Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
“He knows he’s going home,” Audrey said when his tail started wagging in earnest. She sounded on the verge of tears, and she crouched to give the dog a few final pets. To Jeremy she added, “Let us know if you need anything at all. Our information is printed on the bag.” She pointed to the logo of the gift bag she’d handed over, and then she went to get the door for them. Rex beat Jeremy outside, moving with purpose with his freedom at hand.
“I told you he could walk,” Jean said as he followed Jeremy out.
Jeremy was smiling ear-to-ear, completely unbothered by Jean’s refusal to play along. “He sure can,” was his chipper agreement. “Look at him go! What a good boy. Look, he knows we’re talking about him,” he said, because Rex had turned to watch them both. Jeremy leaned over to offer enthusiastic scritches and a giddy, “You’re a good boy, you really are! Do you want to go home? Yeah? Wait until you meet Laila and Cat. They are going to love you.”
He was so deliriously happy that Jean swallowed the rest of his complaints for later.
It took only ten minutes to get here, but twice as long to get back. Jean was sure Rex stopped to sniff every single crack in the sidewalk and dried spot of gum. How the dog managed to piss six times was beyond him, but Jeremy only laughed when Jean insisted, “That cannot be normal.” Maybe it was, then, but if this thing tried urinating in the apartment Jean was going to return it to the shelter.
They were nearly home when Jeremy’s phone started ringing that awful tone that meant his family was calling. Jeremy didn’t look surprised to receive it but passed the leash to Jean so he could answer.
“Hi, Mom. Yes, that was me. Classmate’s running late from dinner, so I went off campus for a bit. Wanted to get Laila a housewarming gift for her new apartment.” Jeremy glanced at Rex but didn’t elaborate. “Yes, it’s a one-off. She’ll get everything else she needs after her insurance cuts a check. Sorry, yes, you’re right, I should have warned Leslie first. Okay. Yes, I’ll let you know before I get on the road tonight.”
Jean considered returning the leash, but Jeremy was busy squeezing his phone between his hands. Instead he asked, “Leslie?”
“My mother’s bookkeeper,” Jeremy said. “She oversees the joint account Bryson and I are on, and she gets an alert if I pass a certain dollar threshold on any purchase.” Jeremy checked his phone for damage before tucking it away. “I’ll still have to submit the receipt for review, and that’ll start a whole new conversation, but it’s a problem for later.”
“Jeremy.”
“It’s not my money,” Jeremy said. “I don’t make the rules.”
The look on his face said there was more to it, but they were out of time. Jean tucked it aside to fight over later and let them into their apartment building. Rex handled the stairs to the second floor easily enough despite his small size. Jeremy freed him of the leash while Jean got the door, and he gave the pup an encouraging scritch as he straightened.
“There you go,” he said as Jean held the door for them. “Welcome home! What do you think of the place?”
By the time Jean locked the door behind them, both girls had emerged from their bedroom. Laila hit her knees so fast Jean thought they’d bruise. “Oh,” she said, hands outstretched and entreating. Rex went still as stone to stare at her for a minute, then went to sniff her fingers. “Oh, he’s perfect. Hello there. Hello, you’re perfect.” Laila scooped him up into a hug. “What’s his name?”
“It was Rex,” Jeremy said.
“Like a T-Rex?” Cat asked.
Jean motioned to her but looked at Jeremy. “I told you.”
Jeremy laughed and went to sit at Laila’s side. He took one of Rex’s paws between two fingers so he could rock it up and down. Rex didn’t pull away but pushed his nose to Jeremy’s hand in silent protest. “Let’s see what the floozies have for us, then.”
Jean sat opposite them, and Rex immediately wriggled out of Laila’s arms to steal his lap. Jean scowled down at him. “I did not invite you.”
Laila should have been offended at being abandoned, but she smiled. “He likes you.”
“It was love at first sight,” Jeremy said, tapping away at his phone. “He’s not crate trained, but he is housebroken and chipped. The shelter got his full medical history from his previous owner, so we’re good to go on that front. And we’ve got this.”
He traded his phone for the shark toy, and Rex decided that was more important than Jean. Jeremy waggled it over his head before flinging it across the room, and the dog gave chase with unexpected speed. Jean listened to the rapid clicking of his toenails against the hard floor as Rex gave chase, then hooked a knee to his chest so he no longer had a lap to offer. Louder was the nonstop chirp and chime of his friends’ phones as the group chat responded to Jeremy’s text.