Reviving Bloom (12 page)
“That’s an understatement. Does he even give you
alone time to bathe?” She asks
giggling.
“Hey
,
he’s not always with me. He’s not here now!”
“The only reason he’s not is because we drove him away with our girly talk of clothes.”
“Bon, you do realize we’re talking about Pike like he’s some guy I’m dating.
”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed
,
” she
replies
.
“Honestly, I think if it came down to me having to choose between him and a real boyfriend, I’d choose Pike
,
”
I confess.
“That makes sense.”
Confused I turn to her and ask, “How so? I’m starting to think I’m losing touch with reality.
You might have to commit me.
”
She quietly watch
es
out my bedroom window for a fe
w minutes and then finally speaks
, “Bloom, there’s something I think I need to tell you about Pike.”
“What is it?”
“He
…
” She’s
cut off by the sound of Pike howling outside. I r
u
n
to the back door worrying he’s
hurt
but find
him ok
ay,
pawing at the back door.
Coming up behind me Bonnie asks, “Is everything ok
ay
?”
“Yeah, he must have got out the screen door and wanted back in. He’s fine. So what was it you wante
d to tell me about him?” I ask
running my hands through the fur on the back of Pike’s neck.
She watches Pike intently as she replies
, “Oh um
…
just that you should probably give him a bath. He’s starting to smell ripe.”
“Really?
I think he smells wonderful. Like the trees after a storm, all fresh and woodsy
,
” I say leaning down into his neck to take in his scent.
“Wow!
Did you just smell him like you would a bouquet of flowers? You seriously have been cooped up with that dog too long.
I think it’s time we head to the lake
you need some more human to human interaction
. People should be getting there by now
anyways
,
”
s
he says
rolling her eyes at me.
“You seriously can’t smell that wonderfully woodsy scent on him?”
“No Bloom, and as tempting as it
is to sit here all night watching you sniff Pike
,
I’d really rather go
to the
lake so I can check out s
ome of those hot country boys w
e went to school with
. So get your cute little behind off the floor so we can leave.”
“Just let me gr
ab my boots
,
” I say standing up then ask. “Are you riding with us or following?”
“Following, that way if one of us wants to leave early the other won’t have to leave too.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
An
hour later
I’m
pulling into my
favorite fishing spot. The lake’s
filling
up with all of my old high school friends and
I see a few are
gathering wood to make a bonfire when it gets dark. There
are
a handful of guys already set up on the bank fishing and a group of girls not far from them standing around talkin
g. Bonnie already parked and is
making her way to the group of girls anxious to join in the gossip. Climbing out of my truck I h
o
ld the door open for Pike then beg
i
n unloading my fishing gear.
I cast out my last line then decide I might as well join the girls. Other than Bonnie
I do
n’t
know the girls very well, we hung around
the sam
e circles in school but I’m not
close to any of them. A couple g
i
ve me a nod acknowledging me and one who’s obviously feeling the effects of the beer in her hand thr
o
w
s
her arms around my neck pulling me into an awkward hug. Pulling her off me Bonnie
innocently
direct
s
her attention at someone else, “
Jenna, I think I just saw Paul pull-in. Didn’t you tell me you were looking for him?”
Looking around she slur
s
, “Yeah, where is he?” She lock
s
eyes on her target in the parking lot, and then straighten
s
up and t
rying to do her sexiest walk heads
his way.
Glancing over at Bloom I catch her attention and mouth
, “Thank you!”
She mouths
back, “Any time,” then
goes
back to her conversation with the girl beside her.
“Poor Paul, he has no clue Hurricane Jenna’s about to hit him,” Maddy the girl beside me giggle
s
.
“I feel bad for him, but I really didn’t want her spilling
that beer
down my back
,
” I say smiling
at Maddy.
“So what’s your dog’s name?”
Looking at Pike standing at attention beside me I reply, “Oh this is Pike.”
“Cool name, so what kind of dog is he?”
“I’m not sure. I found him hurt in the woods beside my house a few days ago and he’s just been with me since.
Mr. Harris thinks he might be a wolf hybrid.
