Page 36 of Men or Paws

“Geez, Louise,” Josh said. “Come on, Beth. I’ve gotten ten new gray hairs in my goatee since we started this conversation. Out with it. Rocco may be what? Gay?”

“No,” I said.

“Married?”

“No.”

“Danny DeVito’a secret love child?”

It never took long for our conversation train to derail.

I sighed. “Rocco may be . . . nice. There. I said it.”

Josh placed his hand on his chest. “Heaven forbid! Nice? What nerve that man has!”

“I’m not joking,” I said. “I accidentally destroyed a check of his that he was donating to the food bank. Get this—it was a check for a million dollars.”

“Holy crap,” Josh said. “I admire the guy even more now, but how the heck did that happen?”

I pointed to Josh. “Don’t laugh.”

“You know I can’t promise that.” Josh laughed. “I already think it’s funny.”

I huffed. “Fine. I accidentally sat on the check, then knocked it off Rocco’s desk with my butt, then watched in horror as his dog tried to scarf it down.”

Of course, Josh laughed hysterically.

I expected no less from him.

“Luckily, Rocco didn’t look too upset over it,” I said, placing a few T-shirts in the drawer, then closing it. “He said he could just write another check, which did make me feel a little less guilty about the whole fiasco. But my point is, he’s going to donate a million dollars! You know how my heart melts when people do kind things like that. It just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

Josh nodded. “I think I understand now. You’re conflicted because you initially disliked Rocco with a passion, but now you want to marry him.”

I fanned my face dramatically. “Just thinking of it gets my temperature rising. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Rocco Romano!” I shook my head at the ridiculousness of what my brother said. Nothing could be further than the truth.

The knock on the door made me jump.

Oh, no . . .

I glanced over in that direction and placed my hand on my chest.

Had Rocco heard what I said?

I can’t wait to be Mrs. Rocco Romano.

I think he heard me.

He must have heard me.

“Why do you look like you just ate a bad oyster?” Josh said.

I stood, gobsmacked, and glanced back over at the door again.

“Is Rocco there?” Josh whispered.

I tried to steady my breathing, then closed my eyes and nodded.

“Well, don’t keep your future husband waiting,” he said, laughing.