Page 60 of Come Back to Me

“Just asking.”

“It’s good. What I need. Didn’t know I needed it, of course.”

She laughs. “I feel that. You’re not regretting coming back, are you?”

“No.” I cluck my tongue. “Colt’s worried?”

“Doesn’t want you to leave. Likes you home.”

“He’s such a pussy.”

“Hey! That’s my husband you’re talking about.”

“Okay, Ms. Possessive?—”

“Mrs.Possessive,” she corrects instantly.

I grin. “What about you?”

“I like being at the ranch.”

“You turning agoraphobic?”

“Nope. And I’d know. One of my best friendsis.”

“Wait, there’s no way Tee is agoraphobic.”

“Nah. Parker. She lives in Ohio. Has Colt said something to you about me being…?”

So, Parker was ‘P.’

“Colt keeps his Zee-shaped cards close to his vest. I was just checking.”

“He does?”

“Yup. He’s territorial. Can’t blame him either.”

“Why? Though, I’m definitely not a tree?—”

Before she can go off on a tangent, I insert, “Clyde used to think it was a game to steal his girlfriends.”

“He told me that once. God. What a jerk.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Who the hell would takehimover Colt?” She doesn’t give me time to answer. “Did he steal any of yours?”

“No. He treated me differently. Same with Cole.”

“The ones who left?”

“Yeah.” I scrub a hand over my jaw. “God only knows why. The man’s fucked in the head.”

“Do you... miss him?”

A bark of laughter breaks out before I can dial it down. “No.”

My mind drifts back to that day in the hospital when he called me defective.

---