Page 75 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

Huh, more words of wisdom from his easygoing brother with a short attention span.

Dallas might as well admit thatsimple truth. “I love her. But I don’t think she loves me back. Or she wouldn’t be leaving.”

“Not necessarily.” Kai rolled his eyes. “For example, she might be running away from her feelings. Or, you know, she needs to get back to her work. That should be reasonable, right? Maybe she wants to see if she can wrap up things in Charleston and come back here. Difficult to say. I’ve dated lots in my life, and if I learned one thing from it—it’s that I haven’t learned anything.”

When his brother put a special emphasis on the last sentence, Dallas chuckled despite his gloomy mood. “I guess that’s one way to put it.”

“Trying to understand women is like trying to empty this ocean with a spoon.” Kai gestured at the endless waters. “I don’t think we’re supposed to understand them. We just need to love and admire them.”

No wonder Kai was so popular with women.

Dallas made a decision. “I’m going to Mrs. Rafferty’s place. I hope Skylar hasn’t left yet.”

“I’ll be praying.” Kai nodded.

Dallas ran to his truck but paused near the door to answer a call. Skylar’s contact flashed on the screen, and he swiped to accept. “Skylar?”

She spoke, but the voice was distant as if she didn’t hold the phone close.

The words chilled the blood in Dallas’s veins. “You don’t have to kill us, you know.”

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Fifteen minutes earlier...

Skylar suppressed a shudder.

She’d made a grave mistake. She should’ve gone to the policefirst. It was too late now. She moved her hand close to her purse. Could she pull the gun fast enough?

Her grandmother was in the line of fire, and it set Skylar’s teeth on edge. She shifted to the side. Breeze was barking frantically behind the bedroom door.

Her grandmother’s eyes were huge as she slumped on a chair, and Skylar’s heart went out to her. “I’m sorry,” Grandma whispered. “I–I don’t understand what’s going on. This is my fiancé, Earl.” She turned to the man with the gun. “Earl, why are you threatening my granddaughter?”

“Because she put her nose where it didn’t belong!” he bellowed.

“My nose and the rest of my body were dragged into this... this mess.”Messwasn’t an adequate word. Tragedy? Well, she didn’t care for adequate words right now. Her hand started unzipping her purse.

Breeze kept barking. Maybe someone would hear her and call the police? The sea cottage was far from neighbors, but one could hope.

He must’ve had the same thought. “Shut up, Breeze!”

Waaaaait a minute. Skylar had brought Breeze to the sea cottage after Earl had already disappeared. How did he guess her name?

“I don’t know how you got my dog. But you’d better tell her to shut up before I shoot her,” he growled.

Skylar shuddered at the prospect. And the puppies! “Breeze, quiet, please. Your dog, huh?” A moment more, and she’d be able to slip her hand inside her purse. She was no sharpshooter by any means, but she wouldn’t miss from close range. Unless he pulled the trigger first.

“I only had Breeze for a few days, but it doesn’t matter.” His eyes narrowed. “Put your purse on the floor and send it to me. Or your grandma is dead. I know you have a gun in there. When Hart and Grant came chasing up here, worried about their inheritance, I asked them to keep an eye on you.”

Skylar’s heart dropped onto the beige tile. Without the weapon, she and Grandma would die. But if she didn’t obey, Grandma would dieimmediately.

“Now!” he yelled.

Skylar winced and placed the purse on the floor, then sent it toward him. Could she tackle him when he bent to pick it up? But hedidn’tpick it up, just kicked it far out of her reach.

Her mind whirled while her heart thundered in her temples. How to make sure she and her grandmother escaped alive? Could she use anything in the room to strike him? A teapot? Not heavy enough. If only she were by herself, she could take such a risk. She couldn’t risk dashing to the kitchen to snatch a kitchen knife.

She needed time, and she needed to keep him talking.

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