”
“Wow that’s
nice of you to take him in. I’d have been frightened to go near him if I’d seen him in the woods. He’s just so
large
!”
“I didn’t even think of him being dangerous.
I heard his howls and just felt the need to help.
”
Thinking about it I guess it is strange that I didn’t question running into the woods. Who honest
l
y does something like that? Most people would’ve heard the howl and ran inside, but I felt the need to go to him and help.
Breaking into my inner rambling Maddy says, “
Well you’re definitely braver than me.”
“
Maybe
,
” I reply clearly distracted.
Can
it be that simple? Did I not question it because I’m
braver
? It seems like something more yet I can’t quite put my finger on it. I look down at Pike and his eyes are on mine. Those ocean blue eyes that are so breath
-
taking
and seem to have way more knowledge behind them than a dog should have.
“
Blu
, don’t look now but Trace just arrived
,
” Bonnie whispers in my ear at the same time Pike breaks eye contact and turns his attention towards the parking lot.
“He isn’t coming this way is he?” I ask turning to look at her instead of searching out Trace. I
need to make sure he’s
a safe distance from me. When she doesn’t answer right away I ask again, “He isn’t coming over here is he, Bonnie?”
Hearing me use her full first name instead of the abbreviation I’ve used ever since we were kids or maybe it’s the shaky
way my voice is coming out,
she finally brings her attention back to me. “No, he’s not coming over
…
yet.
But h
e hasn’t taken his eyes off you since he noticed your truck in the parking lot.”
“Crap! I really hope he isn’t moronic enough to make a scene with everyone here.”
“He has that oh so perfect reputation to uphold so I doubt he will.”
“That’s true
,
he like
s
everyone to think he’s the good guy.”
I keep my distance from Trace and keep
Pike and Bo
nnie by my side until it starts
getting
darker. Most of the people are
gravitating towards the now roaring bonfire or sneaking off into the woods for so
me alone time. Bon just happens
to be in that last group. She found herself the attention of her high school crush and
is
now having a nice “talk” behind some trees. So I’m sitting here on the bank with Pike trying to keep my distance from the rowdy group by the fire, which just so happens to inclu
de Trace. Every time tonight I’ve
take
n the chance to make sure he’s a safe distance away I find
his eyes watching me and a wicked grin spread across his face. How
I
ever f
ell
for that good guy act I don’t know. Seeing him now there’s no question that he’s bad, and not in that bad boy you want to save way either. More like
the bad guy
you’ll find on the evening news after bodies are found in his back yard
kind of
way.
I mak
e sure he
isn’t
paying attention
as
I sn
ea
k off int
o the dark to do some fishing. The moon isn’t out so the lake’s covered in darkness so I know he can’t see me from his position by the fire. Taking comfort in that knowledge I settle down in the grass with Pike by my side.
Running my fingers through
Pike’s coat
I feel
him tense under my hand.
Is he actually
growling at me? No, he wouldn’t.
Looking
around
I feel
like growl
ing myself when I s
ee
who Pike ha
s
his gaze locked on.
Walking right towards us with that cocky gr
in on his face
i
s Trace.
I snap back to reality when I feel
Pike stand and growl with his ears pinned back. Dang, dogs really can sense
the
bad guys. Keeping my hand grazing over his fur
and trying to show no emotion
I look
up
and ask Trace, “W
hat do you want
?”
“We have some unfinished business Bloom, so I thought I’d come keep you company and we can finish what we
started.” There’s a wicked gleam
in his eyes that sends a shiver down my spine.
Not wanting to look weak I stand and look him dead in the eye and ask,
“How
can you
be this thick headed? What from our last encounter would make you think I wanted to spend time with you ever again?
Let alone finish what
you
unsuccessfully tried to start
.
”
Moving to stand in between Trace and myself, Pike dips low ready to pounce with a growl rumbling low in his throat.
“Now come on
Blu
you know I was just playing. Just call off your mutt and we can talk this out
.
”
H
e’s
actually brave enough t
o take a step forward. But Pike’s
right there to cut him off fr
om coming any closer snapping
hi
s jaws at him. Gosh
,
I’d miss him if someone c
omes
to claim him.