This wasn’t a mutual break where they’d decided they were better friends or separated bitterly. The worst was that Farrah cared deeply for him and saw the same affection in his tortured gaze. The hardest part was being separated unwillingly by someone else’s hand. As if she sensed Farrah’s melancholy mood, Luna whined and jumped up to lick her fingertips. Aanon had left for town a couple of hours earlier, and Bruno trotted behind them loyally. He wasn’t an overly affectionate dog, even with Aanon, but he seemed to like her fine when his owner wasn’t around. Luna, on the other hand, stuck to her like moss on a log no matter who was present. “Come on, pups,” she said as she pulled their dog bowls from atop Bruno’s house. They were filled with snow from last night, so she dumped them out and knocked them on her leg. “Let’s eat in the barn today, shall we? It’s cold as sin out here.” The rattle of dog food sounded against the plastic bowls as she poured them each two scoops, and she folded into an old chair in the corner while the dogs inhaled their dinner.
