Chapter 123: I don't think I'm fit to be a Parent

Tyler's POV

Cooper was gone.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. The leash dangled uselessly from my hand as I spun around, scanning every inch of the park I couldn't find him. No golden fur, no wagging tail and no puppy. My heart started hammering so hard it felt painful.

“Cooper!”

Several people glanced toward me. I ignored them. My eyes darted everywhere, Every possible direction a three-month-old golden retriever could have wandered off to. Nothing.

“Oh God.”

My stomach dropped. How long had I been texting Cassie? Two minutes? Three? Five? How long had I not been paying attention? Panic surged through me. My phone buzzed again. I checked it ,panicking thinking it was Quin.

~Cassie: Tyler?

~Cassie:Why did you stop replying?

~Cassie: Tyler?

I shoved the phone into my pocket. Not now. Cooper was missing, Quin’s puppy was missing. Our puppy was missing.

My legs moved before my brain could catch up. I hurried down the pathway. “Cooper! Baby where are you?”

A woman pushing a stroller looked up at me with pity in her eyes. I ignored her and continued searching. I pity myself enough already. I heard rustling nearby and rushed over but found nothing. No puppy, it was just a squirrel that looked mildly offended by my presence. My pulse climbed higher.

I could already imagine Quin’s face. Actually, no. That was the problem. I couldn’t imagine Quin’s face. Because if I told him I lost Cooper less than a week after getting him, he might genuinely pass out. I couldn't imagine how disappointed he'd be.

“Come on, Cooper.”

I kept walking. Faster. My shoulder was beginning to ache again from the tension and constant turning and bending. I ignored it. A group of children ran past chasing each other. Every golden-colored object immediately grabbed my attention—a backpack, a jacket, a frisbee. None of them were Cooper.

I'm disappointed in myself at this point. I couldn't even take care of a puppy.

I stopped near a fountain and forced myself to breathe. Think. Puppies didn’t vanish into thin air. He had to be somewhere. Somewhere close. Right? Right?

Ahrrrgh!

A terrible thought hit me. What if someone stole him? He was ridiculously cute. Golden retriever puppies were expensive. What if someone picked him up and left? My stomach twisted.

“No.”

I immediately pulled my phone back out. My thumb hovered over Quin’s name. I should call him. I really should call him. He deserved to know, but then I’d have to say the words.

Hi, babe. Remember the puppy you bought because you love me? Yeah, I lost him.

Nope. Not happening. I’d find Cooper first. Then nobody ever had to know. Problem solved. I nodded to myself. That was a solid plan. A very reasonable plan at that, one that definitely wouldn’t come back to haunt me.

I shoved the phone away and started searching again.

Twenty minutes later I was spiraling. I had checked every path twice. I had questioned strangers. I had bribed children with promises of ice cream if they found a missing golden retriever. One little girl had looked me directly in the eye and said, “Maybe he got bored.” That had not helped. At all.

I was beginning to consider filing a missing puppy report. Or crying. Possibly both.

Then I saw him.

My heart nearly exploded. Golden fur, small size and floppy ears. A puppy. A puppy that looked exactly like Cooper.

“Oh thank God.”

I practically ran across the grass. The puppy looked up. Then barked. My relief lasted approximately three seconds. Because the puppy wasn’t alone. Someone was holding the dog and I didn't notice the person at first

A man. Around my age, maybe a little younger. He has a sharp jawline with warm brown eyes. The kind of face that belonged in a coffee commercial. He scratched behind the puppy's ears, then placed him down on the ground while still touching it. The puppy immediately rolled over.

I slowed to a stop. Wait. I knew him. Didn’t I?

The man looked up. His eyes met mine. Recognition flashed across his face first. Then a smile appeared. “Tyler?”

I blinked. Okay. That definitely meant I knew him. The problem was that my brain was currently running in panic and poor decisions. “Uh…”

His smile widened. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

“I do.”

“No You don’t.”

“Ok, maybe I don't. But I know you looked familiar.”

“I don't blame you. We didn't get to talk at your party. You look terrified.”

“That’s because I lost my dog.”

His eyes dropped to the empty leash hanging from my hand. Then back to me. “Oh.”

The puppy barked. I stared. The puppy looked exactly like Cooper. Exactly. Same golden fur. Same face. Same everything. But he had a leash on but Cooper's leash was with me. “What are the odds?” I muttered.

The man laughed. Then something clicked. Suddenly I remembered. The proposal. The night Quin and I proposed, he was the guy standing beside Jake. Jake's plus one. The one who looked like he wanted to cry more than I did.

“Oh! It's you.”

He looked offended. “That’s the worst introduction I’ve ever received.”

