Page 31 of Sneak Attack

Not ever.

* * *

I left the guys at the restaurant when they ordered another round of drinks. It was getting late anyway, and I still had to get Bongo from BarkTown, the doggy daycare I started taking him to last week before Selma dropped off Jasper.

BarkTown boasted of all the amenities your furry family member could ask for, a huge fenced in outside area that included three splash pad areas for dogs to run through water in the blazing summer heat. Lots of shade and a small wading pool. So far, every time I picked up Bongo, he’d tracked mud into my truck, so I started keeping towels in the back seat at all times. Since the weather had been sunny all day, I figured he’d be soaked again, so I grabbed one of the towels out of the truck as a car pulled up next to me.

A guy climbed out of the SUV next to me. Wearing a Steel ball cap and sunglasses, he had hair that flipped out over his ears and waved as he passed me. “Hey, Cole. Good game yesterday.”

“Thanks, man.”

He grinned and nodded and didn’t linger for more conversation.

I was used to being recognized in town, and since I’d grown up here, everyone knew me anyway, but it still never surprised when someone I didn’t know complimented my game or said hello. This guy was around my age, maybe a couple years older, and while I never minded stopping to sign something for fans, especially kids, or have a chat with someone on the street, I was thankful this guy didn’t linger. Or go full Monday morning quarterback on me.

That usually came after shitty games though, when everyone and their brother and second cousin’s step-uncle had something to say about our loss.

Fun days, those were.

Davis’s suggestion of me moving to the city rang in my ears. On those days, it’d make more sense, for sure.

A frantic round of barking came through the doors as the guy in front of me opened them and stepped inside. He held it open for me with his arm behind him and I thanked him while we both walked up to the counter.

“Hey Mr. Hancock. They’re getting Milo ready for you now.”

“Thanks, Suzie.” He tapped the counter and stepped back.

I walked up to Suzie, a high schooler who was the youngest of six in her family. One of her five older brothers was in my grade in high school. Her dad was the president of the bank branch where my parents had always done their banking.

“Hey Suz. How’s it going today?”

“Busy, Cole. Someone brought in an aggressive dog and didn’t let us know beforehand. He went crazy and one got hurt.” At the look in my eyes, she shook her head. “Not Bongo. He’s fine. Everyone’s fine and the injury was minor. Luckily for us, we have a veterinary technician who’s doing some volunteer work for us. Good timing because she was able to get the new pup taken care of and calm the dogs down. Only ended up with some minor scratches on her arms, too.”

“Damn. Sounds like a day. Everyone’s good, now though?”

“Yeah. We separated the dog, it’s just fear is all with him, but it would have been nice to be warned. Gave all the dogs some snacks and turned on the hoses out back. So Bongo might be wet.”

I held up the towel and smiled. “No worries. I came prepared.”

“Awesome. I’ll go get Bongo then.”

“No need. I’ve got him right here.”

I knew that voice, and out of all the places in all the world the last place I expected to run into Eden was here.

Her hair was disheveled, and she was bent over, petting Bongo while holding on to his collar, attempting to hook his leash to it, so it gave me a second to prepare myself before she realized who Bongo’s owner was.

“Hi there—” Eden lifted her head and the rest of her sentence died on her lips, as well as the light from her eyes.

“Eden.”

“Cole.” My name came out as a breath and she stood up, almost jerking Bongo back with her, but he was faster, stronger, and loved his owner.

He lunged toward me, almost yanking Eden off her feet.

“Hey boy.” He jumped, paws to my chest and the leash in Eden’s hand was yanked from it, clattered to the floor.

“Sorry!” she cried. “Oh! Shoot.”

---