and Shelby came out of the shop, laughing together. The dog sat up and his tail started smacking against the bench.
“Hey, who’s this?” Callie sat on the bench next to me and the dog went right to her, his tail wagging so hard his backside wiggled back and forth. She laughed, petting his head.
“Aw,” Shelby cooed. “He’s so cute. Whose dog is he?”
“Mine.”
“What?” Callie asked, still laughing softly. The dog kept trying to sniff her boobs.
Couldn’t say I blamed him.
“He’s mine, I guess.” I shrugged one shoulder, crossing an ankle over my other knee. “Someone abandoned him at one of Scarlett’s rentals.”
Callie grabbed both sides of his face and rubbed them, bringing her nose close to his. “Oh my god, I love him. What’s his name?”
“Doesn’t have one yet.”
“Aw, Gibson, he’s adorable,” Shelby said. “Maya, we need a puppy playdate. He and Billy Ray can be best friends.”
“They’ll be so cute together,” Callie said.
Shelby took a turn petting his head. “I have to run, but thanks for hanging out. It was fun.”
“It was.” Callie smiled at her and the dog nudged her face. “Okay, big guy, I’m still paying attention to you. We’ll chat later, Shelby.”
“Bye, Gibson.”
I nodded to Shelby. Her ponytail bounced as she walked up the street to her car.
“You really got a dog,” Callie said.
I wasn’t sure if she meant it as a question. “I didn’t go looking for him. Scarlett walked up the sidewalk with him tugging on his leash and… I don’t know. He needed a home.”
“Who would leave you out here, huh?” she asked. “Good thing we found you. Who’s a good boy? Yes, you are.”
“What should—” I paused, clearing my throat. I’d been about to say what should we name him, like it was our dog. Like Callie and I were a real thing. “He needs a name.”
He turned and jumped back in my lap, whacking Callie with his tail a few times in the process. I sputtered as he licked my face. “Down, boy. Sit.”
Callie laughed. “Looks like you taste good.”
My eyes darted to her and she glanced away quickly. She hadn’t meant it like that, but it still made me think of what it would be like to have her tongue on me.
Fuck’s sake, even an unplanned dog adoption couldn’t distract me enough to stop thinking dirty thoughts about her.
“Come here, buddy.” She took his face in her hands again. “How about Cash?”
“As in Johnny?”
“Yeah. I think he looks like a Cash.”
The first song Callie and I had ever sung together was “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash. Did she remember that? Thinking back on that made me smile.
“Works for me,” I said. “We should get back. I have more work to do today.”
I took them home and left Cash in the house with Callie while I went out to my workshop. A couple of hours later, I heard her voice outside. She was tossing him a ball out back. I stood by the house and watched them for a few minutes. Cash happily ran back and forth, bringing the ball back and dropping it at her feet.
Callie’s colorful hair blew in the breeze and she smiled while she played with Cash. I was still coming to terms with the fact that it was her. That thirteen years of wondering what had happened to her had come to an end. Thirteen years of assuming I’d never see her again.
My insides were still all twisted, but at least I didn’t feel like I was about to pop a blood vessel. Wasn’t quite sure when I’d calmed down. Working for a few hours had helped. Maybe Cash had, too. I still didn’t know how to deal with all the fucking feelings I was having, but I didn’t want to punch something anymore. Seemed like progress.
I went back to my workshop to finish up and when I went inside the house, I found Callie curled up on the couch with Cash’s head in her lap. They were both asleep. Looked like they’d worn each other out.
Scarlett had given me a small bag of dog food and a couple of toys, but that wasn’t going to last long. And the little guy could use a bed of his own, and some sturdier dishes. Some more toys. Probably another leash, in case we needed a spare.
I didn’t want to wake them—they were awfully cute sleeping on the couch like that—and I felt better leaving Callie with Cash here. He wasn’t very big, and if someone