Hooked on a Feeling

Lars sighed and surveyed the dog food brands in the super market. He simply did not understand how Casanova ate as much as he did and did not get fat. It seemed like he was always buying dog food.

Training camp was almost over, and pre-season was about to start. Soon the traveling would begin again. The insane schedule. Tessa’s schedule wasn’t going to let up, either. It seemed as though as they grew further and further apart she worked more and more. If Tessa just stopped coming home one day, Lars wouldn’t be surprised. Casanova would need a dog-sitter, again.

He finally grabbed the correct brand and slid it under his cart, next to a case of vitamin water. What else did he need? Cereal.

He pushed the cart along until he reached the correct aisle. A young woman in a much oversized Canadiens jersey was reaching for some Neutella on a top shelf. The basket swinging from her arm was overfilled.

Lars walked down the aisle, looking for the cereal. The girl finally succeeded in grabbing the Neutella, but when she put it in her basket it immediately fell out. She cursed and put the basket on the ground.

“Annalise?”

She looked up at him with wide brown eyes. “Lars.”

He smirked. “I like your sweater.”

She blushed, the same color as the jersey. “Shut up.”

She hastily gathered the Neutella and stuffed it in her basket.

“Didn’t you say you were from Buffalo?” he asked, amused. “And after that, New Jersey?”

“I am. But why the hell would I cheer for them? So I can be let down every year?”

“Hey, hey.” He smiled. “No need to get hostile.”

She sighed. “Sorry. Long day.” She rubbed her eye and smiled at him. “Why do you keep showing up?”

He shrugged. “Maybe we only notice each other because we’ve met.”

“Maybe.” She allowed, picking her basket back up. He took it from her and set it in his cart. “What are you – “

“Just walk with me.” he said. “Besides, you’ll damage your rotator cuff if you keep carrying that basket loaded up on the same arm as your purse.”

She rolled her eyes but walked next to his cart. “Thank you, Mister Injury.”

He nudged her gently and stopped the cart to grab a box of Apple Jacks. “What’s making that little basket so heavy anyway?”

She frowned at it. “Probably the pickles.”

He laughed and started to push the cart towards the check out lanes. “Need anything else?”

“No.”

He let her pay for her groceries first, then immediately put her bags in his cart before paying for his own things. Once they were both finally done, he followed her out to her car. The powder blue Honda had a magnetic bumper sticker that read, My other ride is a TARDIS.

“What’s a TARDIS?” he asked as she unlocked the trunk.

“It’s a nerd thing.” She smiled, pushing a few shoe boxes out of the way. “Shit, I still have to drop those off.”

Lars looked at the dog food still sitting on the bottom rack of his cart. “Hey, did you say that you wanted a dog?”

“Yes. Why? Casanova never learnt about birth control?”

He laughed. “Fortunately, that will never be a problem. No, I was wondering if you’d want to watch him when I have away games.”

She blinked in surprise. “What about your girlfriend?”

Lars looked at his feet. “She’s a flight attendant. She works a lot. Away more than I am. I think she just stays in other countries most of the week, to be honest.”

Annalise frowned. “Lars, we barely know each other.”

“But we keep running into each other. Cass already loves you. And I don’t have time to interview a thousand dog walkers. I’m supposed to travel next week.”

She pondered the grocery cart. If she were smart, like she always claimed to be, she’d say no. Keep Lars out of her life, away from herself so she wouldn’t make a stupid mistake. But she wanted a reasonable excuse to see him.

“Okay.” She sighed. She dug in her purse for her phone. “Here, let’s exchange numbers so you we can plan when you drop him off.”

Lars quickly exchanged numbers with her, said goodbye, and headed for his own car.

This was perfect. He could see her now, outside of the bar. He had an excuse to hang around with her. And no one could say anything.

~*~

“You what?”

Annalise rolled her eyes and backed into the bridal studio. She had her phone pinned to her ear with her shoulder and arms stacked high with wedding shoes. Her best friend from college had called, and Annalise spent most of the drive filling her in on Lars.

“Yes, I know, I’m being stupid.” Annalise said, nodding at her boss and heading for the storage rooms in the back.

“No! No! Stupid is good!” Louisa protested. “Look, in the four years we’ve known each other, what do I always say your biggest problem is?”

“Uhm, I’m too in my own head, I’m a little cloud of doom and cynicism, I hate everyone, I’m a perfectionist, I hold grudges too well, I trust the people I surround myself with too much, I don’t trust enough people – “

“You’re too logical.” Louisa interrupted. “You’re always measuring actions and reactions, trying to do the right thing. And hey, you’re still the Risk champion. But maybe, just once, you can just go with it all, you know? You might be surprised where it leads you.”

Annalise sighed. “It’s still stupid.”

“Yeah. But don’t you dare cancel on him, Annalise! I will come up there!”

“Alright, alright.” Annalise put the shoes down. “How’s the wedding planning going?”

“Awful. I don’t know how you do this crap all day.”

“I just deal with dress sizes.”

“Still. Speaking of, I just sent you your bridesmaid dress. Make sure you get it fitted. And bring your new Danish boy toy as a date!”

“He’s not my boy toy. He’s a friend.”

“Yeah, that’s why you’re freaking out about dog sitting. Anyway, I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Alright. Love you.”

“Love you too, girlie. Chin up, you know, if your neck bends that way.”

Annalise rolled her eyes and hung up. She had almost forgotten about Louisa’s wedding in January. She was supposed to be Maid of Honor. And she would never tell Louisa that half of her didn’t want to go. There were going to be a lot of people at that wedding who she didn’t want to see, a few were even in the wedding party.

Her boss appeared in the doorway. “Thanks for doing that on your day off.” She said. “Hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

Annalise sighed and nodded. It was trouble, having to drive around picking up shoes from three different stores. But it was all motivation to find a real job.

Her phone buzzed.

Lars Eller: Hey I travel Oct 8 back on 14 can I drop Cass off on 6 to make sure he adjusts?

Annalise frowned. The lack of punctuation bothered her. But she got the idea. The sixth was a Monday, not a pool league night.

Me: That should be fine. I’ll make dinner for us.

Lars Eller: You don’t have to do that.

Me: You’re giving me a part-time dog. My sister is going to be over the moon. I’m making you dinner, and you can’t argue.