Page 8 of Embers of You (Amity #1)

Jameson

My initial plan to spend 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.”

“Stuck?” I cough.

“Yes, it doesn’t go back to how it should and when it’s really bad the vet has to fix it surgically.”

I have so many questions, but I need them both to know that he’s coming home with me. His issue doesn’t worry me, if he has to go to the vet for a penis surgery, I’ll make sure it happens.

“I can handle that,” I tell her, turning back toward Duke who is still looking up at me with his wide smile. “You want to come home with me, bud?”

Duke and I get back to my house, and my first order of business is introducing him to Ma.

We stopped at the pet store on the way home to get him everything he needs.

I may have overloaded on toys and bones for him, but he was stuck in that cage for eight months, and he deserves to live the rest of his life spoiled beyond belief.

And that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

“Ma?” I call out, walking through the front door.

“In here,” she calls back from a little further in the house.

I follow her voice and find her in her bedroom with photo albums open in front of her, and stacks of photos she’s putting in them next to her.

“Hi, sweetie. Oh, who’s your friend?” she asks as soon as she sees Duke. I keep him on the leash because I don’t want him to jump up on the bed and ruin her project.

“This is Duke, my new dog.” I smile.

“What a sweet boy.” She smiles, slowly getting off the bed. When I try to help her, she waves me off and slaps my hand playfully.

“Aw, thanks Ma,” I joke, which earns me a playful glare.

“I meant Duke. You’re about to be replaced by him you know,” she teases right back, and I act offended.

“I’m hurt. If I had known it was that easy to replace me, I would’ve gotten a dog years ago.”

“Oh hush.” She leans over to pet Duke, but I don’t like the way she’s hunched over. It isn’t good for her back. I know that if I try to say anything to her, she’ll just get mad at me, so I bite my tongue.

“I hope it’s okay for him to stay here with you when I’m working.”

“Of course, he’s welcome any time. In fact, he can just stay here when you’re not working, too.”

“Ma,” I scold jokingly, and she laughs.

“You’re over here hovering over me whenever you’re home anyway, I’m sure he’ll be with you.”

She’s not wrong about that. Though, I try to make excuses to be here around her rather than just being here to check on her, which is what it really is.

Plus, I just want to help. I want her to know I’m here to support her, since I have been so absent for the last ten years.

Even though we talked often, it’s different to actually be here.

“I am not,” I insist anyway. “I’m usually out doing work on the ranch.”

“Right,” she placates me, sitting on the edge of the bed while Duke rests his head lightly on her leg. “Speaking of helping, I do actually have a job for you.”

I perk up at the sound of that, only because she hasn’t asked me to do anything to help, despite my instance and I feel like this is progress.

“Yeah? What do you need?”

“My friend’s daughter, Summer, is going to camp and her horse she barrel races with is going to stay here and will need to be worked while she’s gone.”

“I haven’t run barrels in years,” I hesitate. I’d do anything for her, and she knows it. I’m just a bit worried about how out of practice I am.

“It’s like riding a bike, or a horse, rather.” She chuckles at herself, and I can’t help but smile. “It’ll be fine though; he’s a sweet gelding who shouldn’t test you too much.”

“Great, thank you for making me feel so much better,” I say sarcastically.

“Oh stop.” She swats me lightly. “You’ll be fine. Maybe you can even show off a bit at the rodeo in a couple weeks.”

I forgot the local Amity rodeo will be happening at the beginning of July.

I used to always be in them, even though I never wanted to pursue a career in the rodeo.

I never wanted to travel around or live that life.

But the one time a year I would participate gave me a rush that I loved.

Though, I’m older now and the thought of it makes me hesitate a bit.

“I’ll think about it,” I tell her, not wanting to completely shoot her down, but also thinking it’s not likely to happen either.

“Great, I got you all signed up this morning.” She smiles widely.

“Ma, that’s not me thinking about it.”

She shrugs with a smile, and it’s impossible for me to be mad at her when I know she’s just doing what she thinks is best for me. And honestly the thought makes me excited.

“Okay, well do you have anything else you volun-told me for that I should know about?”

She shakes her head with a smile.

“Okay, is there anything you need done around here before I get Duke all set up down at my house?”

“No, you do enough around here. Your father and I have managed just fine, you know?” She isn’t upset that I haven’t been around, and I know she means well, but I can’t help the way it stings that I haven’t been here.

“I’ll probably still check in with him, see if he needs anything.” I hide my grimace at the thought. I’m sure the last thing he’s going to want is my help, but at least I’m offering.

She sends me a small smile like she knows exactly how that conversation will go but doesn’t voice it.

“Let me know if you need anything or if something comes up. I’m just down the hill,” I tell her.

She’s waving her hand, shooing me out of the house. I take Duke, and we head toward the barn.

Once we get there, I look in to see my dad getting the dinner ready for the horses. I take in a silent breath of air, grounding myself before saying anything. “Hey, Pop, you need any help?”

He grunts in a way that isn’t an answer, and I grind my teeth slightly. He won’t even look at me.

“I can get more bales down if you need,” I offer, because the hay loft can be a bitch to deal with and I know it would be a lot easier for me.

“I got it.”

I want to argue with him, but know it won’t lead to anything good, so instead I just nod my head and take Duke to my house. I’m going to end up coming out here after dark and getting things done for him anyway.

He can be mad about it when I’m not around, but I’m here to help, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.