A wave of envy washed over Olivia about how perfectly used to each other they were. She’d never had that level of closeness with a dog, even though she’d loved several over the years. Her grandpa’s dogs had been farm dogs, lazing around outside all day and sleeping in the garage at night. She didn’t have anyone—person or animal—in her life like that. She and Trevor had had some semblance of it. Maybe. He’d known which pair of cozy pants she slipped into after a long day during the winter and how she liked fresh mint leaves in her iced tea in summer. And there were a hundred things she’d known about him without giving it any real attention any longer.

But when it came to people, knowing someone wasn’t enough reason to commit to a life together. After months of looking within as the wedding loomed closer, Olivia had realized that over the years they’d been together, she’d become someone who wanted something out of life that Trevor didn’t.

“Will you tell me what happened in the fire?” So many things had clicked into place at learning he’d been an EMT and firefighter.

He released a sigh like steam releasing from a teapot. “I stepped away from the line and got lost in the smoke. It was an old brick two-story house down near Lafayette Square. I’d have been a goner had it not been for Samson. I opened a door and found him in a room, locked in a kennel. I wrapped some kids’ pajama pants around his neck, and he led me out. Even with his help, I barely made it. It was the smoke and the heat. Me and two guys who’d been trying to find me were hospitalized a couple days. And while we were in there, one of our buddies died in a warehouse fire.”

Gabe swallowed and gave a light shake of his head. “After that, I was done. I couldn’t do it anymore. And not being able to do it knocked the wind out of me more than anything I’d ever experienced. It took a month for her to do it, but my fiancée walked away.” He shook his head. “By then I had Samson. The family he’d been with couldn’t bring him to where they’d relocated. He was taken to a shelter and treated for second-degree burns on his paws.