Just a Hair Stylist - Chris Evans story \\✔️

Chapter Fifty-one

Screw all the sappy phrases about "a man and his dog". Whoever said that stuff never met you and Archie. That wiggly ball of fuzz probably would have pulled a muscle, if he wagged his tail any harder when you picked him up from the sitter's. He was one happy pup. And the feeling was mutual. It always sucks leaving your fur baby behind. Time for a few good days of bonding before you head out for New York next week with Frank.

On the way home, Archie rode shotgun. Alternating between sitting up in his seat beside you and thoroughly hindering your ability to efficiently drive a stick shift by laying across the console to put his head in your lap, excitedly whimpering and grumbling stories to you about his adventures with his babysitter. Back at home, he tugged eagerly at the leash to get back to your cozy little apartment. He was quite a handful, so you left him upstairs while you brought in the rest of your things and stopped by your neighbor's apartment to collect your mail.

You had laundry to do and needed to call your mom and let her know you were home. Vacation: officially over. While you sorted lights and darks out of your suitcase and made separate piles on the floor, you used your shoulder to hold your phone to your ear and talked to your mom. Archie watched from his space curled up on the foot of your bed. When your call was over, you introduced Archie to your bear, letting him have a good sniff and giving him a sternly worded warning that the bear was irreplaceable and not a chew toy. You couldn't be sure if Archie actually understood you, but you tried to be an optimist. Your unnamed bear took a place of honor atop the extra pillow on your bed.

You let Archie follow you into the basement to start your laundry. With a load running in the washer, you clipped on Archie's leash and headed out with him for a walk down to the beach. Checking off "Places To Visit" on your bucket list was good. But nothing beats the feeling of being at home. The hotel pools were nice, but not as good as your ocean. Walking along the water's edge, with the waves lapping up over your bare toes, you could feel the water warming. Your thoughts turned to summer and surf tanned skin just around the corner.

The fresh air and sunshine were relaxing. You spent a little while on the beach, letting Archie stretch his legs and chase his tennis ball. Back at home, you switched out your laundry and shuffled through the fliers and pamphlets of local takeout joints you kept in the junk drawer in the kitchen. You really needed to go to the store, but you didn't have the heart to leave Archie. And, let's be honest, you weren't really motivated to go out and do anything that even remotely resembled work anyway. You were just proud of yourself for starting the laundry. High five, self! One small victory at a time. You decided on your favorite Chinese food place and called in an order. While you waited, you started watching a show from your DVR.

When your dinner arrived, you fed Archie his, if only because you were still mobile at the time. The long day of travel was starting to catch up with you, despite the assurance from your clock on the kitchen wall that it was barely 5 o'clock. You managed to eat and get your second load of laundry into the dryer, before you fell asleep on the couch. You woke up, roused by the sound of a fire truck driving down the street with its siren wailing. Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, you checked your phone for the time and saw you missed a text from Frank while you napped. You were about an hour late, when you replied to Frank.

Frank fucking Grillo: You back yet? [seen 8:32pm]

You: I'm here! Sorry- fell asleep on the couch

It took a few minutes to get a message back. In the meantime, you ran downstairs to get your clothes from the dryer. Your phone dinged on the way upstairs, but you waited until you were back in your apartment to read your new messages.

Frank fucking Grillo: Fell asleep?!! The press tour made you soft.

Frank fucking Grillo: Gym. 7 a.m. Be there.