Chapter Three
CHAPTER THREE
Allie came out of Erin’s spare bedroom. She pulled her long brown hair into a twist, leaving tendrils. With sheer sleeves, the burgundy dress cinched at the waist and provided enough sparkle to pass for an evening out on the town in New York City.
“Oh, Allie. It fits you perfectly,” Erin complimented her before giggling at her date. Hemi heeled at her side, decked out with a bow tie and tux cuffs on his front legs, matching her.
“You’re beautiful, Erin,” Allie gushed at the sight of her friend.
“Did I thank you for coming? I don’t know why Robert made me promise to do this every year on his birthday. It’s ridiculous and makes me sad,” Erin admitted as she grabbed her coat.
“He did it to force you to get out of your house. Robert knew you’d miss him and he wanted you to be happy. Cancer stopped him from living his life with you, but Robert didn’t want it to take yours away, too.”
Erin sighed. “You sound like him. You know he made me promise to get you to do the same thing. He worried about you after Greg. He said you’ll refuse to allow anyone else to get close. You deserve happiness, too.”
“He wanted me to remind you life goes on. Robert wanted the best for you and designated me to help you find it,” Allie reminded her. “We can’t be late to the play because we’re crying. It’s his birthday and he wanted us to celebrate it.”
“You’re right,” Erin agreed. “Let’s splurge on dinner like he used to and enjoy every minute of the evening.”
They caught the elevator and stepped outside to hail a cab. Several passed without stopping. Erin finally let out a loud, unladylike whistle, halting one. She held the door open for Allie to get in.
“Hey, lady. I don’t want no dog in my car,” the cabbie ordered.
“It’s a medical service dog. Do I need to call your cab company and remind them of the law?” Erin threatened.
The man grunted before sending Allie the stink eye.
Protective of her friend, Erin snapped a picture showing the company’s contact information.
“It’s all right, Erin. We’re used to it,” Allie insisted, knowing what her friend intended. Within the evening, the expression on Erin’s face promised the company a scathing email on how their employees treat service dogs.
“No. You have every right to get treated with respect,” Erin argued as she spoke loud enough for their taxi driver to hear.
“We agreed to enjoy the evening,” Allie reminded her.
Erin relaxed as the taxi driver drove through the city and dropped them off at the restaurant Robert loved. She dug into her purse, pulling out cash for an extra tip.
Erin cleared her throat. “I gave him the tip he deserved.”
Allie smiled as she handed the man a couple of extra bucks before he sped off.
The hostess seated them and Hemi went under the table while they ate. Allie ordered a mocktail while Erin picked out a wine. When their drinks came, they held up their glasses. Erin’s eyes pooled with tears as she toasted her late husband of two years. “To Robert. The most wonderful man in the world. I love and miss you more than I can put into words.”
“To Robert.” Allie clinked her glass to Erin’s and handed her a tissue from her purse. The waiter took their order and poured them glasses of water.
“Tell me about Serenity. Have you made any new friends there?” Erin asked as she sipped her drink.
“Everyone seems welcoming. My bosses, Chase and Kassie Winters seem very accommodating. They have a security team living on the mountain and I occasionally bump into them. The dogs live on the opposite side, away from their training area.”
Erin’s smile grew wide. “Oh. I imagine they employ some hunky, muscled men.”
Allie laughed and shook her head. “They do. Every single one of them appear like the models you see in those magazines. Unfortunately, I’m not interested.”
“You can’t compare everyone to Greg. He’s a jerk,” Erin said sternly.
“He’s an ass. Did I tell you after coming into my dressing room to break things off and I refused to marry him because he turned into a douche, he requested I pay for the money lost on the caterer, band, and honeymoon?”
“I hope you told him where to go.” Erin frowned.
“I refused his calls, but he convinced my mother to give him my contact information. She’s adamant this remains a misunderstanding between the two of us. It happened two years ago. Give it up already.”
“I’m sorry, Allie. I never thought Greg would feel this way about you getting a service dog,” Erin said sadly.
“It’s water under the bridge. I’m happy you gave my name to the service dog organization. I don’t need a man to make me happy. I live an independent life. Hemi’s better than a boyfriend, anyway. He’s a great cuddler, never talks back, lets me pick the movie, and doesn’t steal the covers.”
Erin snorted as the waiter brought their food.
“I managed to upgrade our seats at the play. We won’t need binoculars to see it,” Erin informed her as she pierced her food.
“How much do I owe you?” Allie asked as she chewed and grabbed her purse.
“Nothing. Robert treated us tonight.” Erin’s expression grew sad.
Allie took her hand and squeezed it. “We’re two independent women on the town tonight—no more tears or condemnations.”
Erin nodded and they finished their meal. They walked to the theatre and Allie took Hemi for a bathroom break before heading inside.
They took their seats and Hemi sat beside her in the handicapped spot. She glanced at her program as a little girl dressed in a cute pink dress and a wide bow bounced toward the seat opposite her dog.
“Ohhh, look, Uncle Bryan. She has a dog, and he’s dressed up for the play,” she exclaimed as she bent down to pet him.
The man behind her grabbed her hand. “No, Lily. He’s a service dog. You don’t touch them because it distracts them from their job. If you can’t pretend he’s not here, I’ll switch seats with you,” he said sternly.
Lily’s lip came out in a tiny pout as she sat and stared at Hemi. The man smiled at Allie as she glanced up from her program, thankful he deterred the child from petting him. She hated it when kids asked, but between the travel, time change, and listening to her mother drone on about Greg, she worried the stress might provoke an episode and she still needed to fly home in the morning.
Erin nudged her and wagged her eyebrows as the man attended to the little girl. Allie elbowed her, sending a message to stop. Forever the optimist, Erin believed Allie deserved to fall in love with someone who didn’t give a damn about her diagnosis or service dog. Always the realist, living with an invisible illness created enough issues. After Greg, she stopped dating. Hemi became her friend and confidant. He didn’t fulfill all of her needs, but who got everything they ever wanted?