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“Is this bad luck or something, since I wasn’t part of the team?”
Davey laughs at me. “I don’t think so.”
He takes one of them and slides it onto his left hand, then grabs the other and places it on his right.
“I’m increasingly glad that you did not have those on the day you hit me.”
He makes fists with his hands and eyes me. Madison lifts her head to sniff the rings. She licks one and thumps her tail again. We smile at her. Davey reaches for me to kiss me, doing his best not to disturb his girl.
The day has been darned near perfect. Carter and I spent much of it in bed, relaxing, fooling around, reading, talking, laughing and, most of all, smiling.
Carter makes me smile all the time. Knowing he is here makes me smile. His smartass attitude makes me smile. His use of initials to address people, or throuples as with BDL, makes me smile.
We’d taken Madison on multiple short walks, careful not to tire her out too much. According to the vet, keeping her moving is good for her stiffness and will help the healing. Besides, she really seems to love it. Her leash manners are perfect. Everything about her is perfect. Dare I even think it…everything about my life at the moment is – perfect. This life I’d never dared to wish for or dream about. A life full of love and smiles and happiness…away from the rink.
I have showered, but it’s still too early to get dressed for the charity ball. I tug on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt as I hear Carter turn the shower on. I head out to the kitchen for some water and a snack. I often shuffle around and do way more mingling than I like, but it’s necessary, at these events. As such, I don’t get to eat much at these things.
Madison lifts her head when I walk in and I hear the gentle thump, thump, thump of her wagging tail, which increases in speed as I get closer to her.
“Hey girl,” I sit on the floor next to the cushy bed I’d purchased at the fancy pet shop on Larimer. It’s amazing what just a few solid meals have done for her. She is already looking way less gaunt in her face, and her deep russet fur is shining.
She looks at me with those bright brown eyes and that tail continues to wag. I stroke her head and let her long silky ears slip through my fingers. She lets out a little moan and her head falls across my thigh. Her tail thumps every time my hand touches her head.
“How do you do that?” I ask her. “You’ve been through a hell most of which I’m guessing we don’t even know about, and yet here you are. So quick to trust, so full of love to give. Can you teach me how to do that?”
Her answer comes as another thump of her long tail and she presses her head harder against my thigh.
“That man in there who saved your life. He just might have saved mine, too.”
I trail my hand down across her shoulder and the ridges of her still prominent ribs.
“I need to get you a coat or a sweater.”
“Oh, my God!” Carter exclaims.
I look up to find Carter leaning on the doorjamb. “What? She has no meat on her bones and such short fur, there is just…” Carter’s smile broadens with each word I say. “I just… she was shivering when we went out earlier.”
“What happened to the man who kept reminding me someone might be looking for her?” Carter strolls toward us. “The man who never had a dog… claims he isn’t a pet person? The man who referred to her as ‘the dog’ and ‘it’ for days?”
I had been the one reminding him of that the first couple of days she was still at the vet. But then she came here and she’s just so damn sweet and there is no way to resist those huge brown eyes and that wagging tail. I’m a goner. All I can do is shrug and stroke her fur one more time. Madison lifts her head when the intercom chimes but makes no move to leave my side, even when Carter has Crystal sent up and holds the door open for her.
Yep, I called a sitter for the dog so Carter and I could go out. Carter can mock me all he wants. He didn’t protest having Crystal come over while we go to the gala.
I finally stand to greet Crystal. “Have you two met?” I ask, realizing that Crystal may not have officially met Carter, even though he has been to Sammie’s numerous times. Crystal’s mom, Jess, runs the place.
She shakes her head and sticks out her hand. “Nope, I have seen you around, though.” Crystal looks around the apartment. “Davey, this place is amazing.” Her eyes land on the paintings hanging on opposite ends of the room. “Those are Zoe’s.” She states with a huge smile. Her mother’s smile. I essentially watched Crystal grow up and blossom into a young woman. A young woman who looks more and more like Jess every day.
“They are,” I say. Most of us are so aware of Crystal’s hockey talent we forget she is a talented artist too. She walks over to one of them for a closer inspection.
“Please make yourself at home,” I say. “There is a ton of food. If you want to crash before we get home, the guest room is that way. You are more than welcome to stay the night, but I don’t plan on being home super late.”
“Thank you so much for doing this, given everything she has been through…” Carter says.
“Are you kidding? This is great. I love dogs, but between Mom’s schedule with the bar, Steve on the road and my crazy hockey schedule, well, this is as close as I’m going to get anytime soon…so…oh my gosh…” Crystal’s attention turns to Madison, who is standing and gradually stretching out her stiffness to walk across the room. “She’s so pretty!”
Crystal falls to her knees and wraps those irresistible, silky ears in her hands. Madison’s tail is going about a hundred miles an hour as she soaks up all the love. And I’ll admit to feeling a tiny pang of jealousy. I turn and catch Carter staring at me. “What?”
He just shakes his head and grins. “We’re gonna be late.”
