That was the moment Claire knew she was in trouble. Not because Alex was handsome—though he was—but because he saw Gus not as an obstacle to romance, but as a part of her heart.
“Don’t be,” Alex laughed, kneeling down. He didn’t just tolerate the dog; he spoke to him. “Hey, buddy. Let’s see those paws.” He checked Gus’s pads for burrs, running a gentle thumb over a small cut Claire hadn’t even noticed. “He’s got a little tenderness here. Keep him on the soft ground.” animal dog dogsex woman
But the real test came on the second date. Alex suggested a hike. “Bring the boss,” he said, nodding at Gus’s leash by the door. That was the moment Claire knew she was in trouble
In the end, Gus didn’t just accept Alex. He claimed him. Every morning, Alex found the dog curled on his side of the bed. And every night, Claire watched the two of them tussle on the rug, thinking that the greatest love story wasn’t just the one she fell into—it was the one her dog chose for her. He didn’t just tolerate the dog; he spoke to him
So when she met Alex—a quiet, bespectacled veterinarian with a shy smile and dirt under his fingernails—Claire had a strict policy: Gus comes first.
The Third Wheel Who Steals the Show