Asher (Ashes & Embers 6)

“Oh.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a small, brown glass bottle. “I almost forgot.”

I make a disgusted face as he unscrews the cap and pours some of the thick, golden liquid into his mouth.

“That’s gross, man.”

His tongue moves over his lips. “I’ll be in touch, Valentine. Give Ember my love.”

The bottle is filled with honey. My neighbor is a beekeeper and gives me ten bottles of it every season.

If Redwood wants to believe it’s gonna cure him, he can have at it and drink that goop all day.

Fighting traffic to get to the other side of town makes me over an hour late to meet Tor’s mother, Tammy, at the pet shelter their family owns and operates.

“Sorry I’m so late.” I kiss her cheek when she meets me in the bright, blue-and-yellow lobby. “Traffic was crazy.”

“It’s not a problem at all, why don’t you come with me to one of our visit rooms so we can talk and you can meet Buddy.”

“Sounds good.”

“How’s Ember doing?” She takes me through a set of double doors and down a hall with big paw prints painted on the floor.

“She’s doing great—getting stronger every day. She’s gaining weight. She’s not agitated anymore. Her personality is starting to come out. Things are good.”

I follow her into a small room with two windows, four chairs, a dog bed, and various pet toys on the floor.

“Tor and Kenzi said she’s remembered a few things?”

I nod and rock back on my heels. “Yeah. It’s random moments, nothing really solid yet, but I’m still hoping it’ll all come back to her someday.”

Her smile reflects the genuine sympathy that comes with years of knowing Ember and me personally. “I’m sure it will. She’s a fighter. You both are.”

“We’re just taking it one day at a time.”

Sensing my discomfort, she switches gears. “I saw the baby a few days ago, and oh my God, is she not the cutest little thing you’ve ever seen?”

The mention of Tia instantly brings a smile to my face. “She’s perfect. Every time I hold her, I don’t want to give her back. I’ve never seen Tor and Kenzi happier, so I guess it all worked out the way it’s supposed to.”

“I know it’s been hard for you—accepting them. I had a hard time with it at first too, but I’m glad we came around. They’re perfect together, and now we have this adorable little baby in our family.”

“I think I’m more annoyed with being called Poppa than anything else at this point.”

She throws her head back and laughs. “And I thought I was having a hard time adjusting to being a grandparent. You sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

While I wait for Tammy to return, I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a text to Ember:

Me: Hi beautiful. How’s your day?

Ember: It’s okay. Just finished PT with Sarah. I have a call with the psych doc in a few minutes.

Me: Sounds good. I’ll be home in about two hours. I might have a surprise for you. :-)

Ember: :-)

Me: I miss you. xo

Ember: I miss you too.

“Here he is,” Tammy announces happily as she enters the room with a beautiful Golden Retriever on the end of a blue leash.

The dog approaches me cautiously when I kneel down in front of him, brown eyes wide, tail down, but lets me pet his head.

“Hey, Buddy,” I say softly. “You’re a handsome little guy.” I look up at Tammy. “He seems really nice.”

“He’s a super nice boy. A little shy at first, but he’s not used to his surroundings. It’s hard for older dogs to adjust to such an upheaval. As much as we try to make them happy and comfy here, it’s still so scary for them.”

The dog relaxes as I pet him, easing himself into a sitting position then offering me his paw to shake.

Laughing, I take his furry paw in my hand and bob it up and down. He wags his tail and offers me his other paw. “He’s wicked cute. You said his owner passed?”

She sits in one of the plastic chairs and runs her hand over Buddy’s back. “Yes. He lived with an elderly woman who passed away suddenly. He’s eight years old, and she totally spoiled him. I think he was her entire life. Her son didn’t want to keep him, and I can’t for the life of me understand why because he’s so calm and well-behaved. He came in here with all his vet and grooming records, new food, his bed and toys, and just signed him over. I think poor Buddy is heartbroken.”

“People really suck.” I shake my head in disbelief. How does someone just abandon such a beautiful dog?

“Our vet checked him over, and he’s in great health. No dental issues, he’s up to date on all his shots. He gets along with dogs, cats, and kids. He’s been with us for a month, though, so I think he’s starting to get a little depressed.”