Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 847(@200wpm)___ 677(@250wpm)___ 564(@300wpm)
I’d refused her hand-me-downs, though I found them expensive and beautiful. I just wanted to make this place my own. An antique dining table for two. A secondhand curtain made in Paris. My first new mattress. Ever.
Naturally, the place looked like IKEA and Goodwill vomited on it.
I freaking loved it.
Electric excitement zipped up and down my spine. Now I understood why people wanted to have things completely of their own.
It was exhilarating.
From outside the front door, footsteps pounded up the narrow staircase. “You forgot one more thing.”
Romeo.
I picked up my phone while Dallas got up to let her husband in, answering a call from Ari with a frown. “Is everything okay? Isn’t it super late over there?”
“Tell me you’re headed home.”
“I’m already here.” I gnawed on my lip, fighting a fresh wave of panic. An emergency, perhaps? “Why? Did something happen?”
“Nothing bad.” In fact, she sounded excited. “But I need you to sign off on a delivery.”
“A delivery?” I groaned. “Dude, please, no more candles. Dallas and Frankie gave me enough scented candles for an Easter vigil.”
Ari’s laughter filled the other line—and my chest. “It’s not candles.”
“Well, what is—”
Dallas swung the door open, cutting me off with the sight of Romeo lugging something behind him. He wore a massive frown, unsatisfied with being relegated to delivery man.
“You still there?” Ari whined. “I want you to open it before I go to sleep.”
Romeo set the giant box in the center of the studio. Tiny holes peppered most of the surface area. I inched toward it, tugging the ribbon off.
“I’m opening it,” I declared, just when my gift decided to introduce itself to me with a shrill woof.
Oh. My. God.
I tore the lid off, squealing while Ari laughed in the background. More barks jumped at me. I collected a crate from the box and flipped it open.
A pair of huge black eyes stared back at me, surrounded by a ball of tar-black curls. If it weren’t for the bright-pink tongue lolling out of its mouth, I would’ve thought she’d gifted me a giant hairball.
“That is…” I squinted, pulling the puppy out of the crate.
“A Cockapoo. Part cocker spaniel, part poodle. A shelter baby. Can you believe he hasn’t found a home in almost a month?”
“What?” I pressed his wet nose against mine and gave him an Eskimo kiss. “Silly people. He’s perfect.”
“I thought you’d say that.” I could hear the smile on Ari’s face. “Now that Vera isn’t there to bitch about the mess and shedding, your dream dog is yours.”
“I can’t believe you remembered.”
“Of course, I remembered. You’re my best friend.”
Dallas leaned in, letting the pup nibble on her finger. “Welcome to the family.”
“Zach is gonna shit his pants. The dude loathes messes.” Oliver hopped off the couch. “You should name it Dogstoevsky. Soothe the burn when you run back into his arms.”
“She is not naming it Dogstoevsky.” She elbowed Ollie out of the way. “How about Mary Puppins?”
Genuinely, I feared for their future children.
I pressed a kiss to the top of the puppy’s head. “Allow me to introduce Vezzali. The greatest fencer of all time.”
As if on cue, he tucked his head under my chin, staring up at me with adoration, confirming we’d be each other’s ride or die for life.
I was not going to cry.
I wasn’t.
But then Vezzali started licking my face, wagging his tail in my arms so hard it swatted me like a baseball bat. His whole body swayed from side to side.
He was so light, so tiny, and so incredibly furry. The perfect bedmate.
“Nuh-uh. What’s that face?” Dallas stuck her lower lip out. “Like you’re about to cry. You’re not about to cry, are you? Because I’m too hormonal not to bawl my eyes out right along with you.”
“I’m not about to cry.” Tears hung for dear life on my lower lashes.
Dammit.
But these were good, cleansing tears. Of someone who finally had a home.
My eyes bounced from Dallas to Vezzali to Oliver and even to Romeo. After twenty-three years, I had finally learned that a home didn’t have to be a place. It could be a person.
“Oh, no.” Dallas cupped her mouth, tears leaking out of her eyes, too.
Unlike me, she started wailing and drowning her cheeks without even trying to stop the flood. She flung her arms over my shoulders, gathering me into a hug.
“Why are we crying?” She jumped up and down, bumping Vezzali with her belly. “Do I have to kill Zach? I hear prison food is so bad. But I love you too much not to.”
I detangled myself from her, wiping both of our eyes with my sleeves. “These are happy tears.”
Vezzali barked his agreement.
And I was happy.
So, so happy.
The only piece missing sat on Dark Prince Road, probably brooding as he always did, hopefully counting down the days until our reunion.
“Oh, Fae.” A fresh wave of tears rushed down Dallas’ cheeks.