Page 54

He rolled his eyes.“You might need this.”

“I don’t have any income.I may not be worldly, but I understand charity receipts aren’t helpful if you don’t have anything to deduct them against.”

He grinned.“They teach you that in philosophy?”

His teasing warmed me.“Yes.Plato wrote an entire treatise about it.”

He checked his phone.“Look—LA traffic is horrendous all the time but deathly at rush hour.As evidenced by our trip in.Why don’t we grab dinner and wait out the worst of it before we head back to Gaynor Beach?I’m starving and can’t drive and eat.”

And he knew I couldn’t drive at all.

“I’m worried about Wally.”Really, I mostly missed him, but worried sounded less pathetic.

He cocked his head.

“My dog.He’s in doggie daycare.With Brooklyn.”I pulled out my phone and showed him the picture Brooklyn had sent.

Wally curled up against a massive great Dane with the caption,After they ran around all day.

I was worried, but I really liked the idea that Wally had clearly enjoyed himself.That he’d made a new friend.I trusted Brooklyn…I just really missed Wally.

“Uh…is Wally the little one or the big one?”

“Oh, Wally’s my little Yorkie.”Briefly, I closed my eyes.“I rescued him a week ago.Well, adopted him.And I can’t believe it’s been a week.”

“Safe Haven Animal Rescue?”

“Yeah.”

“Arthur’s amazing.He’s best friends with James.I’m certain he would’ve made a good match between you and Wally.”

“Fat owner for a fat dog?”I pressed my hand to my gut.“Wally could’ve done better than me.”

Colin merely stood, watching me.

“Just… I mean I’m trying to help him lose weight.I guess I am too…”

“Did we not just donate a bunch of your old clothes because they’re too big?”

“Yeah.”I scratched my chin.“But I also considered keeping them in case I put the weight back on.”

“Do you want to put the weight back on?”He cocked his head.

“Of course not.”For the most part.I scrunched my nose.“But if I’m fat, then no one looks at me…romantically.Then I don’t have to worry about attracting another Hank.”

He grimaced.“Okay, you had some seriously bad luck with that dude.At least from what you’ve told me.So let’s take a positive attitude that things are going to be different.If you don’t want anyone in your life romantically, that’s fine.You just gently dissuade people.”

“How’d that work for you?”During our interminable ride up from Gaynor Beach, I’d managed to coax Colin into sharing his love story.How he’d met James when he’d needed help with caring for Widget.How James had persistently been around and had eventually worn Colin down.How, despite the fact Colin faced major health challenges as a transplant recipient, James had never wavered.Had never left his side.Had been his rock.And how they were married, trying to become foster parents, and loving the dog who’d brought them together.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I wanted that life.The couple with the happy dog part, anyway, And if I was really honest with myself, I wanted it with Jeremy.The man who didn’t judge.The man who accepted me for who I was—not who he could mold me into.The man who cared for my dog.

Which was why I was surprised I hadn’t just asked him to watch Wally.Everything happened so fast, and I hadn’t even been certain he’d been home.Anthony had secured a spot with Brooklyn, and I’d just run with it.I still had no idea how much this was costing me.Brooklyn’s latest text assured me that I didn’t need to race back as he would just bring Wally into the house, and that my little guy would keep him company until I was able to pick him up.

I should’ve been in a bigger hurry to get home, but I was kind of enjoying my time with Colin.I had no idea if I’d ever see the charming man again.I could envision him becoming a friend—with his open nature and genuine kindness.He could’ve just insisted we shove all my boxes into his SUV and race home.Instead he’d helped me donate all the stuff with bad memories.So I was only bringing thegoodinto my new home.

“Do you know somewhere we can grab dinner?”he asked.

“I know a cheap Mexican place…”