My phone buzzed in my pocket as I said goodbye to Ginger’s owner, who was heading out the door. Her mother had fallen ill, and she needed to travel to Chicago last-minute to see her. I was fine with taking the collie for additional days, especially because she was used to me, but also because she was a good companion. I felt sorry for her too, I realized, as I opened the gate so she could play with the other day-care dogs. Had Silvia not been as mindful, Ginger might’ve been stuck in a cage for most of her days, and the very thought made not only sadness, but anger well up.

People may have had good intentions when they adopted pets, but they didn’t take their lifestyle or schedules into account. The owner essentially becomes their whole world, and it was unfair if they couldn’t devote much time to them. So I supposed this side business was also my way of making sure dogs who had to be away from their loved ones for extended periods of time felt safe and cared for.

I fished my phone out, as I was anxiously awaiting a text from Kam. Mae had accompanied him to the doctor today, and more than likely there would be good news. Since the other night when he got me off, I’d been walking on eggshells, wondering when the other shoe might drop on our extended time together, and I had a feeling this appointment might seal it.

When I left him that morning to head to work, I had the urge to nuzzle up to him for a while longer before the spell had to be broken. Or even to wake him, to ask him to…I wasn’t sure exactly…maybe just say goodbye after what we’d shared—how he’d put his mouth on me, dragged all my pent-up yearning out of me, made me lose my damn mind.

I found going all day without so much as a text was disconcerting.

Hey, how was your appointment?

I got the all-clear from the doctor.

What does that mean? I typed, needing it spelled out for more than one reason.

My knee brace came off, so I need to follow up with physical therapy and start moving around more. Within reason.

Awesome. Good news!

Thanks. In fact, Jerome is going to drive me to work for a half day tomorrow.

Don’t do too much too fast.

Okay, Dad, I won’t.

Even though I was happy for him, my stomach felt that same strange twinge. Probably because it was as if we had been living in our own bubble the past few weeks. I enjoyed being a source of comfort. I liked taking care of him.

But how selfish of me. Of course he needed to get back to his life.

I sent him the eye-roll emoji as a response.

At least people won’t have to rearrange their lives to take care of me.

I inhaled deeply, thinking how to respond. A heavy melancholy took hold of me despite trying to rally against it.

Does that mean you want me to skip tonight?

I stopped breathing, waiting for his reply.

Damn, don’t ditch me that soon. But if you have other shit to do…that’s cool too.

Before I said anything I’d regret, I responded with, Nah, see you in a couple hours, and then put away my cell to concentrate on my job. It wasn’t as if he was leaving me. But still, I’d miss being such a constant part of his days and wondered if he would miss me the same way.

* * *

“Hey there,” I said after I let myself in Kam’s apartment. He was sitting on the couch, wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. His hair was a bit disheveled, dark scruff lined his chin, and my breath caught. God, he was gorgeous. I mean, he was always beautiful, one of those amazingly attractive put-together guys that men and women alike noticed in public. But somehow scruffy, tousled Kam made my heart beat wildly. “How’s it going?”

“My knee is still sore, but at least I can do way more things myself,” he replied, and the relief that flooded his features was palpable.

“I get it. It’s been killing you to be laid up for this long.”

“It hasn’t all been terrible,” he said with a knowing smile, and my cheeks burned. We hadn’t talked about what happened between us. Twice. At this point I was just chalking it up to us being in the moment and making each other feel good. It didn’t seem to dampen our friendship, which was the most important takeaway. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been fantasizing about so much more. Except I didn’t really know what that might look like for us, so I kept it buried for now.

“So how come you still have Ginger?” he asked as she bounded toward him on the couch. “I thought her owner would’ve returned by now.”

I shook my head as he scratched behind her ears. “Silvia’s mother was hospitalized, and she had to fly to Chicago.”

“Well, that sucks.” He briefly opened his mouth, and it seemed he wanted to say more on the subject but held himself back. Instead he took in my appearance from my hair to my eyes and then down to my mouth. When his gaze moved lower, his eyes lit up. “I forgot you borrowed my sweatshirt.”

My cheeks grew warm. I wouldn’t admit that I hadn’t even washed it yet. I liked that it still smelled like him. “Yeah, sorry. I know it’s one of your favorites.”

He shrugged. “Not like I can get much use of it right now. It looks good on you.”

Our eyes locked across the room as the tension seemed to thicken between us.

“So how much longer until your arm is healed?” I asked, swallowing roughly.

He lifted his sling, and I could tell he was getting better because he didn’t even wince. “A couple more weeks and I should be good to go.”

I smiled. “Just in time for the holiday.”

“You won’t even be around to celebrate with me,” he replied with a pout, and my pulse quickened. I liked that he might actually miss me when I was gone. It certainly was wholly confusing as well as strangely resonating that he wouldn’t need me anymore.

“There’s always New Year’s Eve,” I supplied. Movement in my side view made me glance out the window. “Hey, look. It’s snowing.”

Fluffy fat drops were coming down and sticking to the branches of the trees, making them look hauntingly beautiful. Even though I was used to winter and hated it by the end of March, the first snowfall was always so magical.

“Want to walk Ginger to the corner with me—move your legs, see how you feel?”

The corner stop sign was only about two hundred feet from his condo complex, so I figured I wasn’t reaching for too much.

He stared out the window, and I thought he would turn me down, but then a twinkle appeared in his eye. “Let’s see how far I get.”