Herb Tuttle wiped the steam off the bathroom mirror with his towel. “Almost your birthday, Herbie Boy.”

“Now you stay here, Buster,” Tommy whispered to his golden retriever. “I’ll be back in a little while.”

“Get your damn cold feet off me, will you?” Rosie mumbled, yanking the wool blanket toward her side of the bed.

I must say, I was very reluctant to meet the blind date fixed up for me by my best friend, Debbie.
“He’s a real catch,” she said.