Page 82 of Confessions of a Canine Drama Queen

They had been gone long enough that they’d missed the final activity for the morning. But August was sure Isla would let them do the activity late, if they asked.

August took a hot shower to get the chill out of her bones and changed into a fresh outfit. She had every intention of walking Molly back over to the main building so they could retake their place in the competition.

But as she came out of the bathroom, she found Keaton crouched on the floor next to the bed.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

His bag was open on the bed, clothes folded neatly inside. He was leaving. Her chest clenched hard—the pain so sharp and unexpected that it stole her breath. It was over. He was leaving, and he wasn’t even going to say goodbye.

“Work called,” Keaton said, folding up one last item and pulling the zip closed. His eyes didn’t meet hers. “I have to get back.”

“But...” August shook her head. “Molly could still win.”

She knew in her heart of hearts that it was a very slim chance—Molly was curled up in her doggy bed, snuggling with her stuffed lobster, watching them both with keen eyes and looking like she wasn’t about to budge for anything.

It was like she knew there was a storm brewing—a metaphorical one, this time.

“Molly is in no state to keep going,” he said, gesturing to where she lay. “Every time the thunder cracks outside she whimpers like she’s been hit. She’s terrified.”

That was the truth.

“Were you going to say goodbye?” August asked.

As much as she knew that they could only exist in this bubble for a limited period of time, she’d started the day hoping that maybe they would dawdle home after the competition. Linger in the perfect storm—no pun intended—of chemistry and knowing, indulging in one another for as long as possible before they let go.

But Keaton seemed eager to cut and run...and that was on her.

Why did you have to go and prove that humans are such fragile creatures, huh? You reinforced every one of his fears.

“I thought it might be easier if I left quietly,” he replied. “I don’t want to...”

“Be stuck with a stage-four clinger,” she finished, trying to make light of it even though her heart felt like it was being pulled apart.

Keaton walked over to her, close but not touching. In this light, the angles of his face looked sharper and more devastating than ever, his cheekbones ready to slice her heart in two.

“Thanks for saving my ass, by the way,” she said, not able to meet his eyes. “I have no idea how I would have gotten out of it if you didn’t come for me.”

“Technically I saved Molly, not you.” He managed a smile, which somehow made her feel worse. “That big bad glop of tree sap was no match for me.”

But his attempt at a joke didn’t make her feel any better.

“I shouldn’t have gone for that walk...” She shook her head.

“Augie,” he said softly. “It was an accident. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“But that’s why you’re leaving.” She looked up at him, her heart already aching at the loss she knew was coming. “Isn’t it? Because I proved you’re right to be scared about things going wrong.”

“I... I don’t want to make this more painful than I have already,” he said, scrubbing a hand over his face.

“I’m not some wounded teenage girl,” she replied, toying with the hem of her T-shirt. “I’m not going to make a mixtape and face plant into a bucket of ice cream because you’ve dumped me. I know what this is.”

“It’s interesting that you assume I’m talking aboutyourpain. Maybe I was talking about myself.”

August frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It might shock you, but I don’t fuck around and... I’ve...” He let out a breath, as if he were trying to gather himself. “I crossed that line with you because it wasyou. Not because it was sex. When I thought you and Molly had gone missing...”

Something inside her softened. The raw edge to Keaton’s voice lanced right through her, and since he wasn’t one to be open about his feelings, she knew this would be hard for him. “I’m sorry I did that to you.”

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