Cade followed his sister's advice and took a trip to see their father. He promised his friends he wouldn't buy or rent property on the west coast. The idea of moving to California was short sighted. As much as he loved his dad, his friends were his family. And Leigh, most especially.

Instead, he spent some time finding a new place to live. Touring properties online became his new hobby while his father worked. He also went exploring like a tourist. The urge to look over his shoulder faded as he walked the streets of San Francisco. He gained some weight back including muscle tone. Not only did he look healthier, but he felt healthier especially in his head.

When he arrived Dan Maloney asked if he had been sick. He thought about lying, but told him the truth.

Releasing his tense jaw, Dan demanded, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I couldn't handle the stress of you killing Vinnie. Plus, I needed Leigh for my defense."

"I wish you would have. How is your mother?"

Cade shrugged. "I'm done with her."

"She's still your mother."

He shook his head. "She's a woman I don't recognize. She isn't even a glimpse of the woman who made us lunches and kissed our skinned knees. Hell, I would take the woman who nagged us to clean our rooms."

"And me to work like a laborer all weekend. Do you think her husband tightens the towel racks regularly?"

Cade shook his head. "Maybe one of his thugs does it for him."

By telling his father, he felt the transition to healing. After two weeks, he booked a flight back to Boston with a plan. First, he had a list of properties to see. Instead of a crowded apartment or condo building, he looked for a house with a little yard. There were Boston neighborhoods and adjacent suburbs which had options. Adjacent appealed to him, because Vinnie had a limited business radius.

Leigh studied him when he let himself in her apartment. "You look great." She stood to hug him. "I knew it was what you needed."

As he hugged her, he remembered how much he owed her. "No offense, but I didn't miss this place." It felt like his prison. "Especially not the sofa."

"Doesn't Joe have an extra room?"

"Yeah, but they are busy making a baby."

Leigh laughed. "How's dad?"

The siblings had taken a break from each other and kept their communications to quick texts. Leigh deserved to get her life back too. "He's good. He handled my story better than I expected. How's your job search?"

"Okay. I've met with a small practice. It feels like a good fit. I'll have to buy a share."

"You know I owe you."

She nodded. "The principal is a few years older with two kids. She has more clients than her schedule allows, so I'd have clients right away."

"Where is it?"

"In Allston. It's convenient."

"I guess so." Leigh's apartment was in Longwood, not far from Allston. "Is it a done deal?"

She bit her lip. "If you give me a loan."

He shook his head. "Payment for legal service. We can make it official and you can claim it as income."

"It's that or gift tax."

Both followed the rules. There were laws against exchanging sizable sums. Cade didn't even jaywalk. His friends complained because he always waited on the walk signal.

"Are you free tomorrow to house hunt with me?"

"House hunt."

He nodded. "Yeah. There's one I really like in Cambridge."

"I'll come. It sounds like fun."

Three days after Cade returned, he had purchased a three-bedroom home. Although the house was over a hundred years old, it had been completely renovated. Unfortunately, he had to wait for the sale to go through. Leigh secured her position at the law firm and went right to work. Cade took a few freelance design jobs to keep him busy.

When he went for runs, he didn't follow the same route every time, but he also didn't look over his shoulder. The weight had lifted off his shoulder.

Leigh insisted on having a housewarming party for him. It didn't take long for his belongings to come from the storage facility and for him to unpack. Out of all his possessions, he missed his bed the most. He looked around at the spare room he set up as an office. The decor represented his work with framed game covers and boards. Most had hung in his CEJ office.

When Joe arrived, he looked around. "What are you gonna do with all this space?"

Cade smiled. "Get a dog. I really don't like to be alone. Even when I'm working, I miss you."

Renee said, "Joe should come work here and get out of the house."

Cade laughed. "Trouble in paradise."

Joe shook his head. "It's the hormones."

Cade smiled. "The what? Renee?"

She nodded, "You're the first to know. Thank God, Uncle Cade will be around."

Leigh interrupted. "That's great news, but Cade was always gonna be around. I had a rock solid case."

No one argued as she shut down the mention of the past. He wanted to block out the time from when he stepped out of the sale of the business until he flew to California. Like a writer he wanted to delete those pages from his life.

Eden arrived with Kevin. She had made the most of the months since the sale as she flashed a diamond ring. Happy for his friends, Cade looked forward to building a life with a canine companion.

As they sat on his new deck enjoying grilled steak and salads, Renee said, "Make sure this pooch likes kids. Eden will be a stepmom."

