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enough to pay her mom back and keep a little on the side.
    Tennyson looked around her small apartment and smiled. She and Shelly had picked out their odd mix of Goodwill furnishings together and even managed to get a hand-me-down fake Christmas tree, complete with bubble lights and ornaments her mom gave her.
    She liked shopping at thrift stores. It was the ‘cool’ thing to do now. She wondered if James got the memo? She liked the bright orange and green color scheme mixed in with the tacky red and green holiday decor. This place felt like home. Hers. At James’s house everything was decorated in black and silver. Black wasn’t a color. Black was the non-existence of color. Recently, she’d noticed there was a new spring to her step and renewed energy when she woke up. Mobley was at the foot of her bed every morning and that helped her through the times when she felt lonely. Though he was a big bed hog, it was nice to wake up with his furry face looking back.
    Her plan was working. Stick to the furry companions and all would be well.

    Tennyson parked her car and unlocked the back doors. Mobley knew they’d arrived at the dog park. He jumped and barked in the back seat. She grabbed the leash, and as soon as she opened the back door, he leaped out and ran toward the high chain-link gate. When she opened the first gate, Mobley bounded past her and pawed the ground until she opened the inner gate to the park. Then he rushed past.
    She was surprised that there weren’t more dogs at the park that day. Even though it felt cold, it wasn’t raining. A breeze ruffled her hair and she pulled her coat closed at the neck. Tennyson followed Mobley to the clearing under the trees, then sat on the wooden bench, and stretched her legs out.
    “Good morning,” a deep voice said. When she jumped in shock, the thirty-something man smiled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you’d have heard me on the gravel.”
    “Out for a jog?” Tennyson gave him the once-over. Navy blue shorts hugged lean hips. She tried not to ogle his bare, broad shoulders and chest damp with perspiration. The brown skin of his biceps were dusted with curly black hair. It was the middle of winter and way too cold to go out without a shirt… but still. .
    “I come here before work. I can run and my crazy dog can let out some of his pent up energy.” He gave her an easy smile that put a small dimple in his left cheek. His hair was jet-black and his dark, velvety eyes were the same shade as his hair, nearly black. He looked like one of the sexy leading men from the Bollywood movies she’d been addicted to a few years back. He wiped his forehead with the back of his forearm. “I haven’t seen you here before.”
    “Mobley is my dog, he’s over there.” She pointed. “He loves it here and would be the official dog park greeter if there was such a position. I come on most days but I work different shifts, so we bounce around.”
    “Shift work can be hard when it changes.” He stretched his calf. “Where do you work?”
    “I’m a manager at The Neighborhood Grill .”
    He looked up. “No kidding. I love that place! Their turkey grilled sandwich with avocado is addictive.” He took a step closer and stuck out his hand. “The name’s Par.”
    “Your parents are golfers?”
    He thought for a second and then laughed. “I’ve never heard anyone say that. That’s funny.” As he grasped her wrist, she noticed his skin was a rich, chocolate color against the paleness of hers.
    “I assume your name’s short for something else?” Heat flooded her cheeks as she dropped his hand and stepped back.
    “Parkash. What about you? Do you have a name that I can put with Mobley?”
    “Let’s keep it at dog park etiquette and casual.” Too much too soon. Arms length.
    “Sure.” Three dogs came barreling around the corner. Par grabbed the tree to keep his balance as one of them brushed past him. “Hey, watch it, you hoodlums.” He pointed.