Cole was out in the garage working on a bike, when Natalie wandered out. The overhead doors were open, letting in the sun and the breeze. He had heard Mack’s bike pull out a few minutes ago.
Cole looked up from the engine. “Hey.”
Natalie was standing with her arms folded. She took a few steps closer. “I’ll need to leave for the airport in a couple of hours.”
“Okay.” He tightened a bolt.
“I wondered if we could talk.”
Cole stopped what he was doing, and looked at her. “Yeah. Sure.” He put the socket wrench down, and stood up, wiping his hands on a rag. He followed her back up onto the porch, and they sat down.
Natalie folded her hands on the table, and looked at him. “Are you going to come to Arizona to see her?”
He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “Will she talk to me?”
Natalie nodded. “I can’t say for sure, but I’m going to try to talk some sense into her.”
“Do you believe she wants a life…here…with me?” He looked over at her.
She held his gaze. “Yes, Cole.”
“You think she’ll be happy here with me?”
She nodded. “Yes. I do.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
Natalie nodded back. “Okay.”
“I have some things I have to take care of next week, but I’ll try to get out there the following week. Alright?”
“Yes. That’ll be fine.”
He studied her. “You’re part of this, too. Will you be happy here?”
She looked off in the distance. “Yes. I think I could be.”
“And if things don’t work out with Mack? Will you still be happy here?”
Her gaze came back to him. “As long as I’m near the ones I love, yes.”
He nodded. “Good. You’re part of this family.”
She smiled. “We’re a package deal.”
Cole smiled back at her. “I’m good with that.”
Chapter Twenty
It was after ten at night, when Cole turned off the main highway, and down the long dirt driveway. Trees formed a canopy overhead. The place was set back from the road. He wouldn’t have to worry about the kids getting run over.
He stopped in front of a long ranch style home. There was a light burning next to the front door. Cole got off his bike, and pulled his helmet off. He looked around. He liked the fact that there were a lot of shade trees.
He walked up to the front door. There were a couple of steps up to a large covered area. Cole glanced around. There was enough room to put several chairs out here, under the roof.
He took out the keys that he’d gotten at the closing earlier this morning, and unlocked the door, and walked inside. It was a four-bedroom house. It needed some work, but there was a lot of square footage, and it had a great open floor plan. He walked past a sunken living room on the right, and headed to the kitchen that overlooked the back of the property.
There was a large window over the sink with a view of the large grassy backyard. Turning, Cole took in the large island. A breakfast area sat to the left, with French doors that led out onto a deck. He walked outside, across the deck, and down a couple steps off to the right that led to the wrap around drive and a large metal building.
The out building was larger than a four-car garage. The previous owner supposedly ran a business out of it. The place had been on the market for a long time. Cole had gotten a really good deal. Since it was a cash deal, with no financing needed, and the house had been sitting empty, the closing had happened rather quickly. Cole had been able to wrap the whole deal up in just over a week. He looked around, nodding. He thought it would work out well.
His cell phone rang, and he pulled it out, flipped it open, and put it to his ear.
“Cole?”
“Natalie? Everything okay?”
“No. It’s not.”
“What’s wrong?” His body went solid.
“It’s Angel. She was attacked.”
“What?” Cole felt his stomach drop.
“She was stabbed.” Her voice cracked. “In the parking lot of the grocery store. She’s in critical condition, Cole. They’re not sure if she’s going to make it.” Natalie broke down into sobs.
“My God.” Cole was trying to process what he’d just heard. “Are…are the kids okay?”
“Yes. Yes, they’re with me.”
“I’ll…I’ll catch the next flight out. What hospital?” He was already running back to his bike.