The Boyfriend Project

by Rachel Hawthorne

  “I can’t believe she said yes so easily,” Jeremy said while I sprinkled a few chew toys around my room.

  “He’s going to win her over,” I assured him.

  When we got downstairs, Mom was tossing little chunks of meat that were supposed to go in the stroganoff to Bogart.

  Yeah, everything was going to be fine. “So what can we do?” I asked.

  “Why don’t you make a salad? Jeremy, would you mind setting the table?”

  He ate more meals with us than he did with his own parents. Mom had stopped treating him like a guest months ago. He knew his way around the kitchen and gathered up the plates while I got everything I needed out of the fridge.

  I set it all on the counter, began slicing tomatoes, and tried to be as nonchalant as possible, although my heart was hammering as I considered my mom’s earlier words. “So are you really thinking about dating?”

  “Thinking about it.” Mom laughed. “Then I start to get nervous. It’s been twenty years since I dated your dad. I’m not even sure if I know how to do it anymore.”

  “It’s probably like riding a bike, Mrs. J,” Jeremy said as he came back in.

  Mom smiled at him. “Probably. Guess I just need to take the plunge.”

  I tried to imagine my mom dating, having a guy in her life. So much would change and yet I didn’t want her to be alone or lonely, either.

  After dinner, Jeremy and I took Bogart for a walk along the running trail that snaked through my neighborhood. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Bogart so happy as he scouted out the terrain. His limp was less pronounced. Maybe all he needed was to feel loved again. He had to be missing his original owner. I knew what it was to miss someone.

  “I can’t believe my mom is thinking about dating.”

  “It’s been five years,” Jeremy said.

  I scowled, and he immediately looked contrite. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m sure you’re more aware of how much time has passed than I am.”

  My father had been involved in a freak car accident, driving beneath an overpass that was being repaired when it suddenly buckled—

  I shook off the unsettling thoughts. I hated thinking about the randomness of it.

  “I wish you’d known him,” I said.

  “Me too.”

  “He would have approved of us adopting Bogart. And your idea to put a big red bow on him was brilliant. How could my mom reject him after that? It softened her up.”

  “I think Bogart did that all on his own. I guess tonight you just want to hang around with him.”

  Looking over at Jeremy, I took his hand. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

  “Seems wrong to abandon him after just breaking him out of the joint.”

  I laughed. “The shelter isn’t exactly prison.”

  He slipped his arm around me, guided me off the path into a little clearing edged by trees. “I like it when you laugh. You look so sad at the shelter.”

  “I just wish I could rescue them all.”

  “I know. You have such a big heart. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

  He lowered his lips to mine. One of the things I loved about Jeremy was his kiss. He always took his time and tasted of peppermint. I knew he carried a little stash in his pocket. He wanted to be ready for a kiss anytime, anywhere. So considerate, so—

  “Get a room already,” a deep voice bellowed.

  Guiltily, we jumped apart. Avery and Fletcher were standing there, both of them grinning like lunatics as Fargo wriggled on the ground between them. I glared at Fletcher. “Not funny.”

  “I thought it was hilarious,” Fletcher said. “It was like you thought you were doing something wrong.”

  “Maybe that’s because you sounded like the PDA police.”

  “He’s just practicing his baritone,” Avery said, “for when he does become a cop.”

  “We didn’t appreciate the interruption,” Jeremy said.

  Fletcher shrugged, not looking at all sorry.

  I felt a tug on the leash. Bogart was inspecting Fargo’s butt, Fargo was inspecting his. “Where’s your brother?” I asked.

  “He’s not quite big enough for walking a dog,” Avery said. “His chore is to feed him.”

  “Which was hilarious, since no one explained what that involved,” Fletcher said. “He fed him from his plate at the table.”

  I smiled. I could see that, Tyler slipping the dog some food. I had a feeling there was going to be a lot of spoiling going on.

  “So, did you just bring Bogart home for the night?” Avery asked.

