Chapter 48
Chapter Forty-Eight
I gasped, scarcely believing what I had just heard from Neil’s mouth. “Are you serious? You’d do that for me?”
The thought of Neil adopting Archie filled me with pure joy, but I tamped down my expectations before I could get too excited. Neil was a busy man, and this would be a huge commitment. I wouldn’t blame him if he decided not to take Archie on after all.
As if sensing my hesitation, Neil looked me straight in the eyes and gave a firm nod. “I’m serious. The moment I saw you with Archie, I just knew. I want to give the old boy the home he deserves. And I’m doing it for me as much as for you. Adopting a dog has always been a part of my grand plan, and he reminds me so much of my childhood dog. This time, things will be different. I know I can give Archie a good life. I’m ready for this.”
Archie yelped as I sprang to my feet. Overcome with emotion, I flung my arms around Neil in an enthusiastic hug. Neil let out a surprised huff of air, his body tensing up at the contact. Slowly, he raised his arms, but they hovered around me as if he didn’t dare to touch me. I clung to him. Bit by bit, Neil relaxed into it, melding against me. One hand found the dip between my shoulder blades, and the other claimed the inward curve of my waist. A contented sound slipped from my lips. Then Neil turned rigid again. We broke apart.
An awkward beat passed between us before I worked up the courage to meet his eyes. His guarded exterior cracked, his impassive mask giving way to a fond smile and a soft crinkle around the eyes. He smoothed his shirt. “Well, I’m glad you approve of the idea.”
I beamed. “More than approve! But how are you going to properly look after a dog with all the work and travel you do?”
“Fair question. He’s an old dog. He won’t require too much exercise. Since I live so close to work, I can come home throughout the day to check up on him, or even bring him in to work with me. During trips, I can afford to get a dogsitter. An apartment might not be the best place to house a dog, but there’s plenty of space and an outdoor area.”
“Don’t forget that I can help too. While I’m still here.”
“Thank you. I have no expectations of you, but if you’re happy to do it, I’ll gladly accept your help.”
“Looks like you’ve got all your bases covered, then.”
“Let’s find Jade and tell her the good news, shall we?”
We located Jade in the kennels, filling dog bowls from sacks of food. Her green eyes widened, and she clapped her hands together when Neil told her the plan.
“Amazing news! I had hoped you’d come around. I’m so happy for Archibald. Let’s go tell Margaret and get the adoption process started.”
She led us to the front counter where Margaret was tapping away at a desktop computer. Her leathery face lit up when she saw us approaching. “Are we all done for the day?”
“Neil wants to adopt Archibald,” Jade said.
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Margaret turned misty-eyed. “That poor old boy has been here far too long.”
“When will I be able to take him home?” Neil asked.
“Since we know you well here, and you’re such a generous donor, I think we can wrap this up pretty quickly. You can have him as soon as you’ve signed the forms and paid the fee. Archibald has been ready for a long time, so let’s not leave him waiting any longer. I’ll print the adoption form for you to sign.”
She clacked away on her keyboard, then the printer screeched as it churned out the documents. She passed a pen and the forms to Neil across the counter. As Neil filled in his details, she prattled on about Archie’s medication and specific care needs.
Meanwhile, I bounced on my toes in anticipation, unable to contain my excitement. I felt almost as pleased as if I were adopting Archie myself.
Neil signed the last page with a flourish and slid the paperwork back to Margaret. Next, he handed over his credit card. Margaret swiped it through the machine. “All done,” she said. “Jade has already gone to fetch Archibald for you.”
While we waited, Margaret prepared an adoption gift pack containing food, toys, medicine, and other essentials.
Soon enough, Jade emerged with Archie on a leash. His tail thumped from side to side, and he let out a happy bark, straining to get to us.
“I have never seen him so happy and full of beans. I think he knows he’s going home with you,” Jade said.
Neil knelt down and ruffled Archie’s ears. “That’s right, old boy. You’re coming home with me.”
Jade and Margaret sent us on our way with a request that Neil send a photo and an update once Archie had settled in. He readily agreed, then we said our goodbyes. Archie hopped into the back seat of the Tesla without any fuss. I sat next to him to keep him company.
