Chapter 39
39
I take out my phone and text Essie a picture of Tucker. I made sure to choose the one with the saddest puppy face I could find.
Me: Tucker says he misses you and that all the stress of you being mad at his dad is stopping him from his recovery. He’s sad he didn’t get to see you at lunch, and he thinks he deserves time with you as well.
I haven’t spoken to Essie since yesterday, when I asked if she’d read my email.
She replied with a simple, Reading it now , and I haven’t heard back from her about it.
Since I don’t want to be buggy about the email, I’ve decided to use the advantage of being a dog dad to good use. No one can say no to Tucker.
My phone beeps with a reply.
Essie: Tell Tucker he can come over. His dad can drop him off at the door.
I laugh for a moment, seeing the irony of us acting like divorced parents co-parenting, but then my smile drops when I remember the reason behind co-parenting—breakups.
Right now, I’m not sure if that’s where Essie and I are.
Hell, I don’t know if we were even in a relationship that could technically be broken up.
I immediately respond.
Me: Hold on. I’ll ask him.
I do, embarrassingly, look over at my dog and say, “You want to go see Essie?”
Then, I hurriedly tell him to calm down when he attempts to get up and rush toward the door.
As soon as he’s situated again, I return to my conversation with Essie.
Me: He said we’re a package deal.
Essie: You can wait outside while we hang out, then. The patio furniture is comfortable.
Me: Tucker said that’d hurt his feelings, and since he already has hip pain, that’s kind of evil to make him feel even more. Tsk, tsk, Essie.
Essie: Fine, come over. But I’m only doing this for Tucker.
Me: Tucker says thank you and see you soon. *bark*
I regret the bark comment after I hit Send.
I don’t know what it is, but Essie brings out the cheesiness inside me.
As someone who grew up with a serious mindset, it’s nice to joke around.
“Let’s go,” I say, going to help Tucker up .
I smile while helping him into my car’s back seat.
Dogs are referred to as a man’s best friend for many reasons.
One of them I’ve learned is that women love them.
Even if they’re pissed at you, they’ll always make time for your dog.
“Thank you for letting me come over,” I say as soon as Essie answers her door.
She points at Tucker before lowering herself to one knee to pet him. “You’d better thank him.”
“Oh, I gave him an extra treat and promised him pup-corn and a movie this week. He’s a big fan of Air Bud .”
A hint of a smile plays at her lips. “I loved that movie growing up.” She rises to her feet but keeps her attention on Tucker. “You’d better hold him to that.”
I shut the door, and Essie helps Tucker into the living room, where she has a dog bed, along with pillows, blankets, and toys.
“Whoa, did you recently get a dog?” I ask, looking around.
“No. I bought them for Tucker,” she comments. “Joint custody means he needs belongings at both homes.”
I scratch my cheek. “How long have you had all this?”
“I ordered them from Amazon.” She shrugs, looking away from me and petting Tucker. “There was no point in sending them back.”
“Does that mean Tucker is spending the night?”
“He needs to be comfortable while he’s here.” She kisses his head, and Tucker nuzzles his head against her knee. “The little man needs catered to.”
I groan, suddenly pretending my leg is sore. “Did I tell you I had a little accident too?”
“Oh, yeah?” she asks with a low laugh, her arms crossing. “Were you also squirrel chasing? ”
“It was a bear, actually.” I shove my hands into my pockets and lean back on my heels. “I was rescuing a baby cub for the mama. Like my abuela said, I’m one of the good guys, always caring about others.”
She laughs, smacking my shoulder. “Okay, take your ego back outside, mister. You can come back when it’s hit a three.”
I pretend to backtrack a few steps and slap said ego away from my face as she fills up a water bowl for Tucker. Tucker ignores it, opting to snuggle in his new bed and chew on a bone instead.
She sits on the couch, crossing her legs, and stares up at me. “I read the email.”
Shit, she’s diving straight in .
This is what I wanted, right?
I sit on the floor at her feet, making myself comfortable, and stare up at her. “And?”
Silence from her.
One of Tucker’s toys squeaks in the background as he plays with it.
