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“What happened with you two?”
I take a deep breath. “I told him I love him, and he didn’t say it back. It’s more than that, though.”
“Oof,” she says.
“So, I had to break off our friendship. I have a history of chasing unavailable men.” I drop my head again.
“Don’t we all?”
I nod and feel the tears building behind my eyes. There’s been so many things I’ve wanted to tell him. How Koda was returned to the rescue again because the adopter received a job offer out of nowhere for a job in Germany. How it broke my heart, and I wished I could take him home, but Papa and I aren’t moving to a house anytime soon. How my sister reached a milestone with her business and how proud I am of her.
“I wanted to tell you something,” Priscilla says. “It’s exciting. I think you’ll be happy.”
“What?” I ask.
“You know our favorite repeat offender?”
“Koda?” I ask, and Priscilla nods.
“Well, he got adopted again, and I think this time it’ll stick.”
My heart just went from the pits of my stomach to the absolute highs. “Who is it?”
“Randy Finch.”
Jackson’s dad. Koda just found his furever home.
I let out a flood of tears, finding it hard to catch my breath since I am so happy.
“Are those happy sobs?”
I nod, although I’m trying to catch my breath and I’m hyperventilating.
“Koda is going to be okay. He’s going to be okay.”
“That dog will be loved. Always.”
I keep crying as Priscilla pulls me into her. I didn’t know that my heart can be so full and broken at the same time.
32
Jackson
Iopen the sliding glass door to my parents’ house, and I hear barking.
Am I imagining it?
Then, a black-and-tan monster careens around the corner, stopping in the middle of the living room, the tail in a scorpion pose, wagging back and forth.
“Koda?” I ask.
The dog’s tongue rolls out of his mouth as he takes a pouncing stance, his butt in the air before he runs toward me, barreling his big head into my kneecaps, almost taking me out.
“I see you’ve met the dog. Again,” my dad says.
My mouth still hangs open. The dog leans on me and looks up, the tongue dangling.
“Come on in.” My dad disappears into the kitchen.
