“Nothing in this building is logical,” Chase said. “Absolutely nothing.” He leaned down and unclipped Pollux’s leash. “Go crazy, my canine friend. Make sure you sniff everything and get used to me. Because I want to sleep in my bedroom.”
Pollux trotted happily around the room, sniffing anything and everything.
“Would you like a beer? Soda?”
“Oh, uh…just a soda, thanks.”
I followed him into the kitchen, where I saw my drawing on the table. I picked it up and smirked. I was impressed he had noticed that Cubs hat I put on the dog.
“So you really are a Cubs fan?”
Chase pointed back to the living room, and I saw the shelf there with the Cubs paraphernalia. Hat, tickets, bobble heads, trophies, and a picture.
“I am a light fan, now,” he said. “I used to be bigger into it. But…things change, and I can’t really dedicate the time or mental bandwidth to it. I just roll along with the scores online.”
“Well, that’s not nearly as much fun as a game,” I said.
“No, but like I said, it’s not really something I can find the time for.”
There was more to it than I was entitled to know at the moment. Chase handed me the soda.
“So, do you think Poochy—”
“Pollux.” I laughed.
“Pollux,” he corrected, “will be less barky now that he’s had the run of the place and knows I’m over here?”
“Well, here’s hoping,” I said, and raised my can to toast the idea.
“Prost,” he answered, and tapped his drink against mine. “I will give you this. Your dog is adorable. But um…what the hell is he?”
“Half basset hound and half golden retriever,” I answered, laughing. “Aunt Bits forgot to get her golden snipped and he made moves on the neighbor’s prize bitch. Pollux, his two sisters, and compensation to the tune of three thousand dollars were the result.”
“What? Why?”
“Because the pregnancy didn’t result in pure bassett hounds, so the neighbor said she could either give him the money or they’d go to civil court.”
“Over a dog being a dog?”
“Bassett hound puppies go for a thousand dollars apiece, and a breeder like Mister Haywood isn’t a backyard breeder or a puppy mill. He’s a very reputable breeder, and Bits was happy to pay it because it was her fault.” I tipped my head, considering things. “She also had to home the puppies, and I fell for this dumbass.”
Pollux trotted in, sniffing things as he went. Chase bent down after putting his beer on the table. “You are a cute thing, aren’t you?”
He was enamored with the dog, to be sure. And I couldn’t help finding myself a little enamored with him.
Christ, he was going to end up being straight.
* * *
Chase was standingoutside his door the next morning in a robe and holding a steaming cup of coffee. He looked like hell.
“Oh, no,” I murmured. “Really? All night again?”
“All night. All effing night.”
I didn’t know what to say. There was no way Pollux could stay with me if he was going to bark all night long.
“Chase, man…I don’t know what to say…”
