Page 37 of Sneak Attack

“Damn it, Bongo,” Cole muttered, while I jumped back.

The cool water and the space settled over me, allowing me to breathe without my head spinning.

“You’re wrong about a lot of things, Eden.” He bent and grabbed Bongo’s collar, tugged him in the direction of the path to his parents’ house. “But you’ll learn. And while you’re replaying this conversation in your head, keeping you up late at night like I know you will, remember this: You’ve always been mine.”

He slapped his thigh and Bongo followed him.

You’ve always been mine.

He was right. Damn him.

I would definitely be replayingthatparticular parting shot later.

Because he couldn’t mean….

No way.

I wasn’t his. Never had been. And there was no point in trying to be now.

* * *

Night settled and the air was thick and heavy. Perfectly fitting my mood, after Marley fell asleep watchingJeopardy!and I was able to wake her to get her to bed, I opened a bottle of wine and headed out to the front porch.

Avoiding the backyard and the temptation that would come with the path, I settled into one of the four white wooden rocking chairs. They were as sparkling white as they’d been seven years ago, and I had no doubt who had maintained them along with most of the rest of the property.

The Buchanan men had always spent their weekends helping Marley.

Cole had been right earlier. His last words rang in my ears all day, so much I burned the grilled chicken on the grill, tossed it out and Marley and I had ordered pizza instead.

Not that she complained. She loved an extra meat and extra cheese pizza with cheese stuffed crust. I hadn’t had the energy to tell her it wasn’t on her diet.

Knowing Marley, she tossed out the option assuming today of all days would be one where I wouldn’t correct her or shovel Brussels sprouts in her direction.

I’d eaten them all instead.

You’ve always been mine.

The sentence reverberated in my head like a bass drum, on repeat, like a mosquito you couldn’t swat away when you were trying to sleep.

Outside wasn’t any better, with nothing but country songs coming from my playlist on my phone, but everything made me think of Cole. The music, the thickness in the air, this house…this place.

I sipped my wine and was turning on my Kindle only to straighten when a shadowed figure appeared at the end of Marley’s steep gravel drive. I marginally relaxed as I recognized Kate Buchanan’s petite stature. Compared to Cole and Dave, she was tiny, but her presence was no less unsettling as she made her way up the drive, pebbles kicked beneath her feet. When her face finally showed beneath the floodlights of the house, she tossed me a small wave and matching smile.

She hadn’t changed a single bit. Not a single new wrinkle, or gray hair on her head had grown in the years since I’d seen her. I still stood from my chair uneasily.

“Mrs. Buchanan,” I said, and she laughed, the pretty, playful laugh she always had.

“Stop that. I’ve been Mama B to you since I met you and I’m no different now.”

Something warm fizzled in my fingertips, making me itch to touch her. Hug her, but I stood my ground as she came closer.Mama B.I’d missed her.

“How’s she doing?” she asked, gesturing toward the house with a nod.

“The same. Nurse is coming next week.”

Kate’s kind, barely there smile, diminished. “And how are you?”

“Wondering what in the world I’m doing here.”

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