Page 133 of Hypothetical Heart
Winnie takes a seat on the couch, patting the spot nextto her to encourage Suzie to join her. “Good girl.” She smiles when our dog happily jumps up onto the cushions.
“You know, letting the dog on the couch might not be the best habit to start,” I suggest.
Winnie shoots me a glare. “She deserves to sit on this couch just as much as you do.”
I laugh as I take a seat on the other side of her. It’s probably true. I mean, Winnie cleans Suzie’s feet every time she brings her in from outside, and specifically wanted the apartment with a bathtub so she could give her regular baths. It’s not like this dog is dirty.
The TV stays on the floor, and we stay on the couch for the remainder of the night, watching the sun set over the city skyline through the window. I can confidently say there is nothing better than this.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “What do you think it’ll be like? Living together, I mean. Full-time.”
I pretend to think for a moment, tapping my chin. “Well, I foresee a lot of arguing over who gets the last slice of pizza. Maybe some passive-aggressive notes about whose turn it is to do laundry.”
“Oh, for sure,” she agrees with a grin. “And let’s not forget the inevitable battle over closet space. You’re already encroaching on my side.”
“Your side?” I laugh, looking around. “Pretty sure it’s a shared closet, Winnie.”
She pokes me in the chest playfully. “You say that now, but wait until I start hanging my stuff on your hangers.”
I lean down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Bring it on.”
She sighs contentedly, closing her eyes again, and I feel her relax against me completely. “Honestly, though,” she whispers after a moment, “I think it’s going to be amazing.”
I nod, my heart swelling at her words. “Yeah. Me too.”
We’ve already talked about an apartment-warming party for all our friends, and Winnie has been preparing ideas for the guest room since she wants to make it as inviting as possible.
As we settle into the quiet of the evening, I glance down at Suzie sprawled out between us, her tail lazily thumping against the cushions like she knows she’s the star of the show. As I’m watching her, I’m reminded of something I bought earlier this week, and I can’t help the grin that tugs at the corner of my mouth.
Without a word, I get up, heading toward one of the still-unpacked boxes near the kitchen. Winnie’s head tilts, her eyes following me, curiosity written all over her face.
“What are you up to?” she asks, half suspicious, half amused.
“You’ll see.” I rummage through the box until I find what I’m looking for—a tiny bundle wrapped in tissue paper. I smirk to myself as I pull it out and head back to the couch.
“Close your eyes,” I tell her.
Winnie crosses her arms, giving me a playful, narrowed stare. “If this is another sock ambush?—”
“No socks, I swear.” I’m trying to keep a straight face, but the excitement is hard to hide.
With a small huff, she closes her eyes, and I get to work unwrapping the tissue paper. Inside is a tiny, pink dog sweater with little hearts stitched into it—I’d ordered it online the minute we knew Suzie was coming with us. It’s the kind of silly, ridiculously cute thing Winnie loves.
I slide the sweater over Suzie, who doesn’t even flinch, just stands there wagging her tail like she knows she’s about to steal the spotlight.
“All right,” I say, stepping back. “Open your eyes.”
Winnie blinks, taking in the sight of Suzie now proudly sporting her pink heart-covered sweater. For a second, she’s speechless—then she bursts out laughing, the kind of laugh that fills the whole room.
“Oh my God, Logan,” she manages between giggles, her hands flying to her mouth. “She looksadorable!”
I can’t help but smile, leaning back against the couch. “Figured if we’re getting cozy in the new apartment, Suzie should too.”
Winnie reaches out to pet Suzie, still shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you thought of this.”
“She’s part of the family now. Gotta make sure she’s as spoiled as you are.”
Winnie’s still laughing, but her eyes are soft, the kind of look that makes my heart feel like it’s too big for my chest. “You’re ridiculous.”
