Page 116 of Dead Pretty

“Are you dating him?”

“You could say that.”

Jack and I have been walking Gary and Pork Chop every lunchtime this week. I have been busy with work, but I have made time to walk those guys at lunch. I love walking them with Jack. It makes me happy.

Jack makes me happy.

“I spend my lunch hour with him.”

“Audrey—”

“He’s about four years old,” I cut him off, sniggering quietly to myself. “Has gray-and-white fur …”

“A fucking dog.” Cole laughs, and the sound puts joy into my heart.

I don’t hear Cole laugh much anymore.

“Yes. He’s a rescue dog. He lives at the rescue center near the library. I’ve started walking him on my lunch hour. He’s so sweet. You would love him.”

“If you let me come to you, then I would be able to meet him.”

I sigh. “Cole …”

“I know; I know. I’ll stop talking.”

“No, don’t ever stop talking to me. Please.” I can feel this odd sense of panic quickly rising up in my chest. I press the heel of my hand to my sternum, trying to stem the fear.

“That’s not what I meant, Audrey, and you know that. I will never leave you. Never.”

I exhale. “I know.” The panic starts to abate in my chest at the forcefulness of his words.

Of course Cole would never leave me. What was I thinking?

But I did leave him. He has always been there for me, and I just walked away from him.

I’m a terrible person and sister.

I’m selfish.

Even more so because I don’t know when I’m going back home. Or if I ever will.

“You should get yourself to bed,” Cole says softly in my ear. “You need your sleep.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” I yawn.

He knows me so well.

There’s another pause and then, “I love you, Audrey.”

I smile. There’s a tinge of sadness that I hope he doesn’t hear when I say, “I love you too, Cole.”

I hang up the call. Holding the phone in my hand, I stare down at the dark screen.

“Who were you on the phone with?”

My head whips up to see a shirtless Jack standing in the doorway. He’s wearing just his sleep pants. His hair is all mussed up. He looks adorable.

“My brother,” I answer without thinking, caught off guard by the sight of him.