Page 15 of Embers of You
“You too.” She nods, her lips spreading in a small smile before walking toward a house across the street from mine.
Hm. Not sure if that could turn into a friendship, but at least I know one neighbor. I’m looking through my mail as I walk back and see there’s something addressed to a “Bailey Collee.” I debate bringing it over to the house where I saw her walk to. I decide I should; it could be a good way to break the ice a bit more.
I knock hesitantly and when she opens the door, she’s frowning.
“Sorry, this was accidentally delivered to my box,” I tell her, holding out the envelope.
She looks down at it, then me, taking it carefully from my grasp. “Thanks.”
I nod, then turn away to go back home because she doesn’t seem like the talkative type, and I feel like I’ve already overstepped with her somehow. She seems even more closed off than me, and I don’t want to piss her off.
“Sutton,” she calls out, and I stop, turning back to face her. “We could hang out sometime. If you want.”
I hear the hesitance in her voice, but I smile at the effort. “That sounds great. I work at the grooming salon down the road, but I’m usually done by five most days.”
“Sounds good, we’ll plan something.” She turns her mouth up in the slightest smile.
I hear a door shut next door to her and turn to see a large man with a frown on his face walking toward his car parked in the driveway. When I turn back to Bailey she’s scowling in his direction. I can’t help but think there’s a story there that I would love to know more about.
“I can’t wait,” I say, pulling her attention away from the neighbor who is driving off.
She nods, and we go our separate ways. I’m glad to possibly be making a friend while also hoping I’m not getting in the middle of any drama. I left all of that back home; I came here to restart my life away from the toxicity I found myself in.
It’s why I’m not entertaining Jameson in any way. Any sort of relationship has drama written all over it.
CHAPTER 8
Jameson
My initial plan tospend more time with Sutton didn’t exactly work out like I thought it would. Which is okay, it was a long shot since she clearly hasn’t been around horses before, and I get her being hesitant.
So, I choose to take her up on her other idea. I’ve wanted a dog for a while, but back in Florida I lived alone and worked too much. I knew it wouldn’t be fair to the dog or to myself. Even now I work too much, but I know my mom will enjoy having a dog around. Just not a puppy, which is why I drive down to the local animal shelter.
I’m greeted instantly when I walk in. “What’re you looking for today?” the friendly older woman at the front desk asks.
“I’m hoping to adopt a dog,” I tell her.
She chuckles. “Well we have plenty of those. Did you have any specifics in mind? Breed, age or anything like that?”
I shake my head. “Nothing like that. Who’s been here the longest?”
She smiles widely. “That would be Duke, I’ll take you to meet him.”
The woman leads me to the kennels where they line both sides of the aisle, each with at least one dog in it, there’s a litter of puppies with their mom, a couple bonded pairs, and my heart breaks at every one of their faces looking out at me. I want to take them all home, they don’t deserve to be stuck in a place like this.
We finally reach a kennel toward the end, and the nameplate is a laminated piece of paper with “Duke” written in dry erase marker. It’s faded and it goes to show just how long he’s been here.
“Here he is, he’s been here for about eight months, he’s a blue nose Pit, ten years old, and the sweetest boy,” she introduces.
The bulky dog has a large head, and with his mouth open and panting, it looks like he’s smiling. He wags his tail just slightly, and I already know I can’t leave him here even a minute longer after he’s already been waiting for a home this long.
“Why has he been here so long?” I ask.
“Well, he has a slight issue with his…um…male part.”
I furrow my brow, and look at her, questioningly.
“When he gets excited, sometimes it gets…stuck.”
