him alone here in the back.” I moved my hand across the pup's head and down to his neck. I must have gotten the right spot as his head turned, eyes closing.
“He’s so cute,” Emmie cooed, reaching out to pet his side. “What breed is he?”
“I’m not sure.” I smiled as the pup sat down, leaning closer toward me.
“I think he likes you,” Emmie remarked.
I watched as Emmie petted him and whispered how good of a boy he was. Every few seconds, he would look at me as ifto make sure I was still here. If I stopped petting him for even a moment, he pawed me.
I wasn’t usually the kind of guy who believed everything happened for a reason, that the universe had some plan, steering you toward the things meant for you. But after a full day of watching everyone else adopt their match, finding this pup felt like a sign. That I was meant to find him back here alone.
“Would it be crazy if I adopted him?” My voice was quiet and unsure, which was unusual for me.
Emmie’s head snapped to the side. “Really?”
“I just… There’s something about him.” Maybe it wouldn’t be a wise decision to adopt a dog with the season just starting, but I only had one game a week. When I was away, I could hire a pet sitter or maybe have Emmie watch over him. There’s a few kinks I’d have to work out, but the thought of leaving him here didn’t sit well with me.
I don’t even know how old he is—or maybe it was a girl—but something inside of me told me to bring him home with me.
The pup leaned forward again, licking away at my face like he could feel the connection between us, too.
“Well, I, for one, think you’d make a great dog dad.”
“You think so?”
Emmie leaned into my side, one hand resting on my thigh, the other petting the pup who was now lying on his back.
“I do. Something brought you two together, so it seems fitting for you to bring him home,” Emmie said.
I looked down at the pup, petting his solid chest. He was adorable, and even in this short time, I could tell he was a good boy waiting for someone to give him a real home. My life might be hectic, but I had room for him. More than enough.
“I’m going to adopt him,” I said, feeling no ounce of hesitation or second thoughts. Beside me, Emmie broke into a smile.
“You just became a daddy.”
I snorted but mirrored her grin. “I did.”
Like he could tell, the pup jumped up, paws hooking over my shoulders as he licked at my face. I laughed, gripping his sides to steady him. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
Once he settled down a little, I turned to Emmie, the sudden realization hitting me all at once.
“I don’t have a single dog item in my apartment.”
“Looks like we’re going to the pet store, Daddy.”
Mateo Boone and Emmie James spent the day at a local animal shelter, where their presence quickly drew a crowd. Within an hour, word had spread, and a line stretched around the building as fans showed up to not only meet them and members of the Titans—but to adopt.
Staff reported one of the highest adoption turnouts they’d ever seen, with animals finding homes faster than they could process the paperwork. And by closing time, the shelter was nearly empty. Boone and James could very well be the city’s newest favorite couple.
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