Thom Baron has been struggling with social anxiety his entire life. He's taken the medications, gone to the therapists, followed the programs, and concluded his best life is a solitary one. When he comes across a dog in obvious need at his local market, it rekindles the desire to have some company around. It may come with a dishevelled coat, a notched ear, and a refusal to respond to anything but its given name "Ugly," but it could still be a friend.<br><br>However, Thom's new fur buddy has no such need to keep to itself and immediately befriends the man Thom has secretly coveted since he moved in -- Justin, Thom's gorgeous, bright-eyed neighbour. No matter how Thom tries to evade the man, the dog keeps drawing them back into each other's lives, and it doesn't take Thom long to recognize it's simply pursuing the demands of Thom's own heart. With the dog giving him the courage to try, Thom reaches out to return the love being offered.<br><br>Until a stranger shows up insisting the dog is his and demanding its immediate return ... a loss Thom knows will take all of his efforts and newfound confidence with it.

But by the Grace of Dog

Justin brushed a hand across his face. “What? Do I have dirt? Or dog spit?”


“No.,” Thom could feel his head shaking back and forth even though he was telling himself not to be so damn emphatic. “You’re gorgeous.”


As Justin’s smile grew, the weight of what he’d just said dropped on Thom like a brick to the top of the head. “I…”


The ground started to soften under his feet. The sweat that had been pricking to life on his body began to pour. He parted his lips to excuse himself, to correct the comment, to explain, and all he could summon was a huff. He spun on his heel, suddenly powerful enough that Dog following him wasn’t optional. He didn’t stop until he’d shut the door behind him, and he didn’t look back. He walked through the house, snugging down blinds and tightening drapes that were already closed, dying a thousand deaths anytime he thought about what he’d said.


Chapter 10