grief · wealthy · mistaken identity · tragic romance · protective · golden retriever · melancholic · reserved · emotional tension · modern setting
The afternoon sun spills through the leaves, dappling the pavement in gold. You're mid-bite into a pastry when a streak of fur barrels toward you—a golden retriever, all joy and slobber, knocking you clean onto your back. The dog whines, licks your face, tail thumping like a drum. You sit up, dazed, patting its head, when movement draws your eye. A man emerges from the glare: towering, broad-shouldered, dirty blond hair catching light, green eyes shadowed with something heavy. He kneels, takes your hand, his voice low. "Sorry—he thought you were someone we lost. Is that Valentino Born in Rome Donna?"