Austin nodded, thinking that was better than nothing. With Coco’s bed and his bowls back in place, Austin hoped the dog would choose him. “Yeah, sure. I think that’s a great solution. Thanks for giving me a chance.”
“Sure.” I nodded, but I couldn’t exactly smile. This visit was breaking my heart. How could I give up the dog who’d saved my life? Who’d become so important to me? What would I tell my kids? I glanced at Coco. He seemed content, but that didn’t mean he’d stay, right?
The sound of a car door shutting drew both of us to the living room. Misti stood uncertainly beside the car before stepping toward the house. I went outside onto the porch while Austin hung back, awash with sudden nerves.
Misti waved and smiled. She’d wanted this first meeting to be without her husband and daughter, but she was grateful I was there to break the ice. As she stepped toward the house, Austin came out on the porch. Catching sight of him, she stopped.
“Macie?”
Hearing Austin use her real name triggered something inside of her. A flash of a dark head on a swing danced in her mind, and she knew it was him. Her brother. All those years ago, and it was still there in her memory. “Aussie?”
With tears in her eyes, she stepped toward him, and he met her in a tight embrace. Coco came to the door to see what was going on, and I let him out. He ran to them and barked, jumping up with excitement.
“Hey Coco,” Misti said, patting his head.
Coco barked and ran around them a couple of times. Laughing, they hugged again. With their arms around each other’s waists, they came to the porch where I stood. I let Coco inside, and Misti gave me a hug. “Thanks for being here, Shelby.”
“Of course. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing pretty good actually. I feel so free, and I’m a lot happier now.” She was thinking that she hadn’t seen Carolyn since she’d been arrested, and she’d probably never see her again.
“That’s great.”
I followed them into the living room, and Misti took in the furnishings. Her gaze landed on a picture that hung on the wall, and her breath caught. She rushed forward to examine the family photo of her parents with her and Austin sitting on their laps.
As tears ran down her face, Austin came to her side and put his arm over her shoulder.
“There’s so much that I missed… it’s breaking my heart. I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“We both missed a lot,” Austin said. “But you’re here now. We can start over.” She sniffed and nodded. “I don’t know what to call you. You’ve always been Macie to me, so I might mess up.”
“It’s okay, as long as I can call you Aussie once in a while.”
He chuckled. “You want something to drink? I’ve got coffee, tea, soda, juice, or beer. I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a lot of different things.”
“Uh… I don’t know… how about juice?”
“You want something, Shelby?”
“No… I’m fine, thanks.”
He rushed into the kitchen, and Misti turned to me. “This might sound crazy, but, being here… it feels like home.”
Austin came back with a can of juice for her. “Here you go. I hope you like peach.”
“Oh my gosh… it’s my favorite.”
“Mine too.” Joy brightened Austin’s smile, and I knew he’d be just fine.
That was my cue to leave, even though it was killing me. “I think it’s time for me to go. Is that all right? You guys okay here?”
“Yes. Of course,” Misti said.
“Thanks so much.” Austin gave me a quick hug, meaning it with all his heart.
I glanced into the kitchen. Coco lay curled up in his bed, just like he belonged there. I swallowed and turned toward the door. “All right. Let’s keep in touch.”
“You can count on it,” Austin said.
I hurried out the door, blinking back the tears that blinded me. My mind knew it was right that Coco belonged with Austin, but my heart didn’t agree. Mack would have wanted Austin to take Coco… and Coco would be fine there in his own house. Austin would take good care of him. He’d probably even join the search-and-rescue team in honor of his dad.
How could I stand in the way of that? Still, leaving Coco behind hurt more than I’d imagined, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from calling him to my side. Somehow, I managed to keep walking all the way to the corner of the street before I stopped.
I took one last look back at the house. A part of me had hoped Coco would notice that I wasn’t there and come after me. Or at least bark to be let out. But all I got was silence. After waiting several seconds, I turned away and began the long walk home.
The tears came fast, practically blinding me. I had to keep wiping my eyes so I could see where I was going. I realized that I still held Coco’s leash in my hand, but there was no way I could take it back to Austin. I turned another corner and started down the next street.
A car passed, and I ducked my head, turning slightly away, so they wouldn’t see me crying and wonder what was wrong. I shook my head and tried to calm down. It was just a dog. It wasn’t like someone had died. I could get through this. I’d been through a lot worse.
As much as I’d hoped that would help, it didn’t make a dent. No matter what I’d been through… this was still hard. I stopped to pull a tissue out of my pocket and blew my nose. I stuffed the tissue away and tried to calm down. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I closed my eyes and pushed the tears away.
A bark sounded behind me. My breath caught, and I whipped around. A flash of black and tan darted toward me. He’d come. As he bounded my way, I knelt on one knee to catch him in my arms. He licked my face and whined. His woof caught me off guard. Why you leave?
“I’m sorry, but I thought you wanted to stay with Austin.”
Stay you. You mine.
“You’re mine too.” Tears ran down my face, but this time they were happy tears. “I promise I’ll never leave you again.”
Don’t cry. I here. I here.
“I know. I’m so glad you came.”
You mine.
“Yes.” My phone rang, and I dug it out of my pocket. “Hello?”
“Shelby, it’s Austin. Is Coco with you? He just ran off, and I couldn’t stop him.”
“Yeah. I’ve got him. He’s with me.”
He sighed. “Okay… good. I guess that means he picked you.”
“Yes. I think it does.”
“Take good care of him.”
“I will.”
I tucked my phone away and gave Coco another rub and kiss on the nose. In the excitement, I’d dropped his leash, so I leaned down to pick it up and fastened it to his collar. “You ready to go home?”
Home. You.
“That’s right.”
Yup.
I wiped my eyes, and we started off, Coco beside me and my heart full. He’d chosen me, and I’d promised to take care of him. Of course, he’d helped me more than I could say in the short time he'd been in my life, and I vowed that, no matter what the future held, we’d face it together.
The last few weeks had challenged me, but a lot of good had happened as well. A ghost had helped me put a killer away. Misti and Austin had been reunited. A psychic was out of my hair, and, best of all, I didn’t have to worry about being Uncle Joey’s successor. There was plenty of work to do, but I had a great family, a faithful dog, and special friends to depend on.
Sure, I got into some crazy stuff that I couldn’t always explain, but that’s what made life interesting. Maybe that’s what Bob Spicer meant when he talked about keeping a barf journal.
I’d learned that it’s important to acknowledge that a lot of things are upsetting and out of my control, but it’s just as important to let them go, so they can't hurt me anymore.
I’d also learned that it’s equally essential to focus on the positive side of things. So… even after everything I’d gone through lately, I needed to remember that I had a good life. Full of ups and d
owns, scary earthquakes, and wet doggy kisses. But in the end, my life was awesome, and from now on, I’d do my best to appreciate every last minute of it.
Thank you for reading Dying Wishes: A Shelby Nichols Adventure. I am currently hard at work on Shelby’s next adventure and promise to do my best for another thrilling ride!
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As the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is her alter-ego. “Definitely,” she says. “Shelby is the epitome of everything I wish I dared to be.” Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. “I love getting Shelby into trouble… I just don’t always know how to get her out of it!” Besides writing, she loves a good book, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.
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Dying Wishes: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Shelby Nichols Adventure Book 14) Page 29
