Page 61

I wake up to the sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand, but I’m feeling so blissful, I don’t even want to answer.

It’s Sunday, m y one day completely off from work, so I can only imagine it’s my mom calling to ask if I’m going to be at Mass and family lunch today.

I can’t have that conversation with her when my demon girlfriend and ex-priest boyfriend are sleeping next to me, especially after what we did last night, so I just let it ring and open my eyes.

They’re both so funny when they sleep—mouths hanging wide open and arms thrown in every direction.

I’ve been told I sleep in a tight ball, and that I look very serious, but these two don’t seem to have a care in the world.

Ben is on his back with his arms above his head, snoring a little.

Annie is sprawled beside him, drooling on his bicep, one hand tangled through his and one resting on his chest as it rises and falls.

Rex has wedged himself between them, curled against Annie’s stomach with his head tucked under his tail.

It’s the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever seen, but I have to keep my emotions in check.

Being incredibly careful and slow, I reach back and grab my phone to take a picture.

As soon as I snap it, however, another call comes through.

It’s Aileen, my boss at the shelter. I already have two missed calls from her and a few texts, so I answer it, rolling over to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Hey, Aileen. Everything ok?”

“Oh, gosh, Theo, I am so sorry!” she says, her voice strained.

“I know it’s your day off, and I hate to ask you this, but my ex had an emergency and I have to go pick my kid up two hours away.

Is there any way you could go over to the shelter and do all the feedings and clean kennels this morning?

I should be able to come in to do them this afternoon, but I have to get on the road ASAP. ”

“Of course,” I tell her. “Yeah, that’s not a problem at all. Is it ok if I bring Ben and Annie to help me out?”

“That’s fine!” Aileen sighs, the relief in her voice audible. “Thank you so much, Theo! Obviously you’ll get paid, and I’ll make it up to you somehow, I promise! You’re the best! ”

“Sure thing, Aileen. I’ve got my key. You just worry about your family.”

We say a quick goodbye, then I haul myself out of the bed and begin searching for work-appropriate clothing.

I bought myself some scrubs just after starting, because they’re comfortable and easy to wash, but they’re all dirty today.

Instead, I throw on a pair of ragged sweatpants and one of Ben’s band shirts that I find on the floor.

“Everything good, osito ?” comes his still-raspy voice from behind me.

I climb back onto the bed and crawl over him, lowering myself down to kiss his neck.

His arms thread around me, pulling me into his little pool of warmth.

If I could have only one thing guaranteed for the rest of my life, it would be to wake up like this every single morning.

“Please tell me I didn’t hallucinate everything that happened last night…” Ben murmurs against my lips.

“Oh, so you did enjoy it?” I tease.

“How could I not fucking enjoy that? You and Annie…with the tail…” His eyes roll back and he groans, then reaches around and pulls me down on top of him, biting my bottom lip.

“As much as I’d love to do Round Two, I have to go into the shelter for a while. Aileen had a family emergency. I thought maybe you could come with us?”

“It is too early,” Annie groans, stretching her body out and waking Rex, who chirps in annoyance.

“What if…” I murmur, moving over to kiss her collarbone, “I told you that Mama Cat might have had her babies last night?”

Annie’s eyes snap open, and she fights back a grin. “Very well,” she says. “I suppose we should all go.”

“ You don’t have much of a choice, sweetheart,” I laugh.

“I guess I could use some puppy time, sure,” says Ben, giving Rex the side-eye.

He’s not much of a cat person, but Rex loves him anyway.

We all roll out of bed and slowly get dressed, then each pour a bowl of Lucky Charms and eat in relative silence, exhausted from the night before.

Ben keeps looking at me with a small smirk on his face, and I know he’s replaying the entire thing in his head, just like I am.

Once we’re all dressed and fed, with coffee in our hands, we stumble down to Ben’s car and head for the shelter.

“Won’t make it to Mass or lunch this morning obviously, but…maybe we should try to get to a family dinner at my parents’ house sometime this week?” I say softly.

Ben glances at me and raises an eyebrow. “As roommates?”

“I…I’m not sure yet,” I reply, dropping my eyes to the travel mug in my hand. I know I should’ve thought about this before suggesting it, but I was a little caught up in the moment.

“I don’t want to do anything until you’re sure, Theo,” Ben says gently. “I’m patient, alright? No pressure from me.”

I nod and take a sip of coffee, then stay silent the rest of the drive, considering what the consequences would be of introducing Ben to my family as my boyfriend.

Molly already suspects there’s something there.

She all but said it at the soccer game, and she’s also teased me over text a few times the last couple of weeks.

My mom would probably be confused, mostly that I’ve moved on from Ros so quickly, but she would be alright eventually.

My dad though…he’s traditional, and his reactions can be unpredictable.

I’m honestly not sure if he would be more upset about Ben’s history with the priesthood, or about the fact that he’s a man.

It could go either way. He isn’t the type to get loud or over-the-top angry, but his jaw twitches like he’s a snake about to open his mouth and swallow you whole.

Molly got pregnant with Tabitha when she was nineteen, after she and Gabe had only been dating for a few months.

Gabe hadn’t even met our parents yet, and I remember Dad’s reaction.

He was calm, but he point-blank refused to let them get married in our family church.

Molly insisted she didn’t mind, but it upset Gabe enough that he went and had a man-to-man talk with my dad, which is the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.

Dad softened toward Gabe a lot after that, especially when Tabby was born and we all saw what an amazing father and husband he was.

I know exactly what Gabe would advise me to do if he was here.

“I don’t want you to feel I’m trying to hide this…

hide you,” I tell him, reaching over to take his hand.

“You deserve so much more than that, so if you’re ok with it…

I want to tell them the truth. This week, in person.

If it goes badly, well…then they lose me too, and that’s on them.

Anyway, they’d be very lucky to have you around. I know I am.”

Ben glances over at me, his eyes shining. “Maybe…we don’t tell them the whole truth,” he laughs.

“Oh, yeah, definitely not,” I reply with a grin.

He doesn’t let go of my hand the entire rest of the drive, and I feel like maybe I’m finally starting to get things right.

I just want to show him that he means more to me than anyone’s judgement or bad opinion.

As much as I want to shield him from experiencing more rejection, I know that whatever happens, we’ll get through it together.

The animal shelter is just outside town in a more rural, wooded area, and as we’re coming around the last bend in the road, Annie grabs the back of the seat and leans forward.

“Something is wrong,” she murmurs.

I glance back at her. “Wrong? Wrong how?”

“I smell smoke.”