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“Sure.”
We move to the next aisle. Crew looks through the harnesses as I pick out a blue collar and matching leash. In line for the checkout, his phone rings again. This time, he answers. “Hey.”
I pet Goldie and pretend I’m not listening.
“No, I can’t.” A pause. “Asher…we’re too old for this shit.” He glances at me. “Okay. Fine. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Crew hangs up the phone and sighs. “Asher needs a ride. He went to dinner with his folks. His dad, well, he makes mine look like a teddy bear sometimes.”
I look down at the dog resting his chin on my shoulder. “Teddy.”
“Huh?”
I nod toward the dog. “You said you wanted to rename him. What about Teddy?”
“I like it.”
“Good.”
“I can drop you guys off before I get Asher.”
“I don’t mind.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.”
We check out and load everything into the car. It takes me most of the drive to figure out how to put Teddy’s new car harness on. I snap the carabiner to my seatbelt right as Crew pulls up outside Pastiche.
“This place is nice,” I comment.
“You’ve been here before?”
“Once. With some friends.”
Asher appears.
“Ignore anything he says about us,” Crew advises.
I raise both eyebrows, but I don’t think he can see in the dark car. Asher walks my way, veering toward the backseat at the last minute, when he sees me sitting up front.
“Can’t go anywhere without the missus these days, Kensington?”
“Yeah,you’re welcome.”
Asher laughs as he spreads out in the backseat. A bag crinkles. “What the hell?” A light shines. “Why is your backseat filled with…stuffed animals and bones?”
“We got a dog,” Crew replies, smoothly turning into traffic.
“Adog?”
“Yep.”
“Why?” Asher asks.
“Scarlett is a sucker for a cute face.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever, Mr. I’ve Always Wanted A Dog Let’s Buy Out the Whole Pet Store.”
Crew chuckles.
