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I exited the highway what felt like hours ago, so ithasto be soon—
“Woof?”Steve asks in a concerned bark, his doggy eyes so wide they are almost bugging out of his face.
Or, okay, fine, so that’s his normal pug face—smooshed nose, goofy ears, bug eyes, and a penchant for snorting and sneezing andsnoring.
So, basically, Steve is the cutest puppy in the history of all puppies.
He just also looks like he ran into a wall.
Small details.
“We’re going to be okay,” I reassure him, knowing we have to be. Because no matter how bad the last twenty-four hours have been, we are going to be okay.
Mostly because I am always okay.
Even if I have to fake it until that’s true.
And anyway, Steve has plenty of food, his entire collection of squeaky toys and fake bones,andhis hoard of cozy beds all stuffed into the back seat, so he’ll be well-fed and entertained.
He’ll be better than okay.
He’ll be content and snotty and sneezy and well, fucking perfect.
While I, on the other hand, will be—
Thunk.
I gasp, jerking at the steering wheel and nearly sending us off the road. A quick maneuver has me back inside the lines and I hold my breath as I flick a brief look in the rearview.
A huge branch lies in the middle of the road behind me.
Not a person.
Not an adorable puppy with bug eyes and goofy ears and a tendency to snot in my face when I bend over to kiss him on the head.
Just a branch.
“Thank you, universe,” I whisper, clamping one hand to my chest, gaze returning to the road as I resume squinting through the sideways falling snow for the street sign that will indicate our turnoff.
Ithasto be close.
Ithasto be.
“There,” I whisper, finally spotting a green sign that is nearly invisible in the furious swirling whiteness. “Forest Bend.”
Thank.Freaking. God.
I point at it as though Steve knows how to read. “See? It’s right there, buddy. We’ve made it. We’re going to be okay.”
I slow to a snail’s pace, prepare to make the turn—
“Woof!”
Steve’s bark is so loud, so sharp that I jump, jerking the steering wheel hard to the right.
My tires start to skid.
Mycarstarts to slide.
