I go for Gigi’s leash first, just to get ahold of her, but she and her new friend are too excited. The golden starts chasing her around the tree trunk, and before I know it, the golden’s leash is wrapped around my calves and my balance is quickly fading. One playful lunge at Gigi later, and I’m on my way to busting ass on the pavement. I cringe and prepare myself for impact.
Impact that never comes. At least where I’m expecting it.
Instead of hitting the sidewalk, I fall back into what feels like a wall of muscle that smells like soap and happiness. The wall of muscle’s muscular arms wrap around me and set me to rights, leaving me fully vertical and a little bit dazed.
Wall of Muscle untangles the leashes and scoops Gigi up, then gives the golden a few pats on the head. When I get a glimpse of his face, I hear angels singing.
He’s tall, broad, could probably carry me, the golden and Gigi up Runyon Canyon without breaking a sweat. He has sparkling blue eyes made brighter by the sun shining on them, artfully tousled blondish-brown hair and a movie-star smile with a slightly crooked front tooth.
As a matter of fact, he may actually be a movie star. He looks kinda familiar, but I don’t want to do that thing that people do to me and stare at him a little too long trying to place his face.
“I think this fell out of your bag,” he says, looking down at Gigi. I wrap my leash around my wrist to be safe, but he doesn’t let her go. He does, however, hand over my bag. And my coffee.
I think I’m in love.