Page 46 of No More Hiding
“I’ll talk to you later,” she said. “Tell Sammie I said hi, but I need to get back.”
She got in her car and he went to his, then drove home. When he got in the house, Sammie was happy to see him and he opened the crate and let her out.
He’d felt guilty about purchasing the crate, but told himself that it was for her safety too. He didn’t need her choking on something that she was getting into because he wasn’t home.
He was sitting at his desk ready to get back to work when his phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was his mother calling. She hadn’t been bothering him much and he was in a good enough mood he decided to answer it.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Oh my God. You answered my call. And on the first ring.”
He laughed. “I did. You caught me at a good time.”
“And obviously in a good mood.”
“Maybe.”
“I knew Sammie would be right for you.”
“She’s something,” he said. “What’s up?”
“I can’t call and just talk to my son?”
“You could to Tyler. Not me. You know that. You never call unless you’ve got an agenda. No more dogs. Sammie doesn’t need a sibling.”
“No more dogs,” she said. “I was calling to say that your father and I were going to have a cookout on Monday. We thought maybe you’d like to come and bring Sammie. Tyler and your father want to meet her.”
He hesitated. “I’m not sure yet,” he said.
“Don’t tell me you’re working. It’s a holiday.”
“Not working,” he said too quickly. He didn’t want to get lectured for that but then now realized he opened up a can of messy worms for her to ask more.
“Then what? It can’t be you’ve got plans with a friend.”
“Why couldn’t I?”
“Do you have a new friend?”
It was such a funny question. “You make it sound like I’m five.”
“Sometimes I think you are,” she said, laughing. “But you didn’t answer me.”
“It could be considered a friend.”
There was a pause. “Are they male or female?”
He grinned. “Female.”
“A girlfriend or just a friend?”
“I guess it depends on your definition.”
“Have you kissed her?” his mother asked.
He laughed. “Yes.”
“More than once?”