Pierre cracks a smile. “He likes the red bottom ones.”
“He has expensive taste. Wonder where he gets that from.” I glare at him.
Pierre pulls me into a hug. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”
“Hell, yes, I’m so happy you and Issy are back together again. You both deserve a second chance.”
“I’m not going to fuck it up this time.” He smiles.
“You’d better not,” I tell him.
“Was it that bad living with me?” He looks a little hurt by my comment.
“No, not always.”
“Ouch.” He grimaces.
“I’m almost thirty, and my brothers treat me like I’m five,” I explain to him. At least he looks apologetic about it. “I know you are looking out for me, but that’s the thing, I need to make my own mistakes.”
“Yes, but those mistakes don’t include dating a hockey player,” he warns.
“I’ll date whomever I want,” I argue back. He goes to say something, but I shoot him a look that tells him‘don’t’. “I’m not interested in any of the guys from the team, so please stop thinking I’m some kind of puck bunny who can’t wait to pick up a player.”
“That’s not at all what I think,” he exclaims.
“It’s how you treat me, though. That I’m about to jump one of your teammates at any moment.”
“Fuck. Really? Why did you never tell us?”
This makes me laugh. “You and Felix would never have listened or believed me.”
“I sound like a monster.”
“You can be stubborn and set in your ways sometimes, but you’re not a monster. Just your love can be claustrophobic.”
“Well, then, me moving out might be good for us,” he says sadly.
“I’m going to miss living with you, but I am also looking forward to my own space.”
“You’re going to have a party to celebrate Felix and me moving out, aren’t you?” he asks.
“Damn right I am. Freedom party,” I tell him.
“Fuck you.”
I flip him off, which has us bursting out laughing.
An hour later,Pierre’s bags are by the door, and Frankston is doing his clueless circles in the foyer, tail wagging, completely unaware that he’s about to abandon me. I crouch down and cup his ridiculous golden face. “I’m going to miss you. Not the shoe eating. Not the three a.m. howling. Not the drool on every surface of this apartment. But you, yeah, I’m going to miss you.” Frankston licks my entire face. “That’s disgusting, and I accept it.” I wipe my face on my sleeve.
Pierre clips the leash on. “I left the spare key to Issy’s place on the counter if you need anything.”
“I won’t.”
“If something happens,” he argues.
“It won’t.”
“If you get lonely.”