“I want to help you on Earl’s case,” she says in a quiet, even voice, shocking the hell out of me. “No, not help . I want to be in the loop. Everything you learn, you tell me.”
“Are you sure?” I ask in a whisper, scooting closer.
“There were claims that could possibly support Earl’s innocence, but there is still plenty of evidence against him. I’m asking you to find out the truth. I don’t want you to do this for the PEP. I want you to do it for me .”
“I’ll do that,” I say, rising to my feet and joining her on the couch. “I promise I’ll find you the truth.”
And I won’t fucking stop until I do so.
I yawn, raising my arms into a stretch. “Tucker said he’s too tired to drive home tonight.”
Essie and I peer over at Tucker, who’s snoring louder than the TV.
We watched Air Bud and then Dog and then Beethoven , keeping Tucker the theme of the night. Essie was adamant that no dog movies where a dog died were allowed. I had no disputes with that.
Essie dips her toes out of her blanket and wiggles them. “Good thing Tucker doesn’t drive.”
I chuckle, stretching my neck. “Tucker’s dad is also too exhausted to drive.” I attempt to force a yawn, but it ends up coming out as a real one, causing Essie to yawn right after.
I’m damn tired.
Sleep has been nearly nonexistent for me the past few days.
I’d do anything for Essie to let me sleep over.
Not for sex, but to just be around her.
To not have to leave and tell her good night.
Hell, I’ll even sleep on Tucker’s bed, if need be.
Just the presence of her puts me on top of the world.
Being in the same space as her is damn heaven.
Essie shakes her head. “You can pick Tucker up in the morning. I’ll feed him breakfast.”
I mimic Tucker’s snoring. “It seems I’m in the same shape as him.” I perform another fake snore, then gesture back and forth between him and me. “Plus, package deal. Remember?”
“Fine,” Essie says around another yawn, and it doesn’t stop as she keeps talking. “You can sleep in the living room with him.” She raises a brow as if waiting for me to object to her terms.
I frown, hating that she thinks I would.
I’m not one of those assholes who only stays with women if it means sex.
I’d stay even if I knew she planned to egg me in my sleep or draw stupid shit on my forehead with a Sharpie .
“All right,” I say, standing and then holding out my hand to Essie, helping her to her feet. “The living room it is.”
She passes her blanket to me.
I cradle it in my arms, lowering my head to kiss her forehead. “Good night, Essie. Sweet dreams.”
“You’re really going to sleep on the couch?” She stares at me, eyes wide in disbelief.
“I’m grateful you’re not kicking my ass out. So, you make the rules.”
We’ve spent nights together without sex. That’s not why I’m here. Sure, the sex is a plus, but my love for her outweighs that.
“Okay,” she whispers. She motions toward the blanket. “Is that enough to keep you warm?”
“It’s enough. If not, I’ll snuggle with Tucker.”
She laughs. It’s a shy one. “Good night, Adrian.”
I can’t stop myself from placing another kiss on her forehead. As she leaves the living room, she sways her hips from side to side, as if her goal is to fuck with me.
I give Tucker a pat on the head before spreading the blanket on the couch. I pull my shirt over my head and drag my socks off my feet. I kicked my shoes off earlier before we started the first movie.
Essie left the TV on, which is fine with me since I won’t get much sleep anyway. I move a few different angles, attempting to make myself comfortable, and turn on The People’s Court . It’s my go-to show when I can’t sleep.
I’m not through even one full episode before I hear footsteps down the hallway. The kitchen light flips on, and I watch Essie fill a glass of water.
She turns to me, resting her back against the counter as she takes a sip. “Are you comfortable?” Another sip.
I make a show of displaying the limited space I have.
“All right,” she groans. “Since you insisted the couch was so uncomfortable, I’ll share my bed.”
You don’t have to ask me twice .
I tug the blanket off and stand. “Did you fake come in here for water to ask for a snuggle buddy?”
She covers her mouth with her hand, most likely disguising her smile, and shakes her head. “Absolutely not.”
“You want me to come in there and sleep with you, don’t you?” I tease.
She shrugs. “Make a big deal about it, and I’m rescinding my offer. So, the couch or my bed?”