We stopped by a pet store on the way home to stock up on everything Archie would need: a bed, a crate, bowls, more toys, treats, and grooming tools.
When we pulled into Neil’s spot in the apartment building carpark, I immediately began gathering up the supplies. “Let me help you carry some of this.”
Neil raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to!”
“Well, if you insist.”
Together, we carried it all up in one go, while Archie charged ahead on his lead in all kinds of directions. I put the haul down in the entryway of Neil’s apartment. Neil set Archie loose around the living room. Though hesitant, Archie sniffed around, acclimatising to his new surroundings. The cats were nowhere to be seen. They were probably hiding somewhere. I watched on in amusement.
Neil approached. “Thanks,” he said. “For today. For everything.”
I shook my head, brushing off his gratitude like there was no need for it. “I had fun.”
“Me too.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, knowing it was time to say good night. “Well, I guess I should get going…”
“I suppose so.”
I reluctantly reached for my tote and the plastic bag containing my wet clothing, then we lingered by the door in tense silence, neither of us making a move. Neil stared down at me with intense eyes and a tight jaw. He looked dishevelled in the sexiest way possible, his hair tousled, shirt wrinkled. I felt the air shift as he moved towards me. My breath hitched. He reached out. His arm grazed my side as his hand made contact with the doorhandle behind me.
I exhaled with an acute sense of disappointment. Of course Neil wasn’t going to make a move on me. He wasn’t that kind of man.
His fingers clasped the handle, but he didn’t turn it. After a loaded moment, he released his grip and let his hand drop back to his side. He gave a self-conscious cough. “Look, I, uh… This is somewhat…” He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “Do you want to stay awhile? Spend some time with Archie while he settles in for his first night. We could have dinner. I’m asking you as a friend, Milly, not as your boss. What do you think?”
My eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. If you want to.”
“I’d love to.”
Neil’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Okay.”
I smiled back at him.
Neil shyly averted his gaze, then stood aside, inviting me back in. But as I stepped forward, my awareness shifted to the heavy plastic bag I clutched in my hands. “Actually, I better go home and put these clothes in the washing machine first. And have a shower. And get changed. Can I come back in half an hour?”
Neil nodded. “Sure. Take your time. I could do with a shower and a change of clothes myself. I’ll see you later.”
Archie appeared at my feet and whined as I tried to exit. I bent down to give him a parting cuddle. “I’ll be back soon, Arch.”
The prospect of spending one-on-one time with Neil in his home had me fussing over every detail of my outfit. I wanted to appear cute, yet casual, not overly done up—a difficult balance to achieve. I spent far longer than I’d ever admit trying on outfits and scrutinising myself from every angle in the mirror.
At last, I returned to Neil’s apartment, freshly showered and dressed in light-wash jeans, a chunky cardigan, and white sneakers. A touch of mascara and tinted lip balm polished off the look.
I still couldn’t get over it. He had invited me to have dinner with him. Alone. In his apartment. Okay, technically it was so I could play with Archie, but Neil wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t want me there.
My pulse quickened as I reached for Neil’s doorbell, wondering what the night had in store for us. I knew he would never initiate anything romantic with me, yet a simmering sense of anticipation set my nerves on edge.
I heard Neil’s footsteps, then he opened the door. He had also freshened up, his hair damp and his face shaven. Even though I liked his stubble, the fact he had groomed himself for my sake tickled my fancy. He looked unfairly handsome in jeans and a snug henley top that seemed to accentuate all the finely tuned muscles hiding underneath. He smelled like his dark floral cologne and the vanilla-scented body wash I had sniffed in his bathroom.
“Come in,” Neil said, waving me through.
After all this time, the timbre of his voice still made me shiver with delight.
“Thanks.” I stepped inside. “I put the clothes you lent me in the wash, by the way. They were too dirty not to.”
“As long as you didn’t shrink them.”
“I hope not!”
Neil chuckled. “They’re old clothes, anyway. And once again, they look better on you than they do on me.”
