Page 58 of Since the Day We Kissed

GunfireeruptedaroundEthanas he crawled through thick smoke, desperate to find his men and get to safety. Explosions rocked nearby buildings. His vision blurred as flames engulfed everything ...

“Get down!” he shouted, jolting awake.

Cold sweat drenched his face as he gasped for air. He sat up, feet hitting the floor, and buried his face in his hands.

The vivid images of smoke and fire clung to his mind.

Hero nudged closer before settling on his lap.

Ethan’s trembling fingers found comfort in Hero’s fur, his racing thoughts slowly calming. Sitting up, he swung his legs over the bed and rested his head in his hands.

“Thanks for saving me again,” he murmured, planting a kiss on the dog’s head. “Such a good boy.”

As the remnants of his nightmare faded, Ethan reached for his phone on the nightstand. He swiped through his emails, searching for a response from his psychiatrist about his prescription. Nothing. The sinking feeling from last night returned as he remembered his grim discovery: only one pill left. That would be gone tonight.

Despite the early hour, Ethan opened his messaging app. This was too important to wait. He sent a quick text to his psychiatrist.

Ethan:Just following up. Never got a notification about my prescription. Can you tell me where it was filled?

Standing up, Ethan grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans. He dressed quickly and took deep breaths, steadying himself.

It was just a dream.

With Hero at his heels, he walked into the kitchen and unlocked the back door. Stepping onto the porch, Ethan watched as Hero circled the yard, nose to the ground.

“Goodalmostafternoon, neighbor,” Clyde called out.

Ethan turned and spotted Clyde sitting on his porch next door, sipping from a mug.

Walking over to the fence, he waved. “Morning, Clyde. Or should I say afternoon?”

Clyde chuckled, raising his mug. “Just brewed some fresh tea. Care to join?”

“I’d like to,” Ethan told him. “I really would. But I’ve gotta get over to the rescue this morning. We’ll definitely catch up before I leave town.”

Clyde nodded, smiling. “Looking forward to it.”

After saying goodbye, Ethan went back inside and made sure Hero’s food and water bowls were full, then headed to the bathroom to get ready.

As Ethan dressed following a shower, his thoughts wandered to Kara, the fun he had last night, and how excited he was to see her again—and the broken promise from twenty years ago. Part of him wanted to explain why he never called, to tell her the truth, but he hesitated.

Opening old wounds now? Seems unwise. Especially when we’re starting to reconnect. And with everything going on at the rescue ...No, I can’t do it to her. Not now.

Heading back to the kitchen, he found Hero munching on his breakfast.

“Gotta run, buddy.” Ethan patted Hero’s side. “Hold down the fort for me.”

As he grabbed his keys and wallet, Mr. Clark, his attorney, crossed his mind. Pulling out his phone, he typed out a message on the way to his truck.

Ethan:Found a safe. Might have the deed in it. Called a locksmith to get the safe open, but he couldn’t do it without ordering tools—might take up to two weeks. I’ll let you know when I hear from him.

Clouds drifted across the sky, offering a brief shade from the May sun, and a cool breeze provided a welcome relief as he stepped out of his truck onto the warm asphalt just outside of Second Chance Animal Rescue.

As he made his way inside, the front desk was empty, so he headed straight for the kennels. The sound of running water and the scent of cleaning supplies guided him toward the back.

“Good to see you finally made it,” Kara called out with a teasing grin, waving a mop in the air as she worked inside a cage.

Ethan rested a shoulder against the doorframe. “What can I help with?”

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