Page 20 of Ambush

Did she remember their first kiss as vividly as he did? He cleared the huskiness from his throat. “I reread the series sometimes.” He stuffed more things in the box while she continued to examine other items. If he got it all out of view, maybe she wouldn’t realize he’d kept every one of the notes she ever sent him.

She held up the Angry Birds plushie. “You hated this thing. I can’t believe you kept it.”

And it was better if she didn’t know how many memories he’d packed in this box. He plucked it from her hand and caught a whiff of the plumeria scent she wore even back then. The fragrance heightened the tightness in his chest. He tossed the plushie in the box, then closed the lid. He doubted she’d even kept the class ring he’d given her while he’d treasured every minute he spent with her. It had been a waste of time and energy pining for someone who hated him.

And he couldn’t blame her for the way she felt.

Chapter 10

Even with clean sheets, the bed pillows smelled of Blake—his cypress-eucalyptus soap blended with an earthy scent from working in the barns. Paradise resisted the impulse to leap from the bed. She couldn’t lower her guard around him. Seeing the mementos he’d kept all these years had turned her insides to mush. She’d spent the past two hours downstairs with his family eating beignets and playing games, but her thoughts kept returning to the things he’d treasured.

The time spent together tonight had shattered her defenses, and it would take time to rebuild them.

The only reason she’d come back was to find the truth. Romance wasn’t on her agenda. Especially with Blake Lawson. She’d tried to get over him and thought she’d succeeded. But even still Blake made her heart sing, and she couldn’t allow it. After she uncovered the truth, she had to escape to someplace where she could start over without the past staring her down every minute. Somewhere her glances didn’t stray to Blake’s thick hair and understanding smile.

She gazed over at the snow globe on the bedside table. At least something was left of her parents. Her phone vibrated with amessage, and she glanced at the time. A little after eleven. She read the text from her cousin Rod’s wife, Sheila.

Hey, Paradise, I heard you’re back in town—long time no see. I’m having a cookout on Sundayafternoonand it would be great to catch up. Rod’s mom and siblings will be here too and all the various kids. No need to bring anything. Rod is smoking ribs and Mom is bringing corn casserole and baked beans. I’ve got dessert duty. Feel free to bring a plus one. Maybe Blake?

Paradise’s finger hovered over her phone. How did she answer? Her family had washed their hands of her long ago. Her second cousin Lily, Rod’s mother, could have saved her from foster care, but she’d said she couldn’t handle her own two and didn’t want to add to the chaos. The rejection had left Paradise scarred. Was it time to try to bury the hatchet? Maybe her cousin would have some insight into who murdered her parents.

Sure, she texted back.

Great! See you at one.

Paradise put her phone back on the nightstand, but there was no way she could fall asleep now. She sat up and slid her legs over the edge of the bed. Blake’s deep voice calling the name Cody came from the front yard. She was decent in sleeping shorts and a tee, so she went down the garage stairs and stood on the bottom step, watching Blake in the moonlight for a minute. He was ready for bed in red TSU athletic shorts and a white tee. The light outlined his strong biceps and square jaw. If anything, he’d grown even more virile and handsome over the past fifteen years. The stiff night wind carried the scent of his soap to Paradise and mingled it with the fragrance of the roses in the front flower bed.

She made a movement and he stilled as he turned toward the house. “Paradise? What are you doing up so late?”

She descended the last step. “You’re the one out here yelling at someone.”

“Not someone.” He gestured to a dog. “He was supposed to do his business and come back in, but a bunny caught his attention. I had to give him a little redirection.”

She eyed the dog. He seemed to be made out of leftover parts from random breeds: Chihuahua legs, Great Dane ears, greyhound body, and an elegant—but crooked—Chesapeake Bay retriever tail. He had wispy brown-gray fur with several severe cowlicks.

The dog lifted his muzzle and she took a step back. “Is he snarling at me?”

“What? No. Cody is only dangerous to himself. That’s his crazy snaggletooth.”

The incisor stuck out of his lower jaw and made him appear slightly rabid. “I didn’t know you had a dog.”

“It’s my cousin Hez’s dog. He asked me to watch him for a few days while he’s on a short trip.” Blake studied her expression. “You still haven’t said what you’re doing up.”

“Want to go to a picnic on Sunday afternoon?” She started to retreat to the garage stairs. “You know what? Forget it. It was a dumb suggestion.”

He reached toward her with one hand. “No, wait! I’d love to. Where do you want to go?”

Did he think she was asking him to be alone with her? They’d often explored the swamp and woods around the area. Being together in nature had been their favorite pastime. Every minute she’d spent with Blake back then had created the best memories she had. Ones she still clung to when life got hard. Had those memories played a part in her decision to pursue the truth? Maybe subconsciously she wanted to see if Blake lived up to the memories she treasured.

She hugged herself against the night breeze. “Rod and Sheilawant me to come to a family picnic. I suspect you had something to do with the invitation, so I thought it only fair you had to endure it with me.”

He took another step her way. “Maybe it won’t be awful. They’re family, Paradise. There are kids you haven’t met, and they’ve probably changed since you left town. They might be trying to make amends.”

She noticed how adroitly he’d dodged the question of whether he was responsible for the invitation. “I want to see what Lily remembers in the weeks leading up to my parents’ murder.”

And why she didn’t want to take me in.

Her gut roiled with an awful thought. Was it because she knew Paradise was somehow at fault?

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