“I bet that’s not true.”
I had meant my words to be self-deprecating, not a compliment towards Neil, but the way they came out sounded like flirting.
Neil’s eyes widened a fraction, and I caught a fleeting look of curiosity as he tried to interpret my remark. A hint of colour edged up his neck, then he broke eye contact. The silence was thick until Archie scurried over to greet me, his nails clicking on the floorboards. I lavished him with pats and baby talk while Neil looked on, his demeanour relaxing.
“Are you hungry?” Neil asked.
“Very,” I replied.
“Pizza?”
“Good idea.”
“I’ll put an order in. Do you want to look at the menu?”
“Yes, please.”
He pulled it up on his phone and passed it across to me. I scanned the list. “Vegetarian?” I asked.
“Yes, for me. But you can get whatever you like.”
“I’m fine with vegetarian too. What about the hot chilli pizza? Do you like spice?”
“I love spice.”
His smooth assertion made me forget myself for a second, then I handed his phone back, flustered. “Then that’s my choice.”
Neil finished making the order, then something caught his attention. “Ah. There she is.”
Chichi had emerged to suss out the new arrival. She approached Archie with her head held high and her tail in the air. Archie tried to get a good sniff as she circled him. Meanwhile, I spied Bowey keeping his distance, watching the unfolding situation warily from atop a bookshelf.
“Looks like Bowey’s still not ready to introduce himself,” I said.
Neil grimaced. “He’s a big scaredy cat. It will take some adjustment, but I’m sure they’ll warm up to each other, eventually.”
Chichi flicked her tail with indifference, returning to her napping spot on the rug, while Archie gave a hoarse whine and flopped onto the floor.
As we waited for the pizza, Neil and I sat crossed-legged, playing with Archie. Neil cradled the dog’s head in his hands with tender affection. “This is the first time I’ve owned a dog since Rufus,” he murmured, a distant look in his eyes.
“Was Rufus your childhood dog?”
Neil gave a solemn nod.
I sensed he had a lot of difficult emotions tied up with the memory of this dog. It would explain why he hadn’t wanted to talk about it back at the shelter. But now he had brought the subject up again, I wondered if he’d be willing to confide in me. “Do you want to talk about him?”
Neil inhaled a sharp breath. He stared down at his hand as he stroked Archie’s fur, gathering himself before speaking. “Well, Rufus was like my best friend. I turned to him for comfort whenever my father got abusive towards me or my mother.”
A knot tightened in my stomach as I pictured Neil’s younger self, lonely and scared.
“One day—I must have been about ten at the time—I did something to upset my father. I don’t even remember what it was. He said, ‘You’re going to pay for that.’ The next day, Rufus was gone, and I never saw him again.” His voice cracked. “My father knew I loved that dog. I think he killed him or dumped him somewhere as punishment for whatever I did. That’s the kind of man he was.” He turned his face away, but not before I caught a heart-shattering glimpse of tears in his eyes.
“Oh, Neil. I’m so sorry. That’s awful.”
On instinct, I reached out and pulled him into a fierce hug. There was no resistance from him this time. He buried his head in my shoulder and shuddered a ragged rhythm against me, silently weeping. I held him until the shudders subsided.
Neil lifted his head, his eyes rimmed red. “I’m sorry for laying this on you and getting overly sentimental.”
“You don’t have to say sorry.”
He wiped his face. “I’ve never told anyone that before.”
My breath caught, the magnitude of his trust in me sinking in. “Thank you for telling me. That wasn’t an easy thing to say.”
“We all have our demons.”
“Yes.” I thought of my own father, a barrage of memories flickering before my eyes. “We do.” My voice was faint.
Neil’s phone dinged. He didn’t check it. “Is there something you want to say?” he asked.
Just like him, there were parts of my history I hadn’t shared with anyone, not even my closest friends. It was easier to exist with them bottled up, locked away where they couldn’t hurt me, or worse, be judged. But with Neil… I felt safe. “I… I do have something I want to say.” Where to even begin? I took a shaky breath. “It’s just… difficult.”
