Chapter 6
Rowan
“So, are dogs born knowinghow to fetch or what?”
I smile when Dog responds by yapping and then trying to jump from the back seat of the car to the front. She misses, flails around, and drops to the floor.
Chuckling, I reach around to scoop her up. Her energetic antics have become endearing.
“You and I got off to a rough start, but we’re friends now, aren’t we? I admit, you’re the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten in all my thirty-nine years.”
My car is filled with puppy howls. The way she barks on cue makes me think she actually understands what I say. I snort my amusement at my new habit of having entire conversations with my pet.
“Alright, let’s get you ready to... do what dogs do.” Her little body squirms in my hold as I slip her new leash onto the harness.
We made a run to the pet store before coming to the park. She’s got a bunch of stuff— plenty of which she probably doesn’t need, but I’ve been known to go overboard. Like I’ve done with Grace.
“Not thinking about her. Not thinking about her,” I chant while I get Dog ready to play her little heart out. Looking down at her, I sigh. “Okay. Matt was right. Let’s get you a real name. It’s time.”
Holding her up so we’re face to face, I stare into chocolate-brown eyes. “Let’s see. What’s a good name for you, girl? You’re going to be spending a lot of time at fire stations, so I should stay on theme.”
The puppy just stares at me.
“We want something cool like... Blaze, Torch, Fire... Cinder?”
She whines.
“You don’t like those. That’s fine.” I rack my brain for more fire-related names. “Hoser...” I wince. “God, no. That’s terrible. Smokey... Sparky... Ember...”
She starts wiggling again and licks my hand. “Huh, you like that one. Ember. I like it, too.”
Opening the door, I step outside. With Ember tucked under my arm, I walk toward the expanse of lawn where kids are playing, adults are chatting, and dogs are galloping, barely restrained by leashes.
I look around, still a little shocked that I’m at the park. My days off are usually spent entertaining human women in erotic ways. This is quite the change.
With a wry smile, I glance at Ember. “I’m fine with this. At least you’ll always be loyal to me.” I pat her head. “Right, girl?”
I put her down and watch her spin in circles, trying to bite the leash. It’s her first time being restrained, so I guess she needs a moment to figure things out. Once she catches on, we’re off, moving quickly across the lawn. Her head swings every which way, taking everything in.
Slipping my phone out of my pocket, I call Melanie. She’ll get a real kick out of this.
“Row, hey!”
Her warm greeting makes me smile. Before I met Grace, Mel was the only one who made me smile like this. She’s ten years younger than me and I love the kid to death. My mother married her father when I was thirteen.
Her old man is Satan incarnate but when I met Mel, she was an innocent three-year-old. I had no choice but to love and protect her—since her father failed miserably in that department. We’ve always been close.
“Hi. Guess where I am.”
She gasps. “Ew. Row, I do not want to hear about your sexcapades and I will not help you get out of your latest conquest’s clutches this time.”
“What? Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re a man-trollop, Row.”
I scoff, but she tells no lie. “I’m at the park, Mel. With my pet.”
“Oh.”
I look skyward.
“Your pet, huh? So, she’s moved beyond being just Dog?”
I grin. “Don’t be an asshole.”
“Never. That’s your job,” she says sweetly. “Okay, just say it.”
“You were right,” I grumble.
“What? I didn’t get that. A little louder, please.”