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I am running on the beach in my cowgirl outfit, the sun is nearly down, and all I want is a good cleansing cry, but Jake has almost caught up with me.
Red is in the water again, so at least he’s happy. He comes bounding out as soon as he sees Jake, hoping for a stick.
“Not tonight,” Jake tells him. “Sorry, buddy.”
The dog shakes the water off, and lopes along beside us.
I slow to a walk. We don’t speak, Jake and I, and I appreciate that. He walks parallel to me, and reaches down to take my hand.
I appreciate that, too.
We walk for maybe ten minutes that way, Jake’s warm hand intertwined with mine. I know I shouldn’t encourage him, but right now I can’t seem to care about any of that. All I want is the comfort and the contact. So I don’t pull away or try to stop it.
The sun in th
