Page 5 of Sneak Attack

I bit back the retort. I was on edge from Eden returning, not Selma, and as much as she and I could fight verbally, this wasn’t her problem.

“Jasper’s almost ready to go. I’m going to take Bongo to the doggy daycare south of town I told you about.”

Her brows tugged together with displeasure. When it came to Selma, that was a frequent reaction. Outside the one night we spent together where it wasn’t, but even then, it hadn’t been pleasurable or passionate—more like comfort food.

Not that I’d ever tell Selma that. I’d end up with her palm print against my cheek.

“That’s not necessary. I’m happy to help—”

“I think it is.” Necessary. Sometimes Selma grew too comfortable—welcoming herself into my home was only one example.

“Dad!”

“Coming!” I left her gaping after me at the back door and hurried to find Jasper. He was sitting on the bottom stair, shoelaces knotted, and his chin was wobbling. “It’s all right, buddy. I’ve got it.”

I crouched down and unknotted the mess he made while my insides went to work doing the exact opposite.

I was finishing the second shoe, and Jasper’s near meltdown was forgotten when Selma reached us, Bongo on a leash and kindness back on her face.

“It’s no problem, Cole. You—”

I stood and leveled her with a look. “It is, and he’s going to the daycare. And you know why.”

The leash fell to the floor as her eyes widened. “You’ve seen her already.”

The statement dropped like a bomb while Bongo whined at my legs, sniffing mine and Jasper’s shoes, knowing we were leaving, and he was getting a car ride.

“Bongo’s going to a daycare?” Jasper asked, but it came at me through a tunnel.

“What do you mean, I’ve seen her?” My teeth gritted on instinct and my chest burned hot. Too hot. Too tight.

Her lips pressed together, and she glanced at Jasper. Crouched between us, he had his fingers digging deep into Bongo’s fur, scratching behind his ears like Bongo loved.

“Yeah, buddy. Bongo’s going to make friends. Socialize and stuff. He’ll have more fun than sleeping all day.”

“Dogs can make friends?”

“You bet they can.” I ruffled his dark hair and grinned down at him even if my teeth felt like they might snap in two from grinding them so hard.

My gaze snapped toward Selma completely forgetting…everything. But if she knew…that meant…

Seven years and Eden Barclay was back in town.

“It’s obvious,” Selma said, and there was a snappish tone to her voice that meant trouble. “She’s here. You’re already changing things. You said—”

Forget what I said last month when Selma heard what Marley had done and showed up at my house throwing a tantrum about how everything was going to change if Eden returned. I’d tried to reassure her, but shit. What did she expect?

“How do you know she’s here?”

“Who are you talking about, Mommy?”

Selma smiled down at her son. Probably the only time she gave a genuine one was to him. “An old friend, honey.”

“Friend? Like the kind of friends Bongo will make.”

Selma chuckled, and she lifted her eyes to me. “Sure, Jasper. Just like thedogsBongo will make friends with.”

My lip curled into a snarl and so help me, if Jasper wasn’t there…if I wasn’t a gentleman…

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