Page 47 of Borrow My Heart

He chuckled. “Even in pain, your sarcasm can’t be contained.”

“Pain brings it out more, Dad.”

“How was your day?” he asked. “Aside from the poisoning?”

“Can we adopt a really sweet dog? You would love him. Please, it’s my dying wish.” I’d been trying to edit the Bean Game footage since I got home but was having a hard time spinning it to make Bean look lovable. Probably another reason my stomach was hurting. Bean wasn’t the only one who hadn’t performed well. Between me spitting onto the grass, Chad’s sour face, and Dale just staring in disgust at his drink before it was spilled all over his lap, it was a pretty underwhelming video. At this rate, we were never going to get Bean adopted.

“Wren, I’m allergic. If a customer brings a car into the shop that’s had a dog in it I’m wheezing after thirty minutes.”

“I could keep him in my room and vacuum every day.”

My dad gave me hisI’m sorryeyes. “Even if I weren’t allergic, you’ll be gone to college in a year and I work all day. A dog would be miserable here.”

He was right, of course. I sighed.

“I’m sorry, kid.”

“It’s okay, I get it.” I sighed again. “Why are you so late today?”

“A brake job I needed to finish.”

“Sounds important.”

“Hey,” he said. “I don’t mean to bring this up in your state, but have you talked to your sister in the last day or two?”

“No, why?”

“She’s driving up to see Mom next weekend.”

I ran my hand along the fabric of the couch cushion. “Yeah, Mom said.”

His brows came together. “You got your mom’s texts? She thought she must’ve still been blocked since you didn’t respond.”

“I was thinking about it.”

“About responding?”

“About going.”

“Going?” he asked, obviously surprised.

“Do you actuallywantme to go? Aren’t you on my side? Shouldn’t I stay home?”

“I’m on everyone’s side,” my dad said.

No!I wanted to scream,You can’t be on everyone’s side.“I was leaning toward no, actually,” I said.

“Whatever you decide I will support, but it would be nice if your sister wasn’t driving up there alone.”

“Do it for Zoey? Is that the angle you’re going with?” My stomach cramped and I pushed on it.

“It’s up to you, kid.”

“You won’t be sad all by yourself on the Fourth of July?”

He laughed a little. “I’ll manage. I need to shower now.”

“You’re not going to watch thirty minutes of TV?”

---