Page 5 of All I Want Is Love
“I did nothing of the sort,” Aspen chuckles. “Soren did.”
“It was a lapse of judgment,” Soren explains. “I had to come up with something on the spot. He barked when I saw him for the first time, so he got his name.”
“Barkley is a fine name for a fine dog,” I say.
Soren and Aspen exchange a look, one I can’t quite put a finger on. “You know,” Aspen says all of a sudden. “Soren is trying to find someone to look after Barkley until he can find him a forever home. Seeing how you get along so well… What do you think, Soren?”
“I think it’s a good idea. He could stay with somebody for a while,” Soren says. “He isn’t high-maintenance, but Bernese Mountain Dogs are very much human-focused. He will love the attention.”
“Would you be willing to keep an eye on him?” Aspen asks.
Am I being set up? Was this planned?
“I will make sure to help you,” Soren promises, his dark eyes looking at me gently now. As if to underline his words, Barkley just licks all over my face and then throws himself on his back to let me pet his belly.
It doesn’t matter if I was set up. I wrap my arms around the gigantic furbaby, feeling the urge to bury my face in his fur and cuddle him.
An hour later, I hold Barkley’s leash in my hand while Aspen buys everything we’ll need for our new pup. Well, clearly it’s just temporary, but still, he needs to be comfortable and well-tended to.
Soren accompanies us and explains what I needed to do in his honey-smooth voice that makes it difficult to focus on anything, but him. He also promises to drop by tomorrow to check on us.
When Aspen and I return to the coffee shop, it’s almost closing time. Robin is still there and about to wrap everything up. “I will swiftly put a dinner together for us,” Aspen promises.
“You can cook?” I ask.
“Yes, a bit."
Is there truly nothing he can’t do?
“So, how do you like West Sunhaven?” Robin asks once he has closed the cash register. “And just for the record, I saved a piece of our infamous pumpkin cheesecake for you.”
“Thank you. And it’s a lovely town.”
“I promise you, we are much better than East Sunhaven.”
“There is a town called East Sunhaven?!”
“Yes, but we are the cool ones.”
“So, what about North and South Sunhaven?” I ask.
“Now you are just being silly,” he chuckles. “Obviously, they don’t exist.”
Obviously.
Robin eyes me curiously. “So, what’s with the gigantic furball?”
“This is Barkley,” I say. “He is staying with me for a while.”
“You must have gotten him from Soren?”
I nod, my cheeks get warm whenever I think about Soren’s smooth voice and his dark eyes. I must have stared at him constantly. Way to embarrass myself on a first encounter.
“If you need help, tell me,” Robin says, unaware of my confusion. “I love pups, and this town, and you, and Aspen.”
I blink at him. For better or worse, it truly sounds like he means it. He seems to have been dipped in fairy dust, judging by the positivity he exudes. “Thank you, Robin.”
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