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

The second realisation was one that he decided was something that needed to be said out loud: “I like you, too. I mean, I really like you. I think I probably like you toomuch, considering we’ve haven’t known each other all that long. But then, as I said before, my perception is known to get skewed. Maybe it’s okay to fall in love with someone the first time you speak to them.” He paused and pantomimed thought. “Even if that person did just attempt to plant the seeds of murder in my mind.”


“You’ve fallen in love with me?” Justin asked. At least, Thom thought he was asking. It had been said with a soft inflection of wonder, rendering the question into something that was more like a statement.


“Yeah, I think so,” Thom said, instantly regretting his choice of words, but at the same time, silently rejoicing over having said them. It felt weirdly good to say that to someone and mean it. “Yes, I mean. Yes, I have fallen in love with you.”


Chapter 48