Chapter 7- Rhinestones and Monkey Bars

Dawn's POV Twenty minutes. That's how long it took Grant and Bull to get the first box open. Spread the pieces across Ana's bedroom floor, and realize they might have underestimated the situation. "Where the hell does this piece go?" Grant asked. Bull glanced at the instructions. "Page six." "We're on page two." "Then I reckon you should stop holding pieces from page six." I covered my mouth. Chelsea didn't bother. She laughed outright. Grant looked up from the floor. "Something funny?" "Not at all," I assured him. "I'm just enjoying watching two big, strong bikers get their asses handed to them by children's furniture." Bull glanced over his shoulder. "Keep talking, lady. You're gonna be the one putting it together." I gasped. "Me? Absolutely not. I'm management." Grant snorted. "Management?" "Yes. I supervise, offer encouragement, and occasionally provide refreshments." Chelsea leaned against the dresser. "Sounds like your old job." "Except nobody's yelling at me about storage rates." Bull held up a wooden panel. "Which way's this supposed to face?" I studied it. "Pretty side out?" He stared at me. "What?" "Well, you asked." Grant shook his head. "Go get us something to drink, management." I saluted. "Right away, gentlemen." .............................. By the time I returned with bottled water, the men had assembled what appeared to be half a wooden tower. Tools were scattered across the floor. Grant was lying on his back, tightening something underneath the frame. Bull was kneeling beside him, holding one of the support beams steady. Chelsea was sitting cross-legged near the doorway, reading the instructions. And that's when our newest supervisor arrived. Click. Click. Click. The unmistakable sound of toenails against the hallway floor. I turned. Pink appeared in the doorway. My beautiful German Shepherd stood perfectly still, ears perked, head tilted. She looked at the men. Then at the wooden structure. Then at the tools. Her expression practically screamed, what in the world are you idiots doing in my house? "Oh, look," I announced. "The building inspector has arrived." Bull glanced over his shoulder. Pink stared at him. He stared back. For several seconds, neither moved. Then Pink walked straight into the room. "Well, hello there," Bull said. Pink ignored him. She sniffed the toolbox. Then Grant's boot. Then one of the wooden panels. Grant chuckled. "She's checking our work." "Naturally," I replied. "Somebody has to." Pink continued her inspection before stopping directly in front of Bull. He looked down at her. She looked up at him. And then his eyes dropped to her collar. He blinked. Looked closer. And started laughing. "What the hell?" I frowned. "What?" Bull pointed at Pink's neck. "Is that rhinestones?" I smiled. "Yep." He leaned forward. "On a German Shepherd?" "Your observational skills are impressive." Grant sat up. "What's so funny?" Bull pointed again. "Look at this dog's collar!" Grant leaned over. Then laughed. "Oh, hell." Pink sat down between them, looking rather pleased with herself. Bull shook his head. "She's wearing jewelry." "She's a lady," I informed him. "A lady?" "Yes." He reached toward her collar, letting her sniff his hand first. Pink accepted the introduction and promptly shoved her nose against his palm. Bull scratched behind her ears. Then he read the lettering on her collar. His eyebrows shot up. "Pink?" "That's her name." He looked at me. "Pink?" "Yes, Bull. Pink. It's a color. Very popular, actually." Chelsea giggled. Bull looked back at the dog. Then at me. "You named a German Shepherd Pink?" "Nope." He paused. "Who did?" "Ana." His expression softened slightly. "Your little girl?" "Yep. When we adopted her from the shelter, she was wearing a pink collar. Ana took one look at her and said, 'Pink.'" I shrugged. "And that was that. Her name became Pink." Bull looked down at the dog again. Pink wagged her tail. He chuckled. "Well, I'll be damned." "Then I bought her a new collar with her name on it." Bull inspected the sparkling rhinestones. "Clearly." "Don't judge her fashion choices." He laughed. "Lady, that dog's dressed fancier than half the women I know." Chelsea gasped dramatically. "Excuse me!" Bull glanced at her. "Didn't say you." "You'd better not have!" Grant started laughing. I crossed my arms. "Besides, Pink happens to be very secure in her femininity." Bull scratched the dog's chest. "That right, sweetheart?" Pink leaned into his hand. Traitor. Absolute traitor. I narrowed my eyes. "Unbelievable." Bull looked up. "What?" "Five minutes. You've known her five minutes, and she's already abandoned me." He grinned. "Can't blame her." "Oh, don't get cocky. She's a shameless opportunist." Pink's tail thumped against the floor. Bull chuckled. "She seems pretty smart to me." "That's because you haven't seen her pretend she hasn't eaten dinner." Grant laughed. "She does that?" "Every chance she gets! She'll eat her food, lick the bowl clean, and then stare at me like she's a starving Victorian orphan." Bull shook his head. "Smart dog." "Con artist," I corrected. Pink licked his hand. He scratched her ears again. And just like that, my German Shepherd had acquired another admirer. Wonderful. ............................ Another hour passed. The frame was finally standing. The slide had been attached. And Grant was underneath the bed, working on the monkey bars. Bull stood beside the ladder, checking the bolts. Chelsea and I watched from the doorway. "That actually looks pretty cool," she admitted. I grinned. "Right?" "I kind of want one." I looked at her. "Chelsea." "What?" "You're a grown woman." "So?" "Your husband is literally assembling a child's playground." She shrugged. "Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it." Grant's voice came from underneath the bed. "Baby, don't even think about it." Chelsea pouted. "You never let me have any fun." I choked on my water. Bull stopped tightening a bolt. Grant slowly slid out from underneath the frame. All three of us stared at her. Chelsea blinked innocently. "What?" I burst out laughing. "Oh, sweetheart. Considering some of the stories you've told me, I think you've had plenty of fun." Grant groaned. "Jesus, Dawn." Bull's eyebrows rose. I waved a hand. "Relax. I'm a writer. I collect information." Chelsea grinned. "See? I'm helping her career." "You're something, all right," Grant muttered. Bull chuckled and returned to the bolts. .................. Once the last pieces were in place, Grant stood back and admired their work. "Well, I'll be damned." I stepped into the room. And stopped. Oh. My. Goodness. It was perfect. The loft bed stood against the wall, with a slide extending from one side and monkey bars running beneath the raised platform. The wooden frame was sturdy, and the entire thing looked like something out of a miniature adventure park. I walked around it, running my hand over the smooth railing. "Ana is going to absolutely love this." Grant smiled. "Hope so." Bull crouched near one of the supports and gave it a firm shake. Nothing moved. He checked the ladder, then the slide. "Solid." I looked at him. "Really?" "Yeah. But I'd still check the manufacturer's age and weight limits before letting her loose on it." I nodded. "I already did. I did my research befor I bought it. And I'll be right here when she tries it out." Bull nodded in approval. Grant looked toward the monkey bars. "She's gonna have a blast." I smiled. "I hope so." For a moment, I just stood there imagining Ana's reaction. Her bright blue eyes widening. That beautiful little smile spreading across her face. The excited sounds she'd make when she realized the slide belonged to her. My little girl had been through so many changes lately. A new state. A new house. A new bedroom. I wanted this room to feel like somewhere she could be happy. Somewhere she could just be Ana. Chelsea slipped an arm around my shoulders. "She's going to love it, Punkin." I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "Yeah." Bull glanced between us but didn't say anything. Instead, he picked up the empty boxes and started stacking them. Grant gathered the tools. And Pink? Pink walked beneath the bed, circled twice, and promptly lay down on the rug. I stared at her. "Seriously?" She rested her head on her paws. Bull looked down. Then started laughing. "Looks like somebody's claimed the place." I planted my hands on my hips. "Pink! That is not your bedroom!" Her tail thumped once. Bull grinned. "Don't think she cares." "Of course she doesn't. She's a freeloader." Pink closed her eyes. I shook my head. "Unbelievable. I buy my daughter an expensive new bed, and the dog moves in first." Grant laughed. Chelsea leaned against me, giggling. Bull crouched beside Pink and gave her one final scratch. "Well, Princess Pink, looks like you've got yourself a nice setup." I pointed at him. "Oh, no. Don't you start calling her Princess Pink. Her ego is already out of control." He looked up at me. A slow grin spread across his face. "Too late." Pink wagged her tail. I sighed. Wonderful. I'd invited two bikers over to help assemble furniture. And somehow, my dog had ended up with a new best friend. At least the bed was finished. Now I just had to survive Ana discovering she had her very own indoor playground.