Mo furrows her brow, but I don’t have time to stop and explain because I have a million things to do today, and I still need to go buy a collar and a leash.
“Who’s Milo again?” she asks, following me out to my car.
I put the box in the back seat. “The blind Pomeranian.”
I’ve thought about Milo several times over the last week. Trevor’s encouraging words about getting her have been ringing in my head, and I think maybe he’s right. Maybe I need to start with something small like adopting a dog—which I’ve always wanted to do—before I go rearranging all of my well-laid plans about life and love and who I’ll date. I finally figured, why not? What am I waiting for? My life to get on track? Because it’s about as on track as it’s going to get.
Sure, Trevor derailed me a little bit with those sinful lips of his, but ever since that encounter, I’ve felt rejuvenated and ready to take on the world.
“Wait a minute. You want to adopt the blind Pomeranian?”
I nod.
“And you named her Milo?” Mo asks.
What about this is so hard to understand? I nod again.
“You do realize Milo is a boy’s name, right? And she’s a girl.”
“Yes, Mo, I know. Trevor made a big spectacle of pointing that out.” I step around her, intent on getting Milo and taking her to her new home. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a million things to do today.”
I can hear Mo’s footsteps behind me as I walk into the kennel, but they’re quickly drowned out by the ear-piercing sound of a dog’s cry.
“Is that Milo?” I ask, rushing toward her cage.
“She’s been crying for days, and nothing I do makes her better. I’ve changed her bedding, tried different foods, taken her to the vet…I have no idea what’s wrong with her.”
I flick the lock and fling the door open. Milo is sitting in the corner, her little body shaking as she howls blindly at the ceiling. It’s as though she trying to get someone’s attention, and I think I know who that someone is.
Squatting down, I call out to her. “Milo, come here, girl.”
Milo stops howling at the sound of her name. With her nose in the air, she angles her face toward my voice.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Mo looks at me. “That’s the first time she’s stopped crying in a week.”
“Because she missed me.” Milo inches toward me, veering off to the side, but rather than pick her up, I let her find her way to me, and she does. Her tongue darts out, tasting the tip of my finger, and then she spins in a circle and barks.
“That’s right. You remember me,” I say, picking her up. She nuzzles her wet nose to the side of my neck. “You missed me, didn’t you, girl?”
“Arf.”
“That’s what I thought.” With Milo against my chest, I step out of the cage. “We bonded last Monday.”
Mo is smiling. “I can see that.”
“I want her, Mo.”
Mo’s smile wanes. “Are you sure? Because I’ve tried to get you to adopt a dog before, and you’ve always resisted. I just don’t want you to get her home and change your mind; that would break her little heart.”
“I’m positive, and I won’t change my mind.”
“Then I guess she’s yours.”
“Did you hear that?” I coo. “You’re officially mine. Milo Daniels. Has a nice ring to it.”
“It’s not official yet. I still need you to sign some paperwork.”
“Absolutely. And I’ll pay the adoption fee.”