Page 76 of Seaside Cowboy's Second Chance

“Let’s try to find a solution to this situation.” She softened her tone because arguing wouldn’t get her anywhere. She wished Breeze were still here instead of locked in the bedroom. No, that wasn’t true. She wouldn’t want Breeze and her puppies to suffer.

Earl sneered. “There’s only one solution.”

“What... what’s going on?” Grandma blinked and wrapped her tawny-hued shawl tighter around her shoulders as if cold. “You said you loved me. You proposed. Then you disappeared. What on earth is happening now?”

He exhaled, his shoulders sloping, but the gun remained firm in his grip. “I did fall in love with you. I–I just couldn’t change anything.”

Could he have tiny bits of remorse? Then there could be hope for stalling. He wouldn’t let them out of here alive, but maybe Skylar could buy some time. But one wrong move, and it was over.

Skylar searched his face, hoping to see it in his eyes. His white hair was disheveled, and wrinkles dug deep into his face. His movements were jerky, his eyes frantic and cold. Not a good sign.

Breeze started barking again, and as much as Skylar wanted the dog to make noise, she asked her to stop.

“Help us understand then. Why don’t we sit down and you tell us?” She did her best to mimic his vocal inflections.

He frowned. “Nobody can understand.”

She moved closer, also doing her best to shield her grandmother. “Of all people, I’m the only one who can. I know why you did what you did. I know my father could be a horrible person.”

Grandma gasped, her pale eyes going huge. “I thought we were never going to speak ofthat.”

Now, Skylar sighed. She didn’t want to hurt her grandmother. But the two of them had kept this secret since Skylar had started remembering things while in the first semester of college, and it was the wrong thing to do. It was time to voice it. “Because I saw him kill my mom.”

Chapter Sixteen

SKYLAR REASSESSED THEsituation, pulling on her analytical brain and not her creative one. Earl didn’t sit down to talk, but he didn’t pull the trigger yet, either.

Hopefully, he needed someone to relate to him, to understand his reasons.

She could be that person—or rather pretend to be. “I grew up thinking my father died, thinking my mother left me. But that’s not what happened.”

“Why are you telling my fiancé this?” Grandma’s voice trembled.

“Because we’ve kept silent too long. I’m not going to die without us talking about it.” Skylar shifted to Earl. “And after what you’ve put her through, Grandma deserves to understand why. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t have time for this.” His brown eyes narrowed.

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