Groomed For Love

“Michael,” he says, creasing his mouth and looking down at his feet for a second before coming over to me, kneeling down and soothing our newest arrival before opening Moose’s carrier.

Michael.

My heart feels like it might burst for a moment. Everything I’ve felt and will feel with him from now on has a name at least.

A first name that is.

Parker’s okay, but not knowing anything else up until now has been a bit too mysterious.

The one part of him I don’t know about.

He calms Moose down, who’s still weak and his newest K9 lady friend is whining, licking at him as Parker expertly manages them both.

Michael Parker.

“Disappointed?” he finally asks once the pair of dogs have settled down, leaving me to wonder why on earth or even how this man could ever disappoint me.

“Never,” I tell him quickly launching myself into his huge arms, he holds me tight and kisses me tenderly.

Both dogs in a group hug with us.

Never. I could never be disappointed another day as long as I live, as long as it’s with Michael Parker by my side.

“But you prefer just Parker, right?” I have to ask, smiling when he nods firmly.

“Just Parker.” He encourages me, and as much as I like the name Michael, he’ll always be just Parker to me. At least when I call his name.

This thing we have, this feeling? There are no words for it anyway, but it doesn’t solve our biggest problem.

A name for Moose’s girl.

Once Moose is settled on the bed we’ve made for him in the living room, Parker kneels down in front of me again, looking up.

I feel my breath catch as he takes my hand and he swallows hard, thinking about what he really wants to say next.

We’ve come so far in just two days and I’m not sure I can handle what I think he’s about to ask me next.

“Bella,” he finally says. “It means beautiful, I think.”

I’m confused but his look is so sincere, my hand in his. I guess it is a beautiful moment but he notes my confusion.

“Our new dog, Moose’s girl? We should call her Bella,” he recommends, grinning a little as he keeps himself on one knee, holding my hand.

I don’t know what to say. It’s no worse than any other name he came up with so far, but there’s something else in his proposition that makes me shiver.

Makes my heart thump in my chest.

“What do you say?” he asks me as I feel my mouth make an O shape, pumping air without saying anything.

I finally manage a nod and am about to tell him if he’s about to ask me anything else important-

But the phone rings.

Parker groans, but I tell him to answer it.

“Bella is a pretty name. But anything else, ask me later ok?” I add, not knowing what or how I’d even answer if he was about to ask what I think he was.

What I know he wants to.

To my surprise as well as Parker’s, it’s Sasha calling from the hospital.

She’s only just now managed to get well enough to return his calls.

Parker’s polite enough and I can tell who he’s talking to in a few seconds.

“Moose is fine,” he tells her. “I got him back from Naomi, no problem.”

There’s an awkward silence and I can see Parker’s jaw flexing as he deliberates exactly how much to tell my now ex-employer.

“The key to the salon is in the mailbox,” he adds before letting her know he’s retired now and so is Moose.

“Thanks for everything, Sasha,” he adds genuinely. “But it’ll be me and Moose at home from now on. No more cops and robbers. I quit the force.”

I can hear a flurry of questions from the other end of the line and Parker cocks his own brow in a question, asking silently if I want to add anything. If I even want to speak to Sasha.

“Naomi?” he asks her, shooting me a wistful glance.

I shake my head sideways, no way would I want to talk to her.

Now or ever.

“Uh… She’s fine I guess. I heard she got a new job,” he lies. Bending the truth to get a reaction.

“Ah, really? I thought you fired her… no one else to help out at the salon, huh?” he says. “Too bad. I’m sure you’ll think of something Sasha, if I need a groomer I’ll be in touch,” is all he says before hanging up.

He looks at me strangely, making me feel like I want to say a dozen things, but the sounds of our two dogs distract us both.

“I think she really likes him,” Parker observes.

“Bella?” I ask him, letting him know I approve of her new name as well as her being here with Moose.

“I think she really likes him too,” I add, stroking her fur and then taking his hands in mine.