Page 2 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

Chapter One

SKYLAR RAFFERTY’S FINGERStightened around the steering wheel as she pulled up to the gas station. She’d almost made it to her grandmother’s house in Port Sunshine, but now the arrow was on empty.

That was the way she felt lately. Running on empty. Would returning to her hometown for a month refuel her?

Riiight. She chuckled without mirth as she pumped gas. Coming back here left a bittersweet taste, and she almost dulled it with the stale coffee she’d gotten before leaving. Stale. Just like her life.

What was wrong with her today? She loved her grandmother, used to love this small town and the ocean that seemed as endless as her dreams when she’d been growing up.

Then one mistake changed it all. She should’ve gone to the police then and there. She should have.

She winced and dropped the cup into the trash. She had to do this for her grandmother, just as she’d kept the painful secret for so long because of her. After all, Grandma had always been there for her, and Skylar hadn’t really returned that favor for years.

She was about to get into her gray sedan when a low whine made her linger and glance back. A dog limped from around the pump, then sat at a distance, and lifted its paw.

“Is your paw injured?” All her hard edges softened.

The dog whined a reply and lifted her paw higher. Her long coat was dirty and matted, and who could say for sure what color it was originally? Maybe a gorgeous pale-yellow hue. A golden retriever mix? No collar and probably no microchip, either.

“Are you a stray?” Maybe Skylar should go inside the gas station and get a hamburger. “Or would you prefer a hot dog?” She had little experience with dogs, and the small gas station wouldn’t likely carry kibble.

The dog stopped whining.

“I don’t know why they call it a hot dog, but it’snotmade from a dog. I promise.” She edged closer.

The dog whined again, favoring her paw. Skylar couldn’t get a dog. Or... could she?

Years ago, she’d wanted a pet just like that, well, sans the injured paw and miserable look in its brown eyes. But she’d let that dream go, like many others. Her stomach clenched. Not the time to count her losses, especially the biggest one.

Dallas.

Her grandmother expected her by now, but how could Skylar leave an animal in need? The least she could do was take it to the vet and get some proper food. A bath wouldn’t hurt, either.

She sighed. “You aren’t going to bite me, are you? I’ll take you to my grandma Dolores. After I take care of you, of course.”

Hmm. Was it her impression, or did the dog’s ears stand on alert at her grandmother’s name?

“I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. I want to help you.” Skylar inched even closer, half expecting the canine to take off.

Instead, she stopped whining and tilted her head, studying Skylar.

When she opened her car door, she glanced at her white blouse, too dressy for the trip, and grimaced. White blouse and charcoal-gray slacks. She used to wear bright colors. She used to be fine getting dirty, even playing in the mud.

Yup,used to.

“Well, it is what it is.” She lifted the dog and placed her onto the car’s carpeted floor that didn’t have a single speck before. The canine settled near the back seat as if she belonged there.

Just like Skylar had once felt she belonged in this small coastal town. With Dallas.

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