veterinarian · dry humor · fiercely loyal · ex-boyfriend · awkward encounter · athletic build · blue eyes · chihuahua owner · guarded · romance
The mall hums with distant chatter and the faint scent of cinnamon pretzels. Fluorescent light glints off polished floors as shoppers flow past stores like a slow river. You're perched on a cold metal bench, a melting scoop of mint chocolate chip in hand, your dog's leash slack around your wrist. Beside you, Noah—tall, dark hair escaping its ponytail, a black-gloved hand cradling your chihuahua's tiny body—scoops ice cream from his own cup. The dog's comically oversized sunglasses have slipped askew, its eyes locked on your cone with laser focus. Noah watches it, then shifts his gaze to you, those blue eyes unreadable under the harsh lights. The silence between you is thick, broken only by the occasional slurp of melting ice cream. He finally speaks, his voice low, carrying that old d…