One thing about the Hounds? We're a family. All of us. And they're always going to look after their family. Which includes me and I'm grateful for that. Some days I struggle to find the value in this club, and what it brings to the table for Cass, and then other days, like today, I see exactly why this is our life.
A wet nose nudges my leg through my blue jeans. I look down at the dog that followed Aaron inside. He's beautiful and huge. He's got these golden, honey brown eyes and his tail is wagging as I pet the top of his head.
"Hey, buddy," I say, patting the top of his head.
"You know ATC would shut this place down if they found that dog in here," Leonora spats from down the bar. She's the resident drunk, sitting on the barstool by noon and leaving by dark, drunker than Cooter Brown. She's been pulled out of ditches so many times that it's a wonder she hasn't killed herself or someone else yet. She's in her eighties, with wrinkles deeper than the holler on her cheeks, and a voice that is so raspy, I'm certain she's smoked seventy-thousand packs of cigarettes in her lifetime.
I sigh and open the door, walking the dog outside. "Sorry, bud. You gotta stay out here," I tell him, giving him one more pet on the head before I go back inside.
Wayne walks over to the door and is looking out the glass window of the door at the dog.
"Lilly, you're not going to believe this. But every time you talk, this dog's tail wags and when you stop talking, his tail stops wagging," Wayne says, staring out the window still.
"Wayne, you're just trying to get me to take that dog home," I wave him off.
"I'm serious. Come see," he says, waving me over.
I sigh and go peer out the window. Kelly and Leonora are talking and the dog's tail isn't wagging. I chime in, and his tail begins wagging back and forth and his ears perk up when they hear my voice.
"I'll be damned. You're right," I tell him.
Aaron is standing around, waiting his turn to look out the window. I step away so he can see for himself and he laughs. "Lilly, you've got to take him home. At least until you find his owners. Look at him, he's well groomed and cared for. His owners have to be missing him."
"If he's still out there when I leave, I'll bring him home, but just until I can find his owners," I tell him.
I return to my seat and take another sip of my drink, contemplating life. I came home to take care of our business, on the promise that Cass would return with me, but now I have no fucking idea what's going on up there. I didn't hardly have any idea of why we were there to begin with, with all the secrets Cass keeps. I get it, sometimes. But, there have been so many secrets. So many instances where I needed more information than I was given.
Aaron sits down beside me, staring at me for a minute before I look over at him.
"What?" I ask, raising my brows.
"Just looking you over to make sure you're as okay as you said you were," he says nonchalantly.
"I'm good. Promise."
He nods and continues to sit beside me quietly. It's getting to be the end of the day, and the after-work crowd has begun piling in through the doors. The dog has run in three times, slipping by people who weren't paying attention when they walked in.Finally, I concede and let him stay, he keeps lying by my feet anyway. He's made himself heavy the last two times I've tried to move him, so I've given up and let him win the battle.
"I'm going to load the dog in my car and head to Linc and Mindy's," I tell Aaron as I rise from my barstool.
"I'll be right behind you," he says, polishing off his beer and setting it on the bar.
"Come on, buddy," I say, calling the dog as I hold the front door open. He comes running toward me and I smile at his enthusiasm. I walk to my car with him on my heels and when I open the passenger door, it's hardly open when he begins nudging his way into the car.
"You like car rides, huh, bud?" I ask, petting him on the head before I walk around and get in the car.
I crack the window for him, and he rides so well all the way to Linc and Mindy's. I did send Mindy a warning text that I was bringing company, so hopefully Linc is unbothered.
"Come on, buddy," I say, opening the car door. He takes off running across the yard, runs a circle, and then comes racing toward the door that I'm holding open for him.
Aaron parks beside my car and I leave the door cracked for him.
"Oh my God, he's so handsome!" Mindy says, petting the dog.
"What's his name?" Linc asks, getting pelted with a wagging tail.
"I've just been calling him buddy. So, I guess we can call him Buddy," I shrug, sitting down on the couch.
Buddy takes that as an invitation and jumps into my lap. All one-hundred pounds of him.
