Page 9 of The Hooker

“I think so.” He’s wedged under the bridge on the slight hill before the water. There’s not much of a current, so he could get out if he wanted. Looks like he climbed through the triangle of wood bracing the bridge and hasn’t realised he can get out. I hand the torch to Daisy who shines it directly at Westley so I can see everything.

I reach my hand out to Westley, who licks it enthusiastically. My hand scoops under his tummy, and I slowly carry him out over the water. He stays still as I hold him one-handed, as if he knows he’ll fall in the water if he struggles, and then I have two hands on him and he’s safe in my arms, licking all over my face.

I take my phone back and hand Westley to Daisy, who takes his wriggling body and bursts into tears. Westley licks her tears away, and I can’t stop myself from drawing them both into my arms. My hand rests on her hair and sifts through the escaped strands of her plait, and my other arm wraps loosely around her hips. Westley squirms between us, and when he trembles and Daisy shivers in my arms, I decide we need to make our way back to warmth. They can continue their reunion in a heated house. Walking barefoot through our neighbourhood and into the bush was not on my agenda tonight, and I’m starting to feel the cold now. Shorts, bare feet, and a T-shirt is not a good uniform to find lost puppies and keep short women warm.

“Let’s head back.”

She nods against my chest, and I keep an arm looped around her hips as we walk slowly to my house; her shivers becoming more violent as we get closer. We make a quick stop at her place, and I grab the bags she dropped before she got into the house, food for Westley, and go further down the road to my place. She makes a half-hearted protest when I tell her she’s staying at mine, but when I point out she’s still crying and trembling, she follows me down the street and into my home without protest.

I quickly rinse off my feet with the freezing hose water before I follow her inside and find her shoes neatly lined up beside mine.

She’s standing in the middle of the lounge, holding Westley to her chest, who’s turning his head every which way in the new space. “His paws are dirty. Is there somewhere I can wash him?”

Her tears have stopped, which is a good sign, but her cheeks are red and splotchy and her eyes are brighter than usual, almost feverish.

“Yeah. Bring him through here.” I take her to the guest room and into its ensuite. I set her bags by the door. “Feel free to use anything in here.”

“Do you mind if I shower?” She looks smaller in the large bathroom with tears staining her cheeks.

“Go for it. This is your space. Use it however you want.” I tug her into another hug when her chin quivers at the simple sentence. Everything’s hitting her at once, and I can’t stop myself from touching her, from trying to keep her warm and let her know I’m here if she wants me. “I’ll order dinner, okay?”

She nods and pulls away from me. “Thanks, Jamie. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She sniffs and says, “I think you’re my best friend.”

Warmth rushes through me, chasing away the chill from the walk, and I smile at her faintly and swipe a stray tear from her face. “Good, because you’re mine.” And she is. Even if I have more feelings than her, it doesn’t mean she’s not also my best friend. I just happen to have extra feelings on top of it. “I’ll see you soon.”

I change into track pants and a long-sleeved shirt before ordering dinner, deciding we need the comfort of pizza, and ignore what’s in my fridge.

The food arrives, and I set everything on the coffee table and turn the TV on to play reruns of a sitcom. Mindless joy for us to calm down to.

Westley reappears first with damp paws and sniffs out the food I put in a bowl for him and scoffs it happily, clearly recovered from his impromptu frolic through native bush. Daisy follows him with tangled wet hair, making her look a little bit like a drowned rat, wearing a bright pink loungewear set and fuzzy white socks that look as soft as her skin. I’ve never seen her like this, not relaxed exactly, considering everything that’s happened tonight, but soft and comfortable, ready to curl up on the couch and go to sleep.

She’s never looked more beautiful.

She gives me a tiny smile and collapses on the couch beside me, resting her head on my arm with a sigh. I force myself not to tense in surprise. It’s not that I don’t want her pressed against me with her head on my arm, her wet hair making my sleeve damp. I just didn’t expect it. Didn’t expect her to want more physical affection after she calmed down, but if she’s comfortable with it, I’m definitely onboard.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she mumbles through a yawn, “but I texted Poppy that we found him.”

“Good. Eat some food and then you can sleep. We have an early morning tomorrow.” I hand her a plate and she stacks it with food while I do the same.

She relaxes against the couch, keeping herself close enough to touch, and we eat dinner together with the TV on in the background. Something I’ve dreamed about before but never thought I’d have. And now it’s happening because her puppy ran away and she’s traumatised by tonight, not because she wants to be here curled up beside me.

It leaves me disconcerted. I’m happy she’s here and want her to stay, but I’m worried she’ll feel uncomfortable tomorrow morning when she realises how physically affectionate we’ve become in such a short span of time.

Yes, we have our handshake, but we don’t sit beside each other on couches, and we definitely don’t hug each other or eat dinner together.

After we’ve eaten, we stay on the couch as one episode turns into another and another until her head keeps falling off my shoulder as she shocks herself awake.

“I think you need to go to bed,” I say quietly.

“Hmm. You’re probably right,” she responds, but doesn’t move.

I nudge her off me to see her face properly, her heavy eyelids swollen from crying. “Then how come you aren’t moving?”

“Because you’re warm and the sheets will be cold.”

“The sooner you get in them, the sooner they’ll warm up.” And I ignore the offer I want to make to get in them with her and warm her up. Now is not the time.

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