Neil’s eyes held mine, a silent reassurance that he was there, he was listening, and he would understand. It gave me the strength to continue.
“My father was also abusive.”
The sheer look of utter pain on Neil’s face was heart-rending. “Oh, Milly…”
“Not in the same way as yours,” I felt the need to clarify. “He was never violent.”
“But he still hurt you?”
I shook my head, the gesture more of a reflection of my internal struggle than a denial. “I don’t know. I didn’t even consider it to be abuse until after he died. He killed himself.”
“I’m so sorry.”
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “The counsellor I saw said my dad had neglected me. I was so angry, I walked out of the session. But looking back… he was right.” The memories surfaced, sharp and painful, of a childhood spent navigating loneliness and responsibility beyond my years. “Ever since my mum died when I was just a little kid, my dad was depressed, and he did the bare minimum to raise me. I basically had to do everything by myself. Cook, clean, get myself where I needed to go… Maybe he was doing his best, but it wasn’t good enough.” The tears I’d held back for so long spilled over, hot tracks down my cheeks. “I know it sounds stupid. It’s nowhere near the same level as what you went through?—”
Neil took my hand in his. “It’s not stupid. Not at all. He didn’t look after you the way he should have. Yes, that was abusive. You deserved better.”
Just hearing him acknowledge my trauma felt cathartic. It wasn’t all in my head, or an overreaction as I’d sometimes feared. “Thank you, Neil. I really needed to hear that.” I wiped the tears from my eyes.
“I think we both got something off our chest today. I’m glad we had this talk.”
“Me too.”
Neil let my hand go like he’d only just realised he had been holding it. The warmth of him lingered like an imprint.
“You and your mother—what happened? Did you get away from your dad?” I asked.
Neil nodded. “We escaped when I was twelve, and I’ve never heard from him since. I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead. Nor do I care.”
Just then, an eruption of squeaks rang out. Both of us turned to see Archie sprawled on his back, gleefully gnawing on one of his new toys—a squeaky pizza slice.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurd juxtaposition of Archie’s joy and the seriousness of the situation. Neil chuckled too, the hearty sound warming me up from the inside.
“Looks like that pizza slice is his new favourite toy,” I said.
“Speaking of pizza…” Neil checked his phone. “It’s ready. I’ll go pick it up. You just stay here and look after Archie, okay? I’ll be back in a minute.”
While Neil was gone, I played with Archie until he got drowsy, then I coaxed him into his dog bed. He circled a few times before flopping down with a contented sigh. I stroked his back until his eyes drifted shut, feeling grateful he was here and not cooped up in a cage at the shelter. I knew Neil would provide him with all the love and care in the world.
By the time Neil returned with two pizza boxes stacked in his arms, Archie was fast asleep.
“He’s all tuckered out,” I said.
Neil smiled. “It’s no wonder, with all the excitement.” He placed the boxes on the coffee table.
I approached, feeling sensitive to the fact we no longer had Archie to use as a buffer between us. Neil must have felt the tension too, his hand darting to fidget with the neckline of his shirt. “Feeling better now?” he asked.
“Yes. You?”
“The walk and fresh air helped.” He shifted, his arms crossing and uncrossing. “If you’d rather not hang around, you can take a pizza home if you like.”
I appreciated his offer, but the way he looked at me, his dark eyes soft and imploring, suggested he really wanted me to stay. And so did I. “Are you trying to get rid of me?” I asked.
“Believe me, that’s not the case.”
“Then I’ll stay, if you don’t mind.”
“Very well.”
Neither of us could pretend this was about Archie anymore. We had opened up to each other in a way that had blurred the line between us into something beyond recognition. I didn’t know what we were to each other now, but I wanted to find out.
Neil grabbed plates from the kitchen, then joined me in the living room. I dared to take a seat next to him on the couch, rather than on a separate armchair. He flipped the TV to a game show and opened the pizza boxes. The aroma of melted cheese and charred crust rose up. I helped myself to a slice.
“It’s so good,” I said, relishing my first bite of tangy sauce on crispy crust.
