Page 58 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

Chapter Twelve

TODAY SKYLAR FELT DIFFERENT. More alive than she’d felt in years. More optimistic than she’d felt in years. Before, she’d been trying to escape herself and her memories and the person who’d terrified her.

Today, blood rushed faster in her veins, and her heart whispered hope to her soul. She had two reasons for it.

She stole a glance at Dallas who walked by her side from the parking lot toward the motel. She’d talked him into visiting the guest. While growing up, he’d been the more sensible, and she the more reckless one. After she’d left her hometown, she’d gotten sensibility to spare, maybe because she’d had to go on without him.

Now excitement bubbled under her skin. Being able to draw again was one reason. But he was another one. After all the years of acting sensibly, no matter how much her mind told her to stay away from him, her heart didn’t want to listen.

That must’ve been the reason her hand slipped into his as they walked to the motel, sending awareness jolting through her. Causing him to look at her with joyous surprise.

“Remember, how we used to walk hand in hand on the beach all the time?” she whispered, nostalgia cloaking her insides.

“Of course, I do.” His voice softened. “I remember every moment I spent with you. I remember everything.” He paused before adding, “Even when I didn’t want to. But now, I want to.”

Could she allow herself to cherish these precious minutes while he was still by her side? “I thought it was going to be that way forever.”

“Me, too.”

Regretfully, she took her hand out of his as they reached the door. She shouldn’t be establishing the foundation of a new relationship if she couldn’t commit to it. Her stomach clenched as she stepped inside the hall. She was just going to hurt him again.

This two-story motel with mustard walls and numbered doors wasn’t one of Port Sunshine’s most prestigious establishments, though it was by no means seedy.

Did the budget hotel mean Terrence wasn’t doing so well? But that also meant they didn’t have to go through the lobby and could have an element of surprise.

Once Dallas knocked on the fern-green door with intriguing symmetrical scratches close to the floor, Skylar wished they’d gone with his suggestion and found out more information about the guy. But she didn’t want him to disappear before they visited him. A faint scent of vomit drifted to her, and she suppressed a grimace and her gag reflex, hoping it wasn’t fromthisroom.

When the door opened, the smile she plastered on took an effort to keep in place. But she could mentally pat herself on the back. She’d still got it. The man looked a lot like her portrait of him, except his white hair was now disheveled and tiny pieces of food were stuck in his unkempt beard. The slacks themselves likely didn’t remember the last time they’d been ironed. The room stank a bit of rotting food and cigarette smoke, but not of vomit, thankfully. After all, she could only suppress her gag reflex so much.

Dallas moved forward, but the man’s gaze stayed on her. “You’re Dolores’s granddaughter, aren’t you?”

Startled, she nearly stumbled back. Huh. So not what she’d expected to hear. “Um, yes. I’m Skylar Rafferty, and this is my, um, my friend, Dallas Lawrence. But... how do you know my grandma?”

“I’m Terry Hirst.” His gaze didn’t waver from her.

Bingo! Skylar’s smile became sincere. They were right, after all. Well, that explained his connection to Earl but not to her grandmother. And so far, Terrence was offering no clarification.

“My grandma’s fiancé, Earl Lane, disappeared. Did you have something to do with it?” Right, just blurt it out. Not her wisest idea. She’d likely earned them a door in their faces. In her years alone, she’d learned to think before she’d spoken and to tread carefully. Where were those skills now? Being near Dallas, breathing in the intoxicating scent of his cologne must be affecting her brain too much.

Her mouth slackened when Terrence waved them in.

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