Chapter 17 Beckett
BECKETT
~JULY~
“How’s Mocha?” I ask her over the phone as I sit at my desk, trying to get some more info on the breakthrough from the other day.
“Good, the vet said he’ll be ok.”
We’ve had Mocha for a week now, and I think that Sloane’s taken him to three different vets to make sure that he’s in the best condition. So far, all the results have been the same. He’s ok.
I can hear the slight tremble in her voice, and it makes my chest ache because she has the tenderest heart. I’m not sure if she would have been ok if Mocha wasn’t ok.
“That’s good, I’m glad that he’s still ok.”
“Yeah, me too. This vet also guessed that he was probably five months old; he just looks a little younger because he’s malnourished.
He hasn’t been neutered, but we can do that in a few months once he’s healthier.
We also gave him all kinds of shots to get him up to date, so he doesn’t get Parvo or anything like that.
Then we got some DNA to send to a lab so that they can tell us what kind of dog he is.
But his guess was that he’s probably an Aussie Collie mix of some sort.
Then gave me a whole breakdown of what to expect from this kind of breed. ”
“He’s a working dog, so you’re going to have to train him and work with him a lot,” I point out.
“Yeah, that’s what he said. But that’s ok. I’ve been doing research all day, and I think that I can do it.”
“I have no doubt in my mind. You two will be an unstoppable pair,” I say with a small smile.
“Hey, Beck,” she whispers.
“What’s up, baby?”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, sweetheart.
It’s really no problem,” I say sincerely.
I don’t know how many times she can thank me.
She’s said it probably a dozen times since we got him, plus she’s made all my favorite foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. She’s been spoiling me unnecessarily.
“I know, but you have no idea how much this means to me. I came crashing into your life uninvited, messed up your perfect routine, and now I have a puppy,” she rambles on, and I smile.
“You actually were invited, and even if you weren’t, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“You’re almost too laid back, you know? You shouldn’t just collect strays like they’re infinity stones,” She teases, making me shake my head.
“Well, I’m having quite a bit of luck with the strays I have brought in. A pretty brunette who cooks me delicious food and a fluffy dog that is cute as hell.”
“Yeah, I guess you did get a pretty good deal,” she says. I can hear the smile in her voice, and it makes me smile. Her happiness is contagious.
“I’ll be home early tonight,” I say.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of being graced with your presence?”
“I’m just wrapping up a case right now. They brought the guy in this morning. I’m just finishing up my paperwork, and I want to celebrate. You, me, and Mocha.”
“Oh, that’s amazing! Good job, Beck. Mocha and I are headed home right now. We’ll pick up some meat, and maybe we can BBQ or something.”
“That sounds great, baby. I’ll see you later, ok?”
“Alright, see you later. Bye.”
“Bye.” I hang up the phone and shake my head, smiling softly to myself as I do.
“Who’s the lucky girl?”
My blood runs cold at the sound of the voice at my door. My back straightens just a little bit, and I curse myself for being so careless.
“Briar, to what do I owe the pleasure?” I ask, spinning to face the door.
I try to think through the last few minutes of the conversation. I didn’t say her name, but hopefully he hasn’t been standing there for very long.
“Just stopping by to get my info for the Jonson and Swenson case. I figured I’d come by and say hi.”
“I see.”
“So again, who’s the lucky girl?” he repeats, sitting down and kicking his feet up on my desk.
He looks calm and doesn’t seem to know who I was talking to, which is good. Maybe I can talk about her without giving her away. I can’t exactly brush it off like it was nothing. I called her baby.
“Just someone I met recently. I’m trying things out to see where they go,” I say, giving a half-truth.
“Well, tell me about this person.” I just stare at him for several seconds. “Come on, you gotta give me something. You haven’t used pet names on anyone…ever.”
I think about his comment for a moment. He might actually be right. I honestly don’t think I ever have, either. I’ve had relationships, but none of them were ever that serious.
“She’s special,” I admit. More than he’ll ever know.
“Must be, when do I get to meet her?”
“Not ‘til I’m more serious about her.”
