Page 35 of Sniper

Anna’s dark brown hair is up in a ponytail, and her brown eyes stare at me before returning to Brock.

I smile at her, hoping I don’t bite her head off, and say, “I’m not sure. Normally, if I’m here, he’s with our daughter.”

She nods, but I see her roll her eyes, and I ignore her, stroking Brock’s nose.

I would admit, I did like Anna when we first met, until she found out I was married. I don’t know what her problem is, but for the past month, she’s wanted to meet Theo.

“It’s strange I haven’t met him yet,” she continues, and I snort—I can’t help it—and she stands, raising a brow.

I shake my head at her, guide Brock back into his stable, and ask, “Why is it strange? My husband works, and when I work, he watches our daughter. To be honest, you’re acting a little strangely. What’s your obsession with my husband?”

Okay, I have no idea where that backbone came from; it’s been lost since I was taken.

She sighs and says, “I’m sorry. It’s nothing personal. I just thought it was weird, is all….”

I nod with a raised brow, not believing a word she’s saying. I heard the rumors about her and why she left her old job.

Apparently, she likes married men. According to the seventy-year-old grocery worker, every woman knows my husband and apparently wants him, and she’s one of them.

The nice lady wanted to warn me after she saw my scrubs and the Summer’s Farm logo. She’d seen me with Theo several times beforehand.

I shake my head, grab our things, and state, “Well, it’s not weird. What is weird, though, is you becoming obsessed over a taken man.” I walk toward the barn doors, wanting out of here.

I’ve been feeling sick lately, and the heat in this barn is making me want to pass out.

“How did you do it?” she asks.

I stop near the mouth of the doorway, the fresh air so close yet so far, and I huff out, “Do what?”

She clears her throat and adds, “Get the most eligible man in Huntersville? I mean Sn?—”

I cut her off, and state, “To me, Theo is not the most eligible man because he isn’t; he’s my husband, and I didn’t do anything. Autumn did by throwing a milkshake on him the first day we met.” I turn my head to look at her and continue, “That day, he told me I had him hooked instantly, when I wasn’t even looking for a man. He’s my world, and Autumn and I are his. If we weren’t, then he wouldn’t have married me or adopted her.”

Anna’s eyes widen in shock, and I turn, continuing my way out of the barn before I vomit on her, though, with how she’s obsessing over my man, I’m tempted.

Nausea hits hard, and I grab hold of the small SUV that Brook bought to use on her parents' farm, trying to breathe through it.

“Aurora, are you okay?” a voice asks with concern from behind me. I turn and make eye contact with Brook. Her light brown eyes look at me with so much concern my heart hurts.

I’m not used to others caring about my welfare, especially after a year in captivity.

I swallow the bile down, and croak, “I’ve been feeling sick lately. I don’t know, maybe Autumn’s brought a bug home or something….”

Even as I say the words, I know they are crap, and so does she, her words confirming that, “You’ve had a child, so don’t act naïve now, missy.”

I snort at her, who’s trying to act mature, but her grin ruins her façade.

I shake my head. “I can’t be pregnant, I’m on the pill.”

She chuckles. “You know those are only like 98% effective, right?”

I furrow my brows, straightening, my nausea well and truly forgotten, and I say stupidly, “I thought that was a rumor.”

She bites her bottom lip to stop her laughter, and yeah, I get it. I sound really idiotic right now, but in my defense, that was the only thing that came to mind, and my mouth decided to run before my brain could catch up.

I put my hands up in defense. “Alright, I get it. I know how that sounded, but my brain shut down.”

She laughs, and I shake my head, sighing.

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