Truly, Madly, Like Me - Jo Watson Page 0,46

I used to sit on, phones out, planning their social media posts for the week ahead, or filming some motivation video #couplegoals #screwthem!

So I ordered a strawberry milkshake. I hadn’t had one in years, and it came just how I liked it, thick and creamy and bright pink. Cujo looked up at me and I shook my head at him.

“Not for you.” I reached into my bag for the treats I’d bought him at Jim’s earlier. While there, Natasha had invited me to book club again. I’d politely declined, again.

I glanced around the barn, looking for Mark. But when I couldn’t see him, I walked over to a big hay bale and sat down. Cujo sat next to me and looked at the screen as if he was watching. I was late, the movie had already been on for a while, so I folded my arms and settled in to watch, as an older lady wearing a grey hat was talking to a blonde on screen.

“I think they were after the children,” the blonde was saying, looking somewhat terrified.

“For what purpose?” the older woman replied.

I found myself leaning in as the blonde paused and looked at her.

“To kill them,” she said.

My eyes widened and I twisted my body and looked at Cujo. He was looking at me too. As if he was thinking the exact same thing I was. What the hell kind of movie was this? I raised my brows at him in query and his one good ear stood to attention. Murder Mystery Night, Creepy Movie Night . . . My brain went back to the thought I’d had yesterday in Jim’s store. I looked around the barn; everyone here seemed quite normal-looking, but I guess if I was someone in a murderous town, I would also look normal in hopes of luring people in. Suddenly, the screen filled with hundreds of flapping birds, going for a man’s head, and I jumped in my seat. I didn’t much care for birds, not since that time a dove had flown into the house and flapped around frantically for hours, trying to escape, flying into the window over and over again until it died. I shuddered at the memory, just as Cujo rose to his feet.

“What are you doing?” A sudden jerk from him and I was also on my feet. It felt like my shoulder had just been pulled out of its socket, the tug was so hard. He put his nose to the ground and started sniffing.

“Oh my God, yes!” I grabbed the sieve out my handbag just as Cujo took off. This was it! This was it. I ran behind him as he sniffed and wove his way through the seated crowd.

“Sorry, sorry, coming through,” I said, as I bumped into people, sieve in hand, chasing after the dog. I had his backside in my sights and I wasn’t going to let him get away. But then, he picked up pace. He jumped over a group of picnicking people on a blanket and I almost ran into them.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” I frantically apologized but kept on going. People around me were starting to get pissed off, I could hear their murmurs growing louder and louder. A few shouted “Sit down, we can’t see!” but I couldn’t let him out of my sights. I was going to get my immobilizer come hell or high water. And I didn’t really care how many people I had to jump over, stand on, or irritate in order to do it!

CHAPTER 22

The general disgruntled chatter around me got louder as Cujo ran straight up to the front of the barn, casting a massive shadow over the screen and then, then, he started squatting. Right there in front of everyone! Loud boos rang out, but I didn’t care. I ran up behind him with an outstretched sieve and then I heard a familiar voice.

“Frankie! What the hell are you doing?” I turned as Mark rushed up to the screen. More boos rang out, and some popcorn came flying my way.

“I have to get the immobilizer,” I said, pointing at Cujo who looked like he was seconds away from it.

“But you’re blocking the movie!”

“I can’t move him,” I said. “He’s almost there.”

“You have to move him, everyone is watching.” He sounded rather frantic, with an air of sharp embarrassment in his voice. He was looking at the sieve in my hand. “I can’t watch.” He turned away. “This is beyond—”

“Disgusting!” someone