“It’s already pretty serious if you’re using pet names and talking about getting off work early to go see her.”
“We’re just figuring things out right now.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, man. I’ll let you get out of here so you can go get your lady.”
I nod. “I’ll see you on Wednesday?”
“Yeah, see you then.”
With that, he gets up and leaves, taking his suit coat with him and shutting the door behind him.
I take a deep breath and run my hands through my hair.
That was a close one.
Too close.
When I get home, Sloane and Mocha are curled up on the couch, both of them fast asleep.
It’s not late, a little bit after six, but she stayed up late last night with Mocha ‘cause he was whining.
I take her laptop off her lap, remove her glasses, and I set them on the coffee table.
She mumbles, and I kiss her forehead.
“It’s ok, just sleep, baby,” I whisper, grabbing a blanket off the armchair, draping it over them. Mocha’s curled in a ball on her chest, his little face buried in her neck.
I watch them sleep for a few more minutes before going to my room. I change out of my work clothes and into something more comfortable.
I head to the kitchen and look in the fridge to see what she grabbed. I smile as I see some thick steaks and some potatoes.
I pull them out and begin prepping dinner.
I wash and wrap two potatoes in tinfoil, place them in the oven, then head outside and turn on the grill.
While the grill is heating up I season the steaks.
I smile when I see that she grabbed a little steak for Mocha, I assume.
I leave his unseasoned, take them back out, and place them on the grill.
After going back inside, I begin to prep the toppings for the baked potatoes.
I hear her get off the couch, but I pretend not to, even when she’s right behind me, and she buries her face in my back, her arms wrapping around my middle.
“Morning, sleepy head,” I tease.
“Hey,” she says, pressing a kiss to my bare back.
There’s a little bark near my feet, and Mocha licks my foot.
“Oh, come on. Let’s go outside and go potty,” she says, letting go of me and taking Mocha outside.
They come back in a few minutes later, and Mocha is snuggled safely in her arms. I can’t fight the smile that overtakes my face when I see how cute the two of them are together.
“I flipped the steaks over,” she says.
“Thanks,” I say, frying some bacon on the stove.
“You didn’t have to start dinner. You could have woke me up, and I would have done it,” she says, gently taking my hand, pulling me towards her, wrapping an arm around me.
“It’s ok, I know that you stayed up late with this little guy,” I say as Mocha licks Sloane’s chin.
“Yeah, but you had work today. I stayed home and did nothing,” she says, giving me big puppy eyes.
I know that she didn’t actually do nothing.
A lot of people see it that way. That she just has to take ten seconds to take a picture or post a video, and that’s all it is.
What they don’t see is the hours she spends making sure every video, caption, and hashtag is perfect.
That she spends hours researching and looking at the data to figure out what everyone wants to see more of.
There is a lot of work that goes into what she does. I know that even I fell into the trap of thinking that she didn’t do much once. But on top of all she does for her business, she also keeps my house in near-perfect shape.
“Don’t play that card with me. I know that you probably didn’t just stay home and do nothing all day. You took Mocha to the vet, you went shopping, and I bet you did whatever you have to do to make sure your people on social media know that you are still alive.”
“Yeah, but you were out saving lives.”
“You were saving his life,” I point out, taking Mocha from her when she pushes me out of the way to continue the bacon.
“Hey buddy, how are you feeling?” I ask, noticing the little bandage on his arm. He nuzzles me, and I run my fingers through his soft fur.
It actually surprises me that his fur is as soft as it is, considering that he was homeless for an unknown amount of time.
“Good, I think. He’s been sleeping most of the day. But the tech said that that’s pretty normal because of all the medicines that they gave to him.”
I nod and continue to love on him. I’ve always been a dog person. I’m never home to be able to take care of one, so I never got another one after Myrtle. With Sloane home all the time, it might be nice for her to have someone here to keep her company.
I take a step back from her, and look at her when a thought that has been plaguing my mind for days makes an appearance.
If only you were mine, Sloane Monroe, I’d love you just like you do all those around you.
I’m trying not to think about it or to get my hopes up or anything.
Even though I think it’s already too late.