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“You said you want to have lots of sex with me so I think it sounded bloody great. I just need to get my animal to cooperate so we can have time together.” He hugged me and I held on tight.
His phone rang and we came apart. He gazed down.
“It’s the vet.” He listened as his face went ashen. “I’ll be right there.” Ryan put his glass down and grabbed his keys. “He’s taken a turn for the worse. Not sure he’s going to make it. I need to go.”
“Do you want me to come with you this time?”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll keep you posted I promise.”
“I’ll lock up here and make some food. You can drop by and eat it when you get back.” I followed him out to the pickup and waved goodbye. I felt so helpless and wanted to support him but there was nothing more I could do.
I went home, made some pasta, and put a portion aside for Ryan. As I ate my food, I flicked through the channels on the television. There was nothing of interest showing and I put an old movie on. I needed to watch something to distract me or I would be in tears. Ryan sent me a text.
Ryan: Seems Bluey is a tough cookie and is pulling through. I might die from the vet bill though.
Autumn: I told you he would be okay. I won’t have it any other way. I can help out with the bill.
Ryan: I can’t take money from you. It will be fine.
Autumn: Let’s say it could be payment for services rendered.
Ryan: Now I sound like your kept man. It’s all good. I can always chuck the tenant out of the cottage next door and sell the place. Heard she’s bringing the tone of the neighborhood down anyway. Shacking up with some lowlife.
Autumn: You don’t want to believe everything Dorothy says. I hear he has some good points; you just have to dig deep to find them.
Ryan: I should be back in an hour or so.
Autumn: There’s food for you here when you get back.
Ryan: Thanks, see you soon.
The movie finished and I yawned. I was worried about Bluey, but I also wanted Ryan to share the bed with me. I wanted to wake up in the morning for the first time in years with someone’s arms around me. No, not just anyone, I wanted Ryan. I wanted to be there for him. I needed to control my feelings though or I would be a blubbering mess flying home to London.
Keep it businesslike, I told myself.
In truth, I think it was too late for that. My neighbor and his dog had wheedled their way into my heart.
ELEVEN
Ryan
I breathed a sigh of relief when at long last the vet said Bluey was safe. It had broken my heart when I arrived back at the surgery to see my dog shaking, and then worse still when he had lain still, almost lifeless. I hadn’t realized how much the little mutt had gotten under my skin over the years. I sat there, just patting his fur. I had to hold back tears when Bluey looked at me with such sad eyes. How could an animal work its way into your heart so deeply? He depended on me, and I would not let him down.
I sat with him for the next two hours. I didn’t want to leave in case the perisher died when I wasn’t there. I would never forgive myself.
Autumn kept me smiling with her messages. She said she was watching an old movie and was telling me jokes to cheer me up. They were really bad jokes. Like the sort you get in Christmas bonbons. I had thought her smart and sexy from the first minute I saw her. Now I could see the warmth she had in her heart too. I still thought she was completely out of my league. At least I could have fun with her.
I was good with my hands but also knew I wasn’t the smartest guy around. I was a tradesperson, not an academic like her. If being her sex partner for the year was the way I could get close to her, I would go with that. I had a feeling I was going to miss her like hell when she was gone. The likelihood was she would meet someone else. Someone as good-looking and as clever as her was not going to stay single forever. I didn’t really have much to offer anyway, apart from the sex.
This time when Bluey woke up, he licked my hand and seemed perkier. I figured I could risk going home now. I sent a text to Autumn to say I was on my way back but there was no reply. I guessed she had gone to bed. What with being out in the bush overnight and then the stress of today I was not surprised.
I had a key she had given me and let myself into Autumn’s cottage. I walked through to the kitchen and found a note on the table.
Pasta in the microwave.
Hope Bluey is okay.
Happy to snuggle up later.
