Sweet tempered? My ass. Beatrice is a complete and total asshole.
She is adorable, with the largest blue puppy dog eyes I have ever seen. And she’s lucky that she’s cute, because otherwise?
I might just leave her out here and say to hell with it.
Ok, so I wouldn’t really do that, but the thought right now is tempting.
First of all, there is no ‘walking’ her. She goes from either a brisk trot, to a full out run. And while I have a hold of her leash, she’s a lot stronger than she looks.
And apparently, a lot stronger than me.
We started out ok, she trotted through the playground at a nice pace, which was totally deceiving for what was to come. Because once we hit the woods?
All hell broke loose.
At this point, I’m not even walking her anymore. She is walking me and I can’t even call it walking.
She is basically dragging me along behind her, without a single care in the world.
I already ripped my tank top, my right knee is skinned from where I hung onto her leash for dear life before tripping over a rock and dragging my leg across the dirt.
My shorts have stains on them that I’m not even sure I want to know the origin of, my hair is plastered to my head from sweat with a few random leaves and sticks in it from my fall, and my heart?
Holy freaking moly. It’s getting cardio on steroids.
Finally, she stops, coming to an abrupt halt next to a large tree. I hit my knees, gulping in air, trying to get my heart to slow down.
Seriously.
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve walked a dog, but this. This is just not normal.
This is not what I had expected, at all. And to top it all off, I’m certain that I’m lost.
While I will never admit it to him, I might should have taken Jake up on at least showing me where these trails all led to. Not that I wanted to walk with him, because I most certainly did not. But, I was a little bit over zealous when I thought that my little map would get me around back here.
Well, maybe it would have, if Beatrice the jerk hadn’t drug me along and made me lose said map.
Oh, and the cell service thing? Yeah. Jake was right about that too. I have zero bars out here, not that this devil of a dog would stop long enough for me to even try to use the navigation app on my phone.
I tried to retrace my steps once I realized that I had lost the map, but, Beatrice had other ideas. In a moment of keeping only one hand on the lease, she decided to lurch forward, chasing a stupid squirrel.
That was how I skinned my knee, and probably where all the crap in my hair came from.
We’ve been wandering around in circles, at least, I’m pretty sure we are going in a circle. It’s hard to tell out here, since all the paths look the same.
I really should Hansel and Gretel it, and leave myself a trail of breadcrumbs or something to figure out if we really are walking in a damn circle.
Isn’t Beatrice supposed to know the way back? I mean, she is a dog…
Not that I can really blame her for not wanting to go back to the shelter. I wouldn’t either. I can’t imagine being locked up in a cage for most of my day. My heart pangs a little bit for her, as I realize that is probably why she is such a pain to walk. The poor dog finally got a taste of freedom, she’s taking full advantage of it.
But still. She doesn’t listen to me whatsoever, so while I do feel a little bit bad for her?
She’s still an asshole.
She comes to an abrupt halt, and her tiny ears stand straight up on her head. She tilts her head to the side and sniffs, as I use the moment to catch my breath.
I’m sure that in the next few seconds she is going to take off again, dragging me with her. She has done this same routine for every single squirrel that we have walked past.
But this time, she doesn’t. She just stops instead and turns to look at me, as if to say, “This way” before turning around and walking back where we just came from.
Since I of course have no idea how to get back, I follow behind her, hoping to God that she has also realized that we are lost and has decided to lead me home.
We walk for a few minutes, and I of course, am loving the pace. I’m exhausted from our nearly two hour run.
I can’t wait to go home and soak in a hot bath.
I’m convinced that this was one of my worst ideas yet, showing up to a dog shelter and deciding to walk a dog in the woods that I have never met before.
But earlier today? When I saw the commercial for the shelter asking for donations, and then Beatrice’s sad face flashed across the screen?
I couldn’t resist.
Maybe Jake also saw that commercial. That would make sense, right? But of course, that would also mean that he has a heart, and that’s something that up until today, and ok, maybe last night, I was convinced that he was missing.
While I hate to admit it to myself, he’s not that bad of a guy. Sure, he’s full of himself and thinks that he is the bombdiggity.
But isn’t he kind of? I mean, at least in the baseball world he is. Maybe he has a small right to act that way…except, he didn’t act like he was too good for his fan last night.
That kid last night acted as if Jake hung the moon, and in return? Jake had acted as though meeting that kiddo was the highlight of his day.
It was pretty sweet.
No. Dammit. I force nice thoughts of him away. Those kinds of thoughts are trouble for me. He’s already far too hot, and last night when he had me alone? My knees went weak, my heart began to race in my chest, and suddenly, even though I knew that it was wrong, things could have easily gotten out of control. Because the second that I looked into his eyes?
I was a goner.
And then today, when he took steps towards me like a tiger stalking his prey? It happened again. My breathing became so fast, that I worried for a second that I might pass out. But then, just as fast, his hungry look was traded for an adorable little boy look grin when he heard his dog barking, and my stupid heart nearly exploded.
Gah. See? He is major trouble, and I definitely need to stay far away from him. Because while Jake may not be the asshole that I had him pegged to be, he is still bearing one huge strike in my book.
He is a major league baseball player, and he is still a complete and utter man whore.
I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. I need to focus on so many other things, besides Jake Matthews. But of course, every few seconds, my mind flicks back to him.
Dammit all.
I’m so lost in my thoughts, that I miss the way Beatrice turns her head back up towards a sound.
And in an instant, she takes off, causing me to lose my balance as the leash circles around my wrist.
I scream out in pain as she yanks me, causing me to fall again, taking off in a mad dash through the thick woods, dragging me behind her.