Page 14 of The Decoy

“Buckeye,” she repeats, the name sounding sweet from her. “That’s actually super cute, Vaughn. And very on brand for an Ohio State alumnus.”

“Born and bred, Buckeye. Was lucky to play there and win a few Big Ten championships in my time there, and still managed to get my degree. Then when I saw his little face in the shelter, he had an Ohio State collar on, and it just felt right,” I say like a proud parent. “What about you? Are you a dog person, or do you have one of those angry hairless cats or something?”

Ellis belts out a laugh so loud, it makes me laugh too. “I do not have an angry cat. But I do have a female Labradoodle. She’s chocolate brown and forty pounds of pure puppy energy, even though she’s three now. And her name is Oshie.”

“Oshie?” I repeat. “As in…”

“Yep,” she confirms. “Former Capitals legend, Stanley Cup champion, and one of my all-time favorite players. Even though he’s retired now, my Oshie carries on the legacy. She spends most of her days chasing her own tail and sleeping on my bed.”

“Unreal,” I groan. “You named your dog after a hockey player. You’re hopeless.”

“She’s adorable,” she defends. “And she has great fur.”

“Have you ever gotten to meet him? I heard he’s a great guy.”

“I have multiple times. His family is lovely too. He did a short contract with us when he was still playing, so I got to know his wife, and he’d bring his kids to the set sometimes.”

“I bet Buck and Oshie would love to chase each other around,” I say smoothly. “It’s way too cold out now to stand around freezing our toes off, but once it gets warmer, we should take them to a dog park so they can play. Let them get out all their energy.”

I pause, letting the words linger. I’m not sure what made me say that, but now my chest feels tight. Taking our dogs to a park together in a few months isn’t just a casual interaction. Far past casual friendship and professional relationship.

But Ellis doesn’t hesitate.

“I’d love that,” she says. “Although by the time it actually warms up in April or May, I’ll have a massive baby bump. Imagine me waddling through the dog park trying to chase down a forty-pound dog with a giant belly. It’s going to be a joke.”

“Aww, hey now,” I laugh lightly. “I’ll be there to chase Oshie for you. You can just sit on a bench, put your feet up, and look cute.”

Fuck. My mouth can’t stop today.

“Deal,” she says with no awkwardness. “I’m holding you to that.”

We slip into another pause, the kind that usually signals the end of a call. I hear her shift under the blanket on the other end of the line, a tired sigh escaping.

“Brody?”

“Yeah, Princess?”

“I…scheduled my next appointment,” she says, her voice sounding hesitant. “It’s in two weeks at nine am.”

She’s not asking me to go with her directly. She’s just putting the information out there, giving me the choice while keeping her pride intact.

But it’s a no-brainer for me. My response was sitting on my tongue before she even finished the sentence.

“Sounds good,” I say, my voice firm. “Send me the address again and the time. I’ll pick you up around eight-thirty.”

Through the line, I hear her suck in a breath. Then a long exhale, carried by the sounds of relief that I can practically feel through the phone.

“You don’t have to do that, Brody,” she says, although the relief in her tone contradicts her words. “It’s just a check-up. I don’t want you to miss any meetings or practice, and —”

“Ellis,” I cut her off gently but firmly. “I told you the other day, I’m happy to sit in those rooms with you. I don’t care if it’s a routine check-up, sonogram, or a blood test. You’re not doing this alone. I’ll be with you until you kick me out.”

“Okay,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you, Brody.”

“Get some sleep,” I say, smiling and leaning my head back against the couch. “Give Oshie a scratch behind the ears and cuddle.”

“I will. Night, Brody.”

“Night, Ellis.”