Chapter 19
W ill lounged on his sofa, laptop perched nearby, while Lady curled against his side in serene companionship.
On the screen in front of him, Alex smiled through their video call.
Fetch sprawled across her lap like he owned it.
The daily check-ins had become their thing—a comfortable habit filled with dog updates, shared silences, and unexpected laughs.
That afternoon, Will found himself basking in the sunshine at the local dog park.
Laughter floated on the breeze, mingling with the distant sound of toddlers squealing and the rhythmic thump of tennis balls being chased across sun-worn grass.
Lady dozed at his feet as he relaxed on a worn bench, his phone resting idle in his lap—until it buzzed.
He glanced down and opened the message, a grin forming before the photo even fully loaded. There was Fetch, absolutely slathered in mud, proudly seated in the center of a creek bed with his tongue lolling to the side like a canine champion basking in post-victory glory.
The caption read: Someone discovered the creek.
Will let out a soft laugh, shaking his head in amusement. Classic Fetch.
Meanwhile, a few hours away in the mountains of McKenzie Ridge, Alex wiped a dab of whipped cream from her hand as her phone buzzed on the café’s outdoor table. She glanced at the screen, and her laughter echoed through the quiet morning air.
Will had sent a photo of Lady mid-air, caught in joyful pursuit of a stream of bubbles. Her ears flopped, her eyes sparkled, and she looked positively delighted by her improvised new game. The caption read: Lost the pink ball again. She’s okay with it.
Alex smiled, warmth blooming across her features. She was more than okay with it, too.
Later that day, the air around Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast was sweet with pine and fresh-baked pastries.
The sun filtered through a canopy of trees, casting golden rays across the open field behind the inn.
Alex stood at the edge of the lawn, a frisbee in hand, with Fetch bouncing at her heels, barely able to contain his excitement.
She let it fly.
The frisbee arced into the sky, and Fetch launched after it like a rocket—agile, fast, and grinning in the way only dogs can.
He caught it midair with precision and landed proudly, tail wagging like crazy.
Alex ended the video with a laugh and slipped her phone into her pocket before crouching down to ruffle his ears in praise.
Not far away in Portland, Will sat at his desk, the blinking cursor on his laptop screen daring him to focus.
But before he could muster the willpower to write, Lady wandered over, lifted her head, and with one firm nudge, closed the laptop.
She then settled right on top of it, her head sliding neatly into his lap.
Will chuckled and reached for his phone, snapping a picture of the self-appointed writing supervisor.
Up in the bookstore’s reading nook, Alex sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor of The Word Well, surrounded by fresh deliveries and the faint scent of new pages.
Fetch lounged beside her, every bit the loyal coworker.
Her phone buzzed where it lay between stacks of cookbooks, and she reached for it.
The photo from Will made her laugh again—Lady dozing across his lap, the laptop tucked underneath her as if she'd declared it off-limits for the day. The caption read: Done working for the day, Lady said.
Typical writer, Alex thought. Bossed around by a dog.
Later still, in Will’s office, he leaned back in his chair and popped the last bite of a granola bar into his mouth. A new message from Alex blinked across his screen, and he tapped it open.
The video showed Fetch in action again, bolting across open grass, spinning into a perfect leap to snatch a frisbee mid-flight. The camera caught it all—the determination, the landing, and the proudly puffed-out chest that followed.
The caption was simple: New hobby. He’s an athlete.
Will grinned and glanced over at Lady, still snoring beside his desk. “You hearing this, girl? Time to step up your game.”
Lady’s only response was a deeper, satisfied snore.
Their easy connection unfolded like a perfectly scripted montage, playing out in real time across the soft glow of their screens.
Daylight faded to golden dusk, then melted into night, but Will and Alex remained cozily camped out in their respective living rooms. The video chat never wavered.
Over takeout dinners and easy laughter, they swapped updates and stories, letting conversation spill freely as the hours drifted by.
Eventually, sleep crept in, slow and quiet.
Will’s head lolled back on the cushion of his sofa, his breathing steady.
Lady snuggled close, her head resting in his lap like it belonged there.
Miles away, Alex had curled up on her own couch, Fetch curled at her feet.
The screens flickered softly between them, casting a silvery glow that wrapped around the little scene like a bow on a long-distance evening neither wanted to end.
Much later, Alex stirred with a sleepy yawn, rubbing one eye as her gaze fell on her phone. The video call was still live, their connection unbroken even through dreams. She smiled gently.
Will remained fast asleep. Lady nestled at his side, her head still perfectly balanced in his lap.
“Sleep well,” Alex whispered, her voice low and tender as she reached out, gently brushing her finger across the screen before tapping to end the call.
Morning light spilled across Will’s living room, warm and unbothered.
He jolted awake, blinking groggily as he realized he was pinned beneath a warm, furry weight.
Lady had taken full advantage of his slumber, now stretched across his lap like a living, breathing blanket.
He gave her a fond scratch behind the ear and reached for the phone resting on the coffee table.
“Call ended,” he murmured, smiling softly at the screen before checking the time and glancing toward the window.
“Do we jump on writing or spend extra time at the park, Lady?” Will asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
Before she could offer one of her signature groans, his phone buzzed with a new message. He opened it.
Tick-tock. Hope you got some writing done. Can’t wait to read it. Chat soon. –Margot.
Will let out a dramatic sigh and switched the phone off, tossing it beside him.
“I guess work,” he said, resigned. “Sorry, girl.”
Lady responded with a theatrical grumble, laying her head back down with all the flair of a dog who knew exactly how to guilt a writer into better decisions.
“I agree,” Will muttered with a smirk.
Just then, another ping interrupted their shared moment. Will lifted the phone again and scrolled through a fresh batch of photos. There she was—Alex with Fetch at her side, both beaming as they posed in front of the rustic charm of McKenzie Ridge. The caption read: Morning Adventures!
Will’s smile widened.
“Know what, Lady?” he said, glancing over at her. “I have a better idea of how to spend our day.”
Lady barked in reply, her tail sweeping across the cushions like a furry little nudge from destiny itself—decisive, cheerful, and impossible to ignore.