Page 37 of Old-Fashioned

Halfway through his head came up as I was enjoying my first cup of coffee.

And when he slowly walked to the front door, I knew someone was there.

With my coffee cup in hand, I too headed to the door.

Peeking out of the little window, I saw Abel’s truck.

Taking in a deep breath, I looked down at Ryker and whispered, “If you don’t like him, then you can bite him.”

Taking in another deep breath, I flipped the lock, opened the door, just as Abel climbed out of his truck with a pink box in his hands.

I felt my mouth water at the sight of that box, and wondered how much crap Priscilla gave him when he got them.

Ryker was at my side, his body in front of me, leaned into my legs.

And when Abel closed his truck door, I saw him take in a breath, and then look up at my house.

Instantly, his eyes found me, and then they found Ryker, and then I heard, “Yeah, I’m one dumb fuck for not asking how he was doing.”

I smiled, “It’s okay. He’s getting better.”

And no, I wasn’t going to let what he had on go to my head, nope, I wasn… “Why are you all dressed up?”

And he was. He had a black button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, dark blue washed jeans on, and square-toe cowboy boots on.

“Cause, you’re getting the best of me. Ain’t ever wanted to give someone the best of me.”

I didn’t say anything to that, not when he walked to my porch steps, and stopped.

Not when his eyes did a top to toe, he saw tight-fitted light-washed skinny jeans, and a crème sweater.

He tilted his chin at Ryker, “What did you name him?”

I smiled, then looked down at my boy, “Ryker.”

And at hearing his name, he looked up at me, licked my hand then looked back at Abel.

Deciding now or never, I squatted down, and said, “Ryker, this is Abel. He’s a friend.” Then I looked at Abel, “Take it slow, once you get up the steps, hold your hand out for him to sniff it.”

Abel did as I said, and once he had his hand out, cautiously I might add, Ryker leaned forward, sniffed his hand, and then looked back at me, then at Abel, and leaned his head forward so Abel could pet him.

“He looks like a totally different dog,” Abel remarked as he continued to pet him.

I grinned as I stood up, “I know, another month or so, and he should be at the right weight.”

With that I headed into the house and stood to the side as Ryker came in followed by Abel, and then I shut the door.

Abel stood there, taking my place in, then he looked down at me, and said, “This is so you.”

Chuckling, I headed into the kitchen. The only thing about the house I didn’t really like was that it didn’t have an open floor plan. And I had debated, daily, might I add, on seeing about taking a couple of walls down so I could see into the living room, and dining room from any spot in my kitchen.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?”

He nodded as he followed me into the kitchen, “Yeah, please.”

Once I got a mug down, and filled it with coffee, I asked, “How do you take it?”

He smirked, “Black.”