Page 3 of Ambush

Blake splayed out his hands. “Innocent of the charges.”

She had that mane of hair that exploded in the Alabama humidity, and her eyes were a golden amber color that reinforced the similarity to the big cat. It was so striking, even a little kid like Isaac noticed. Blake used to call her Simba, a nickname she’d hated when he first met her. Until it became a pet name. Even if it had been used for a male lion in a Disney movie, it suited her.

She squatted in front of his youngest brother. “You can touch it.”

Isaac grinned and thrust both hands into her wild, curly hair. “It’s so pretty. I wish I had hair like yours.”

“Trust me, you don’t.”

He studied her. “I peeked in your car, and you have a teddy bear in the back seat. He looks old.”

“He is. My parents gave him to me, and he goes with me everywhere.”

“But you’re a grown-up.”

Her cheeks reddened, but she didn’t ignore his little brother. “Even grown-ups have favorite things from when they were little.”

She’d always liked kids and had often taken care of younger foster kids in the home. Yet here she was, still unmarried and childless. At least Blake assumed so since she’d shown up alone.

Paradise stood and glanced at the office. “If you tell me where to find my lodging, I’ll get unpacked.”

“I’ll take you over and help carry in your luggage.” A few minutes alone might help dissipate the tension between them.

Or maybe intensify it.

Chapter 2

When Paradise had lived in Alabama, this Sanctuary property had been a respite from the turmoil after her parents died. Since she’d worked for Hank Anderson, the vet in Nova Cambridge, the former owners sometimes let her help feed the handful of roadside zoo animals they’d collected and clean up the excrement. But this place had been her happy place, even more so than the vet’s office. She’d felt needed by the wild animals. Now she would be responsible for caring for the wildlife she glimpsed as she followed in her car behind Blake’s truck. There were a lot more of them now than back in her day.

She got out, he grabbed her large roller bag, and they walked toward a row of shotgun cottages. She shot a side-eyed glance Blake’s way. Seeing him again had been a punch to her gut. She’d always heard you never got over your first love, but she’d minimized that notion in her head until the moment her heart stuttered in her chest at the sight of his face—until she remembered his betrayal.

Blake had been her world for the six years she’d spent as his next-door neighbor. Maybe it had been a mistake to come here, but she wasn’t sure of her path forward or how to get over herfear of big cats. Jenna’s offer had been a lifeline she’d clutched with both hands. The possibility of getting to the bottom of her nightmares made the offer irresistible.

Blake stopped in front of a cute cottage barely bigger than a garage and set down her suitcase to unlock the door. “It’s not big, but Mom had it renovated last year. It’s got all new furnishings and a fresh coat of paint.” He handed her the key, then folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. “Why’d you come back, Paradise? I thought once you’d shaken the dust of Nova Cambridge off your feet, you’d never step foot in Baldwin County again.”

She searched his face for some reaction at seeing her again, but Blake had always been good at masking his feelings when he wanted to. She wasn’t sure she was ready to reveal her nightmares and what had driven her back to face them.

His attention moved from her face to the scars on her left arm, and his eyes widened. “You get that in an attack?”

She instinctively covered them with her right hand. “A black panther mauling. Jaguar. Someone accidentally left a door open while I was working in his habitat.” Reiterating the incident always stole her breath and left her shaking. She didn’t want Blake to realize how traumatized she’d been. “I was on leave and afraid I could never work with the big cats I loved so much again. Your mom’s offer felt like it was meant to be.” She dropped her hand away from her scars.

Blake stared at her arm. “Ouch. It’s still painful?”

“It is. And I don’t have full strength back in it yet. I’m working on getting that back with exercises the physical therapist gave me.”

He gave a quick nod. “Think you can do the job here?”

“I wouldn’t have accepted it if I wasn’t sure of that. I can take care of myself.”

“You don’t have to take on the whole world, Paradise. I’d hoped you would have learned that in the past fifteen years.” His gaze dropped to her hand. “Not married?”

“Never could trust a man.”

He flinched when her barb struck him. His betrayal had cost her everything—her home, her peace of mind, her ability to trust.

When he opened his mouth, she knew she couldn’t listen to one more platitude or excuse. Not today when the past was hitting her so hard. “I’d like to unpack. I’ll report for work at seven. Piggly Wiggly still in the same place?”

“Yeah, not much has changed in Nova Cambridge since you left. A few new stores opened when old ones closed. A few more paved roads, another gas station.” He pushed open the door to the cottage and stepped out of the way. “For what it’s worth, Paradise, if I had the chance to do things all over again, I would have talked to you first.”

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