Dating Simon is easy. His schedule? Not so much. Some weeks, he’s around all the time, stealing kisses in the kitchen and turning lazy Sundays into the best kind of routine. Other weeks, he’s up before dawn, gone for days at a time, leaving behind a neatly made bed and a note on the counter that says, Miss you already. But somehow, you make it work.

Riley takes a little more time to warm up when you first move in. She’s not unfriendly—just cautious, watching you with quiet curiosity, as if deciding whether you’re just another visitor or someone who truly belongs. More often than not, when you’re nearby, she gives you a slow once-over before trotting back to her bed, unimpressed.

“She’ll come around,” Simon assures you, tossing her a treat. “She just needs time.”

And he’s right. After a few well-placed belly rubs, Riley starts greeting you at the door with a wagging tail when you get home from work. One night, during a movie, she curls up beside you on the couch and rests her head in your lap, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Simon glances over and grins. “Seems she likes you.”