Page 88 of Bronco

I stop to grab the pizzas and a tub of ice cream from the parlor next door, telling Titan none of this is for him when I climb back in my truck. Of course, he thinks everything that smells good is for him.

Rolling up at Amber’s place just after six, I put Titan on his leash and tell him again about being a good boy. “We wanna make a good impression, and you lickin’ Olive to death won’t be cool.” He looks up at me and I pet him on the head. “Who’s a good boy?”

He yawns again, but it sounds like a howl. He clearly had a hard day sleeping on his giant bean bag the last ten hours since I left for work this morning.

I ring the bell, waiting out front as I hear footsteps moving toward the door, then Amber appears. “Hey!”

“Hey.”

Then she sees Titan and bends down to pet him. “Titan! Oh, you look so handsome! Yes you do, yes you do!”

Of course, my dog laps it up and I feel a little jealous she’s not scruffing me under the chin and calling me handsome.

“How was your day?” I ask as she stands again, taking the pizza box and ice cream out of my hands.

“Good, I haven’t heard from Star yet, but I spent the entire afternoon doing inventory for the clubhouse and the Whiskey Shack to take my mind off things.”

I give her a sympathetic smile. “Try not to worry.”

“I should also say something to Cash if Rock and Jett may be involved.”

“That might be a good idea, just so he’s aware. I can go with you if you like, best to be above board.

“Thanks, Bronc.” She squeezes my forearm and I feel it all the way down to my toes. “I really thought you were gonna say you already told him.”

I hold a hand over my heart. “Said I wouldn’t, and it wasn’t my call. Not club business in the sense we’re involved or anyone’s in danger, so it wasn’t somethin’ he needed to know, but things are usually best out in the open.”

“I agree.”

I glance over Amber’s shoulder to find Olive looking over at us curiously. “Hey, Olive,” I call out. “I brought my buddy here to meet you, he wanted to say hi.”

Amber smiles as she moves aside to let us in. Holding Titan’s leash, I walk towards her up the hall as her eyes dip to my dog. Her eyebrows shoot up a little, but then her smile spreads across her face.

“Hi, Bronco, is this Titan?”

“Yep, in all his glory.”

Titan sniffs her feet, then I tell him to sit — which he does — and waits for my next command.

“He’s really big.”

“He is, but he’s a big softie, too. He loves belly rubs, stealing food off my plate, and takin’ up all the room on the couch.”

She giggles again. “Can I pet him?”

“Of course.”

She reaches toward him tentatively and Titan sniffs her hand.

“Good boy,” I tell him.

He tilts his head, his tongue shooting out to lick her hand and she squeals. “He’s really cool!”

“I think he likes you.”

“Really?”

Just as I nod, Titan rubs his head against her hand, encouraging her for more pets. “I think you made a friend for life.”

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