Every great love story has a twist. For Anna Bruno, it wasn’t a candlelit dinner or a romantic grand gesture that sealed her fate. It was a rescue dog named Addie.
The first time Anna met Parker, the man who would later become her husband, she learned about Addie almost immediately.
On their date at a speakeasy bar in Iowa City, Parker told her about the young Blue Heeler who had been rescued with a fractured leg.
A vet tech had named her Adelaide, given her a Valentine’s Day birthday, and Parker had become the lucky one chosen to adopt her.
By the end of the evening, Anna knew as much about the dog as she did about the man sitting across from her.
When she finally met Addie in person, something clicked. Anna was struggling at the time—her novel felt stuck, and her relationship with Parker was still fragile, uncertain.
But Addie gave her a sense of comfort. Soon, Anna and the dog were logging six-mile runs together, stopping mid-stride for selfies to send Parker.
Whether or not Parker approved of their growing friendship didn’t matter—Anna felt a bond with Addie that was undeniable.
That bond deepened one night at Parker’s apartment.
Surrounded by his friends, Anna felt awkward and out of place—until Addie padded over and stayed by her side.
A friend watching them joked, “That’s what I want—we should be a pack.”
For Anna, the moment was more than a joke. Addie had chosen her, and suddenly, the idea of belonging to a “pack” didn’t feel so far away.
Blue Heelers are strong-headed dogs, bred to withstand kicks from cattle.
Addie carried that toughness, but with Anna, she showed gentleness. Anna would lean her head against Addie’s, letting her anxiety melt away.
Running together, sitting together, even just breathing side by side—Addie had a way of making the world steadier.
When Anna and Parker decided to move in together, she had a moment of doubt.
Sitting alone on a bare king-sized mattress in their new home, she wondered if she was stuck—both as a writer and in life.
Then Addie padded over, curled up at her feet, and reminded her she wasn’t alone. In that simple gesture, Anna found reassurance. She was part of something—part of a family.
Years later, Anna discovered one of those mid-run selfies framed in Parker’s office.
That little snapshot of her and Addie told the whole story: long before Anna and Parker’s relationship was official, Addie had already welcomed her in.
For Anna, Addie wasn’t just a rescue dog.
She was a teacher, a guide, and the heart that brought a family together.
