their ears and conceded to a round of demanded belly rubs from the fuzzy creatures.
Paul stood over her with his hands on his hips. “I’ve always wanted one.”
“You should absolutely get one.”
“When life is more settled and I’m not traveling for work. I’d have to keep them locked up all day, and I hate that. They need to run and play.”
Jennifer fell back on the grass and laughed as two puppies licked every inch of her face. “Save me!”
“You are outnumbered.” The amusement came through Paul’s voice loud and clear.
“Then help.”
He dropped down beside her. When he reached over to pick up the runt of the litter, two others bounded on his lap. The humans rolled in the grass, unable to speak through the choking laughter as they played with the puppies.
In the sunshine, wrapped in the scent of freshly cut grass, Jennifer felt a shot of pure joy. With the unconditional love of the puppies to keep them company, Jennifer and Paul wrestled with and petted the furry little guys while the rest of the world fell away.
They didn’t see or hear anyone else. The universe consisted of two people drowning in happiness.
The moment went on for what felt like hours. They reveled in the time together and the soft sweetness of the puppies. It wasn’t until the sun started to fade on the horizon and Ed walked up to them that the spell was broken.
“I see you found our newest household members.” Ed wrangled one of the furry boys and picked him up.
Jennifer sat up and rested a hand on Paul’s knee as she leaned over to kiss the cute little puppy he was holding. “They are so sweet.”
Ed lifted the little guy in his arms until they were face to face. “Spoiled.”
Paul didn’t take his eyes off the puppies. “They deserve it.”
Ed snorted. “Want one?”
“Wish I could.” Paul glanced at Jennifer and a warm smile lit his face. “Someday I’ll be ready.”
She nodded. “I think you will.”
“How could you do this to me?” Tracie threw her sweatshirt at Paul.
He trapped it against his chest in a rough catch and stood there. She was screaming loud enough to bring his neighbors running. She didn’t speak during the entire drive back from the farm. She sat in the back seat and let the conversation whirl around her. She didn’t participate. Didn’t even move.
He tried to drop her off at her place, but she insisted on coming to his. Listening was his first mistake. Once she hit the front door, she whipped her bag in a corner and launched into a rage-filled stream of accusations. She’d been yelling, asking questions and not waiting for answers, ever since.
“Calm down,” he said, knowing he was wasting his words.
“Why should I?”
He put down the drink he’d just retrieved and stepped out of the kitchen. Being away from the knives and heavy pans seemed like a smart move. There were limited potential weapons in the family room and more room to duck.
“What is wrong with you?”
“What do you think?”
Paul knew, just as he knew this explosion hovered in their future. Tracie saw something that wasn’t there. He’d tried to ignore it and push her off, all while maintaining their friendship. Some days that was harder than others. Today it proved impossible.
“I’ve clearly upset you,” he said.
“Don’t you dare sound reasonable. You don’t get to be the stable one. Not after what you did.”
They stood on opposite sides of the couch. He wondered if that was enough of a boundary to save him. “We enjoyed a few hours with some friends. That’s why we went up there in the first place. I don’t see the problem.”
She screwed up her lips in a scowl filled with hate. “Don’t try to weasel your way out of this. I saw you with Jennifer.”
He’d figured that out from the silent treatment during the car ride home. He’d been so wrapped up in the perfect moment he failed to notice Tracie hovering nearby. He never wanted to hurt her, but he hadn’t asked for her
Paul stood over her with his hands on his hips. “I’ve always wanted one.”
“You should absolutely get one.”
“When life is more settled and I’m not traveling for work. I’d have to keep them locked up all day, and I hate that. They need to run and play.”
Jennifer fell back on the grass and laughed as two puppies licked every inch of her face. “Save me!”
“You are outnumbered.” The amusement came through Paul’s voice loud and clear.
“Then help.”
He dropped down beside her. When he reached over to pick up the runt of the litter, two others bounded on his lap. The humans rolled in the grass, unable to speak through the choking laughter as they played with the puppies.
In the sunshine, wrapped in the scent of freshly cut grass, Jennifer felt a shot of pure joy. With the unconditional love of the puppies to keep them company, Jennifer and Paul wrestled with and petted the furry little guys while the rest of the world fell away.
They didn’t see or hear anyone else. The universe consisted of two people drowning in happiness.
The moment went on for what felt like hours. They reveled in the time together and the soft sweetness of the puppies. It wasn’t until the sun started to fade on the horizon and Ed walked up to them that the spell was broken.
“I see you found our newest household members.” Ed wrangled one of the furry boys and picked him up.
Jennifer sat up and rested a hand on Paul’s knee as she leaned over to kiss the cute little puppy he was holding. “They are so sweet.”
Ed lifted the little guy in his arms until they were face to face. “Spoiled.”
Paul didn’t take his eyes off the puppies. “They deserve it.”
Ed snorted. “Want one?”
“Wish I could.” Paul glanced at Jennifer and a warm smile lit his face. “Someday I’ll be ready.”
She nodded. “I think you will.”
“How could you do this to me?” Tracie threw her sweatshirt at Paul.
He trapped it against his chest in a rough catch and stood there. She was screaming loud enough to bring his neighbors running. She didn’t speak during the entire drive back from the farm. She sat in the back seat and let the conversation whirl around her. She didn’t participate. Didn’t even move.
He tried to drop her off at her place, but she insisted on coming to his. Listening was his first mistake. Once she hit the front door, she whipped her bag in a corner and launched into a rage-filled stream of accusations. She’d been yelling, asking questions and not waiting for answers, ever since.
“Calm down,” he said, knowing he was wasting his words.
“Why should I?”
He put down the drink he’d just retrieved and stepped out of the kitchen. Being away from the knives and heavy pans seemed like a smart move. There were limited potential weapons in the family room and more room to duck.
“What is wrong with you?”
“What do you think?”
Paul knew, just as he knew this explosion hovered in their future. Tracie saw something that wasn’t there. He’d tried to ignore it and push her off, all while maintaining their friendship. Some days that was harder than others. Today it proved impossible.
“I’ve clearly upset you,” he said.
“Don’t you dare sound reasonable. You don’t get to be the stable one. Not after what you did.”
They stood on opposite sides of the couch. He wondered if that was enough of a boundary to save him. “We enjoyed a few hours with some friends. That’s why we went up there in the first place. I don’t see the problem.”
She screwed up her lips in a scowl filled with hate. “Don’t try to weasel your way out of this. I saw you with Jennifer.”
He’d figured that out from the silent treatment during the car ride home. He’d been so wrapped up in the perfect moment he failed to notice Tracie hovering nearby. He never wanted to hurt her, but he hadn’t asked for her
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