Pierce My Heart (Women of Willowbrook Book 1) (14 page)

Score on all that because even
I’m
not that good at listening to those commands—no way I can teach it.

Not that I go potty outside or anything. I just have issues with remembering to schedule checkups, exercise regularly, and listen when my mom tells me to sit or be quiet.

I get to the last paper and wouldn’t you know, it’s a detailed list explaining all the things
not
to give dogs.

I look at Juliet and decide to do a test run.

“Sit.”

She plops her booty down.

“Lay down.”

There goes the rest of her body.

“Stay,” I tell her, backing out of the room like I’m sleuth spy.

She stays.

“Off.”

That gets me nothing, just another head tilt. I roll my eyes at myself, realizing there’s nothing to get off of.

“Well at least that’s taken care of,” I mutter.

Catching the time on the microwave over my oven, I realize I need to get my butt in gear if I want to be early, or, at least on time.

Hair done in my usual fashion of blow out with flips, easy makeup, and light silver donned, I check the weather before deciding what to wear.

Being that it’s early November, the high for the day isn’t so high. Keeping in mind that it hasn’t been reaching the highs lately, I choose a pair of lightly faded and flared jeans to go with a black tank and my gray, three quarter sleeve cardigan that hangs past my hips. Usually I grab flip flops, but my toes will be freezing, so I opt for my white Converse that have little silver starbursts all over them.

Between my abundance of Converse, flip flops, wedges, and boots I haven't seen the bottom of my closet floor since I moved in. Thinking about it, I find I don't care much since I’ll probably be adding to my boots this fall.

Heading out, I see Juliet sprawled on the hallway floor and stop.

I’m at a loss.

What am I supposed to do with her?

I have no idea if she’ll be alright home alone, if I should leave her inside, out back (though I nix that thought real quick), take her to Mom and Dad’s, or bring her with.

Thanks to all the commercials I’d seen in the past, I knew Petco was a pet friendly place, but I’m hesitant. I don’t know how she’ll handle a public place since I’m not that familiar with her behavior, but, I also have no clue how she’ll handle an unfamiliar place alone.

Watching her watch me, I make a choice and go in search of my purse and her leash.

We have some shopping to do.

Dog Park

We’re making our third trip up the collar and leash aisle (there are some really cute ones and I keep switching them out) when I hear
Comin’ In Hot
by Hollywood Undead blaring.

Who the hell had been messing with my phone?

“Crimeny,” I mutter to myself.

Scrambling, I don't bother to see who’s calling when I get my hand around it and bring it up to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Shit, Anna, I’m so, so, so, so sorry.”

I scrunch my face in confusion.

“Maddy? Why are you apologizing?”

“One of the parents I watch for had an emergency at work. She couldn’t get her mom to watch her two boys so she called me and offered to double my rate for the day. Even if she hadn’t offered double, she was in such a tizzy there was no way I could say no. I’m
so
sorry to call last minute, but I can’t make it today.”

“It’s okay. She obviously needed the help and it’d be crazy to turn down that kinda cash,” I assure her.   

“It’s not okay, but I’m glad you understand. I’m not sure how long she’ll be, but if she gets done early enough do you want to go then?” she asks.

That’s Maddy for you.

I chuckle and shake my head. “No, girl, it’s fine. We’ll do it another day. No worries.”

She sighs with relief and I can’t help but smile.

“Thank you! Not that I don’t want to go, but her boys can be hellions. It’s going to take half my energy just to get out of ‘day off’ mode. The rest of it will be spent keeping up with them—” A noise cut her off. “That’s the doorbell. They’re here so I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later. Love ya, Anna.”

“Love you, too, Maddy,” I reply.

That’s definitely one Pierce trait Maddy took to surprisingly quickly. Though, it helps that we all love her like she loves us.

I look down at Juliet to see her nose to the ground, sniffing, but when I speak she brings her head up to look at me. “Well, girl, it looks like it’s just the two of us today. Let’s get you some stuff.”

I have to double back to grab a basket, but as we near the end of the aisle Juliet gives a huge yank and starts dragging me down and around the corner only to stop abruptly at another dog who looks similar to her.

“Whoa, girl, what’s the rush?” I ask, looking at the two dogs sniffing one another while their tails whip back-and-forth.

