More silence. Just as Brody decided that Diego had hung up on him, Diego’s voice answered. “Sure. I'll see what I can do. Want me to give him your number or—”
“We can come up and meet him,” Brody interrupted. “I think an in-person meeting would be better for this, if we're asking for money and support.”
“Okay. I'll talk to Chance.”
Brody let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much. This means the world to us, and I promise, if we get this grant, a lot of lives will change for the better.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Talk to you soon.”
The call ended, and Brody exhaled as he carefully placed his cell phone back in its spot on the table. He knew that this conversation was necessary, but it had left him feeling drained.
“Are you okay?” Aaron's voice broke through his thoughts. Brody looked up to see his friend watching him with concern.
“I'm fine,” But the truth was he was anything but. Diego had been a major part of his life once, but that was a long time ago. They were different people now. And yet...
“Brody.” Aaron’s voice softened. “I know you. Something's bothering you.”
Brody fidgeted with his phone, unsure of what to say. “It's just...” he began but trailed off.
“It's just what?” Aaron asked.
Brody took a deep breath. “It's just that seeing Diego again... it brought back a lot of old memories.”
Aaron's brow furrowed. “Good memories or bad?”
Brody hesitated. “Both, I guess,” he said with a shrug. “But that doesn't matter. What matters is the rescue. We need this grant.”
Aaron grinned. “That kind of money really would change everything. We could get more dogs, more staff, better equipment. And I agree, meeting in person is the way to go. I want to show them that we’re serious about what we do, and how much this means to us.” Aaron reached out to Brody and touched his arm. “But you look… unsettled. Any of those old feelings still there for Diego?”
Brody couldn’t meet Aaron’s eyes as he fidgeted with his cell phone. He’d shared a little information with Aaron that morning before he made the call. “No. No, that was a long time ago and we were just kids. We’ve both grown into two different men. What’s most important is making a good impression to this guy and creating a stellar presentation for this meeting. It’s all about the rescue.”
Aaron shook his head. “The rescue’s important, but so are your feelings. I don’t want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
Brody disagreed. “We need this grant, Aaron. My hurt feelings are the last thing we should worry ‘bout right now. This is business.”
Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve known you for a few years now, Staff Sergeant, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you this spooked. If you don’t want to go, I could make the presentation by myself.”
“I need to be there.” Brody rested his head on his hands, elbows on the table. “And I promise—I’m okay.” But that wasn’t quite the truth. Brody couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest. He knew he needed to focus on the task at hand, but the memory of Diego lingered in his mind like a ghost. Brody recalled Diego’s hands, his tender kisses, their small but special moments together like it was only yesterday.
Coming face to face with him again after so long had been a surprise; almost like being thrown into a dream. But even still, if they could secure the grant money, then it would be worth what they’d gone through. Brody knew that this was their best chance to take their organization to the next level.
As he and Aaron began to make plans for their meeting with Chance Edwards, Brody couldn't help but wonder what the future held. Would seeing Diego again be the key to securing the grant they so desperately needed? Or would it open a door to a past that Brody thought he had left behind?
Only time would tell.
Chapter Eight
Dianagrowledinfrustrationas she tried to untangle a giant ball of Christmas lights. Diego watched her, unable to help but smile at her adorable scowl. Her hands were full of the tangled mess, and she looked like she was about to throw them across the room.
“You don’t have to do this,” she said with a deep sigh. “They don’t need you at that meeting.”
Diego didn’t have many family traditions, but for the last few years, he’d gone over to Diana’s house the morning after Thanksgiving and helped her decorate her small Christmas tree as they watched the Macy’s parade on her television. Silly as it sounded, he’d grown to look forward to this special tradition they had—a comforting reminder of their closeness.
But the festive mood had soured early when Diego told her about that afternoon’s meeting with Chance and Brody. “I know,” he replied, just like he’d done the first three times she’d reminded him of that statement. He took the string of lights from her and began to untangle them. No, Diego certainly didn’t have to help Brody. Anyone familiar with the story would certainly agree that Brody’s request was an innocent one, but Diego could be forgiven for respectfully declining to help.
Not that Diego would refuse this request. “I’m not doing anything special here. This is just a favor to help—” Now that was the question. Who was he helping? An old friend? His first love? The man who he still remembered as the love of his life? No. This was about the dogs. “This is just my good deed for the month,” Diego told his sister, but she didn’t laugh as he’d hoped she would. “Trust me. I’ll be fine.”
She shook her head, dark curls spilling over her shoulders. “You told Chance about their group and vouched for them, even without having seen their rescue firsthand. And you set up their meeting today. You’ve more than done your good deed, Diego. That’s enough.” She reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly. “Let them take it from here.”
