Bouncing Back by L. A. Witt

Author:L. A. Witt [Witt, L. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Samir

I was a regular at High Grounds Coffee, and so was Shouka. Enough that as soon as one of the baristas saw us outside, they started making my usual cappuccino.

I looped the leash around a fence post by the table we’d picked out and took a twenty out of my wallet. “Here. I’ll stay with her if you want to go get something.”

Elliott looked at the twenty in my hand, then at me. “I can buy. What’re you having?”

“You sure?”

“I’ve got it.”

I hesitated but then shrugged and put it away. “Just cappuccino. Guarantee it’s already made.” I nodded toward the shop. “They know me.”

“Fair enough.” He took a step, but paused. “Anything for her?”

“They’ve probably got a biscuit and a water bowl for her already. If it’s too much to carry, just bring the coffees out, and I’ll go get the stuff for her.”

Elliott flashed me a quick smile, then went inside. I sat down, and Shouka immediately rested her chin on my knee. As I leaned back in the chair, I absently stroked her neck, and I couldn’t help but release a long, relaxed sigh. It had been a long time since I’d come to High Grounds without being a knotted ball of stress. The stress wasn’t completely gone, and I didn’t expect it to be any time soon, but there was something to be said for bringing my dog because I wanted to, not because I felt safer with her.

It had also been a while since I’d sat here with some noticeable aches and pangs, but nothing that made my skin crawl. When I moved just right and my hips twinged, I grinned. When I yawned and my jaw protested a little, I actually laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Elliott materialized beside me, balancing two coffee cups, a water bowl, and a handful of dog treats.

“Oh my God, let me help.” I jumped up, which startled Shouka, who also jumped up, almost smacked her head against the table, and instead clocked Elliott’s knee with her hip. He stumbled but somehow kept everything from falling.

I grabbed one of the coffee cups and the water dish, and he righted the rest of it.

“Good thing that was you and not me,” I said. “Or all this would be everywhere.”

Elliott laughed as he put his coffee down. “All that military training is still good for something, I guess.”

“Is that what it is?” I glanced up from setting the water dish on the ground for Shouka. “Or do you just have naturally great reflexes?”

“Maybe a little of both.” He chuckled and picked up his coffee but cradled it in both hands. It was probably molten-core-of-the-earth hot, since that was how this place made their coffee.

“Hey, Shouka,” I said. She looked up, and I tossed her one of the treats. She snapped it out of the air hard enough to turn a few heads.

Elliott shook his head. “Damn, she’s got some powerful jaws.”

“No kidding. I’m serious that she’s just a big marshmallow, though.”

“So I see.” He leaned down and patted her shoulder.

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