Nicole: Bravo.
Of course she’d be supportive. My mother has put her through some awful shit too and very publicly blew Nicole’s life up once. It was a mess.
Grace: Thanks. Don’t tell anyone though, okay?
Nicole: My lips are sealed. Be careful and have fun.
Grace: Love you.
Nicole: Love you too.
Rolling out of bed, I stagger into the kitchen. Okay, wow, my legs are still wobbly from last night. I swear I’ve never been fucked so hard in my life. My pussy wants another round already.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafts up my nose and I find a full pot on the counter along with a mug that has a sticky note on it. Behind me, the fire is crackling with Oscar sleeping in front of it.
My eyes fill with tears.
Okay, no. No, no, no. This isnota home. This isnota glimpse of a life I so desperately want for myself. And these tears? They’re just the aftershocks of having my world rocked last night. That’s all.
“Snap out of it, Grace.”
The note Dean’s left on my mug says,I’m in cabin 4 today.
I have no idea what to do with that. Am I supposed to go see him? I don’t want to be annoying. I also hate the fact that I really wanted to wake up in his arms this morning and didn’t. Ugh. What is wrong with me? I can’t be attached this quick. That’s not okay.
“You’re an idiot,”my mother’s voice jabs in my mind.“Did you think he’d drop everything to be with you, selfish girl? You’re not that special.”
Okay, whoa. I gotta stop letting her fill my head with meanness all the time. That’s one of the things I came up here to work on.“Okay, let’s take some deep breaths. Chill out. Start again.”
I’m going to caffeinate, get dressed, go on a walk, work on some content, and thenmaybego see Dean.
Pouring a cup of ambition, I slip into my coat and boots to drink my coffee on the porch. Oscar hears the door open and quickly gets up to join me outside. Instead of sitting next to my rocking chair though, she leaps off the porch steps and runs to Dean’s truck, sniffing all around it before climbing up the steps and knocking on the door with her paw. I watch, waiting for him to let her in. When there’s no answer, I grow worried. Oscar paws the door again and I stand up slowly.
Is something wrong? Why isn’t Dean opening the door for her?
Oscar barks and gets on her hind legs, scratching at the door faster.
I’m spurred into action, leaving my coffee behind, and run to help.
“Dean?” I call out, shoving the door open.
Music blasts from the back and the fireplace kicks out substantial heat. “Dean?”
Oscar zooms past me on a mission.
“Hey girl,” Dean says, sounding surprised to see Oscar. “Oof! Wait. No, no, no! Damnit, Oscar!”
I reach the bathroom just in time to see she’s tackled Dean on the floor and is licking his face. Hertail slams against the glass shower door.Wham! Wham! Wham!
“Alright, alright. Back up.” He rolls away from her, and I giggle when she tries to nudge him back down. “Come on now. You’re fucking up my tile placement.”
“Here, girl.” I clap my hands and Oscar ignores me. “Oscar, come here.” She looks at me, her tail now smacking the cabinet, and then she trots over. “Good girl.”
Dean stands up. “God, she’s slobbery when she’s excited.”
He lifts his shirt up to wipe his face off with it, and I stare at his abs.
My pussy clenches.
