Page 95 of Embracing Trust

“And I’ve broken her trust,” I say with a sigh.

Merilee offers a weak smile. “It’s just going to take some time…and some work on your part.”

“What happens next? What should I do?”

Merilee takes the last drink of her coffee, grabs her purse, and slides out of the booth. She stands. “You’ll figure it out. I know you will. She’s looking for honesty and trust. Give her those things and you’ll never lose her.” She reaches across the table and pats my shoulder. “Good luck. I’ll be rooting for you.” She gives me a wink, turns her back and, walks out the door.

I’m left alone at the coffee shop table to figure out how in hell I’m going to win back my girl.

***

The breeze is cool today as I wait for my visitors. Right on time, Jeff and Dina Weston pull onto Patrick’s driveway.

I tap on the front door and talk through the open screen. “They’re here.”

Patrick and Lydia step onto the porch and Lydia pats my back. “This is so great.”

Jeff opens the back door of his pickup and the dog hops out onto the driveway. She wiggles and wags her tail. She scurries over to the lawn and squats to take care of her business.

“Dixie. Come,” Jeff commands as the dog turns an alert ear and comes to stand by Jeff.

“Sit, girl.”

Dixie sits next to Jeff and looks up with her big eyes as if waiting for his approval.

“Good, girl,” Jeff coos and pats the dog on her head.

Dina comes around the front of the pickup carrying a folder. “Ryan, this is a big day for you. We’re really excited and we think Dixie is the perfect match.” Dina kneels and puts a leash on Dixie and hands the leash to me.

I bend over and rub the Labrador on her head. She licks my fingers and lays down to her side as if she’s begging for a belly rub. I kneel and give her some love.

Dina opens her folder. “This is Dixie. She’s a black lab about four years old. She was originally with an older couple. The elderly gentleman got her for his wife who had some heart issues. She passed away and not too long after that, the husband passed too. Their children weren’t able to take the dog, so she came into our program.” Dina bends down to pat Dixie on the head. “She’s been living in one of our foster homes for about three months now. As I mentioned at our initial interview, our foster families go through some procedures with the dog and give us some feedback.”

“She’s a good-looking dog, Ry,” Patrick says from his spot on the front porch.

Dina continues, “Her foster family reports she’s fully housebroken and taps on the door with her nose when she needs to be let out. They sent some dog food and—”

“Oh, I’ll grab that,” Jeff says as he walks to the tailgate of the truck.

“She gets along well with kids and other dogs. They weren’t sure how she’d do with cats.”

“No cats here,” Lydia says with a smile.

Dina chuckles. “She was a little overweight when we brought her to her foster home. Probably not a lot of exercise with the elderly couple, but the foster family was really active, and they said she loved that. Sounds like they took her everywhere, so she got a lot of exercise.”

Jeff sets the dog food on the porch and gives Dixie a pat as he passes by and stands next to Dina.

Dina turns the page of her report and continues. “They had a dog bed for her, but she never slept in it. She loved their seven-year-old son and slept on his bed every night.” Dina lets out a chuckle. “Hope you don’t mind a dog on the bed.”

I raise my eyebrows at my brother. He smiles and shakes his head.

We always had dogs growing up and Patrick loved our pets just as much as I did. We were particularly fond of an English Spaniel we had named Lady and also a Britany Spaniel named Jessie. Dad loved bird hunting and always kept a bird dog around, who, in turn, was our family’s pet.

“You had mentioned you take a long run every morning,” Dina says.

“I usually go about four to five miles.”

“Hopefully, Dixie will be able to keep up with you.”

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