“Anna?”

My head flies up at the sound of my name only to find Jake staring back at me.

“What are you doing here?”

My head turns towards the voice. Grace is standing there with a smile on her face and a leash in her hand.

I swing my arm down at Juliet, my head following the movement, only to make a pit stop on Jake, before going back to Grace. “Just picking some things up for Juliet. My sister-in-law, Maddy, was supposed to meet me down here, but she got caught up with her work.”

Grace’s smile dims a little before turning brighter. “Well, we can help you out. Can’t we, Jake?” she asks, turning her head and giving him a small elbow.

I cough to cover up my laugh.

She’s
so
not subtle.

I give her a smile, but shake my head. “It’s okay, I don’t want to bother you guys.”

“It’s no problem, really, we were just out shopping for Romeo.”

I blink then look down at the dog giving Juliet a lick on her muzzle before looking back up at Grace and ask, “Romeo?”

This gets a laugh from her and a smile from Jake. Even though I’m not looking at him while I say it, it’s like my body recognizes the action and immediately becomes alert.

“Yeah. Romeo came to the shelter when he was a puppy so I named him, but Juliet came a little later already named.” She reaches down giving Romeo’s head a couple pats. “I always thought the two people who adopted them were meant to be, just like the dogs themselves,” she says with a dreamy smile on her face.

The smile I had at the beginning of her story turns awkward.

I have zero issues with anyone who plays for the other team, but I
definitely
don’t. If she’s trying to hint at something, I have no idea how to handle it.

All of a sudden Jake bursts out laughing and I jerk my head his way. He has his head thrown back with a hand on his stomach like he’s trying to contain the laughter.

My awkward face turns confused.

Grace just glares at him.

“What’s so funny?” she snaps.

It takes him a minute but he finally calms down enough to speak.

“You’re talking about how the owners are meant to be. From the look on Anna’s face she thinks your Romeo’s owner,” he explains through his laughter.

It’s Grace’s turn to look confused as her head swivels between the two of us. My face flushes, but Jake just looks like he’s ready to explode.

It’s not
that
funny.

“So?” she draws out.

“She thinks you’re hitting on her, Cece.”

I swoon a little inside at him calling his sister Cece, but focus back on the conversation when I see her eyes go wide with realization and her cheeks turn the same pink as mine.

“Oh! No. Romeo’s not mine, he’s Jake’s. I didn’t mean you and, well, not that I don’t think you’re beautiful or anything, you totally are, and not that I have issues with that. I just mean, I’m not—” she breaks off and takes a breath. “He’s Jake’s.”

I smile at her ramblings.

Glad I’m not the only one who does that when they’re flustered.

I look over at Jake to see he’s finished with his laughing, but still has a grin on his face.

“So, he’s yours.”

“Yup, he’s mine,” he says, grin still firmly in place.

“Cool,” I nod,
lamely
.

He chuckles, rubbing his hand over his jaw and looking down at the dogs. “Yeah, it’s definitely something.”

Okay. No idea what that means.

A silence falls on our group before Grace jumps in again.

“So like I was saying, we were here picking stuff up for Romeo then heading to the dog park—”

I interrupt her.

“Dog park?”

“Yeah, there’s one not too far from the shelter. We were gonna head there as soon as we’re done here. Want to join us?”

“Um…” I pause, looking at Grace’s hopeful face and Jake’s, well, I’m not sure what it is, but it looks like wanting.

“This way I can help you get what you need for Juliet and it’d be good for her to have some animal interaction. Especially since she’s already familiar with Romeo,” Grace points out.

I need the help and she has a point about animal interaction for Juliet.

“I’d like that, thanks,” I tell Grace, but look at Jake.

His grin gets bigger.

I give him a tip of my lips

His grin becomes a smile, eyes and all.

My knees go weak.

Grace starts going on about the pros and cons of everything we pass, so I attempt to focus, listen, and take it all in.

It doesn’t really work.

We shopped, I loaded up on all the stuff I needed for my girl—and stuff she didn’t need but I felt she should have.

We chatted.

We paid.

Then we all went to the dog park.

*              *              *

I sit on the dark wooden bench breathing heavily.

