Lukas opens the back door of my car, and before I can process what’s happening, a very large German Shepherd leaps gracefully into the backseat and lies down like she owns the place.
“Uh, what the hell is that?” I demand, turning to glare at Lukas.
“A dog. Her name is Roxy.” He replies, his tone utterly casual, as if this is the most normal thing in the world.
“And you just thought, ‘Hey, I’ll bring my giant dog into Clare’s car without even asking first.’ Seriously?” I demand a little incredulously. Does he not see the problem here? Lukas frowns slightly, looking genuinely confused.
“I didn’t think it would be a problem. Roxy is a lot less troublesome to deal with than I am, and you’ve been putting up with me.” I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out of my head.
“Let’s recap. I have a cat. A cat who has never met a dog. I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on you. I also live in a very small apartment. I definitely don’t have room for a dog the size of a small bear!” I say, my voice rising as I get more and more worked up. Lukas shrugs, annoyingly calm.
“Roxy is well-behaved. She won’t bother Princess. And it’s only for one night. My neighbor Millie usually watches her when I’m at work, but she’s elderly and can’t manage her for that long. I had to come get Roxy today.” He explains, giving me a look that probably works wonders on his clients.
Roxy, lying calmly on the backseat, glances at me with big, soulful eyes, as if asking why I’m making such a fuss. Damn it. While I’m trying to process this, Lukas keeps talking.
“It would just be for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll find a dog friendly hotel or something. I promise.” He’s pleading now, and it’s throwing me off. This is the most emotional I’ve ever seen him. When he told me his family had basically betrayed him, he barely seemed bothered. When he asked me for a place to stay, he was desperate but still composed. But now? Begging me to let his dog stay? He looks like he’s ready to drop to his knees.
“Ugh, fine!” I groan.
“But if Roxy bothers Princess, I’m locking her in the bathroom.” My threat is half-hearted at best, and Lukas knows it. He immediately relaxes, returning to his usual calm demeanor. I narrow my eyes suspiciously.
“How much of that was real, and how much of it was you playing on my bleeding heart?” I demand. He doesn’t answer, of course. Typical. This man is so incredibly frustrating. I can’t wait for this twenty four hour babysitting nightmare to be over so I can shove him out of my life and possibly out of my car.
“Roxy won’t be a bother.” Lukas repeats confidently. Then, glancing back toward his house, his expression tightens.
“Now, could we please go? I know my family won’t recognize your car, but if they’re watching, they might have seen me leaving my neighbor’s house. It’s unwise to linger.” He points out. I sigh, gripping the steering wheel tightly and resisting the urge to slam my head against it. Partly because it’s childish, and partly because slamming your head into things is a fantastic way to break your glasses. I would know. But sometimes, the urge to bang my head against my desk is just too strong to resist. Take the time someone called me to fix a laptop that had clearly been drowned in some kind of beverage. The keys were sticky, the screen flickered like it had seen the end of days, and the smell? Let’s just say it wasn’t subtle. But the guy insisted, and I mean insisted, that he NEVER had food or drinks in his office. The thing is, I could literally see an empty takeout container sitting in the trashcan next to his desk. That was a long morning. By the time I dragged myself back to my office, exhausted and defeated, I checked the clock and felt a wave of horror. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Thus, the broken glasses.
When we get back to my apartment, I nervously let Lukas lead Roxy in, keeping a close eye on Princess. And… Nothing happens. Roxy lies down on the floor like the picture of calm obedience, while Princess, perched on top of the couch, glances down at her, flicks her tail dismissively, and goes back to grooming her fur. Oh. Well, that was… Anticlimactic. It’s almost annoying how little they reacted, especially after I made such a big deal out of it. Still, it was rude of Lukas not to ask, or at least warn me that he planned to bring an entire other creature into my home. I stomp around the room, putting my handbag in its designated spot so I don’t completely lose it. I plug in my phone, straighten a few pillows, and generally try to settle in without snapping. Something cold brushes against my hand. I glance down to see Roxy has left her spot on the floor and is now attempting to lick my fingers. I hold out for about three seconds before caving. Dropping to my knees, I pet her properly, scratching behind her ears and giving her all the love she clearly deserves.
“I thought you didn’t like dogs.” Lukas observes from the couch. I roll my eyes.
“I never actually said that.” I remind him. There’s a brief silence before he replies.
“Well… I do know that you don’t like me.” I shrug.
“Well, yeah. But I’m not going to take that out on Roxy. She’s innocent. Honestly, she’s probably suffered more than anyone, being stuck living with you.” Lukas nods, completely unfazed. “Right.” He responds easily. Damn him. He’s not supposed to just agree when I insult him! With a heavy sigh, I get up and turn on the TV, shoving the remote into his hands.
“Watch whatever you want. Just keep busy for a while.” I order.
“I’d rather hang out with you.” Lukas says immediately.
“You are my favourite distraction.” His tone is calm, his expression completely serious. The way he emphasizes ‘favourite’ makes it impossible to tell if he’s messing with me or not. I decide to ignore the comment entirely.
“I’m planning to take a shower, wash my hair, all that. I’ll be a while.” I say. Lukas nods.
“I understand.” Then he starts scrolling through shows on the TV like we didn’t just have this weird moment.
I spend an excessive amount of time in the bathroom. By the time I exit, he is well in truly invested in whatever it is he’s watching, and I am comfortable in cute purple pyjamas with little llamas on them. Everything is a lot less stressful when I’m like this. I have cute video game characters on my slippers and after making sure that Lukas and Roxy have everything they need for the evening. I go straight to bed. It’s maybe a little early, but I’m stressed out, tired and I really did not get enough sleep last night. I sneak into the kitchen and try not to be too obvious when I bring back a small collection of snacks. I offer Lukas some, not because I’m being polite, but because I don’t want to eat the entire packet by myself. But as long as I give him a little bit I can say I shared. Problem solved. Right?