Page 108 of Just a Plot Twist
I ache that our time together today was so short, but I can wait.
She’s worth waiting for.
It’s Claire.
On my front porch the next Tuesday, holding a very portly Cinnamon in her arms. Cinnamon has a bright pink bow tied around her neck.
The dog grunts, trying to wriggle free from Claire’s grasp, but Claire is beaming.
“How?” I start, not sure I can even finish.
She hefts Cinnamon in the air to regain her grip on the dog. Cinnamon, for her part, seems both bemused and barely tolerant of this display.
“I’m being spontaneous, like we talked about! Look, Benson. Hear me out.” She blinks. “I called your landlady on Sunday, and she said that Reggie’s grandson had already contacted her about the possibility of you taking her back. Indie’s note convinced them that she’d be well taken care of.”
Claire holds her closer to her middle as she fusses with Cinnamon’s bow. The dog tries to bring up her back leg to scratch at it. “I told Mrs. Lambert that I could take her, depending on what you want to do. I’ve wanted a dog for so long, and I always avoided it because my grandparents don’t like dogs. Anyway, doesn’t matter. Because now, I want Cinnamon. Can we…share her…do you think?” Claire’s countenance is pure sweetness, her bright green eyes aglow.
By now, Cinnamon’s had enough of being held. She wiggles her stubby legs and paws so strongly that Claire has to let her down. Cinnamon trots inside the house, her head held high like she’s belonged here all along.
“Sharing her makes a lot of sense,” I say around a growing smile. “Will you come in?” I ask, my gut simmering with every good feeling I can imagine.
She nods and once we’ve settled on the sofa, Cinnamon wedges herself between us, giving each of us a curious look.
Claire absently rubs Cinnamon’s back. “You okay with the return of Princess Cinnamon?” Now that she’s settled in next to me, I sense an undercurrent from Claire of something I can’t name—a sadness, maybe?
“When Reggie’s grandkids came to take her away, all I could think about was that I wasn’t ready to be done with her. Which shocked me. But the hard stuff?” I pause. “The hard stuff was worth it because of all the good things that came with having her here.”
Claire leans down to nuzzle against Cinnamon’s neck. “You hear that, girl? Benson actually likes you.”
I do like this old dog, but I don’t dwell on that right now. “What I’m trying to say is I’ve come to the realization that just because things take work, doesn’t mean they’re not worth working for.”
I meet her gaze. She traps her bottom lip with her teeth. “I agree.”
I look down at Cinnamon, her too-small ears pricked up like she knows something important is happening. “Nice to have you back, Cinnamon.” I meet Claire’s gaze. “Same goes for you, too.”
Claire’s expression grows serious. Cinnamon wiggles down from the sofa.
I slide the tip of my finger across Claire’s cheekbone. It’s so soft I have to school my own gasp at the wonder of it. I move my fingers to the back of her head and neck. I love touching her.
She keeps her eyes trained on the dog wandering around the room, nose to the floor. “How have you been?”
“I’ve missed you.”
She meets my gaze. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“And I’ve had a bit of a shake-up in my life.” I breathe in and out before continuing. “My father asked me last night to take over as CEO of Foundations.”
Her jaw drops open. “Congrats! You’ll be fantastic as CEO.”
I chew on my lip. “I had a restless night. I’ve never had a job like this before. But now with Peter gone and the damage mitigated, my father thinks I can do it.”
“You’re not just going to do it, you’re going to kill it.”
“I’ll certainly try. I’ll officially start next month.”
“That’s so cool…Bens…” she hesitates.
“I like it when you call me that,” I whisper. I move my fingers so I can touch the shell of her ear.
