The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,120
if I’ll be able to convince her to start over.
Sterling stops mid-step and turns back around. “Every morning she goes for a run with Chester. Make sure to bring a few treats for him. He’s easy to bribe. You want him to love you. And use your mutt’s tricks to lure her. You know how she is with animals.”
“Thank you, Slugger.”
“Don’t fuck it up!”
Fourteen
Abby
At twenty-six I’m finally starting to love the parts of myself that I hated when I was younger. Funny how life changes and things look so different as we get older. We evolve, transition, and sometimes, become the exact opposite of what we once were. Though, in my case, there are a lot of things that haven’t changed, like jogging or having at least two cups of coffee every morning.
My daily routine consists of waking up around five, feeding Chester, stretching, and heading to the park with the pup. We run for about an hour and then I start prepping for my day.
Nighttime is still the hardest. Chester wakes me up when I have nightmares and stays with me for the rest of the night. The bad dreams don’t happen as often, and I don’t cry as much as I used to, but they’re still there. I’m learning to hold myself. It took me a long time, but I finally found sanctuary within myself.
I’ve also learned to survive without Wes. Although, seeing him last night made me miss our friendship, our long conversations, and the peace I felt when he was around. I yearn for those nights when we stayed on the phone until I fell asleep.
“If you met him, you might like him.” Chester turns his head slightly and barks once.
Sterling is right; I need more contact with humans. Chester barks again as he pulls me. He wants me to walk faster. Looking ahead, I spot someone sitting on the steps of my front porch. I can’t help but smile when I recognize Wes, who happens to have a furry companion next to him as well. Chester fights my hold. He’s rushing toward the strangers who he assumes came to visit him. This dog loves to bark at strangers in hopes that they’ll pet him.
“Is he friendly?” We both ask at the same time staring at each other’s dogs.
“Obviously. You’re sitting on his porch and he’s not attacking you. He swears you’re here to visit him,” I answer first, holding back a chuckle.
Chester is the most laidback dog. He only protects me from the nightmares. When he’s faced with a stranger, he begs for affection, as if I don’t love him enough.
“Oakley does well with other dogs, but you’ll have to rub her belly if you want to be friends with her.” Wes squats, looking Chester in the eye and offering his hand in a loose fist.
Chester smells him, then licks him, and Wes scratches him under his chin. “Good boy,” he praises him and reaches for a treat.
Oh boy, if Wes doesn’t watch out, Chester is going to play him like a violin. My dog is loving but needy.
I look at Oakley, his dog, who has the most beautiful green eyes I’ve ever seen. Her gaze moves from Wes to Chester and me. I can’t tell if she’s amused or ready to attack anyone who gets too close to her.
“Why are you here, and so early?”
“We went out for a run. On our way back I decided to pay you a visit before heading home.” He stands up, giving a treat to his dog. “Stay.”
“Where’s home?” I ask curiously because it sounds like he’s taking a long trip.
“It all depends on where I have to be. I travel between San Jose, Tahoe, and Denver.” He grins. “Mostly, in Tahoe.”
I chuckle. How ironic. He lives where I suggested we move. I envy him for just a bit because I miss Tahoe. The house there is my favorite place in the entire world.
“Well, I hope you guys have a safe trip. I need to get ready to start my day,” I announce walking toward the door.
“We could share breakfast; I’ll cook while you get ready.”
I close my eyes for a couple of beats, praying for strength. “Wes, I really can’t afford to entertain you.”
“You know what they say about missed opportunities,” he says.
“Who are they and what are you talking about?”
“Missed opportunities are what break your heart the most.”
“What am I missing here?” I turn around and cross my arms.