Page 30 of Sneak Attack

If only he’d tell me what it was he’d uncovered.

Davis chewed his burger while I pushed my plate away, suddenly full with an already churning gut.

“You know what you should do?” he asked.

“What?”

“Move to the city. Put some space between you and Selma. You’re all still close enough you can take care of Jasper. Hell, down here you’re even closer to the hospital so it’s not like pick-ups and drop offs would be any different. Y’all’s parents can help out still, too. But the distance, even if it’s an extra fifteen miles, might help Selma finally learn you’re never gonna be with her. Might help you both move on.”

“I’ve moved on.”

“You have?”

“Of course I have.”

“Then tell me more about Eden.”

My lips froze, fused together. No way in hell, especially not there, in public, or that moment.

“Moved on. Like hell you have.” He let out a low chuckle that was anything but humorous and went back to his burger.

“Kid does have a point,” Dawson said, leaning in and shoving his black hair off his forehead. “And I was wrong. He’s only missing the inches, not the brain but moving might not be such a bad idea. Especially with Eden in town.”

“If I moved now, Selma would spillallthe shit. Every last ugly detail.”

It was an excuse, although a more plausible one after her last tantrum.

I didn’t want to move. I liked still living in Marysville even if I was on the other side of town as my parents. I liked being close to them. I liked raising Jasper in the town where I grew up, and I liked that since everyone knew me, it was rare I was bothered out in public. Hell, I could still go to the brewery on my Sunday bye week if I wanted and watch the games like every other normal person there. I doubted I’d have that in the city, at least at first, and what would that mean for Jasper when he was in school?

“So let her. She does that, she’s only going to throw more sympathy your way anyway. Outed by the baby mama because she didn’t get a rock. Please. Selma does that and she’s digging her own grave.”

“Anyone gonna tell me what I’m missing here?” Davis asked.

“When you’re old enough to understand, kid.” Dawson flashed him a teasing wink and Davis scoffed.

“You’re an asshole.”

“I wear the title proudly.”

“And stop calling me kid.”

“When you’re older, little buddy.”

Davis rolled his eyes and tossed another fry into his mouth.

They’d given me a lot to think about. From the lawyers to moving and even Eden. But, back to Davis’s question, only one thing was truly clear.

Who was Eden?

She was my everything.

Now I had to put in the work convincing her.

And that was about as likely to happen as Selma turning into a kind and generous human being.

I was a fighter though, a dreamer, and so far, all the plans I’d set for myself had come true minus one—and I wasn’t going to give up on Eden.

Not again.

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