Page 132 of Men or Paws

“What’s going on?” Marcello said.

“It looks like the perfect opportunity just fell into my lap to make things right with Beth. You said make it big, and I know just what I need to do to win her back. It’s going to be huge.”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Beth

I glanced around Rancho Santa Fe Field, shaking my head at the lack of people at the Paws and Claws charity fundraiser. It looked like a ghost town, except for the vendors twiddling their thumbs at their booths. The only noise was coming from the little league practice on the baseball field next to us.

At least the charity would survive, even though they would take a huge hit from the loss of donations. This was typically their biggest fundraising event of the year. Then there were the dogs and cats that were supposed to be adopted today. Luckily, there were listings online for them, so most likely they would still get adopted, hopefully, although the process would be slower than an in-person event.

I wasn’t too worried about the several hundred dog treats that were not going to be sold. I could always donate those to the animal shelter.

As for me and Rocco, our relationship was the one thing that couldn’t be salvaged.

It was over.

It was broken.

Just like my heart.

I replayed that scene in his office over and over again in my mind, wondering if I should have said or done something differently. When I told him I was leaving, that I was quitting, I had wanted him to grab my arm and stop me. I had wanted him to tell me how much he loved me and how he would do whatever it took to make things right.

Instead, he let me walk right out the door.

He never even responded to the card and polo shirt I had left for him.

I should have seen our breakup coming a mile away.

We are two completely different people living in two completely different worlds.

Why had I even thought it was possible to merge them seamlessly?

Still, I couldn’t help thinking about the many things he’d done that surprised me. The million-dollar checks he’d donated to charity. The toys he’d been saving up all year long to give to Toys for Tots during Christmastime. Starting a bowling night with Douglas after he’d lost his wife, just to keep the man company.

Rocco was a kind and generous man with a big heart.

A heart he didn’t want to share with me.

I mentally kicked myself for thinking about it again.

Faith Hill’s song “Let Me Let Go” kept playing in my head.

Focus on something positive.

“Hey, check out that group of people over there,” said the veterinarian in the booth next to me, pointing toward the far end of the parking lot. “Looks like they’re headed this way.”

I watched with interest, hoping and praying that they were.

We needed a lucky break to turn things around.

There must have been fifteen people, maybe twenty.

“Yes! They’re coming this way!” said the woman selling leashes and harnesses across from me. “And look behind them. There are even more.” She clapped her hands as a bright smile lit her face.

I glanced over again and shielded my eyes from the sun, trying to get a better look. Sure enough, throngs of people were walking toward us.

They kept coming and coming and coming.