Wednesday Walks & Wags

by Melissa Storm

  He took his extra-long work hours in stride, soaking up the experience and learning all he could. He’d already begun to prepare his applications to culinary school. One day he would have a restaurant of his own, and even if that day was still very far away, Bridget knew she’d be right there at his side to celebrate.

  Next month would bring Halloween and Bridget’s next big shelter event. With more time to prepare, she was able to dream bigger, reach further. The city council had already agreed to allow a pet parade for that afternoon, and Bridget was having the best time finding costumes to show off each dog’s unique personality. After the parade, they’d host a Tricks and Treats party back at the shelter to drive adoptions and provide a fun, family-friendly alternative to trick-or-treating.

  She was secretly praying for rain, knowing it would bring in even more families to visit the animals, that some would fall in love. Yes, sometimes all it took was looking in the right direction—or inside the right box—for everything to change for the better. Sometimes a little rain had to fall for something new to grow.

  And the something new things kept right on coming for Bridget.

  “Think anyone will show up?” she asked Wesley as they stood together in the courtyard.

  Teddy barked happily in response. Teddy always barked about everything, though.

  “Well?” She bumped her shoulder into Wesley’s.

  “Why so nervous?” he teased while Beau and Snow thumped their tails against the lawn. “You know it’s going to be great.”

  “Do I?”

  “Well, I do.” He gave her a quick peck, and then a much longer, much tastier kiss.

  “My eyes!” Nichole cried, drawing a hand over her face as if she’d been blinded. “Why are there kissing people wherever I look these days?”

  “Oh, stop,” Amy called as she, Trent, and Olivia arrived from the opposite side. They’d also brought Amy’s beagle, Darwin, and Trent’s black Lab, Jet, with them.

  “I kind of feel naked without a dog at my side,” Nichole said with a laugh.

  “If I’d known you were coming, I’d have lent you Baby and Rosco,” Bridget offered with a shrug.

  “How could you not know?” Amy asked. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “It’s not like this is a big shelter event. It’s just the first meeting of the complex’s newly revived walking club. A complex in which none of you live, by the way,” she scolded, although secretly she was happy her friends had turned up to support her yet again.

  Hazel appeared hand in hand with her new husband, Keith. “Yeah, but with you planning it, Wednesday Walks and Wags is sure to be the best walking club Alaska’s ever seen.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Trent said, raising a metal water bottle toward Bridget before taking a giant swig.

  “That better be water in there!” she cried.

  “Hello. Is this the new walking club?” a woman asked as she shyly approached the large group of friends. She seemed familiar, although Bridget couldn’t quite place her.

  Bridget rushed forward to greet her. “Yes, welcome!”

  “Bridget? I had no idea you’d be leading it. Cool.”

  That’s when she remembered. “Hey, Wesley. I’d like you to meet Hailey, the new tenant in your old apartment.”

  They exchanged hellos as a few more neighbors arrived to join the club, some with dogs, some without, all smiling and happy to be there.

  As Bridget surveyed the growing crowd in that courtyard, she thought back to the day she’d first moved in to this complex several months back. She’d had no clue what lay ahead.

  That was the thing about moving.

  You packed up your life into a series of boxes and prayed they would fit in well where you were going next.

  Sometimes the pieces fit perfectly, but sometimes you needed new pieces—and that was totally okay.

  “Are we ready?” Wesley asked, reaching for her hand. She’d asked him to lead their first walk together, and he’d easily settled into the role of coleader.

  She laced her fingers through his. “Ready.”

  And she was. Ready to walk, ready to make new friends, ready for whatever came next.

  Even though their relationship was still new and even though the sun still hung high in the early evening sky, Bridget felt as if she were walking into the beautiful sunset of her happily ever after.

  Life wasn’t just what you made of it.

  It was who you let inside to share it with you.

  And Bridget had the best friends in the entire world.

  Recipes

  Amy’s Gingerbread Treats for Dogs & Their Humans

  Ingredients

  3 cups flour

  2 Tablespoons chopped ginger

  ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

  ½ teaspoon whole cloves

  1 cup water

  ¼ cup canola oil

  ¾ cup molasses

  2 Tablespoons honey

  Directions

  Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, then add the water, oil, molasses, and honey to the bowl and stir. Continue to stir until the batter is thick but pliable. If needed, add flour to thicken or water to thin.

  Transfer the dough to a cutting board and use cookie cutters to create cute shapes. I recommend creating gingerbread men, women, and canines!

  Place the shapes on a greased baking sheet and bake them for 20 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and flip the cookies, then return them to the oven for 20 minutes.

  Now you just have to wait for them to cool, decorate for the humans, leave plain for the dogs (or add a nice, tasty coating of peanut butter), and enjoy!

