Page 65 of Wag More Bark Less

Tomorrow.

Today, I was simply existing for me, and me alone.

Well, and Ellie. Always Ellie.

I spotted a flat boulder in the clearing; it’d make a good resting spot. I moved toward it, sharing the view as I went. Ellie trotted close at my heel. Her tail hadn’t stopped swishing in happiness since we arrived at the trailhead.

“Ellie’s happy to be back to her roots,” I said, pointing the camera at my pup. “Did I tell you she got to socialize puppies at Paws of Purpose the other day? We’re going back next week, too.”

I panned one more view of the autumn-infused mountains before flipping the camera around.

“As far as the man in the ice cream shop, meet Officer McGrumpy.” I could practically hear the littles giggling at that nickname. “He’s my vacation host. Yes, that one. Sorry, there’s no rebound happening there.”

I bit my lip as that kiss replayed in my mind, the memory making a very strong counterargument.

There could be rebound happening there.

“Trust me, the guy doesn’t even like me,” I insisted.

My phone flashed a warning that my battery was nearly depleted, and I made a point to hurry the message along.

“I’m a couple of messages behind, by the way.” Shrugging my hiking pack from my shoulders, I dropped onto the boulder to fish out water and snacks. “But I’ll get caught up today, when I head back. I’ve been—well, shit.” I looked up at the camera when another battery warning flashed. “Sorry! Auntie Maggie didn’t say a bad word. She said . . . shift. See? I’m shifting?” I lifted the camera above me to capture the rock that was big enough for both Ellie and me. “The rocks here are huge! You can sit on them.” I hoped my cheesy grin earned my sister’s instant forgiveness for the slip.

“Anyway,” I said, digging deeper into my bag. “I’ll get caught up—” My fingers hit the bottom of my pack, and realization dawned. “Well, this puts a damper on things,” I mumbled. “I forgot my extra water and my snacks back in the car. Of course I did.”

I could picture the paper bag from the hardware store resting on the floor of the passenger seat, the trail mix Joe gave me inside it, right where I left it. Guess we’d be turning around early today.

“It’d be bad to be stranded without⁠—”

The screen went black.

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” I grumbled, dropping my dead phone into my pack.

A lot of good it’d do me now. At least I’d snapped a few dozen pictures for Mom before draining the battery. I was overdue for some proof-of-life photos. The video message I could finish tonight.

Ellie shimmied up beside me on the boulder, pressing her weight against my side, as though reminding me where we were. She did that a lot. Reminded me to live in the present moment. I stroked my hand through her fur, deciding to take a few moments to soak this all in before we turned around.

“Out here, Ellie Belly, there’s nothing to worry about. Well, maybe mountain lions and bears. But still preferable to crazy ex-monsters-in-law and grumpy neighbors who kiss you stupid one minute and ice you out the next.”

She licked my cheek, and we sat there on the boulder for what might’ve been a minute or ten.

“If only we could come out here all the time, huh?”

I could live here.

I dismissed the thought as immediately as it popped into my head, glad that didn’t slip from my lips while on camera. The last thing I wanted was Violet deciding I was having a mini life crisis.

Besides, Bluebell Springs wouldn’t feel the same if I changed my status from tourist to resident. I didn’t want to dull the magic of the memories I was making, and I knew all too well what happened when the fantasy bubble popped and the reality of the outside world intruded.

“What are we going to do, Ellie Belly?”

She licked my cheek before popping onto all fours.

“Oh, right. Snacks.”

I promised myself we’d come back—soon. And next time we’d make it all the way to Whispering Lake. I might even pack a blanket and a book to read. Make a day of it.

We retraced our steps back to the main trail, but when I turned right to head back to the car, Ellie took off to the left.