  “No, we”—I pointed between Jeremy and myself—“adopted him.”

  “Lucky dog,” Avery said. “Glad we didn’t take him when you asked us to.”

  “I think Kendall really wanted him,” Jeremy said, slipping his arm around my shoulders.

  I shrugged. “Sometimes you just connect with a dog.” I’d connected with too many to count, but Bogart had needed me the most.

  Jeremy crouched and held his hand out to Fargo, who came over and licked it. “Cute dog. When did you get him?”

  “Today,” Avery said. “Kendall talked us into taking him.”

  “I didn’t force you,” I pointed out. “You chose him.”

  “I think he chose us,” Avery said. “So far, though, he seems to be adjusting fine.”

  “He’s a sissy dog,” Fletcher grumbled.

  Chuckling, Jeremy looked up. “What?”

  “He’s small, prances around.”

  “They’ve got a Rottweiler you could adopt,” Jeremy said.

  “No more dogs,” Avery said. “One is enough.”

  Fletcher was living with her family for the summer. Another dog really wasn’t an option.

  “I like small dogs,” Jeremy said, and I was glad that he was unlike Fletcher in that regard and didn’t view any dogs as being sissies.

  “We’re going out for ice cream after our walk,” Avery said. “Want to come with us?”

  “We should probably stick close to home tonight,” I said. “So Bogart gets a sense of security.”

  Avery furrowed her brow. “We don’t have to stay with the dog all the time, do we?”

  “No,” I reassured her. “You have other people at your house. My mom isn’t exactly a dog person. She’s fine with him, but she won’t love on him like I will.”

  “Who would?” she teased. “Okay, then we’ll see y’all later.”

  They walked away, and I took Jeremy’s hand. “Are you okay not going with them for ice cream?”

  “Bogart comes first.”

  I hugged him tightly. “You’re the best.”

  Twilight had settled in while we were talking, so Jeremy and I headed back home. Besides, I didn’t think Bogart could do a long walk. I just wanted him to get out for a little exercise.

  “So what about staying at the beach with Avery?” Jeremy asked.

  “We should still be able to do that,” I told him. “Bogart and Mom will have adjusted to each other by then.”

  “I still can’t believe she didn’t get mad about you bringing him home.”

  “I think she secretly wanted a dog. It’s going to be lonely for her when I leave.”

  “Maybe she’ll have a boyfriend by then.”

  I crinkled my brow. I wasn’t ready for Mom to get a boyfriend. Dating was okay, but a boyfriend? I looked down at Bogart. Had she accepted him because there was something I was going to have to accept?

  I shuddered with the thought.

  Chapter 6

  JEREMY

  When I got home, the house was dark and funeral quiet. I figured my parents were out at one of the many fund-raising functions they attended. I was proud of the fact that they were so involved in the community, but it also got a little lonely around here. If I weren’t leaving for a college in a few weeks, I would seriously consider getting a dog.

  I went into the kitchen, microwaved some popcorn, grabbed a bottle of lemon water, and headed into the den where the biggest
TV known to man graced one wall. My dad always had to have the biggest, the best of everything. Sometimes they entertained, and he liked it when people gaped at everything we owned.

  Not that I was complaining. Because of his obsession, I had all the latest gadgets.

  I dropped onto the sofa, picked up the remote, and searched through the on-demand possibilities until I found Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. I liked the way steampunk had been incorporated into the movie franchise. Munching on popcorn, I started up the movie.

  I was about an hour into it when I heard voices from the front hall.

  “You knew how important tonight was to me,” Mom said. “Could you have looked any more bored?”

  “What do you want from me, Marsha?” my dad asked. “I spent five thousand on silent auction items.”

  “I wanted you at my side as I greeted people.”

  “It was your moment. I was trying to let you bask in it.”

  “It was more like you were trying to escape it. And you wore that awful red tie.”

  “What’s wrong with the tie?”

  “It clashes with my dress.”

