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that puppy energy right
now.” I watched him stroke her fur and murmur softly. “She also has all her
shots,” I added, arching an eyebrow at him.
    He
looked up and smiled. “I know what you’re getting at. To tell you the truth,
getting a dog has crossed my mind, I just worry that I don’t have the time.”
    “I
can put you in touch with dog walkers, a lot of city dwellers use them. And on
the weekends you’d have a running partner.”
    He
crouched down then and took her face in his hands, rubbing her head. “What’s
her name?”
    “Eureka.”
    “Eureka!
That’s great,” he said, laughing. “She is most definitely an Eureka. Well Liv,
I’ll give it some thought.”
    “That
would be great,” I said. “But really think about it. It’s best for everyone if
you’re sure.”
    “I
understand. Where can I find her?”
    “Here,
give me your information,” I said, handing him my cell phone. “I’ll text you
the info. One thing though . . . Eureka has been at the shelter for a few weeks
now, and I don’t know how much longer she’ll be around.”
    “That’s
a good thing right?”
    “No,”
I said, shaking my head slowly.
    “Oh,”
he said, running his hand over his chin. “Shit.”
    “I
know. I’m sorry, no pressure.”
    “Eureka,
huh,” he said, patting her head.
    “You’re
single, right?” I asked.
    “Yes,
in fact I took Gretchen out last week. She’s great, very independent though. So
independent that I can’t get her to return my phone calls.”
    “She
is,” I said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry.”
    He
waved me off. “Well it was nice talking to you. Text me that info tonight if
you can.”
    “Will
do. Nice to see you, Rick.”
    I
stood and watched him run off, clasping my hands in hopes that he would come
through. Sometimes things were just meant to be, and Rick hitting on Gretchen
at the ballet seemed like one of those things. When I looked down, Eureka had
wound herself between my legs, ensnaring me in a certified leash trap.
    “What
are you doing?” I sang, trying to detangle myself. Just then, a small dog
across the way started barking and Eureka bolted for her, knocking me on my
back. “Eureka!” I screamed, restraining her with every ounce of muscle I had,
which apparently, was just enough.
    “Whoa,
whoa, whoa!” I heard a man’s voice call as he ran over and rounded her up. “Now
there’s an expression I haven’t heard in quite some time,” he said, bending
over me. Bleached blond locks hung from his handsome, tanned face.
    “I’m
sorry?”
    “Eureka.”
    “Oh.”
I grinned, taking his outstretched hands and noting how his toned arms flexed
from his cut-off tank as he pulled me up. “No, that’s her name.”
    “Ah,
of course, that makes more sense,” he said with a friendly smile. “Are you all
right?”
    “I
am, just a little embarrassed, thanks.”
    “Don’t
be, it was a very graceful fall, all things considered.” I blushed and shook my
head, noticing his furtive glance at my left hand. “Well, I should take off
before I lose my heart rate. Try to be more careful, Eureka!” he called as he
ran off.
    “We’d
better get you back before you kill me or someone else,” I told the dog. We ran
all the way back to the shelter, where I gathered her information to send to
Rick.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER
3
     
     
    I WAVED TO GRETCHEN as I exited the building. “Hello, spring!” she called.
    “Not quite,” I said, crossing my arms into myself.
    “Where’s Lucy? Is she meeting us here?”
    “She said she had to run an errand and would meet us at the
restaurant.” I shrugged.
      “Come on.” She
squeezed her hand through the crook of my arm. “It’s Monday, and it’s happy
hour. Let’s get toasty.”
    We made our way down the street, and it reminded me of my first
year in Chicago. The three of us would meet at our apartment after work, change
quickly and end up staying out until the early hours of the morning without
even realizing it.