A Doggone Date I
Ling loved taking her golden retriever, Bao, to the park every morning. The fluffy menace was full of energy, bounding after tennis balls, rolling in the grass, and making friends with everyone.
Well, almost everyone.
This morning, Bao had spotted something—or rather, someone—far more interesting than the stick Ling was about to throw.
"Bao! No!" Ling shouted, but it was too late.
The 80-pound golden blur bolted across the park, a joyous bark escaping his mouth as he zeroed in on his unsuspecting target: a tall blonde woman who was sitting peacefully on a bench, her face buried in a book.
The woman had no warning. One moment she was reading in blissful quiet, and the next she was tackled by a very enthusiastic and very fluffy dog.
"Are you serious right now?" the woman sputtered as Bao climbed onto her lap, his tail wagging furiously.
Ling ran over, panting slightly. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! Bao, get down!"
Bao ignored her, of course, leaning in to lick the woman's face.
"Ugh! Gross!" The blonde pushed the dog's head away, though her efforts were thwarted by Bao's sheer persistence. "What is this? A canine ambush?"
Ling crouched down, grabbing Bao's collar and gently tugging him off the woman. "I'm so sorry," she said again, trying not to laugh at the scene. "He's... overly friendly."
The woman wiped her face with a tissue, her amber eyes narrowing as she looked at Ling. "Overly friendly? He's a menace."
Ling winced, embarrassed. "I really am sorry. He usually doesn't—"
"He does this all the time, doesn't he?" the blonde interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
Ling hesitated. "Maybe... a little."
The woman stared at her for a long moment, and then, to Ling's surprise, she sighed and stood up, brushing fur off her coat.
"Fine," she said. "I'll let it slide. On one condition."
Ling blinked. "Uh... okay?"
"You're coming to dinner with me tonight."
"What?" Ling stared at her, completely thrown. "I—why?"
The blonde crossed her arms, a sly smile creeping onto her face. "Because I have a family dinner tonight, and my parents won't stop harping on me about showing up alone. Your dog caused this, so you're fixing it. You're my date now."
Ling opened her mouth to protest, but the woman held up a hand.
"No arguing. It's only fair," she said, her tone smug but oddly charming.
Ling's mind raced. Who was this woman? But then she noticed the way her amber eyes sparkled with mischief, and suddenly, Ling wasn't sure she wanted to argue.
"...Fine," Ling said reluctantly. "But only because I feel bad."
The blonde's grin widened. "Perfect. I'll pick you up at seven."
"What? How do you even know where I—"
The woman tapped the ID tag on Bao's collar. "Your address is right here. Convenient, huh?"
Ling groaned. "You're impossible."
"And you're late to your apology dinner." The woman extended a hand. "Orm, by the way."
Ling shook it, half amused and half exasperated. "Ling. And you'd better hope I'm good at making small talk, Orm."
"Oh, I don't doubt it," Orm said with a wink. "After all, you're already great at making an impression."
Ling rolled her eyes, tugging Bao's leash. "Come on, you troublemaker. Let's go before she makes me promise to bring dessert."
Orm watched them walk away, a small smile tugging at her lips. Maybe being tackled by a golden retriever wasn't the worst thing that had ever happened to her.
---
That Evening
At exactly seven, Ling heard a knock on her door. When she opened it, there was Orm, dressed in a sharp blazer and holding a bouquet of flowers.
"For my date," Orm said, handing the flowers to Ling with a grin.
Ling raised an eyebrow. "You're really committing to this, huh?"
"Absolutely. And don't worry," Orm added, her grin turning softer. "My family's going to love you."
Ling couldn't help but smile, despite herself. "Let's hope your dog story's good, then."
"Oh, it's excellent," Orm said as they walked to her car. "But don't worry. By the end of the night, they'll be way more interested in you than Bao."
And as the evening unfolded, Ling found that she didn't mind that idea one bit.