Partly from chasing Juliet, partly from being chased
by
Juliet, but mostly from laughing. Watching Jake and Grace together is hilarious, but they were both funny on their own.

I look over at them and smile.

Grace is nearly bent double, laughing her head off at Jake who’s on his back in the grass with both dogs attacking him with ‘kisses’, also laughing. And doing an insanely bad job of fending them off.

I laugh to myself before turning my head to take in the view.

The dog park had been right behind the shelter—well, like five hundred feet behind it. I don’t know how I missed it the first time, but when I think back I realize how; he’s currently getting covered in dog kisses.

The park itself is a well-manicured field of grass—and I do mean field. There’s a six-foot iron fence surrounding it, benches placed randomly throughout it, a couple water fountains on each side, and a bathroom on either end. There isn’t much in way of buildings around the area, a couple houses here and there, but directly across from the park is just a sea of green that gives the perfect backdrop for a sunset.

Unfortunately, it’s too early for that.

It’s simple, but it gives plenty of space for the dogs to run around or play a game of fetch. My backyard is decent in size, but I figure I’ll be bringing Juliet here occasionally. Especially since Grace said she’s always bringing a handful of the dogs from the shelter once or twice a week.

I was thinking that, when I hear someone drop down next to me. I think it’s Grace until I feel a strong hand slide behind me, skim my back, and settle on the bench on the other side of me.

I shiver from the light touch and turn my head to look at Jake.

He’s looking off in the direction I’d been but his gaze shifts when he feels mine.

I bring my hand up, his eyes following until I swipe gently at his cheek.

“Slobber,” I explain.

“Thanks.”

Silence.

I tuck a wayward strand of hair behind my ear, avoiding his eyes that are still on me.

More silence.

My eyes start darting around the field while I fidget.

When even more silence follows, I start to get flustered.

I feel his shaking before I see it.

He’s laughing.

Again.

I give him a look.

“What?”

“Sweetheart, relax. I’m not gonna bite you,” he assures me, the amusement clear in his voice.

Ugh.

“I know that,” I mutter, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

“Then take a breath and relax your spine. You get any stiffer you’re gonna break in half,” he tells me.

My body chooses that moment to complain at the uncharacteristic posture.

Crap.

“I’m relaxed,” I argue.

“You’re not,” he challenges.

“I
am
.”

“Not,” he repeats, still freaking amused.

“Well I would be if you stopped staring at me all…starey!” I snap.

Starey? Seriously?

I get an outright laugh from him this time.

“Would you stop laughing at me?”

“Stop being cute.”

“I am
not
being cute.”

“Babe,” is all he says, but his voice says it all.

“Well I’m not!”

Yeesh.

“We gonna have an actual conversation or are you gonna keep arguing with me?” he asks, sounding like he couldn’t care either way.

“I’m not arguing with you.”

That gets me a look.

“Whatever,” I mutter. “Fine, what do you want to talk about then?”

He turns his head towards the green before looking back at me. “Why’d you get a dog?”

I blink.

It’s my turn to look away, but I look toward Juliet who’s playing fetch (more like take-the-ball-and-run-away-to-get-chased) with Grace, and smile.

“I really don’t know. At least, I didn’t when I went. I’d been shopping when I saw the flyer in the grocery store and I decided to check it out. I wasn’t sure what I expected when I got there, I didn’t even know if I was going to want one once I’d looked. When I was walking down the hallway, looking at the dogs in their pens, I felt no true urge, but then I came to Juliet and something just felt right…” I trail off, feeling embarrassed and exposed.

My body jolts when I feel his hand soft on my chin, tilting my head back up to look at him.

“What, Annie?”

I blink.

“Annie?” I ask.

His lips tip up, but he ignores my question.

“Why did it feel right?” he pushes, his face soft and curious.

I take a breath before whispering, “I looked in her eyes and saw something I see every day when I look in the mirror.”

“What do you see?” he asks with a voice just as soft as his face.

I hesitate, looking off to the side, unsure of what I’m sharing but
knowing
I want to share it with him.

A gentle squeeze on my chin brings my attention back and I just blurt it out.

“Loneliness.”

He rears back an inch in surprise. “Jesus,” he grinds out.