Summer all but pouted through the screen. “You’re not going to let me tell you about this book, are you?”
We’d had our fun, so I said, “All right, convince us why this is a must-read.”
“Okay.” She held up her hands dramatically. “So, we’ve met the hero in a previous series, but he was a womanizer who treated girls like crap. One of his former teammates takes over as GM and decides he’s sick of his crap—because his reputation as an instigator on the ice carries over into the locker room—so he trades him to another team. He goes from a championship contender to the worst in the league overnight. Total karma.”
Allie stops her. “Isn’t that the guy we hated?”
“Yes!” Summer jumped up and down, causing waves to ripple around her. “So, anyway, he gets knocked on his ass when a kid he didn’t know he had shows up on his doorstep.”
“So, secret baby with an older kid?” I hedge.
“Not exactly, since the mom’s not in the picture. But it sets the stage for his redemption arc.”
“All right. Let’s do it,” Allie declared.
“Really?” Summer’s bright blue eyes sparkled.
Her excitement was so infectious that I found myself laughing. “Sure, why not? The messiness of a jerk having his life turned upside down by a kid has to be entertaining as hell.”
“Ah, you guys are the best,” she gushed.
“Don’t mention—” my words cut off suddenly, my head turning on a swivel at the sound of scratching nearby.
“Rory? Everything okay over there?” Allie’s concerned voice reached my ears.
I frowned, returning my attention to my tablet screen. “Thought I heard something. But it’s stopped.”
“Something like a person?” Summer hauled her body out of the pool, her hands shaking as she wrapped a towel around herself.
“No.” I shook my head slowly. “It sounded almost like bare tree branches scraping against the house. Honestly, after everything that’s happened, it’s probably just paranoia getting the better of me.”
Summer let out a sigh of relief. “I’m right there with you. Being involved in a bombing will do that to a girl.”
“So, you’ll send us that book title?” Allie asked, steering us back on track.
“As soon as I’m changed, so you can get started right away.”
“Can’t wait.” Immersing ourselves in the fictional characters’ drama would be the perfect distraction from our own.
“All right. Nap time’s almost over, so I’ve gotta go.”
We said our goodbyes and ended the call. But the minute the screen went black, the scratching started up again, louder this time, and I gasped.
Ears straining—which wasn’t easy with my heartbeat pounding in my ears, combined with the damage to my hearing from the explosion—I tried to pinpoint the location of the sound. It was coming from the direction of the door that led to the back patio, but since the sun set early this time of year, it was too dark to see anything through the wall of glass.
I let out a frightened squeak when the lock disengaged, and the sliding door was pulled to the side. The water surrounding me made my movements sluggish as I hurried toward the stairs, too afraid to look back at my assailant.
There was a blur of beige in my periphery before a nearby splash sent a spray of droplets into my eyes, blinding me.
“Help!” I croaked out, fear clogging my throat.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Stunned by the familiar barks, I blinked rapidly until my vision cleared.
“Oh my God,” I sobbed, reaching for the soaking wet dog and pulling him to my chest. “I’ve missed you so much, boy.” I buried my face in his fur, holding on tight, afraid that if I let go, he might disappear.
Cosmo licked my face, oblivious to the mental breakdown I was having at our reunion.
