I look up from my book as she walks into the room and joins me on the bed.

“Hey sweetie, what’s up?” I ask, folding down the corner of the page and placing the book on the nightstand.

Instead of answering, she cuddles closer. “I know it’s late.” I check my watch, and see that it’s just past seven. “Okay, maybe not as late as I thought.” She looks at me with her big brown eyes, and I feel a twinge of guilt. We were supposed to go watch the sunset together at the pier, to celebrate our six-month anniversary but a snowstorm had blown in.

“Hey, how about we go to the park tomorrow instead? If we go early in the morning, the snow will still be fresh.” I know she loves running through the fresh snow, hearing the crunch of each step. She’s so beautiful when she’s happy and exhausted, hair damp from the snow.

I ruffle her hair and kiss the top of her head. “I love you,” I whisper into her hair. It’s the first time I’ve ever said those words out loud.

She looks up at me again, and I swear she smiles. “Woof.”