Dozer—his favorite pastime is sleeping
Jesus Christ. I pinch the bridge of my nose.
It looks like I’m going to be a Daddy after all.
“Holy shit, no way!” Payden says when I tell her about Dozer.
She’s dressed by the time I get back with the coffee, but instead of wearing her blouse, she has my t-shirt tucked into her skirt.
“I’m a sucker, what can I say? I’ll go pick him up later.”
I don’t know why I feel disappointed she’s not sticking around for breakfast. Maybe if I asked if she’s hungry? Then again, that’s not something I’m used to, other than the sandwich last night, so it’s probably best to keep my mouth shut.
“That’s awfully sweet of you,” she goes on. “Do you have all of the stuff a dog needs?”
I shrug. “I guess I’ll have to do some shopping later. The dog beds and toys I have from previous foster animals were a while back, and they’d be far too big.”
“Wait, what kind of dog is it?”
I puff out my cheeks. “It’s a Frenchie.”
She snorts. “You’re shitting me?”
“What’s wrong with a Frenchie?” I already feel defensive of him.
“Um, nothing. It’s just, I pictured you more like Bronco with his scary mutt.”
“He’s called Titan,” I reply. “And he’s far from scary when you know him. Good guard dog though.”
She coughs/laughs into her fist. “I can see you with a three-legged dog.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, sometimes people can overlook the sweetest of natures because of a gruff exterior.”
I side eye her. “You talkin’ about me or the dog?”
“Well, I haven’t seen a picture of him yet, so I guess that would be you.”
I roll my eyes, then hold the screen toward her and she shrieks.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. Oh, my god he’s just the sweetest little thing! Is that Batman on his onesie?” she says excitedly.
“He likes to sleep a lot,” I tell her. “According to Luna.”
I don’t know what she meant by that sweet nature comment, but I’m sure she’s poking fun..
“See, you were destined to be a daddy after all.” She winks.
I narrow my eyes. “It’s not permanent.”
There’s a second where we stare at one another, silence filling the room and I realize now neither of us know if I’m talking about us or the damn dog.
I clear my throat. “The dog is a foster, he’ll be leavin’ as soon as they find a suitable home.”
She nods. “It’s a great cause. I’ve helped out there a lot over the years. You know how Luna is about her animals.”
“Yes, we all do. She convinced Willow and Stella to go vego, and some of the guys, too.”