“Have as much as you want,” Neil said.
We ate without the need for small talk, the lively game show providing a comfortable backdrop. I pretended to watch, but paid much more attention to Neil’s sharp profile in my peripheral vision, acutely aware that he was just a few centimetres away from me. Now and again, our elbows bumped.
When I had finished eating and the game show credits rolled, I searched for something else to occupy myself with. A basket full of video games under the side table caught my eye. I leaned over and rifled through it. “I never would have guessed you’re a gamer,” I said, running a finger across the spines.
“Why not? Do you still get the impression I’m not a fun person?”
“No. I know you’re fun.”
And cute. And dreamy.
“Do you want to play something with me?” Neil asked.
I perked up at his proposal. “Sure! Which game?”
He selected a racing game and popped it into the console. He passed me a controller and explained the buttons as the game loaded.
“I have to warn you, I’m terrible at video games,” I said.
“That’s all right. I’ll go easy on you.” Neil grinned.
We started racing, Neil’s red sports car overtaking my bulky blue hatchback. I gripped the controller hard as I struggled to steer around turns. Neil offered instructions, but it was hopeless. I just couldn’t get the hang of it. Before long, we both dissolved into laughter at my lack of coordination.
“This is ridiculous!” I said, as I crashed my car for the tenth time.
Neil’s shoulders shook with mirth.
We played several more rounds. Without realising it, we had drifted closer together on the couch until our arms and legs brushed with every movement and laugh.
“I give up! This game is impossible,” I said as my car veered off the track yet again.
Neil laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You can’t quit now. We still have two more tracks to go.”
I sighed in exaggerated annoyance. “Fine. But when I come last again, don’t laugh at me.”
“I make no promises.”
With renewed determination, I pressed on the accelerator button at the start of the next race. As expected, Neil’s car zoomed ahead while I struggled to even stay on course. My tongue poked out in concentration as I wrestled with the controls.
On the winding coastal route, I misjudged a turn and crashed headfirst into a guardrail. “Ugh!”
Neil bit back a smile. “You’re getting better, though. Look, you just passed two cars.”
“By pure luck,” I grumbled, though I did feel a glimmer of pride.
The final track was set in a busy city with tricky shortcuts. Vehicles careened and smashed around me, but I managed to avoid any collisions through cautious driving. I was so focused I didn’t even realise it was the last lap when I crossed the finish line.
“Melia,” Neil said.
I almost dropped the controller. What did he just say? Melia?
I recalled him using that name for me once before. He had groaned it in his sleep in my hotel room in Singapore.
“Melia,” he repeated.
Now I knew it was intended and not a slip of the tongue. So, was this a new pet name he had for me?
“Look at your placing,” he said.
“Hmm?” I glanced at the screen and saw my name in fifth place out of nine.
I gasped in astonishment, then I threw up my arms. “Hooray! I didn’t come last!”
“Congratulations.”
I did a little victory dance in my seat, much to his amusement.
Meanwhile, a box popped up on the screen saying my controller had a low battery.
“Looks like we’ll have to stop there,” Neil said. He checked his watch. “Anyway, it’s getting late.”
“Yeah. It’s probably time I should head home.”
I wanted him to protest, but he did not. I grabbed my bag from beside the couch and stood up.
Neil started gathering the plates and pizza boxes. As I rummaged through my bag for my phone, I realised it wasn’t there. “Um, have you seen my phone anywhere?”
Neil stopped what he was doing and glanced around. “No—” His eyes landed on a dark object wedged between the couch cushions. “Is that it?”
We both leaned in to grasp it at the same time. Our hands collided, and we froze, faces inches apart. Time seemed to stop as we hovered in tense proximity. Neil was close enough that I could see flecks of amber in his dark eyes and feel his warm breath fan across my cheek. All of my nerve endings were alive from his knee brushing mine, his fingers still pressing against my hand. My gaze slid from his eyes to his lips, and I saw his throat bob as he swallowed.
In that suspended moment, I knew nothing would happen unless I made the first move. I steeled myself. I closed in and pressed my lips to his.