  “Drinking red wine clashes with your dress. How many times do I have to tell you that red stains your teeth? You looked like a vampire by the end of the night. Drink white.”

  “Maybe we should move to Denver so I can smoke pot. Would that make you happy?”

  I turned up the volume on the TV so I couldn’t hear them anymore. I didn’t often side with my dad, but really what difference did a tie make? On the other hand, if Mom preferred red wine, who cared?

  The lights in the room suddenly came on. I looked up as my mom glided toward me. The red shade of her hair was not to be found in nature. She wore it in a short style that served as a frame for her high cheekbones and blue eyes.

  When she reached me, she picked up the remote and paused the TV. “What are you doing here?”

  “I live here.”

  She gave me an indulgent smile as she gracefully lowered herself into a chair. “You know what I mean. It’s early. You’re usually out late with that girl you’ve been seeing.”

  I fought not to groan. “Kendall. Her name is Kendall.”

  “We should have her over for dinner sometime.”

  Yeah, listening to my parents pick at each other made for great entertainment. “We’re both pretty busy. How was the fund-raiser?”

  “Very successful, I think. It was for a women’s abuse shelter. Now I can start working on a tea for literacy. We have a staggering percentage of people in this community who can’t read English.”

  Talking to my mom was sometimes like being read a pamphlet. “If there’s anything I can do . . .”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Which pretty much meant she wouldn’t think of anything I could do to help. She wasn’t good at delegating.

  “Some friends and I are going to go to the beach for a few days. Not sure exactly when—”

  “That’ll be fun,” she said, boredom evident in her voice. She rose. “Night, sweetie.”

  My mom walked out without asking for any further details. Sometimes I thought she cared more about her fund-raisers than she did me. But then, if not for me, maybe she would have had a different life.

  Chapter 7

  KENDALL

  When I walked into the shelter, I heard the dogs start yipping. A door separated the reception area from the kennels, but they could catch my scent, knew when I arrived. Or maybe I just wanted to believe that.

  A guy with long, dark hair and a scraggly beard was standing at the counter talking to Terri. He looked to be about my age, but I didn’t know him from school so he was probably a little older. He was wearing khaki shorts, Birkenstocks, and a brown T-shirt molded to his torso that read, YEAH, IT WAS ME. I LET THE DOGS OUT.

  “Kendall,” Terri said. “Meet Chase Harper. He’s a new volunteer. Why don’t you show him the ropes?”

  “You mean, the leashes?” I teased. They both smiled. Bowing slightly, I extended an arm toward the door that led to the areas where the kennels were. We walked past the cat room where a dozen felines lounged about. They couldn’t care less about us.

  The dogs, though, went into a frenzy. Laughing, Chase crouched down in front of a metal grated door behind which a Chihuahua bounced and yipped. “Hey, sweet girl.”

  “It’s best not to get too attached,” I told him.

  He peered up at me with brown eyes. “Yeah, I know. I’ve worked at shelters before, but it’s hard sometimes to do what’s best.” Straightening, he gave me a once-over. “I bet you get attached.”

  “Sometimes,” I admitted. I walked over to the wall where several leashes hung from a pegboard. “We use these to either take them for a walk or lead them out to the back.” I grabbed one for myself, tossed him one.

  I pointed to a clipboard. “We mark down when we take a dog out. We go by the kennel numbers.”

  “Impersonal.”

  “It’s easier. The dogs frequently change, which is good. It’s what we want. For them to be adopted.” I studied the information on the sheet. “Looks like twenty-five and twenty-six are due for a trip out. Come on. I’ll give you the grand tour and then we’ll fetch the dogs.”

  We walked down the corridor. Enclosures were on either side. Each had a water bowl and a bed. Some had a dog. One had two dogs. That meant they’d had the same owner, who for some reason surrendered them.

  “Man, I don’t know how people can give up their pets,” Chase said.

  “Do you have one?” I asked.

  “Swedish vallhund. Missed Dora like crazy when I was away at school. How about you?”

