Page 37 of One Sweet Day I Found You

Ten

“Does Ash always follow you around like this?” Courtney glanced behind Mrs. Brady as they ambled along the trail to the lake. It was a cloudy Friday afternoon but the temperature was comfortable. Courtney had spent three hours at the office this morning discussing projects and was glad to steal an hour outside.

“Why, yes. He does. It’s strange, isn’t it? Thinks he’s a dog, I imagine.”

Courtney laughed. “I wonder if you could teach him to fetch like a dog?”

Mrs. Brady stopped to lift a foot carefully over a small rock on the sandy path, holding out her hand so Courtney could steady her.

“You’re not going to believe this, dear, but he actually does play fetch. Mr. Brady used to throw a stick for him in the yard! It was the strangest thing. That cat would run right out and grab it—bring it back to him! It used to make us laugh. He’d do it over and over again.”

She had a distant look in her eye. “I haven’t tried that with Ash in a long time.”

Courtney heard the sadness in her voice but recognized Mrs. Brady’s ability to look past the grief of her husband’s death.

“Aw, that’s so cool. A cat that fetches?”

“You’ll have to try it with him, see if he’ll still do it.”

“I will.” Courtney watched the cat, who dawdled along a few paces behind.

“But yes, Ash always takes my walks with me. Matter of fact, he usually follows me around the house, too. Keeps me company. Of course he’s asleep a lot of the time, but I’ll take it! So am I.” She laughed.

Courtney loved to listen to Mrs. Brady talk. The woman was remarkably cheerful, considering she’d become a widow just under a year ago.

A gull flew overhead, and they stopped to watch, then continued along.

“Now, tell me. Did you and Nicholas have a nice chat the other day? I saw you two outside your door.”

Courtney blushed, and cast her gaze to the ground. “Uh, yes. He seems very nice.”

“He most certainly is. And he’s a good catch! Needs a girlfriend, too, if you ask me. He’s getting too old to be all alone.”

Courtney giggled. “I thought he was only twenty-six or twenty-seven.”

“He is! Twenty-seven, I believe. I was married with two children by that age, my dear.”

Courtney grinned.

They reached the edge of the shore and stopped to take in the scenery. Soft waves lapped at the sand and water fowl milled about in the shallows in search of a meal.

Mrs. Brady directed Courtney to a bench nearby. “Let’s go sit for a minute.”

Courtney helped Mrs. Brady settle on the seat. “Well, you’ll be happy to know Nick and I have a little date tonight, then.”

“Is that right?” A look of satisfaction crept across Mrs. Brady’s face. “Well, that’s delightful. I hope you kids have a nice time.”

Courtney thanked her.

“But don’t stay out too late.”

Courtney grinned and promised she wouldn’t.

* * *

“Great to see you, bro.”Kenny grabbed Nick by one hand and threw an arm around his other shoulder, pulling him in.

“It’s been too long, man. I’m so glad you stopped in. Nick hadn’t seen his brother in six months.

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