I continued my habit of volunteering at a shelter a few blocks over. However, today there was a dog I couldn't stop looking at. Of course, I'd take all of them if I could. He was an Australian Shepherd puppy and his fur was beautiful shades of brown, his eyes were blue. I adopted him and I named him Finn.
We were sitting on the floor playing fetch. I rolled the tennis ball and watched as he ran as fast as he could to get it. He brought it back and dropped it. "That's a good boy!" I praised and grabbed the ball rolling it once more. I heard a knock at the door, followed by the door opening and closing. "Go sit!" I exclaimed quietly, pointing to the other side of the couch.
"Hey, beautiful."
"Hey, how was work?" He shrugged.
"Eh. It's the same old, same old." His eyes landed on the lone tennis ball that laid motionless at his feet. "You don't play tennis."
"Pssh...yes I do."
"Hales, this tennis ball is wet. Do I wanna know what happened?"
"What are you implying?" I asked with a laugh.
He bounced it once, a few tiny yaps coming from the side of the couch. "Can we talk about the dog in the room?"
"I think the phrase is the elephant in the room, and I don't know what you're talking about."
"Really?" Neal bounced the tennis ball once more, waiting for something to happen. Finn attempted to growl, and ran out from his spot and towards the ball.
"Hales, what is that?"
"I think you know what that is."
"I do. Whose dog is it?"
"Mine."
"Since when?"
"Since this morning!" I picked Finn up, holding the tennis ball as he chewed on it. "This is Finn. He was adopted, but the family couldn't afford to keep him so they brought him to the shelter I volunteer at, so I took him home."
"You legally adopted him?"
"Did you really think I'd just waltz out of the shelter with him without filling out all proper paperwork? I'm offended." Neal walked closer, looking at Finn. "He's an Australian Shepherd pup. Look at how pretty his eyes are!"
"Just like yours." I felt my cheeks heat up as his eyes met mine. I put him down and he ran up onto the couch, laying down. He looked at Neal before he laid his head down.
"Come on! Who could say no to that face?! He just wants to snuggle." Neal's arms find their way around my waist, pulling me closer to him.
"Well, we wouldn't want to disappoint him, would we?" I chuckled, gently tugging on his tie.
"Oh, of course not!" I agreed, kissing him before the two of us joined Finn on the couch.
♔♔♔
I took the elevator up to the 21st floor, walking through the glass door. Peter had texted me that Diana wanted to speak to me but she didn't have my number. From what I heard, it was a slow day. I saw Diana at her desk. I walked passed Neal's desk, turning his tiny statue the opposite way. I glanced over my shoulder, watching as he turned it back around.
"Haley! Perfect timing, Peter just went to lunch." I furrowed my brows.
"He said you wanted to talk to me, what's up?"
"I wanted to throw a baby shower for Elizabeth and I figured you could help me!" I instantly became excited.
"Yes, of course I will!" I pulled my phone out of my bag and handed it to her. "Why don't you give me your number and we could work out some details. Did you have a weekend in mind?"
"I'm thinking next weekend, this weekend is too short notice and at least next weekend she'll have enough time to wash everything before the baby comes." I nodded, mentally noting things.
"Well she only has 5 more weeks left, right? Give or take, I know every pregnancy is different."
"Something like that. I was thinking that you could take her to lunch or something that way her mom, Sara and I could set up." She passed my phone back to me, allowing me to drop it into my bag.
"Okay, sure! That'll be great. I'll make the plans with her later and I'll let you know." I sent her a text so she had my number. "If you need help with anything else, I'd be happy to help."
"Thanks, Haley. I'll be sure to let you know." I turned around to walk away, smiling at Neal. "Wait, what's going on with you and Caffrey?"
"I'll let him tell you." I chuckled, walking passed his desk and turning the statue again. I walked out the glass door and pressed the button for the elevator.
"What was that about?" I turned to see Neal.
"Curious, Caffrey?" He put his hands in his pockets, looking at the floor.
"Maybe."
"We're planning on throwing a baby shower for El."
"Sweet. Am I invited?"
"Nope. You get to keep Peter busy."
"He's going to want to go to a baseball game and I really rather not."
"I got it!" He looked at me, confusion written on his face. "Satchmo and Finn could have a play date!!" His face dropped as the elevator doors opened.
"Absolutely not." We both walked in, waiting for the elevator to go back down to the lobby.
"Oh, come on! You guys could relax and talk. I bet he's really proud of you. You can even steal some snacks from my place if you want." Neal sighed.
"Okay, maybe it won't be that bad." I chuckled, grinning at him. The elevator dinging, indicating we reached the lobby.
"That's the spirit! I'll see you later, okay?" I asked him, giving him a quick kiss.
"See you later."
♔♔♔
Savannah and I sat in my classroom, enjoying our lunch break together.
"So what's new with you and Neal?" In all honesty, Neal and I haven't really said anything to anyone about us. We weren't ashamed of each other, it was just new and we didn't want to jinx it. My whole thing was that I just wanted to make sure he was comfortable telling people.
