“Don’t apologize, I needed that hug.” Caleb’s lips curl up in a genuine smile. “Where’s Rex?”
I step aside. “Go see for yourself.”
Caleb gasps, rushing into the room toward the makeshift dog bed. “Is he hurt?”
“No,” I say, closing the door behind him.
“Sick?”
“No.”
He kneels down and puts a hand on Rex’s head. “Buddy, why are you so calm?”
“He’s comfy!” I say, sitting on the couch. Caleb’s head swivels around to me.
“He’s just laying here because he’s comfy?” he asks in disbelief.
“It’s the middle of the night,” I say with a shrug. “He’s also tired.”
“Steh.” It’s the command for stand, which Rex does, popping up on all four paws. He yawns and does a big stretch with a little butt wiggle at the end. Caleb pats him all over.
“He’s seriously fine,” I say. “He got a little blow dry and some snacks and water and he’s perfectly happy.”
Caleb stands, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t even begin to explain how relieved I am. We’ve been looking for him for hours. Let me text my brothers that I’m here with him.”
“Sit,” I say, patting the couch next to me as he types out a message on his phone.
He shakes his head. “I’m dirty and wet and gross. I’ll get Rex out of your hair so you can get some sleep, but first you have to tell me what happened. This is crazy. I thought he was gone forever, Charlotte.” He draws in a deep breath and exhales slowly. “I thought everything was over.”
I reach out and take his hand. “Just sit for a minute. The couch covers can be washed.”
He frowns, but doesn’t let go of my hand as he sits next to me. This is technically a loveseat, with only two cushions since my living room is small. His knee brushes against mine. His body is so much bigger than mine, and there’s just no way he could make do with a loveseat in his own home.
“I’m guessing Rex busted out of his kennel again?” I ask.
“Yeah. We looked everywhere for him. How did you find him?”
I tell him the story of my mom needing to go to urgent care, and how I happened to stumble across Rex on the side of the road. He watches intently, his thumb gently caressing my hand as he continues to hold it.
“I couldn’t get a hold of you because of the stupid phone outage. I called, like, two hundred times, and obviously I tried to drive to you, but there was a massive fallen tree blocking the road.”
“I know,” he says. “Ethan and I moved it.”
“I didn’t want Rex to get hurt, so I just opened my back door and he jumped in.”
Caleb’s brows lift. He looks over at the sleeping dog who is once again nice and comfy on his blanket-towel bed. “Did he get aggressive with you?”
“Nope. He was a good boy the whole drive back, and then he was so wet and smelly that after I took a shower, I used my hair dryer to blow him dry.”
Caleb’s jaw drops. “For real? He let you do that?”
“Yep. He’s been a very good boy.”
Caleb shakes his head. “This is absolutely insane. That stubborn dog has met with three potential adopters and he got aggressive with everyone.”
“Were they men?” I ask. “Maybe Rex doesn’t like the whole alpha male thing. Like, maybe he’s nicer to me because I’m a nice lady who doesn’t try to boss him around.”
“Maybe,” he says, staring thoughtfully at Rex. “He likes you.”
