Breaking the Grid

Perfect timing

The car was warm and quiet, the hum of the engine blending with the soft rhythm of Milo's breathing. He was lying across my lap, his tiny body curled up with one of his new toys tucked between his paws. The trunk was packed with everything we'd bought for him—his big cushion, a shiny new leash, a bag of kibble, more toys than one dog could possibly need, and a sleek blue collar.

Blair had gone all out, of course. She'd been like a kid in a candy store at the dog toy store, her excitement infectious as she picked out things for Milo. I couldn't even be mad about spending three hours there—especially not with Milo looking so content on my lap, his little tail wagging every now and then in his sleep.

I hadn't stopped snapping pictures of him since we left the store. My phone buzzed constantly as I sent photo after photo to the Arsenal group chat. The girls were already obsessed with him—Beth had replied with about ten heart emojis, and Katie was demanding to know when she could meet him.

Lia: "Milo is officially the cutest member of the family."
Beth: "I NEED TO CUDDLE HIM."
Katie: "Bring him to training. Seriously."
Alessia: "He's perfect 😍."

I laughed softly, scrolling through the messages. Blair glanced at me from the driver's seat, her green eyes flicking between me and the road. "What's so funny?" she asked, her voice light.

I held up my phone, turning the screen so she could see the chat. "The girls are obsessed with Milo already. Look at this."

Blair chuckled, shaking her head. "Of course they are. He's adorable."

I smiled, brushing a hand gently over Milo's soft fur. "They're already fighting over who gets to meet him first."

"Well," Blair said, her lips curving into a mischievous grin, "good thing he's ours. We get dibs."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips. "You're ridiculous."

Blair's voice broke through my thoughts. "You know," she started, her tone playful, "I think I might love Australia too much now."

I glanced at her, my eyebrow raising slightly. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

She didn't answer immediately, just flashed me a sly grin before resting her hand lightly on my thigh.

Her touch was casual at first, her thumb brushing against the fabric of my jeans as she kept her eyes on the road. But then her fingers started to slide upward, slow and deliberate, her smirk widening as she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Blair," I warned, my voice catching slightly.

She pretended to look innocent, though her hand didn't stop moving. "What? I'm just showing some love for Australia. You're Australian. Milo's Australian. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Not in front of the kid, Bee," I said, my tone half-scolding, half-laughing as I placed my hand over hers to stop her from going any further.

Blair pouted dramatically, her green eyes glinting with mischief. "Milo's asleep. He won't know."

"Blair," I repeated, giving her a pointed look, though I couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips.

She let out an exaggerated sigh, her fingers retreating as she shook her head. "You're no fun, amore," she teased, her voice light.

"I'm plenty of fun," I shot back, raising an eyebrow. "Just not in front of the dog."

Blair chuckled, her hand returning to the steering wheel as she grinned. "Fair enough."

The moment settled back into a comfortable quiet, Milo shifting slightly in his sleep. But then I glanced over at Blair, my heart skipping a little as I thought about something I'd been meaning to ask her.