Love Me | Series Book #1

SEVENTEEN

If I thought Leah's home was a model for the American dream on the outside, the inside must have been the prototype. I had to crane my neck to find the crystal teardrop chandelier hanging over us above. Before I could make a comment about it, something short and white caught my eye, dashing across the marble floors. It let out a squeaky bark, and yelped. Leah crouched down to her knees, and caught the puppy in her arms. I was never good with dog types, but my best guess was a shih tzu.

"Hey baby," she cooed, running her fingers through it's thick fur. "Guys, this is Lucy, say hi.." she made it wave with it's paw.

"No way!" Chase was already all over it. "She's amazing," he held out his palm to her mouth before tickling her nose. She took an instant liking to him, and coated his arm with her tongue.

"You can hold her if you want. I'll put the food on," Leah offered, already handing her dog over. Chase took her with open arms, and a large boyish grin on his face. I stood off to the side, never having been a huge fan of doggy drool. Watching Chase handle her was enough for me, but nonetheless very amusing. Now, she was attacking his face.

"Kaya, come pet her, she doesn't bite," he said, practically reading my mind. I let out a sigh, and offered my hand to her mouth. She sniffed it before her tongue tickled my palm, making me want to pull away. But, instead, I ended up giggling. She was a pretty cute dog.

"See, she's a nice puppy," Chase continued, scratching the top of her head. He was such a natural with her, I wondered how he'd be with his own kids. After all, he and Aaron got along even better than I did, and he was my brother. I didn't doubt at all that he'd make a great dad some day.

"Yes she is," I agreed, patting her on the head.

Leah returned with her hair in a bun, and an apron tied around her waist. "You guys are allowed into the kitchen, you know?" she joked. "But, I guess Lucy's much more entertaining, huh?"

"You said it, not me," Chase shot back. She playfully rolled her eyes at him, and smiled.

"Remember who's the guest in this house."

"Do you need help with anything out there," I asked, beginning to feel a little useless just standing there. "I'm not the best chef, but I can help you set the table if you want."

"Oh please, that's much too formal. There are some paper plates in the cabinet, and I was just gonna set them out. You guys are free to eat in the living room. It's after ten which means my dad's done for the night. Don't be afraid to turn on the tv, and get comfortable."

Chase looked at me, and shrugged, finally letting the dog down. But, she stayed right next to him, hopping up on her hind legs, and panting with her tongue out. "Come on Lucy!" he motioned to her with his finger. The sound of her collar jingled after him. With me, at the end of the line, I entered the room, and tried not to gawk at the sight of it. The square footage was at least twice the size of my living room. A sixty inch wide television was docked above the stone fireplace, which was casting a soft glow throughout the room. I had a choice of seats ranging from a white leather sectional to the retractable love seat in front of the coffee table.

"Wow," I said below my breath.

"I know right. Looks like something you'd add on Pinterest," Chase responded.

"I don't use Pinterest." He was getting me confused with my mother. "I think you mean Tumblr."

"They're all the same to me."

Of course they were.

"So, are you gonna tell us what you're making, or is it some kind of big surprise?" he said to Leah.