Page 25 of The Good Guy on My Porch

“Ranch on Mars?” he asked, his concern clearing. “I love that show.”

“Me, too.” I’d never seen the show, but I was in the lie now. That was the problem with lying. I was so used to doing it that the lies just slipped out. Now I was going to have to pretend to know what the hell happened on a ranch on Mars. “I mean the special effects…”

He popped his hands open near his head and made exploding sounds. “Mind-blowing, right?”

I nodded and faked a yawn. “And exhausting. I should get to the store before I fall asleep.”

“Molly’s going to stay with Buddy, so we can go to the store together, get it done quicker.”

I should have said no. I should have let him go to the store and gone home to bed. I should have put some distance between us, but I loved the idea of spending more time with him, and I was a selfish, selfish woman. “Okay, as long as you drive so I can nap.”

He chuckled and gestured to his car. “After you, my lady.”

***

When we got back to our house, the trunk and back seat of Oscar’s car stuffed with everything the most pampered dog in the world could ever need, Molly was no longer on the front porch. I glanced back at all the stuff and smiled. We’d gotten two of everything, so Buddy would feel at home wherever he was, but he was probably a little old for dog toys, and the police officer costume was definitely overboard. “I’m going to propose the two of us never go shopping together, again,” I said. “Bad things happen.”

“Bad things? Buddy’s going to love this stuff.” Oscar’s smile was warm in the dim light of the street lamp. “We make a great team.”

There was no innuendo in those words, just kindness, and it made me all kinds of uncomfortable. I could do flirting, I could do sexy innuendo, I could handle crass jokes with the best of them, but kindness, especially from a guy I was lying to, made me feel like the worst kind of person. “Why don’t you keep Buddy at your place tonight?”

“No. He’s your dog. I’m just the back up for when you’ve got a hot date.”

I bit my lower lip to keep myself from blurting out the truth. “Okay. Thank you.” He probably wanted a night with his girlfriend, anyway.

He helped me carry Buddy’s new stuff into my place and brought our boy over while I got his bed set up in the living room. I would have liked to have him in my room, but he wouldn’t be able to handle the stairs every night. “Here it is, Buddy,” Oscar said, walking in without knocking. “This is your new home.”

I stood, feeling suddenly nervous. What if Buddy didn’t like it here? What if he didn’t like me? I had no need for worry. Buddy ran right in and almost knocked me over in his excitement. I knelt, my eyes welling with tears, and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight.

I looked up at Oscar, who was watching us with an odd expression, and feelings overwhelmed me. My two favorite living beings in the same room. . . I stopped that thought. It was ridiculous. I’d only really known Oscar for a few weeks. I was just overly emotional about Buddy. “Thank you,” I said. “For agreeing to all this.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I’m glad to be part of Buddy’s life.”

He left, letting himself out, quietly, and I dropped my face into Buddy’s fur. “I’m so happy to have you here.” I focused on Buddy and ignored my feelings for Oscar, because they could go nowhere. I led Buddy to the large, fluffy bed we’d gotten him. “What do you think of your new bed?”

He looked up at me with his big sad eyes, like he didn’t know what to make of any of this. He was probably feeling as overwhelmed as I was. I sat in the bed and he came right over and curled up next to me, his head in my lap. “Are you sleepy, Buddy? Want to go to bed?”

He let out a small whine and his eyes drifted slowly shut. I yawned as his breaths slowed and he fell asleep. I should have gone up to my own bed, but I didn’t want him to wake up alone in a strange place. “I just have to make a quick phone call,” I whispered. “I’ll be right back.”

I slid from under him and made my nightly call to Mom, letting her know I was safe and she was safe and had nothing to fear. It was like waving my arms in a hurricane or shouting into a tornado, nothing I said or did would ever truly reassure her, would ever make any real difference for her.

Buddy hadn’t moved from his bed when I walked back into the living room, so I curled up on the couch, snuggling in among all the pillows and cushions, getting comfy, and fell asleep in a matter of moments.

I was woken up ten minutes later, to someone licking my face. Moaning, I opened my eyes to see Buddy’s big ones staring back at me. Sunlight was streaming in through the front window, which meant it was early. Far earlier than I normally got up.

“Morning Buddy.” I forced myself into a sitting position. One thing I hadn’t considered were the crack of dawn walks Buddy would need. Luckily, I was still in my clothes from yesterday, so I wouldn’t be flashing anyone in my skimpy pajamas. “Want to go see the morning?”

Buddy bounced a bit in place. I hobbled from the couch, feeling a teensy bit stiff, and grabbed his leash. I got him hooked up and stepped outside just in time to see Oscar walk toward the house, shirtless and sweaty. He grinned when he saw us, and my heart flipped even as my libido threw a party and decided early mornings weren’t so bad if this was the sight that greeted us.

“How did the night go?” Oscar asked, his smile slipping as he scanned my body in yesterday’s clothes. “Did you get any sleep?”

“I fell asleep on the couch. I was too tired to put on pajamas and I didn’t want to leave Buddy alone.”

“And Buddy slept through the night?”

“He did. Now he needs to use the lawn, so I better get him over there.”

I slipped past Oscar and Buddy started down the steps. He appeared to be stiff, which Lola said was normal for him early in the day. He took his time going down the stairs and I waited.

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