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I gave Archibald one last rub between his ears and down his back before attempting to gently shift him from my lap. He let out a heart-wrenching whine in response.
“He knows we’re leaving him,” I said, pouting. “Poor old Archie… Oh! Neil, I just realised. His name—it matches. Archie, Bowey, Chichi. Isn’t that funny?”
Neil laughed. “I think that settles it. I’m going to adopt him.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Igasped, scarcely believing what I had just heard from Neil’s mouth. “Are you serious? You’d do that for me?”
The thought of Neil adopting Archie filled me with pure joy, but I tamped down my expectations before I could get too excited. Neil was a busy man, and this would be a huge commitment. I wouldn’t blame him if he decided not to take Archie on after all.
As if sensing my hesitation, Neil looked me straight in the eyes and gave a firm nod. “I’m serious. The moment I saw you with Archie, I just knew. I want to give the old boy the home he deserves. And I’m doing it for me as much as for you. Adopting a dog has always been a part of my grand plan, and he reminds me so much of my childhood dog. This time, things will be different. I know I can give Archie a good life. I’m ready for this.”
Archie yelped as I sprang to my feet. Overcome with emotion, I flung my arms around Neil in an enthusiastic hug. Neil let out a surprised huff of air, his body tensing up at the contact. Slowly, he raised his arms, but they hovered around me as if he didn’t dare to touch me. I clung to him. Bit by bit, Neil relaxed into it, melding against me. One hand found the dip between my shoulder blades, and the other claimed the inward curve of my waist. A contented sound slipped from my lips. Then Neil turned rigid again. We broke apart.
An awkward beat passed between us before I worked up the courage to meet his eyes. His guarded exterior cracked, his impassive mask giving way to a fond smile and a soft crinkle around the eyes. He smoothed his shirt. “Well, I’m glad you approve of the idea.”
I beamed. “More than approve! But how are you going to properly look after a dog with all the work and travel you do?”
“Fair question. He’s an old dog. He won’t require too much exercise. Since I live so close to work, I can come home throughout the day to check up on him, or even bring him in to work with me. During trips, I can afford to get a dogsitter. An apartment might not be the best place to house a dog, but there’s plenty of space and an outdoor area.”
“Don’t forget that I can help too. While I’m still here.”
“Thank you. I have no expectations of you, but if you’re happy to do it, I’ll gladly accept your help.”
“Looks like you’ve got all your bases covered, then.”
“Let’s find Jade and tell her the good news, shall we?”
We located Jade in the kennels, filling dog bowls from sacks of food. Her green eyes widened, and she clapped her hands together when Neil told her the plan.
“Amazing news! I had hoped you’d come around. I’m so happy for Archibald. Let’s go tell Margaret and get the adoption process started.”
She led us to the front counter where Margaret was tapping away at a desktop computer. Her leathery face lit up when she saw us approaching. “Are we all done for the day?”
“Neil wants to adopt Archibald,” Jade said.
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Margaret turned misty-eyed. “That poor old boy has been here far too long.”
“When will I be able to take him home?” Neil asked.
“Since we know you well here, and you’re such a generous donor, I think we can wrap this up pretty quickly. You can have him as soon as you’ve signed the forms and paid the fee. Archibald has been ready for a long time, so let’s not leave him waiting any longer. I’ll print the adoption form for you to sign.”
She clacked away on her keyboard, then the printer screeched as it churned out the documents. She passed a pen and the forms to Neil across the counter. As Neil filled in his details, she prattled on about Archie’s medication and specific care needs.
Meanwhile, I bounced on my toes in anticipation, unable to contain my excitement. I felt almost as pleased as if I were adopting Archie myself.
Neil signed the last page with a flourish and slid the paperwork back to Margaret. Next, he handed over his credit card. Margaret swiped it through the machine. “All done,” she said. “Jade has already gone to fetch Archibald for you.”
While we waited, Margaret prepared an adoption gift pack containing food, toys, medicine, and other essentials.
Soon enough, Jade emerged with Archie on a leash. His tail thumped from side to side, and he let out a happy bark, straining to get to us.
“I have never seen him so happy and full of beans. I think he knows he’s going home with you,” Jade said.
Neil knelt down and ruffled Archie’s ears. “That’s right, old boy. You’re coming home with me.”
Jade and Margaret sent us on our way with a request that Neil send a photo and an update once Archie had settled in. He readily agreed, then we said our goodbyes. Archie hopped into the back seat of the Tesla without any fuss. I sat next to him to keep him company.
