Page 6 of When We Break

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The parking lot isn’t even half full, filling me with satisfaction. Even though my new business thrives off the busy winter and summer tourist seasons, my favorite time is always the shoulder season. Bitterroot Valley is less crowded now before the hustle and bustle of summer, with the gorgeous weather and a plethora of outdoor activities to keep people busy.

Right now, the ground is muddy, the trees are just budding, and although the sun does peek out once in a while, it’s still on the chilly side.

Perfect.

I pull in next to Blake, who gets out of his SUV and meets me at the rear of his vehicle.

“No ER tonight?” I ask my brother.

He shakes his head. “I was in the clinic today. I’m off duty and ready for a beer. Or three.”

Bridger, the fire chief, pulls in and parks across from us, and Brooks joins us, walking from the direction of his auto repair shop a couple of blocks down.

“Holy shit, you left the ranch,” Bridger says, pulling me in for a hug. “We haven’t seen much of you since the holidays.”

“Work’s been insane,” I reply. “There’s no time to leave the ranch.”

“Call us to help,” Brooks says. “We all grew up there. We know what we’re doing. I can guarantee you that not one of us has forgotten how to milk a cow or feed the chickens.”

“Yeah, and you all have jobs,” I remind him as we walk toward the pub entrance. “I just hired some more guys, so we’re covered for the summer. I shouldn’t have added the additional two cows. More cows mean more work.”

“Come on.” Blake pats me on the shoulder. “Let’s get some beer in you. Maybe a burger.”

“I’ll take it.”

The Wolf Den is one of my favorite places in town. The pub has some of the best food, with local beers on tap, pool tables at one end, and a generally fun atmosphere.

Walking through the door, I allow my eyes time to adjust to the darker room and scan the faces. I know half of them.

Brooks leads us to a table along the wall, and when I sit, I realize we lost Blake.

I spot Blake talking to a big black hulk of a dog while scanning the room as if he’s searching for someone. He’s always been a sucker for animals. If he wasn’t a human doctor, he would have been a veterinarian.

“What’s he doing?” Brooks asks.

“Flirting,” I reply with a laugh as the server approaches and takes our drink orders. I order Blake the same beer as mine.

If he doesn’t like it, he shouldn’t have gone over to flirt with the dog. A dog that’s currently following Blake back to our table and jumps onto the bench next to us.

“Uh, who’s your new date, Blake?” I ask him.

“I know this dog.” My brother looks defensive, which only makes me smirk. “He belongs to a patient of mine.”

“Where’s his owner?” Bridger asks.

“No idea, and that’s odd because this guy is a service dog.”

My humor leaves, and I frown at the dog. “That’s not a good sign.”

“No, it’s not,” Blake agrees, frowning with worry. “You’re a good boy, Riley. Where’s your mama, huh? Is she around here somewhere?”

“I ordered you a beer,” I inform my brother, who nods.

“Thanks.”

“How’s married life?” I ask Bridger. He married our longtime friend Dani over the holidays. “I figured you’d be rushing home to her.”

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