“If there’s anything I can do…” he continues.
Shaking my head, I take the clippers from Haddy. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Could you try a different one?” Haddy goes to the poster of grooming styles on my wall. “What about this…Bolerostyle?”
“It’s supposed to look like he’s wearing pants, and his legs are completely bare.” My head aches, and I’m trying to recalibrate my thoughts. “It’s okay, I’ll see if there’s something else I can do.”
“I hope you won’t hold it against Ladybird. She’s really a good dog.” Owen holds out his hand, and I look up into his pretty blue eyes.
I manage to give him a reluctant smile. “Nobody deserves to be judged by one mistake.”
“I agree.” He returns my smile, and it feels like a sign, not that I believe in things like that.
I stopped believing in signs and fairy tales and Prince Charming rushing in to save the day when seven dates led to one hot night followed by me being dropped like a hot potato.
The best way to protect my heart is to keep it safe in its doggy cage, and that is exactly what I’m going to do.
2
OWEN
Heather
Have you met her yet?
Owen
Who?
Heather
The lady with the dog.
My stomach twists, and I grind my jaw. My half-sister Heather has always taken after my stepmom Britt’s side of the family more than my dad’s.
She believes she inherited psychic powers from her tarot-reading maternal grandmother Gwen, and before I moved from South Carolina, she had a dream where a woman with a dog was waiting for me in the mist like something out ofWuthering Heights.
Needless to say, I gave that the ole side-eye.
I do not believe in psychic dreams, and I’m certainly not basing a relationship on one.
I guess after my wife died, I adopted my dad’s disdain for mysticism and fairytales. Where was all that magic when she needed it?
Still, I know it’s no use arguing with them. They have an answer for everything.
Owen
Lots of ladies have dogs in LA.
Heather
You’ll know her when you meet her. She’s the one who’ll heal your heart, and who knows? You might heal hers as well!
Owen
I’m not staking my future and Maddie’s on some ghostly dream girl.
Heather