“I know you!”

“Much better.”

I snapped my fingers. “Jake’s friend.”

His grin returned. “Tommy.” he said stretching out his hand."My name is Dylan

“Tyler.”

We shook hands. Then I immediately pointed toward the puppy. “Is that Cooper?”

Dylan looked down at the puppy that was currently wagging his tail at him. “No.”

My heart dropped. “Oh.”

“He’s Cooper.”

A second golden retriever puppy popped out from behind his legs. I froze. My brain stopped working. There were two. Two identical puppies. I could barely tell the difference.

The second puppy looked at me. Then barked. And suddenly I recognized the tiny blue tag attached to his collar.

“COOPER!”

The puppy launched himself toward me. I dropped to my knees, ignoring the protest from my shoulder. Cooper immediately climbed into my lap, licking my face, wagging so hard he nearly tipped over.

“Oh my God.”

Relief hit me so hard I almost laughed and cried at the same time. “You little monster.”

Cooper barked happily, apparently unaware he’d just shortened my lifespan by ten years. Dylan watched the reunion with amusement. “I’m guessing that’s your dog.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Unfortunately?”

“He just gave me a heart attack.”

Cooper licked my chin again. Dylan crouched beside us. “My puppy spotted him and they started playing.”

I looked at the second golden retriever. “Awwn. More like lost twins who found themselves.”

“You could say that.”

Honestly I had thought he took Cooper for a second. Cooper chose that moment to flop dramatically across my lap. Like he hadn’t just vanished and almost given me a heart attack.

I grabbed both sides of his face. “You are grounded.”

Cooper licked my nose. Dylan laughed. “That doesn’t seem effective.”

“i know, but it wouldn't hurt to try."

We ended up sitting on a nearby bench. The puppies immediately resumed wrestling, completely over the emotional trauma they’d caused. I was not. Dylan seemed easy to talk to. The kind of person who made conversations feel effortless. We talked about dogs. Jake and a lot more. Apparently Jake had adopted Cooper’s brother only two days before Quin brought Cooper home. The coincidence was ridiculous. Which meant Cooper has a twin.

“Whats his name?” I asked.

Twinkle pointed. “That’s Atlas.”

Atlas immediately tackled Cooper. Cooper retaliated by sitting on him. I nodded. “Very intimidating.”

“I know.”

“They look like living marshmallows.”

“yes.” We both laughed.

For a while we simply watched them play. It felt nice, normal and peaceful.

Eventually my phone rang. Quin. I stared at the screen. Then sighed. “Uh oh.”

Dylan looked amused. “Your Fiancé?”

I nodded before picking up. “Hi.”

“Where are you?” Straight to the point. Classic Quin.

“The park.”

“You’re supposed to be back already.”

I checked the time. Oops. Maybe I’d been gone longer than expected. “A minor situation happened.”

His voice immediately sharpened. “What situation?”

I looked at Cooper, who was currently chewing Atlas’s ear. “Nothing bad.”

“Tyler.”

“I temporarily misplaced our child.”

He went quiet. The kind that usually preceded a lecture. “Oh my God.”

“He was found.”

“TYLER.”

“He was found.”

“You’re impossible.”

I smiled despite myself. “Love you too.”

He hung up. I stared at the phone. Then looked at Dylan “He sounded terrifying.”

“You have no idea.”

We stayed another twenty minutes. Then it was finally time to leave. Cooper seemed disappointed. Atlas seemed equally offended. The two puppies exchanged dramatic farewell barks, as if they’d been separated by war. I stood and adjusted Cooper’s leash. This time checking it three separate times.

Dylan noticed. “You don’t trust yourself anymore.”

“Not even a little.”

He laughed. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

His expression softened. “For what?”

“For stopping me from having a complete mental breakdown.”

“Anytime.”

We said goodbye. Then Cooper and I headed home.

The entire drive back, I kept replaying everything. The panic. The fear. The absolute certainty that I’d lost him. The overwhelming relief when I’d found him. By the time I walked through the front door, Cooper trotting beside me, I felt exhausted.

Quin appeared immediately. Like he’d been waiting. His eyes dropped to Cooper. Then to me."You're both still alive.”

“Barely.”

He crossed his arms. I sighed. Then handed him the leash. Quin looked suspicious. “Why are you surrendering the leash?”

I dropped dramatically onto the couch. Cooper immediately climbed into my lap. I stared at the ceiling. Quin just sat beside me without saying anything.

Then the thought came back again. If I could be this careless with a dog, I'll do a terrible job with a human child.

“Quin.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think I’m fit to be a parent.”

The silence lasted exactly two seconds before Quin started laughing.