Joe teased. "Wicked stepmother."

Kevin sat up. "Nope. She's nice to them. My ex complains, but the kids know the truth."

Cade and Leigh looked at each other. They knew the truth about every guy their mother dated and none of them were any good. He raised his glass. "Here's to friendship." He smiled at his family all together.

Cade had never been to an animal shelter before. He didn't know he wanted a dog until he visited his father. The man who refused to get his children a family pet had a dog.

When he challenged his father, his old man shook his head. "I always wanted one, but your mother thought she would have to do all the work. I took on the role of the bad guy, but now she's living with a real bad guy." There was so much he never understood about his parent's marriage. He remembered they fought a lot at the end which was ironic, because his mother had no fight left in her.

His father's pooch was a small designer dog, but Cade wanted a big dog to run with him. Not a great dane, but a dog who might scare one of Vinnie's thugs off on a dark sidewalk. How was he going to find a dog that was scary and safe around kids? It was a tall order.

A middle-aged woman greeted him from behind a counter. The sound of barking in the background was continuous. "Can I help you?"

"I'd like to adopt a dog."

She smiled. "We have quite a few available. Tell me about your home."

"It's just me, but I have friends with kids and I like to run. It feels like it's a big ask."

"Most energetic dogs will run. Some are better on the leash than others. Do you want a big dog?"

"Not a purse dog, but not huge either."

She chuckled. "That leaves a lot in between. We can meet a few."

Cade felt a surge about meeting his new friend. He expected to go back to the kennels, but she brought him to the meet and greet room. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his jeans still loose on him.

The first dog was large with a wide nose. He would scare the thugs. "This is Hulk. He's loyal."

He sniffed Cade's hand leaving a trail of drool. "Maybe not so big."

She nodded. "He takes up a lot of space."

The next dog was a female who was still a puppy. "Minnie needs some training, but she's a sweetheart."

The puppy jumped up on his legs. He scratched her neck and squatted down. Minnie licked his face. The pup bounced around full of energy. "She would kiss a burglar."

The woman laughed. "I might have the right friend for you."

She returned with a black dog with a white mark on his chest and above his eye. He was excited but not like Minnie. "This boy is Confetti. He will love your runs." He sniffed Cade apprehensively. "He needs some love after being abandoned."

Cade wasn't abandoned, but he had experienced emotional trauma. "Is he trained?"

"House-trained, but he's still learning the rest. Some classes and consistency and he'll catch on."

Cade squatted down, and Confetti sniffed him. "What kind of dog is he?"

"A mixed breed. Some retriever, but they have kits so you can find out."

"Can I walk him?" He wanted to see if he would run.

"I'll get a leash."

He scratched his back. His short fur was smooth. "What do you think, boy? Can we be friends?"

She came back. "He loves other dogs, but I would let him meet the children slowly. If they're calm, he shouldn't get scared."

"Where should I go?"

"You can walk him out front."

He had driven to a shelter in the suburbs. In front of the building, there was a small patch of grass. Once he clipped on the leash, Confetti wagged his tail and pulled.

"A good training program will teach him to walk with you."

Cade nodded as he followed Confetti out of the building. Confetti pulled him around sniffing everywhere. Cade started running. "Come on."

The dog ran with him. When he ran to the end of the yard and stopped, the dog looked at him with his head tilted as if to say, is that all? Cade laughed at his funny expression. He was already a little in love.

Confetti wasn't happy about going back inside. "So?" The woman asked.

"What is the adoption process?"

"The forms are online. If you complete everything, you could take him home in a day or two."

Cade wanted him right away, but nodded. "What food do I need? Should I buy a crate? And toys?"

She laughed. "He's crate trained. It allows him to remove himself if he's overwhelmed."

Cade understood. He felt overwhelmed in Target. Crowds had never bothered him before.

After some more pats, he left to go home and complete the online paperwork. He felt anticipation for the first time in months.

Two days later he brought Confetti home. The dog wandered around and looked at him. "I know you're confused, but you and I are going to be friends."

Cade bought a crate but wasn't sure where to put it. He also got a dog bed which he put in his office. In addition, he spent a fortune on toys and treats. The guy at the PetSmart must have read the sucker stamped on his forehead. He even bought some bandanas so Confetti would look stylish.

He sat hoping the dog would settle down. After pacing awhile, he jumped on the sofa and put his head on Cade's thigh. Cade smiled and didn't feel alone.

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