Page 2 of Guardian

I glance away, then back again with a smile. This might be the first genuine smile I’ve had with a man in years. “Yeah, but the real question is… can you get him to listen to my feelings?”

The man laughs, tucks his hand into his pocket, and pulls out a business card, handing it toward me. “I’m Boone. You can call that number day or night. I don’t sleep much these days.”

I can’t tell if the comment is an invitation for a conversation on feelings or if he’s trying to sell me his dog training services. Either way, I might call him.

No,I won’t call him. Why would I call him? There’s no reason to call him. I can train my own dog, and I’m not so desperate for attention that I need to hang around some dude who’s pretending to be nice to sell me something.

“Thank you,” I say, tucking the card back into my pocket. “If things get any worse, we’ll definitely give you a call.”

I guess I didn’t have to say definitely, but I did, and now this is over, so I can go on with my day. I purse my lips as I shuffle forward, thinking about the busy day of nothingness I have planned. Gary wasn’t good for me anymore, but life is a hell of a lot lonelier now.

I grip Rocky’s leash tighter and step around the giant, who looks bigger and bigger the closer I get.

I’ve barely passed him when his hand reaches my wrist and grips it tight.Oh… this is how my story is going to end. Murdered by a sexy devil, in the place I feel the safest, while the dog I got for protection licks him to death.Makes complete sense.

I should really run, kick, or scream. Anything but stand here as the gods controlling my life scream Yahtzee, but I can’t move. I’m stuck searching his steely gray eyes for a reason.

“There’s a man at the base of the trail looking for a woman that fits your description.” He clears his throat. “I didn’t want to scare you, but I don’t think it’s safe if you leave alone.” He loosens his grip on my wrist. “Shorter guy. Round, dark hair, beard, angry looking.”

My throat closes, and though I’m trying to speak, words aren’t coming out.

“Does that man sound familiar?”

I nod. “Sounds like my ex, but no one knows I come up here.”

“Is he violent?”

“What?” I narrow my gaze and back away from the man slowly. “I don’t even know you. How do I know you’re not full of shit?”

“Come down the trail and find out.” He steps forward out of the tree line, and though I don’t want to follow him, there’s only one way down. Besides, just past the footbridge, there’ll be plenty of people to keep him honest.

Trouble is, I’m barely past the footbridge when I see my ex wandering up the path. I swear the man has never set foot on a trail in his life. He’s wearing sneakers, a pair of gym shorts, and an oversized tee. Surprisingly, his twenty-two-year-old girlfriend isn’t with him. Must be my lucky day.

A heavy breeze blows the scent of pine straight up my nostrils. I swear it’s the universe’s way of centering me.

“Gary? What are you doing here?”

He glances up at the giant man to my left, then toward me. “Could we talk alone for a bit?”

“About what?” Our divorce was finally settled three months ago. Before that, we spent another three more arguing. I can’t imagine what the hell we’d have to say to each other. We have no children, and our property disputes are settled.

He scratches the side of his face and leans into my ear, the scent of cheap beer on his breath as he says, “I want to talk about you and I, maybe… getting back together.”

I pull my head back and widen my gaze. “Not a chance.”

“Dee,” he sighs, hand on my shoulder, “just hear me out. Let’s go get coffee or go for a walk.”

We were married for fifteen years. Fifteen years I tried explaining my thoughts and emotions to this man. Fifteen years, and today, after we’re divorced, he wants to talk about how to make this work?

“Leave me alone, Gary. I mean it.” My tone is curt, and though the dog I adopted for protection is cozied up to Boone for more scratches, he does growl under his breath at Gary.

Okay, clearly we have the same taste in men. That’s a positive.

“Leave you alone?” Gary snaps. “You’ve been alone for six months. We need to talk this out.”

I’m tempted to ask what happened to his girlfriend, but I don’t want to know.

“She asked you to leave,” Boone says as he steps forward, his tone low and steady.

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