Page 114 of Sneak Attack

“Here.” Nate dug into his pocket and pulled out some dollar bills. “How about you kids go grab some quarters and show your dad’s friends how to play the old arcade games.”

“We can?” Jasper grabbed the cash without hesitation. “Thanks!”

He and Archer took off, and I waited until they’d run to Cortland before turning back to Nate.

“What’s going on?”

“Selma’s here.” His lip curled, and he glanced around again. “She and Kyleigh showed up a few minutes ago. My buddy, Jason, helping with security let me know but he had to let them in because we weren’t at capacity.”

“It’ll be fine.”

“Really? Because as soon as she saw you and your teammates, she scowled at the pretty little blonde at the table and took off around the back, but I can’t find her.”

That pretty little blonde he referred to was Cassy who was now at the table with Scott, munching on an order of nachos she’d grabbed.

“Shit. Keep an eye on Jasper?”

I had no doubt someone in the brewery had sent her a picture of me hanging out with Eden. We didn’t go into town very much over the last few weeks and that was mostly because I was trying to avoid a situation like this.

“You got it.”

“They weren’t by the dogs?”

“Rescue event is closing up so unless Eden’s helping load the dogs back in the volunteer’s cars, I didn’t see her, but Nora is out there taking down tents.”

Odd. Wouldn’t have surprised me if Eden had done just that, not wanting to be apart from the animals any longer than necessary. She mentioned last week she probably needed to start looking for a full-time job, but I knew she wouldn’t make any decisions while Marley was still declining—which had happened much faster in the last six weeks than either of us could have predicted or imagined.

Eden had essentially quit helping at BarkTown three weeks ago and even now Melanie or one of her other nurses, usually Jodie, were always at the house with Eden and Marley. They were mostly there to help Marley bathe and use the restroom, and make sure she didn’t wander away. Once they’d found her walking through the house naked because she hadn’t remembered to get dressed after a bath and another time they found her in the backyard near the lake, ankle-deep in the water.

I headed out back to the dogs’ play area and found Nora handing off a cloth grocery bag to a volunteer I didn’t know.

“Hey. Have you seen Eden?”

“No. She told me she was going to use the bathroom. Why? Something wrong?”

“Nate said Selma was here, but he couldn’t find either of them. Want me to go check?”

“I’ll do it.”

Nora’s brows arched and her lips curved up. “You’ll go search for them in the bathroom?”

“If I have to.” Because if, for some reason, Selma had cornered her there for whatever ridiculous reason, I had no problem invading someone’s privacy. Besides, there'd be stalls.

I hurried back inside, going around to the front of the brewery so I could check the parking lot, but Eden’s dark hair she had up in a clip wasn’t visible above any cars.

“Hey, man. Good luck next week.” Considering he was at the front doors and as burly as one of my linebackers, I figured he was Jason, Nate’s friend.

“Thanks, man. I’ll need it.” I gave him a fist pump. I wasn’t wrong. Our next game was against Raleigh on their turf, and we were back one game so far in the standings to them. Beaux Hale would be bringing his team’s A-game and I’d joked with Melanie that if she could somehow slip him the flu or something this coming week, I’d appreciate it.

The inside of the brewery was packed, not surprising given it was Saturday college football day, and I weaved through bodies, trying to keep my head down while also looking for Selma or Eden as I made my way to the back corner where the pool tables and restrooms were. There was a line, at least six women deep, and I said a quick prayer that phones didn’t come out while I pushed by all of them.

As soon as I opened the door, Eden’s voice was clear and sharp and angry, but she wasn’t visible.

“You do that, Selma,” she said. “Keep going for Cole. See how far that gets you.”

“I’m his son’smother, that’ll get me plenty.”

“More than the ten grand he’s already giving you?”

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