They strolled, linked, while Sorcha reacquainted herself with the scents of the neighborhood.
Suddenly, Blake asked, “Did Signe like dogs?”
“Aye,” he answered. “We had a prenup. Dad insisted and thank fuck he did. Still would have paid the woman more to be rid of her. I had a beardie when I met her. We adopted a border collie together. Since she didnae have anything to fight about because she signed on to what she’d get if we didnae work, she went after custody of the dogs.”
Blake stopped dead, and with wooden movements, turned to look up at him.
“She…what?” Before he could respond, she demanded, “Both of them?”
“Aye. But she didnae win, babe,” he assured. “It just drug shite out and cost more money than it should.” He grinned playfully at her. “Though, in my next prenup, I’ll be sure to mention pets and the fact I’ll be keeping them.”
Blake didn’t respond to that. She noticed Sorcha was keen to get moving so she started them walking again.
She did this as she sniped, “What a bitch. I mean, I could see she’d not want to lose the dog you adopted together, or the one she’d grown to love while being with you, but by then I expect they were bonded?”
“They were,” he confirmed.
“Ugh,” she grunted. “The best way to ascertain you’ll be able to see your animals is to not be a total bitch during a breakup.”
“Very true.”
“Are they…have they passed?” she asked carefully.
“Aye. Nessie, my beardie, died a few years after the divorce. Effie held on a long time. She only died a few years ago.”
“I’m sorry, Dair.”
He loved that she knew to say that even if years had passed since they’d been gone. He still missed them.
He gave her a squeeze. “Since it’s obvious ye like them, why dinnae ye have a pet?”
“I can barely take care of me. How am I going to look after an animal?”
Bloody hell.
Here they were again.
“The correct answer to that, lass, is you’re so busy taking care of other people, ye dinnae have time to add a pet to that.”
“Well…yes,” she mumbled. “I suppose I have gotten to that point. Though, now I’m in Prescott a lot, and I’m of a mind that dragging your pet everywhere you go causes anxiety to that pet. I can see you wanting your animal with you wherever you are. But they might not feel all that comfortable in a plane or a market or Bergdorf’s.” She looked up at him. “What do you do with Sorcha when you’re not here?”
“Davi takes her. If she’s not around, I’ve got a couple of mates who like having her with them.”
“Oh.” She turned to face where they were going. “That’s nice.”
They took a corner and Sorcha stopped to sniff a loo option.
“Do you see her?”
“Davi? Aye. And ye will too. I’m thinking drinks and dinner Tuesday night. We’ll give Mum a day to settle in and head out there Thursday. Davi will probably be there too.”
“I mean Signe.”
Ah.
“No, Blake. Last I heard she moved back to Denmark. Saw her a few times after the divorce. But now it’s been years.”
She nodded and looked to Sorcha, but since she was doing her business, she looked across the street.