  “Just adopted a basset hound.”

  “I knew you were the type to get attached.”

  I shrugged. “It’s hard not to. My mom’s simply grateful that I held out as long as I did and only brought one home.”

  We came to a door at the end of the corridor. “This is the puppy room.”

  We walked inside. Jade Johnson, another volunteer, was sitting in a rocker feeding one of the abandoned puppies with a bottle. In honor of graduating, she’d chopped off her hair, dyed it black, and gotten a nose ring.

  “Well, hellllo,” she said. “Looking for a puppy?”

  “This is Chase,” I told her. “He’s a new volunteer.”

  “Great!”

  I was pretty sure that her excitement had to do with him being in her orbit for more than today rather than the prospect of having more help around here. “Meet Jade. Another volunteer.”

  “You the Puppy Whisperer?” Chase asked.

  “Something like that,” she said. “I’ll be happy to show you around when I’m finished here.”

  “I’ve got it,” I told her.

  He didn’t know her well enough to know the smile she gave me was one of displeasure.

  “If you decide you want another tour you know where to find me,” she said.

  She was such a flirt. I was just glad that she’d never set her sights on Jeremy. Not that I thought he would go for her type. He was as loyal as a golden retriever.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Chase said.

  As we walked by her, he reached down and petted the pup on the head. Jade beamed up at him, while the dog pretty much ignored him for the bottle.

  I opened the door that led to another corridor of enclosures. Some of the dogs reacted. Some seemed to take the new guy in stride.

  “I’ll get twenty-five,” I said. The collie mix eagerly came to me when I opened the door. I slipped on the leash. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched as Chase struggled with a highly energetic border collie.

  “Down, boy, down!” he called out. When he finally got the leash on, he gave me a hard look. “Was that my initiation?”

  I smiled. “No, your initiation will be cleaning out the kennels that have a mess in them. That’s the new guy’s job.”

  “No problem. I spent summers on my granddad’s farm. Trust me. Cleaning up a dog me
ss is nothing compared to cleaning up after a horse.”

  I laughed. “I would think not.”

  We walked through a door to the outside and set the dogs loose.

  “We just let them romp about for about fifteen or twenty minutes,” I explained. “I can go in and get a couple more if you want to watch them.”

  “Yeah, I can do that.”

  “There are some balls in that container over there,” I said, pointing out a plastic bin. “You know, if you want to play with them.”

  “Sure thing.”

  I retrieved four more dogs and sent them off to play with Chase. He was tossing a ball to one and a Frisbee to another. I stood on the porch watching him for a moment. He was definitely a dog lover.

  Jade stepped outside and came to stand beside me. “He is so hot. I call dibs.”

  I stared at her. “On what?”

  “On dating him.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I have a boyfriend. Jeremy Swanson. And he’s pretty hot.”

  She scoffed. “No, he’s cute. He’s not smoking. I’m going to get third-degree burns kissing Chase and love every minute of it.” Before I knew what she was going to do, she snatched the leashes from my fingers. “I’ll help him bring the dogs back in.”

  She sauntered across the grass with such an exaggerated swing to her hips that I was surprised she didn’t knock a bone out of joint. I went back inside and tried not to be bothered by her comment. Jeremy was hot, just not in a dark, dangerous kind of way like Chase. A girl would always feel secure with Jeremy.

  That was a good thing. He was reliable. Safe.

  I wanted safe, didn’t I?

  That thought nagged at me as I sat on the couch snuggled against Jeremy, with Bogart nestled on the floor near us. We were having a night in, binge-watching The 100. We’d done quite a bit of binge-watching since summer started. Always at my house.

  My mom tended to leave us alone, as long as we didn’t close ourselves into any rooms. Although tonight she was on a date. She was taking the plunge with a guy she’d met through a website that promised a perfect match. She was meeting him at a restaurant. I had to admit that I had mixed feelings. Happy for her, but apprehensive, wondering how our lives might change.