He really hates me!
Cole picked up the blanket again and tucked it around her. His gentle touch was the complete opposite of his brother’s uninvited advances. “Can’t you see she’s shaking? Leave her alone. She’s had enough for today.”
West sank into the couch in the living room. “She brings it on herself.”
Cole swung around, his hands made into fists.
Eva laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Please, don’t…”
West watched his brother, frustration making his lip curl in sarcasm. “Her loyal dog.”
“Just stay away from her,” Cole hissed.
Eva tried to piece together what she was missing. West was trying to get her away from his brother by “sacrificing himself.” She was almost sure of it. Did this have to do with those bruises and scrapes all over his face? “What is it about my family?” she called out to West. “Why are you worried about Cole?”
He sneered at her. “We’re not talking about this right now.”
“When?” she asked. Eva’d had enough of this runaround. “Whenwill we?”
Lizardman sniffed around West’s legs and he pushed the puppy away, just like he pushed everyone away. The cute labradoodle was probably hungry. Eva took out the dog chow and filled up Lizardman’s food bowl, glaring at West the whole time. She couldn’t stay here another minute. She’d ask Cole to take her home as soon as she changed her clothes and packed.
A knock sounded on the door. Cole answered it to a stern-faced Morningstar. “The men still claim they have nothing to do with what happened to you out by Burro Mine,” the deputy said, “but I’ll get them to talk.”
She was positive that the man would. Besides fuming with annoyance that he’d been ripped unceremoniously from his Thanksgiving meal, the deputy looked more muscle than man, every bit of him chiseled all the way to his shaved head. West avoided his eyes like the plague.
“My sister made me bring this to you, Cole.” Morningstar held out a pie.
Eva was drawn to it like a starving woman, which she pretty much was. The smell of strawberry filling seemed like everything she was missing in her life up to now. “Who’s your sister?” she asked, pushing around Cole’s elbow to get at the pie.
“Kylee.”
Of course she was! Eva stepped back at that. Her scones had almost stolen Cole away from her forever. It appeared Morningstar’s sister still wasn’t giving up on her relentless hunt of the last remaining Slade bachelor.
And still, she was an amazing cook. Eva’s stomach growled, despite her sudden onset of jealousy.
“Tell her thank you,” Cole said. “I hope you get to join your family soon.”
“We’ll see,” was Morningstar’s blunt reply. His eyes went to the men in the back of his patrol car. “They’re claiming it was just a prank.”
“Grab their phones,” Eva said. “Their phone number should be this one.” She pushed her screen into Morningstar’s face and he quickly read through the messages.
“Screenshot those to me, plus the phone number, would you?” he asked her.
“Yes.” She did that while Cole took the pie. He leaned into her, supplying Morningstar’s number for her.
Morningstar’s attention focused on them, darting from her to Cole in sudden confusion. “Aren’t you still dating West?”
Was that an official police question? “Um, no, not anymore,” she answered.
Morningstar’s forehead wrinkled then cleared when he caught sight of West fuming on the couch. She gave the deputy a weak smile. Morningstar quickly dropped the subject and retreated to his vehicle.
Small towns. Nothing was a secret apparently.
The screen door swung shut behind him. Cole brought in the pie. A part of her felt sad that their sweet Thanksgiving dinner had been denied them in all the excitement. This would make up for it, not to mention she was starving. Eva slid out the plates.
West dragged a stool over to sit at the island with a stubborn glint in his eye. What was he doing? He’d claimed pies were one of the worst things about Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, he roughly dished himself up a piece.
West didn’t even wait for her to cut it!