  Wesley’s (Not Bridget’s) Aloo Matar

  Ingredients

  2 Tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)

  Coriander, to taste

  Cumin seeds, to taste

  1 large white or yellow onion, chopped

  2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

  1-2 chopped fresh green chilis

  2 teaspoons grated ginger

  Ground mustard seed, to taste

  Garam masala, to taste

  Turmeric, to taste

  Red chili powder, to taste

  Salt, to taste

  3 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped

  2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed

  ½ cup freshly shelled peas

  2 cups water

  Whole-wheat pita bread (optional)

  Basmati rice (optional)

  Fresh cilantro (optional)

  Directions

  Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add the clarified butter. After the butter melts, add the coriander and cumin seeds followed by the onion, garlic, green chili, and ginger. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onion begins to brown. Mix in the ground mustard seed, garam masala, turmeric, and red chili powder to taste. Red chili and garam masala will make your dish spicy, so use sparingly unless you like it hot. Don’t forget to add the salt!

  Stir until the spices are blended into the mix. Add the tomatoes and cook down to a thick stew-like consistency. Add the potatoes, peas, and water. Stir again.

  Cover the pan with a lid until enough water evaporates to leave the desired thickness for your curry. Test a potato piece with a knife to ensure that the potatoes are tender.

  Let the curry sit for at least fifteen minutes before serving with whole-wheat pita bread, basmati rice, or both. Consider adding fresh cilantro as a garnish. Enjoy!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Wow, so many people to thank with this one. Wednesday Walks & Wags is the most difficult book I’ve ever written. Why? Because I handle anxiety and sorrow in the exact same way Bridget does.

  Even though my mother is still alive and well (and has never had cancer a day in her life), writing Bridget’s struggles meant writing out my own struggles.

  The need to achieve, excel, keep busy no matter what—that’s my everyday life. Like Bridget, I’ve always fo
und a special kinship with animals. My very best friends as I grew up were a Calico cat named Pepsi and my ridiculously large collection of The Baby-Sitters Club books. I was a lonely kid without a fantastic friend group like the Sunday Potluck Club to see me through growing up and finding myself.

  How lucky Bridget is to have that strong female support system!

  These days, I have many friends and loved ones who care a great deal about me, but I still harbor that need to achieve in order to break through my troubles and come out ahead of life’s many stressors.

  I’ve been blessed to develop a support network that extends far beyond any one group or setting, and they are the ones who made this book possible even when a major depressive episode followed by a major health scare of my own made facing Bridget’s trauma almost unbearable.

  First, I must thank my eternally kind and understanding editor, Alicia Condon, and—indeed—the entire Kensington publishing team (Vida, Alex!). They believe in me even when I’m not quite there myself. They saw something special in my words, in these characters, and they’ve truly made my dreams come true in a whole new way.

  To my family and especially my husband, Falcon; my brother Ron; and my daughter, Phoenix. She may be just six, but she is definitely my biggest cheerleader with her never-ending stream of “C’mon, Mom, you can do it!”; “You’re the very best author in the whole world, yes, you are!”; and my personal favorite, “Be strong and believe in yourself!”

  Five of my six dogs and my one long-suffering cat deserve a huge thanks on this one. So, too, does the brand-new rescue kitty we adopted after I wrote Brownie’s death—our daughter named him Merlin the Magical Fluff, and it’s stuck.

  All eight of my fur babies give me the cuddles and unwavering love that a woman just needs sometimes. My favorite Chihuahua girl, Sky Princess, even accompanied me when I locked myself in a hotel room for a week in a desperate bid to get those words written.

  Of course, I’d also like to not thank my husky mix, Sitka, without whom this book would have been much easier to write. Funny, since I based Wesley’s two dogs on her. Unfortunately, she had a spike in her anxiety that resulted in many barking, sleepless nights for our family. She is being treated now, and things are getting better. Thank goodness!

  Thank you to Mallory, Angi, and Becky—my most constant supporters and friends. My family in Alaska, a big source of inspiration for this series.

  My readers, friends, and well-wishers far and wide. Thank you for being there just when I needed you. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you for being wonderful you!

  A READING GROUP GUIDE

  WEDNESDAY WALKS & WAGS

  Melissa Storm

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The suggested questions are included to enhance your

  group’s reading of Melissa Storm’s Wednesday Walks & Wags.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. The story begins with Bridget avoiding opening her late mother’s box. The same box reappears at several points in the story—after she learns about Wesley’s time in prison and again in the final chapters. Each time the box appears, how do Bridget’s reactions reflect her current emotional state and psychological journey?

  2. How does the loss of her mother inform Bridget’s choices throughout the novel? Do you think Bridget would have reacted differently to the events in her life if her mother hadn’t died? Would there still be a story at all?

  3. Bridget is afraid to veer off the path she set for herself because she worries her mother won’t recognize her from Heaven. Do you think our loved ones look down on us after they’re gone? Why is this idea both comforting and frightening for Bridget?

