Page 107 of Make Me Trust Again
Chase:
Yeah. Just work.
You good with that?
A bubble pops up in the text thread, only to disappear, before it starts again.
Rose:
Okay.
I glance at Kyle. “Let’s go.”
“Where?” he asks, his eyes narrowing.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” I lift my brow. “So are you coming or what?”
Kyle huffs out, “Fine, I guess I’ll come.”
“Smartass,” I mutter as he slowly pushes to his feet. “Let’s go, Shadow.”
I make my way to the barn and pull open the back door. Shadow is the first one to jump inside. Seriously, this dog. Today, she doesn’t even insist on sitting up front like she usually does.
Shaking my head, I turn to Kyle, whose gaze is fixed on the seat. “You don’t have a booster seat. Mom’s car has my booster seat.”
“I don’t really drive kids around.” I eye him carefully, trying to figure out if this will be an issue, but he seems tall for his age. Just then, my phone vibrates with another text.
Rose:
I left Kyle’s booster seat back at the cottage just in case you need it.
Of course she did.
Chase:
Okay.
“Wait here, I’m going to grab it.”
I quickly make my way to the cottage, and sure enough, there is something that looks like a booster seat on the swing. I take it and make my way back, where it takes me a few minutes to install it so Kyle can buckle in. Shadow lets out a low huff the moment I sit in the truck, so I lower down her window.
“Why did you—” Kyle starts to protest, but then he sees Shadow, and for the first time today, I can see him crack a smile when he spots her head leaning out the window, her tongue lolling out.
Slowly making my way down the gravel road, I get onto the paved street. The drive to the shelter doesn’t take too long, and the bright-yellow house comes into view. Maisie claims the color looks more welcoming, whatever the fuck that means.
There are a few unfamiliar cars parked around as I pull my truck next to the shiny old Camaro. A knot forms in my throat, but I push it down as I kill the engine and get out.
“What is this place?” Kyle asks as he slips out of my truck, Shadow right behind him.
“An animal shelter.”
Kyle’s eyes widen, his mouth falling open in surprise. “Really?”
This time, a real smile starts to spread over his lips, and a weight that I haven’t even realized has been pressing on my chest lifts. I don’t like seeing him down like he’s been today. A kid shouldn’t be sad, shouldn’t know what disappointment is, not like he does. It’s not fair.
“Can I get a dog?”
Shit.
