When Jax handed me the phone, the look on Olivia’s face was one of complete shock. “You got a fucking dog? Without making a pros and cons list?”
I rolled my eyes at my sister. Why did everyone expect me to make a pros and cons list?Okay. They weren’t wrong. Normally, I would.“I sure did.” I couldn’t stop the proud smile from spreading across my face and the look on my sister’s face definitely matched mine.
“Was buying a dog on your list?”
I wasn’t planning on telling my sister about my list, but when she called to ask a million questions about my tattoo, I let it slip. I was worried she would pressure me about completing it, but she’d actually been very respectful about me doing it on my own timeline.
I shook my head when I remembered her question. “No. The list item was to buy something on a whim.”
“And you bought a fucking dog?” Olivia let out a low whistle. “That’s pretty badass. I’m not going to lie.”
Before I could say anything else, Jax grabbed the phone from my hands. “I know, right? That’s what I said. I’m so freaking excited.”
“Me too. I can’t wait to meet him.” I heard, rather than saw, my sister gasp this time. “Speaking of which… There is a color run in Philly in three weeks. The deadline to sign up is next Saturday. Do you two want to do it?”
Jax looked over at me and when I nodded in response, she pumped her hand in the air. “Hell yeah. Are you doing it with us?”
Olivia cackled on the other end of the phone. “Hell no. I don’t run, and Idefinitelydon’t let people stain this beautiful face with colors. We would love to have you two stay with us though. We can’t have dogs in our apartment, but we could meet you at our parents’ house that Friday night so we can meet that cutie, then you two can take a break from your child and leave him with his grandmas for the weekend. They’ll love it. Trust me.”
I had no doubt they would, and I was dying to see my family, so this was the perfect opportunity. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to convince Ronan’s family to make the trip from Pittsburgh, but I was certainly going to try.
I hadn’t realized how much I was smiling until the muscles around my mouth started to ache. It didn’t bother me since it was for the best reason. My life was a little crazy right now, but it was crazy good. This new Carter couldn’t wait to see what was next.
Chapter 12
I was about to open the door to my apartment after completing my sixth week of work, when it was opened for me. Jax was standing in front of me with Speck in her arms and a huge grin on her face. “You’re going to be so proud of me. I have all of Speck’s things packed for his weekend at his grandparents’ houseandI have my bag packed as well. All of our things are already in the car, so I’m good to help you in whatever way you need me to.”
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I expected to come home to find Jax running around trying to find the clothes she wanted to take. I figured I would have to get all of Speck’s things together, which was fine since he technically belonged to me. Jax definitely didn’t have to take as much responsibility for him as she was.
For the past three weeks, she had pretty much split responsibility with me. If she got home from work before me, she would clean his pee pad, then take him outside for a walk. Many mornings, by the time I woke up, he had already been fed. We traded off cooking responsibilities depending on Jax’s work schedule for the week and spent most nights snuggled on the couch with Speck in between us. My plan to get my companionship through Speck seemed to be working, because my feelings weren’t creeping up on me anymore, even with Jax just on the other side of Speck on the couch. Instead of my heart racing, I just felt content and comfortable. Clearly, the feelings I thought I was feeling were simply a desire to be close to someone. Jax and I were friends. Speck was our dog. Life was as close to perfect as it could get.
“Did I shock you into silence?” Jax asked with a laugh. “I think I lost you.”
“Sorry. You definitely did. You shocked me in the best way.”
“Perfect. That was my goal.” Jax stepped to the side so I could walk in. “So, what do you need from me?”
“I’m actually good. I already have my bag packed as well because I was expecting to need to help you and Speck when I got home.”
“In that case, do you want to head out now?” Jax looked down at the watch on her wrist. “Once we’re in the car, we could call your moms to see if they want to wait for us to have a late dinner. Are Ronan and his family getting in tonight?”
I smiled at the reminder that my whole family was going to be together this weekend. It was actually much easier than I expected to convince Ronan to visit our moms when he found out I was going. “They are, but not until much later. We probably won’t see them until Saturday afternoon or evening. I think they are going to leave Duncan with my moms and come meet us in the city for dinner and drinks.”
Duncan was my six-month-old nephew and my mothers’ only grandchild, so he was naturally very spoiled.
Jax put her hand on her chest. “Duncan isn’t coming to dinner? I better get to see him at some point. I want to pinch those little cheeks of his.”
I knew Jax meant that, and it made my heart warm. When she was just Olivia’s friend and not mine, I didn’t appreciate how much my family meant to her. It was sweet how invested she was in her friendship with Olivia that she truly cared about our whole family. It had always been that way, and I wasn’t sure why it took me this long to realize it.
“He’s not, but you’ll see him on Sunday as long as you’re okay with not getting back until later in the day on Sunday. My moms want to have all of us over to their house for a cookout.”
“Do you really think I would mind that? I love your family. This is going to be great. Iamsurprised you’re okay with staying on Sunday. I figured you’d have to prepare for the week.”
I pointed at myself. “New Carter, remember?”Plus, I already picked out all of my outfits for the week.
Jax stared at me for a long time until a cocky grin came onto her face. “You already have everything prepared for next week, don’t you?”
How thehell did she know that?Did she look in my room?I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “No. I didn’t prepare our meals.”
