When we reach the top, we both move to exit at the same time. I stop, reaching an arm across the threshold to prevent the doors from shutting. “After you.”
She looks as though she doesn’t quite buy this gentlemanly act, but she does a good job pretending not to care as she saunters out. As soon as we reach my door, there’s a scuffle of claws on the other side. It seems my new roommate has heard me come home.
“Zeus,” Adair coos, tapping the wood as I slide my key into the lock. “He’s not in a kennel?”
“He doesn’t need it,” I say.
“You’re taking your apartment into your own hands,” she warns.
“Oh, I know that. He already chewed up one of my slippers. We had a long talk about being a good boy.”
“Did he give you any pointers?” she asks dryly.
Zeus greets us by bounding onto his hind legs and licking each of us in turn. He bounces happily between us, looking overwhelmed with joy to get both of his favorite people in the same place.
“Did you miss me?” She scratches his ears and earns another kiss. “I missed you.”
“I see where his loyalty lies. Sit Zeus.”
He immediately drops to the floor, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. His head tilts back and forth like a metronome as he looks between the two of us.
“So you’re getting through to him,” she says with approval.
“We worked on it. It’s all about mutual respect.”
“Is it?” She laughs at the idea as she kneels down to him. “Well, whatever you’re doing he seems happy. I can’t believe he doesn’t need a kennel.”
“I couldn’t bear the thought of putting him in a cage,” I say quietly. I know too well what it’s like to be locked away because no one can bother to teach you better.
“Thank you for adopting him.” She lifts her face from the top of his head, eyes shining before she shakes off the emotion she’s accidentally shown. “I’ll hang with him while you change.”
“You could have adopted him,” I point out.
“Ginny wouldn’t allow it,” she murmurs. “She didn’t want him around Ellie. She said his breed couldn’t be trusted.”
“A dog is only as good as he’s allowed to be,” I say softly. She opens her mouth to respond but I’m already turning away. So that’s why Zeus was homeless. He wasn’t good enough for the MacLaines. Another thing we have in common.
In the closet, I pull out a pair of faded Levi’s and a black T-shirt. Slipping into the clothes is like slipping into an old version of myself. I slap some cologne on in the bathroom and brush my teeth. Staring back at my reflection, I see someone I barely remember.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, are you going to start writing poetry next?” I ask myself. “She hasn’t changed. Remember that.”
Now that the pep talk is over, I head out to find Adair and Zeus hanging out on the sofa.
“He’s not allowed on the furniture.” I tell her.
“Does he know that?” she asks, but she pushes him off to the floor. “Sterling says no.”
Zeus slides down and gives me a pitiful whimper.
I cross my arms. Unbelievable. I adopted the dog, but somehow he still seems to belong to her. “Now you’re going to make me the bad guy?”
“I think you can do that all by yourself.”
We stare at each other for a minute without blinking before I walk toward her. Adair’s body goes rigid with expectation, but I stop and call Zeus. “Be a good boy while I’m gone?”
I never break eye contact with Adair as I stand up and head toward the door.
“Do you need to walk him?” she asks.
“I have a girl who comes by to do that,” I explain. “He just went out an hour ago.”
“You have a girl?” She raises an eyebrow.
“A dog walker. It’s nothing nefarious.” I open the door for her.
“Good.” She walks through the open door. “We need to make this look realistic, right? I can’t have people thinking that you’re playing me.”
“We can’t have that,” I agree. She’s going to make me work for this.
Even on a Tuesday night, the Barrelhouse is full. I can’t help but be reminded of an old country song when I survey the crowd. Everyone here is looking for love in all the wrong places. It’s obvious that some of the groups are friends, just out for a night on the town, but there’s a fair number of singles hanging out at the bar, engaging in small talk, casting glances at other parties, hoping tonight’s the night they find true love. It’s not my usual scene, even if I know the owner.
“I haven’t been here in forever,” Adair says, looking around.
“Really?”
“And you have?” she challenges me.
Jack has the timing of a god, because he chooses this moment to descend upon us. He wraps me in a tight hug, smacking my back with his fist. “I never see you at night. You finally decided to poke your head out of your shell and get a life, huh?”
“I had to make a few friends first.”
“Oh good, she’s just a friend?” Jack eyes Adair appreciatively. He’s seen pictures, but a photograph could never do her justice. “Then allow me to introduce myself. Jack Archer.”
“Adair MacLaine.” Even in the dimly lit club, I can see she’s blushing.
“The Adair?” he asks.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She directs this question at me.
“You’re not as funny as you think you are,” I say to Jack. Trust him to skirt the line. He can be as bad as Luca sometimes.
“He mentioned he knew a girl here,” Jack says smoothly, his charm distracting her easily.
“I did mention that,” I said, “but Adair is more than a friend.” I curl an arm around her waist and draw her to my side. She looks like she wants to protest this
