Page 69 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

Mrs. Lawrence fell silent, and Skylar’s heart squeezed painfully. Would she take her hospitable offer back? Without knowing it, Grandma could bring danger to the Lawrence family by her mere presence.

“Maybe it wasn’t a good idea,” Skylar whispered.

Finally, Mrs. Lawrence said, “Does Dallas know?”

“No.”

“Don’t you think he should?”

Another good question.Skylar stroked the wooden railing’s uneven surface. “You see, he still cares about me.”

Mrs. Lawrence chuckled. “You say that like it’s a problem.”

Great.Skylar sounded ungrateful. “No, I’m thrilled he cares about me. Delighted. But he won’t let me do something even remotely dangerous.”

“Again, you say it as if it’s a bad thing.”

Skylar sighed as she leaned into the railing’s support. If only she could lean into Dallas’s support. “It’s awonderfulthing. But I need closure. And I need to tell the truth. The person who concealed a crime needs to be caught.”

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

Skylar didn’t hesitate to answer. “No.Not at all.But I feel this is what I have to do.”

“Will you promise me you’ll be careful? And keep in contact?”

Skylar nodded, then remembered Mrs. Lawrence couldn’t see her. “Yes. I wouldn’t want to leave Grandma alone.”

Breeze got up and barked as if upset Skylar hadn’t mentioned her. Skylar corrected herself. “And Breeze, of course. Especially with future puppies. But if anything, um, well, will you... will you take care of them?”

“You’re scaring me.”

A lump formed in Skylar’s throat as Breeze bumped Skylar’s hand. Breeze’s nose felt cold and wet. “I don’t think it’ll ever come to that. I’m just being proactive. Would... would that be a yes?”

“You know it’s a yes. Dallas isn’t among my sons I need to put on guard, is he?”

Skylar swallowed hard as she rubbed Breeze’s back while the dog stretched on the warm painted patio stones again, her pink tongue lolling. “No. Please.”

He’d be angry with her. But she had to do this if she could hope for any future with him. And she deeply and thoroughly wanted a future with him.

A sigh traveled down the line. “I’m going to regret this. I’m going to regret this very much.”

“Yes!” Skylar raised her fist in the air, accompanied by Breeze’s bark, then corrected herself. “I didn’t mean yes to you regretting this. Thank you so much. Means a lot to me.”

“I’m going to regret this,” Mrs. Lawrence said again before disconnecting.

Skylar stared at the horizon, breathing deeply the salty air while a breeze tap-danced on her skin. “Was this the right choice?” she whispered.

Breeze barked, perhaps asking how she was supposed to know.

Skylar had stepped on a slippery slope since she’d set foot in her hometown again, intending to stay for weeks. She’d traveled further along that slippery slope when she’d seen Wyatt’s photo, and she slid deeper when she had Dallas’s PI brother poke into Wyatt’s life.

It was too late to stop now, wasn’t it?

“Would you like a short run on the beach to walk off your energy?” Skylar tumbled down the path, but Breeze didn’t follow her.

Instead, the golden retriever just looked at her as if to ask, “What energy?”

“Huh. All right then.” Skylar returned to the terrace.

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