  4. Bridget’s mother leaves her a bucket list with items that include eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant, counting the stars, and falling in love. If you had a bucket list, what might it include? Do you think Bridget and Wesley will ever complete the list? Why or why not?

  5. No matter what’s going on in their lives, the members of the Sunday Potluck Club still meet every week. How does each character handle Bridget’s grief differently? Who helps Bridget the most, and how?

  6. What do food and cooking represent in this novel? Consider the friends’ weekly potlucks, Bridget’s ice-cream addiction, Wesley’s job as a short-order cook, and the Indian food they prepare together before she introduces him to her friends.

  7. Why does Bridget continue to meet Wesley in the courtyard despite his initial rudeness? Does he offer something she can’t find from her friends? If so, what?

  8. How are Bridget and Wesley’s journeys similar, and what are their key differences?

  9. Why did Wesley avoid telling Bridget about his past? Were his actions understandable, both in deciding to hide the truth and in choosing not to acknowledge it when Trent forced a confrontation at the Potluck Club?

  10. What role do the animals in this story play? Particularly Teddy, Bridget’s Pomeranian?

  11. Discuss the significance of the plush toy Wesley gives to Bridget, which she later gives back to him. Is it important that the toy looks like Bridget’s dog Teddy? Does it represent something larger than a simple gift?

  12. What draws Wesley to Bridget, and at what point does he begin to care about her?

  13. Dr. Kate warns Bridget that her big heart will make a career as a veterinarian difficult but later decides it is an asset. Why the shift in her opinion? Which do you think is true? Would Bridget make a good veterinarian? Why was she so committed to that path despite her obvious passion for volunteering at the shelter?

  14. What do you think of Wesley’s history with his friend Jon? How did both the betrayal and his time in prison shape his character? What would you have done in his position? And would you have chosen to keep the truth from Bridget? Do you believe his story when he finally shares it?

  15. Should Bridget have forgiven Wesley? Do you think he’ll be open with her now? Will their relationship last?

  16. What does running represent in the story? How is it important to both Bridget and Wesley? How does it bring them together? Drive them apart?

  17. Hazel and Keith have all orange flowers at their wedding to contrast with the white flowers at her father’s funeral, which was held at the same church. What is the significance of having both events at the same place? How are weddings and funerals alike?

  18. How do the scenes with Bridget’s father and brother contribute to Bridget’s overall character growth?

  19. Throughout the novel, Bridget reflects on how to live a good life. Were there any particular thoughts or passages that stuck with you? Which ones?

  20. What is the significance of the title Wednesday Walks & Wags? What other titles might have been a good fit for Bridget’s journey?

  Manic Monday, INC.

  Nichole Peterson believes in rules, routines, and checklists—even more so after almost losing her father to cancer two years ago. Now she lives in constant fear of saying the wrong thing, knowing any conversation could be their last.

  She met her best friends at the hospital right before each of them lost a parent, and as the only member of the Sunday Potluck Club with a surviving patient, she has a hard time opening up to them about the struggles that come with remission, with the fear of knowing the cancer could always come back and destroy everything.

  When her primary care physician retires, the new partner who takes his place diagnoses her with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition she refuses to accept. As the weeks pass, though, it becomes more and more clear that her rituals and routines are no longer enough to keep her fear under control. A blowup at work forces her to take an extended leave, throwing her entire schedule off-balance.

  But she can’t talk to her father, can’t talk to her friends . . . It seems the only person she can confide in these days is her best friend’s big brother, Caleb.

  Unlike Nichole, Caleb lives his life completely carefree and devoid of any structure. He never got a job, never left home, and yet this struggling noveli
st is the happiest person she’s ever met. How? And can he help her find the self she hid so far away she can scarcely remember who she once was? Can these two unlikely allies discover full, balanced lives together? And maybe even find something extra special along the way?

  Please turn the page for a preview of Melissa Storm’s

  next book, Manic Monday, Inc., coming soon from

  Kensington Publishing.

  Nichole Peterson never went anywhere without her notebook. She used it to keep her schedule, draft lists, and to jot down reminders for later. Everyone teased her about her reliance on pen and paper when the whole world had gone digital now, but the heft of the notebook and the smell of the ink from her favorite ballpoint pen gave her comfort—security—in a way that a mishmash of apps never could.

  She knew this because she’d tried more than once. She’d even switched over to the more modern method for a few years after college.

  But then her father had gotten sick....

  For almost an entire year, she’d escorted him to doctor’s appointments, stayed at his side for hospital stays, and turned to her notebook for direction.

  People always liked to say that once something made its way onto the Internet, it would stay there forever. Perhaps that’s why she’d superstitiously refused to keep the important details of his health on a device that was always connected to the web. Her mind made up, the notebook made its grand return and became more important than ever before.

  Crazily enough, Nichole’s plan somehow worked.

  Her father’s prostate cancer went into remission, and they both got on with their lives as if those horrible months of wondering, waiting, praying had been nothing more than a tiny blip on the radar.