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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
POSSIBILITIES
FELICITY
I feel like an exposed nerve the next morning around Sutton, but I manage to act professional. He’s nice, but his eyes are constantly reading me, like he’s trying to figure out what I’m thinking. Everything is socarefuland it makes me sad. The comfortable vibe that was between us before is now shaky andstrained. But it’s not long before he leaves for work, and Owen and I have fun finishing up breakfast and getting him to school.
“I can’t believe you haven’t met Lucia and Delgado yet,” he says.
“I really want to. They sound amazing.”
“Delgado spins around when he’s excited and the best part is, Lucia lets him ride on her back.”
I laugh. “That I’ve got to see. She’s a Husky and he’s a Chihuahua, right?”
“Yeah, and Uncle Theo’s dog Fred is an Irish Water Spaniel. He’s so funny. He looks like he’s smiling all the time.”
“They all sound so cute. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Irish Water Spaniel.”
“Do you think Dad will ever let me get a dog?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But I tell you what, I’ll put in a good word for you with him about it, okay?”
“Really?” His hopeful voice melts me.
“Of course, I will. You’d be an excellent pet owner.”
“Thanks, Felicity. I think so too.”
We pull into the school parking lot and get in line. It’s more orderly than I remember my school drop-off line ever being.
“Don’t forget my game’s tonight,” he says before he gets out.
“I won’t forget, I promise.”
“You’re coming, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
He grins and hops out of the car, and I head back to the house. After I’ve cleaned the kitchen, I pull out the supplies I picked up last week after one of Owen’s practices and work on the sign I’m making for him that saysOwen’s #1 Fanin huge letters. I draw hockey sticks around the edges and color in the letters so they stand out, and when I’m satisfied, I go back to my place and look at job options for hours.
What Sutton said about telling my parents the truth is staying with me, and I know he’s right. I have to tell them my decision and figure out what I’m doing with my life.
Sutton and Owen are going out for pizza with the team later, so I don’t need to make dinner. When I get stir-crazy from sitting so long, I look at the clock and make a spur-of-the-moment decision, texting Ruby to see if now is a good time to stop by. On the way to the game last night, Ruby told me if I ever needed to get out of the house, come see her. Scarlett piped up and said I should come see her too, but from what I can tell, she’s always on the go at the lodge. Ruby’s busy too, but it sounds like a different kind of busy. And what she said about the animals and how being around them is almost like therapy is what draws me over there.
Ruby’s thrilled when I show up and I already feel a thousand times lighter when I see her surrounded by emus, goats, and cows. How she manages to look like a fashionista in the middle of all the snow and manure is truly astonishing. There’s one emu, Dolly, that is Ruby’s shadow, and watching her skitter around like she’s dancing after too many drinks has me laughing my head off.
I’ve seen them on TikTok before, so seeing Ruby in this environment with Dolly is surreal.
“Sofie’s stopping by too.” Ruby comes over to stand by me near the fence. “She’ll be excited to see you. When she needs a break from the horses, she comes over here, and I go to her place when I need to ride a while. We’ve got you covered if you need some animals in your life.”
“Perfect,” I say, laughing when a goat comes and burrows into my side.
“That’s Delphine. She’ll do anything to have her ears scratched.”
I scratch Delphine’s ears and wave when Callum walks out of the barn. He’s carrying an ax.
“Wow, I feel like I’m seeing one of your videos but in real time.”
