Colton. “He is trained. He must like you.” Jason smiles at me.
I roll onto my knees and pet Rufus, who keeps trying to climb me like a fire hydrant. I guess I had it wrong—Rufus wasn’t the star pupil of his class.
“I’ll give you a number for a better dog trainer.” The angry edge to Colton’s voice is unnecessary. I’m fine.
Brigette rolls down the window. “Everything okay?”
I stand and brush off my butt. “We’re good. Let’s go. See you another time, Rufus.” I pet his head before walking to the sidewalk.
Colton puts his arm around me to help me as if I have injuries from the fall. I don’t say anything until my eyes land on Brigette’s. Her vision is focused solely on where Colton’s hand is on my hip.
“I’m good, Colt, just knocked the wind out of me.” I slide out from his hold and he opens up the truck door for me.
I climb in and he shuts the door, treating me as he always has, which I’m just now realizing is a lot like a girlfriend. We need to figure out this new normal between us.
Twenty minutes later, after a ride in a deadly silent truck, I’m dropped off at my house. I say goodbye, leaving them to do what people in love do. I guess I’ll be digging into my bottom drawer again to please myself.
I open the apartment door and find Kingston still in his shorts and T-shirt, playing his damn video game. He takes a quick glance over at me.
“I thought for sure you wouldn’t be home tonight…” His words trail off before he talks into the headset, flicking the buttons on the controller. “Damn it, Lou, cover me.”
I go to the fridge and grab a beer and a slice of pizza that Kingston must have ordered tonight.
“Shit. I died. You’re bad luck. Every time you walk into the room, I die.” He tosses his headset and controller on the couch. “How much do you love me?”
I sit in the chair by the couch. “Enough that I won’t tell anyone you willingly stayed home on a Saturday night by yourself.”
“I have this friend at a bar in Anchorage. I called, and he said as long as it’s during the week, you’re golden. He’s got a room in the back that can be sectioned off. And because you have an awesome brother, no charge. You can do your speed dating there, but I really think it should be blind speed dating.”
My eyes widen. “Shut up, really?”
“How much do you love me now?” he asks with a grin.
“You’re my favorite brother.”
“Haven’t I always been?”
I laugh. “Yeah. Of course.” I hand him my beer since I haven’t had any yet and go to get another one from the kitchen.
This is a lifesaver. For the first time in weeks, my body loses some of the tension it’s been carrying around.
“Hey, King,” I call.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks a lot.”
He’s silent for a moment. “That’s what family is for.”
I nod, my eyes watering. At least one thing tonight is heading in the right direction.
Eleven
Colton
When I arrive at the clinic on Monday, Brigette is sitting in the break room with her coffee, looking through her phone. She’s been quiet this weekend, but I’m ignoring it rather than poking the bear.
“Good morning,” I say.
“Good morning.” She doesn’t look up. “Dr. Murphy was looking for you earlier.”
“Thanks.” I change into my white coat and shut my locker. I’m about to leave the room, but I stop and put my hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”
She smiles at me and nods. “Yeah, why?”
“You’ve been quiet. Is it the wedding stress?”
She shakes her head. “No. You good?”
It’s odd that she’s asking me, but I smack on my smile. “Yeah.”
We both nod as if we’re the most agreeable people on the planet and I head toward Dr. Murphy’s office. His door is open, and Lori is sitting in the chair in front of him. She’s leaning forward and whispering, a telltale sign that she’s gossiping. Great.
“I took a screenshot,” she says, giving her phone to Dr. Murphy.
He looks at it, shakes his head, and hands it back to her.
I knock on the open door and they both look at me. Lori’s cherry-red cheeks say I’m the subject of said gossip. It wouldn’t take Einstein to figure out that I must’ve been in Buzz Wheel last night.
That damn thing. I didn’t check it on Saturday night nor last night, but I’m guessing from Dr. Murphy’s concerned glare, I should have.
“Come in,