Page 39 of Devoted Enough

“That’s not all!” Rosie said. “She is opening a dog park and has donors and everything. It’s going to be incredible!”

Lizzy and Josephine both looked at me. “A dog park?” Lizzy asked, her nose wrinkled in disgust. “Why?”

I moved in my seat and silently wished I had stayed home now. I loved Rosie and Josephine, but Lizzy I could permanently do without her and her judgy ways.

“It’s not just any dog park,” Rosie went on. “It will be a membership-only dog park, and the best dog park in Hamilton. Hell, the state of Montana!”

I wanted to kiss Rosie. She had always been such a champion of mine, and I loved her for always coming to my defense.

Turning to Lizzy, I replied, “It made sense to me to open one. My dog-walking business has expanded, and I saw a need for a safe place for the dogs to go and play. Not everyone wants to let their dog go on a bus and hike a trail with a large group of dogs.”

“Oh my God. You walk that many dogs?” Josephine asked, her hand over her heart. “How do you control them all?”

I gave a half-shoulder shrug. “They’re all trained and listen well. They’re also all off-leash when we’re hiking.”

“And it is so much fun!” Rosie added. “I’ve gone out with Haven a few times. The dogs are living their best lives.”

Lizzy slowly shook her head. “I guess if being with animals all day is your thing. I couldn’t imagine as that sounds literally gruesome.”

I forced a smile. “Well, dogs are often more pleasant to be around than humans, if I do say so myself. So, what are you up to these days, Lizzy?”

She sat up straighter in the chair. “I own a boutique in the Bay Area.”

“That’s amazing,” I said before giving the waitress my order. “Just a draft beer. Anything will be fine.”

I thought about Nate and his draft beer at his bar in his family room and smiled.

Lizzy was still talking about her store, completely oblivious to the fact that I basically told her I preferred dogs over most humans, and my mind had been wandering and missed what allshe said. I cleared my throat and pushed all thoughts of Nate away.

“It sounds like a great place!” I said when she was finally finished talking about how the color scheme of her store matched the house she lived in, which overlooked San Fransico Bay.

“It is. You girls should come and visit,” Lizzy stated as she took out a small mirror and checked her lipstick, which looked perfect.

Yeah, I’ll have to pass on that little adventure.

Lizzy and Josephine soon broke off into a conversation about city living and how they did not miss Montana one bit.

Rosie leaned in and said, “It’s open mic night. You really should go up and sing.”

Laughing, I turned to look at her. “I haven’t done that in years.”

“You have a great voice, Haven. You should.”

“She should what?” Josephine asked. The waitress returned and gave everyone their drinks. Lizzy ordered some fancy cocktail while the rest of us had ordered beer.

“There is Candice!” Rosie cried out as she stood and waved her hands. “Over here, Candy!”

Candice Livingston approached our table with a wide grin on her face. She was dressed much like Rosie and me: jeans, a nice top, and cowboy boots. This was why Rosie and Candice were still my best friends.

Candice walked up to the table, looked at Lizzy and Josephine, and asked, “Did you just come from work or something?”

Josephine laughed. “Ha ha! I don’t even think I own any cowboy boots anymore.”

“I know I don’t,” Lizzy stated with a snide smirk on her face as she looked at her perfectly painted nails.

“Did you ever?” I asked.

All eyes turned to me, and I felt my cheeks heat. I hadn’t meant for it to come out the way it did. But my reaction was instantaneous. Lizzy looked up in thought and then laughed.

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