Riley Adams always pictured herself being married to the man of her dreams before having kids. She wanted to have a stable job and have enough money saved up before having a family.
She never planned on getting pregnant by her best friend after one...
I paused my reading on my book, memorizing the line I was on and placing a bookmark inside before closing it. I hadn't expected Ross home yet, so I was enjoying the peace and quiet. I noticed a hint of nervousness in his voice, and wondered what had happened. "Is everything okay?" I called back, getting out of bed as quick as my growing belly would allow me. My bare feet pattered against the wooden floor.
My upcoming question died off my lips as I caught sight of Ross, holding a puppy. Its body was mostly white, its ears a nice shade of brown. It was completely stationary, not even moving an inch in Ross' arms.
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"Why do you have a puppy?" I questioned slowly. My confusion and curiosity didn't falter as I moved closer towards him, unable to softly pet the cute animal. I assumed it liked the attention by the way it nuzzled its nose against my hand.
"He's cute, huh?"
"Yes, now answer the question." I quirked an eyebrow, prompting him to explain himself.
"I, uh, kind of adopted him." He winced slightly, as if his confession would cause him physical pain.
My eyes widened in shock. "You did what? Ross, we have a baby on the way."
"Really? I hadn't noticed." He said sarcastically.
I gave him a slight shove, not wanting to startle the puppy. "Be serious. Why would you adopt a puppy now of all times?"
"Because this face was looking at me," he held up the puppy, gently pressing his slightly wet nose against mine. I couldn't help but giggle when he darted his tongue out and licked my nose. Ross chuckled. "See? That's why I had to adopt him. And when he gets bigger, he can be the baby's bodyguard. And we've always wanted a dog. Remember when we were kids and we tried to lock ourselves in a pet shop so our parents would let us have a dog?"
I could vaguely remember us as six year olds, trying to hold the door while our moms stood on the opposite side. We were weak, obviously, and they opened it without a problem. We ended up bursting into tears and falling on the floor while customers looked at us.
"I remember," I sighed, feeling myself cave in. I rubbed the little guys head, unable to stop myself from smiling when he stuck his tongue out once more to lick my nose. "Alright, alright, I give. What are we gonna name him?"
Ross smiled in victory, bringing the puppy back to his chest. "How about Ace? I think he looks like an Ace."
I nodded in agreement, bringing my fingers to rub against his furry little ears. "Ace it is."
The puppy seemed to like his name, lifting his head to nuzzle his nose against Ross' cheek. Ross laughed loudly, grabbing a thrashing Ace to set him on the ground. He immediately scurried off, wanting to explore his new home.
"We're gonna have to buy dog food, you know? Not to mention a bed, some toys, and I'm assuming he's not house trained, so we'll have to buy those puppy pads so he doesn't pee all over the floor."