"Nothing much. He met Finn a few days ago."
"Really? He doesn't strike me as a dog person." I shrugged.
"He is, he likes Satchmo. Eventually I won't be able to get rid of him." I put my feet up on the open chair, taking a bite of my apple. "So what did you do while we were in Iceland? I would've texted you but my phone doesn't have the out of the country thing."
"I spent a few weeks in Seattle, went on a few dates, went whale watching...all that good stuff."
"You had your dream summer."
"I really did." She took a sip of water. "How are the nightmares? Still there?"
I shook my head. "The last one was the night we came back from Iceland actually. Neal was there and was able to talk me down and calm me down. I've been doing better."
"It's good that you finally talked to him about it."
"Yeah, I think it was time to."
"Wait, if Neal was there, that means the two of you were together that night! You guys are officially together!" I chuckled, grinning at her. "Oh my god! Since when?"
"Since the Yankee game."
"Shut up! Tell me about it."
I went on to tell her what happened and caught her up on pretty much everything. "Tell me about your summer!"
"Seattle was such a blast! I spent everyday outside, spent most of the days watching the whales. We should all go sometime!"
"I'm assuming by the term we, you're referring to Mike, Neal and I."
"Maybe. It would be fun!"
"I'm with you there. It would be a cool experience, for sure." I watched as her eyes looked up above my head. "What's up?"
"Just checking to see how much longer we have. I'm trying to not be on my phone so much."
"Good luck with that, I'd fail." I jumped and almost shrieked when a pair of hands landed on my shoulders. I whipped my head around to see Neal standing there. "My god, Neal! You scared me." I place my hand over my chest, my heart pounding. I chuckled, standing up.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I wanted to surprise you with lunch." He placed a brown bag on the table, pulling me into his side. "Savannah was actually looking at me, not the clock, by the way." They fist bumped, a dorky smile appearing on his face.
"That makes a lot of sense considering she's been texting Mike a lot recently." I told Neal, raising my brows.
"Really?"
"It's nothing too serious yet, but I really like him."
"Savannah thinks the four of us should go see some whales in Seattle. You wanna go?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"Really?!"
"We could plan it for the summer. We won't be in Iceland next year, I promise."
"I'm so excited!!" Neal and I laughed at her excitement. I turned to face Neal, grabbing his hand.
"So what are you doing tonight? We could get dinner?" Neal asked me. I sighed.
"Tonight I'm grabbing a bite to eat with Diana to go over final plans for El's baby shower. How about another night during the week?"
"Peter and I have been working late trying to wrap this case. It probably wouldn't work out."
"What about movie night after I get back from dinner with Diana? You, me and Finn with a bucket of popcorn?"
"Sounds good." I smiled at the man, straightening his tie. The warning bell rang, giving us 10 minutes before classes started up again. "I guess that's my cue. I'll see you later." He pressed a kiss to my head and headed towards the door.
"Be safe, okay?"
"Always. I love you."
"Love you, too." I watched as he walked out before turning around, Savannah looking at me.
"You didn't mention you said the 'L' word!!" I grinned, moving the bag of food to my desk. I felt me cheeks heat up as I looked at her. "You really love him, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do."
♔♔♔
The baby shower went off without a hitch. Diana, Sara and I stood off to the side as Elizabeth made her way around and greeted everyone. Eventually, she made her way back to us.
"You guys, this is amazing! Thank you for doing this!" She exclaimed, a smile on her face.
"It was all Diana's idea and Sara helped set up, I was just the distraction."
"You and Peter deserve to have a calm few weeks before the baby comes, that's all." Sara laughed.
"You've been nesting, but you're probably stressing about Peter and stuff like that." Diana shrugged.
"Well, actually Peter has been taking it easy. Neal's turning his life around for the better, which means Peter isn't worrying as much." El tells them, her eyes shifting to me briefly.
"Neal? Are you serious?" El simply chuckled, nodding.
"Neal hasn't been any trouble. Someone has been a good influence on him." Diana turned and looked at me, an expression of surprise on her face.
"So that's what's going on between the two of you?!" Sara, El and I laughed. "Since when?!"
"Since Iceland, I think." Sara told her, ultimately waiting for me to reply.
"Actually, since the end of May."
"Since the end of May? That long?" El asked, shocked.
"The night of the Yankee game. You guys had left by that point, but his friend walked over and they had a conversation and Neal introduced me as his girlfriend." I tried to contain my smile but ultimately failed. We chatted for a little bit longer before it was just Elizabeth and I. "How are you feeling? Excited?"
"Very! I'm always tired and my back hurts, but I know that'll be worth it once he's here."
"I'm excited for you guys! I know how badly you guys wanted this."
"As weird as it sounds, I'm looking forward to all the sleepless nights."
"He's already loved by so many people, El. I can't wait to meet him."
"Baby fever getting to you?" I sighed, grinning as I fiddled around with my bracelet.
"Is it that obvious?" Elizabeth nodded, chuckling. "I can't help it!"
"You'll be one of the first to know when he's here...well, you and Neal."
