Charlie

Her eyes light up with more excitement than the sun shines brightly. I think I'm the planet orbiting around the sun. And Olivia is that sun.

I also think I screwed up.

"Not dating," she said, with disappointment in her voice. She wouldn't meet my gaze.

Does she feel the same way as me?

"Charlie!" she exclaims. She spins around, a puppy now in her arms. "We get to give them a bath!"

I grin. Her joy is infectious, and something I never want to live without. "That's awesome!"

She nods and strokes the pup's head.

"Alright," Milly says as she goes to hand me the other puppy.

I hold out my hands in the same peaceful way she did earlier. "Sorry. I'm not really good with dogs." I also don't really want to smell like a wet dog.

Milly shakes her head, a grin on her face. "That's silly." Then she shoves the pup into my arms.

I look down at it and realize it isn't the same type of dog that Olivia holds. It's a border collie, with black and white fur lining it and little brown like glove fur on its paws.

"He's adorable," I breathe before I can stop myself.

Milly smiles smugly. "Still don't want to give him a bath?"

I look up at her, horrified I ever thought that. "I will wash him."

Olivia laughs. She tries to hide it behind her hand but she fails.

I don't even care that I'm blushing.

"Alright you two," Milly sing-songs. "Follow me this way."

We follow Milly into a room that has a tiny dog sized shower. It looks like a tinier version of one you'd find in a rich person's house. She shows us how to use everything before helping Olivia clean her pup. I sit there watching them for a bit with the border collie in my lap.

Olivia is gentle and careful as she runs her hand through the pups fur as she sprays the water on it. A wrinkle forms between her brows as she focuses. It's cute.

I blush and duck my head. And then I get a paw in my face.

"Bark!"

I laugh.

"He seems to like you."

I look up to find both Milly and Olivia watching me. But it's Milly who talks. And who I tune out because Olivia is smiling at me with a soft hidden smile. My heart hammers in my chest.

"I like him too." I almost say her. As in Olivia.

"Have you thought about adoption?"

I turn my gaze to Milly. My eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he is up for adoption. You can adopt him if you'd like."

I like down at the pup sitting in my lap. He gazes at me with the biggest puppy eyes ever. He sticks his paws up onto my chest and lifts his face to mine. We stare at each other before he licks me.

"I want him," I say.

Olivia loses it.

She throws her head back, her red hair falls behind her like a waterfall. Her mouth opens wide as a barking laugh escapes her. The pup she's cleaning startles and yips at her.

Milly rushes to get the pup under control and to make sure Olivia doesn't spray the water everywhere.

When she speaks she talks through her teeth, like she's trying not to lose it. "Why don't me and Olivia finish up here while you go sign the forms?"

I nod and stand up. A huge smile on my face that I don't think anyone could wipe off. The pup squiggles in my arms but I hold tight not to drop him.

As I'm leaving the room and heading out to the front the other girl, the first one who helped us, takes the pup from my hands. I thank her and pull out my phone. I dial dad and put it up to my ear waiting for him to answer. I know he'll currently be at the office but I'm sure he'll pick up the phone.

It rings a few times before his voice filters through, "Shush! It's Charlie!"

A faint voice whispers my name as a question.

"Dad? Who are you with?"

"Just a client. What's up?"

I squint my eyes like that'll help me. "I was calling because I wanted to adopt a dog? They can have the papers ready by the time you're done work."

There's muffled sounds on the other side of the phone. "It's not-"

"Please-"

"Charlie, where are you?" my father asks. He sounds so tired.

"I'm at Purple Pets Pet Store."

"Okay... I'll uh, see you when I'm done work."

"Thanks dad." But the line is already dead as I say it.

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. Who else was with him? I've never heard a client get him so exhausted, or one who's really cared about who he's on the phone with. It also sounded like a lady. Could- no, he isn't. Right? He couldn't possibly be seeing someone. Right?

"Everything okay?"

I turn around to see Olivia. She brushes her red hair behind her shoulder. Her gaze is focused on me, her blue eyes staring at me intently.

I nod. "Yep. Everything is fine." Except for the fact that my dad might be seeing someone and hasn't told me yet. Totally fine.

"What did your dad say?"

"Oh! He didn't say-" Oh, she's talking about the dog. Not my wild theory. "He said he'd swing by after work."

Her face lights up. Going from curious and worried to excitement. "That's awesome! I'm so excited for you, Charlie!" She reaches out and grabs my hand. My heart struggles to stay beneath my ribs. "What are you going to name him?"

My head is so clouded I almost say sweetheart... or was it just going to be random noises? "Max." I try to control my breathing. I try not to combust of joy.

She looks so excited. It's almost like stars are dancing in her eyes. "That's such a cute name!" She lets go of my hand. Red tints her ears. "It really fits him," she says quietly.

Am I going to regret this? Probably.

I bend down so my face is level with hers. "Olivia?"

She looks at me. Worry and nervousness dance in her eyes. She chews at her bottom lip. "Is there something between us?"

"Like air?" She chuckles nervously.

I know she isn't dumb. Did I read the signs wrong? Maybe I did. Maybe she doesn't like me the same way that I like her.

I sigh and step back. I don't want to push her or make her more uncomfortable than she already is.

"Sorry." I step back and rub the back of my neck. "I thought um... that a bug flew between us." It's a bad lie, but thankfully she doesn't point that out.

"Oh?" She chuckles. "I think I might have seen something."

I nod. Does she mean the bug? Or something else. God. Why is she so confusing?

Milly exits the backroom and smiles up at me. "So, what's the verdict?"

I place my hands on the counter and lean against it. "He'll be here after work."

"Lovely!"

"Thank you for today," Olivia says, sliding up beside me.

"Of course." Milly looks at her with a shine in her eye. "I do hope that it helped you figure out what you needed to figure out."

Olivia nods and turns to look at me with a smile. "Yeah. It did."