"Believe me, Neal is just as excited, too."
"You'll be a great mom, Haley." Truth be told, I had thought about my future and kids. To hear someone say that made my heart swoon, and it made me incredibly happy.
"Thanks, El. That means a lot. And you look great, by the way." She looked down at her dress, smiling.
"If I'm being honest, dresses are super comfortable right now. It feels less restricting."
"I bet."
✰✰
I walked back inside my house, quickly changed into my pajamas, which consisted of an oversized hoodie and shorts. I walked back outside and over to Neal's. I knocked twice, but go no reply. I opened the door slowly, looking around for them. When I approached the living room, Neal was asleep on the couch, Finn laying next to him with his head resting on Neal's chest. I snapped a picture before I walked over.
"Neal." I spoke softly, not wanting to startle him. "I'm back." His eyes remained closed as he stretched, an arm reaching out for me. I chuckled and laid down next to him, his arm wrapping firmly around me. "Did you and Peter have fun?"
"It was alright. We played with the dogs for a little bit and then we watched American Sniper. By the time it was over, Peter decided to leave so Finn and I decided to take a nap." Finn was still out cold, light snores coming from him. "How was it?" I gently swept some hair out of his face.
"It was good, El was surprised and it was a lot of fun. For the most part, everyone showed up and I don't think I ever saw her without a smile on her face. I think she really enjoyed it." Neal pressed a kiss to my head while I pet Finn, who was still unbothered. I looked up at Neal, a look of concentration on his face. "Okay, what are you not telling me? It's me."
He shakes out of it, shaking his head. "It's stupid."
"It's not stupid if it matters to you." Neal sighed.
"Do you ever think about the future?" He questioned.
"I do."
"Do you want to have kids someday?" I smiled at him, running thumb over his cheek.
"Of course, I do. Where is this coming from?"
"I don't know...I guess, I see Peter married to his wife for over 10 years, and now he's having a baby...maybe I'm a bit jealous."
"I get it, believe me. I basically watched my sister do that."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I watched her get married to her high school sweetheart, now they have Meghan and there have been times where I've been jealous of her. She has everything I dreamed of having. Of course, I'd like to have that someday." Neal sat up while I continued to pet Finn, squinting at what I was wearing.
"Am I ever getting my sweatshirt back?"
"Only if you take it off me yourself."
"I can do that."
♔♔♔
I rolled over the next morning, the scent of bacon drifting through the air. I lift my head to see Neal making breakfast. He looked over his shoulder, a smile on his face.
"Good morning."
"Good morning to you, too." I stretched, looking around for Finn.
"June took Finn for a little bit. She came by this morning."
"Oh, okay." I grabbed Neal's dress shirt from the night before and slipped it on.
"Seems like you're a little underdressed." He mentioned, putting plates on the table before grabbing his hat and tossing it off to the side.
"Undressed, possibly. Comfortable? Absolutely." I walked over to him, his arms immediately resting around my waist.
"So I can have my hoodie back?"
"Absolutely not. Honestly, it works in your favor."
"How so?"
"You get to take it off me every time."
"I like where your head's at." I pulled him closer to me, lips connecting almost instantly. I sighed contently, looking up at the man I adored dearly.
"So what's for breakfast?"
"We've got scrambled eggs, some hash browns with some toast as well as some strawberries. Ah, almost forgot," He grabbed another plate and put it out. "We also have bacon."
"I love strawberries!"
"I know you do." He pulled out my chair, waiting for me to sit before he sat down next to me. I rested my legs on his lap, grabbing a strawberry off the plate.
"You know, it isn't fair that you're an amazing cook and artist. I have zero skill in either."
"That's not true. Your stick figures are absolutely breathtaking." I chuckled at his comment. "And you make amazing pancakes."
"I'm touched."
"Well, you do have a great taste in books. I'll admit that."
"That compliment is the best thing that anyone has ever said to me!"
"Which reminds me, I need a new book to read, so I'm going to borrow another one from you."
"That's fine by me."
♔♔♔
We finished breakfast and showered, getting ready for the day. I threw on some clothes I left there, letting my hair air dry. I just finished applying my makeup and was on my way back out to the kitchen when I heard Neal talk to someone. It was Mozzie.
"It's just a fantasy. Happily ever after isn't for guys like us, I keep telling you that."
"Moz, it is this time."
"You said that with Sara and it didn't last. What makes you think this one will?" I slowly emerged from the bathroom, not believing what I was hearing. "Haley." I shook my head and grabbed my phone along with my keys.
"I'll see you later, Neal." I muttered, gently squeezing his arm.
"No, Haley, wait." He held onto my arm, not tight or in some sort of violent way. He didn't want me to go. "I am not that guy anymore. I took a bullet because I got involved with people like Keller. Haley got held at gunpoint, El got kidnapped, I'm not letting anyone else be put in danger because of me, especially now since Peter has a kid. Not again, Moz. I'm done."
"You're becoming a suit."
"I'm turning my life around. I want to settle down, you know that. I have a life here, we have a life here. I can't leave this all behind."