In theory, it should be easy to come straight out with it and ask about Violet. Alec was an upfront, rational person. We hadn’t definedusyet, so he’d understand my need for clarity.
But how things worked in theory didn’t always match reality. Despite the fact that Alec wasn’t the kind of person to judge, there was no good way for me to bring up Violet without coming off as a jealous psycho. What if I ruined everything between us by turning nothing into an issue?
With that being said, I knew I had to say something. The tension in my stomach wouldn’t let up until I did.
When five minutes passed and Alec still hadn’t returned, I went looking for him. He wasn’t around the corner like Boomer said hewould be or in front of the gallery. His car was still parked in the same spot, which meant he couldn’t have gone far. If he’d retreated into one of the many cafés that lined the street, it would take all night to find him. But knowing Alec, he’d be somewhere quiet if he needed space to clear his head.
I found him sitting on a bench in the park a block away from Rose’s apartment. The place was empty except for a mother pushing her daughter on the swings of the playground. Alec’s headphones were in, and even though I couldn’t see his face, I could tell from the way he was hunched over—elbows on his knees, head hung low, hands clasped together—that he was upset.
I brushed my fingers over his shoulder as I dropped into the spot next to him. “Hey.”
Alec tensed at my touch, but when he saw that it was me, his muscles relaxed and he paused his music.
“How’d the talk with your sister go?” he said before I could ask what was wrong.
“Eye-opening.” Letting out a harsh breath, I settled back against the bench. “Turns out that Rose never ran away. My mom kicked her out because she got arrested for possession, but the drugs weren’t hers. Apparently Mom thought Rose was going to corrupt me or something ridiculous like that, so—get this—she paid my sister to stay away.”
“Whoa.” He sat up. “That’s pretty intense.”
“Right?”
A moment of silence slipped by, and then Alec’s lips quirked up. “You have to admit, that sounds like the plot line of a daytime soap.”
I shot him a look. “So does a mountaineering boy bander whohelps the stranger he met at a masquerade ball track down her long-lost sister.”
“Nobody,” he said with a snort, “would believe that. But clearly your life has high entertainment value. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t given you your own TV show.”
“Oh yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The Kardashians better watch out.”
Alec laughed, and the sound made me smile.
“Felicity?” he said suddenly.
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you found your sister.”
A sudden burst of gratitude for the boy sitting next to me coursed through my body—along with hot waves of shame. Alec had only wanted to help me. He’d given up an entire weekend to do so, pissing off his dad in the process, and how did I repay that kindness? By doubting him.
I assumed that because the people closest to me were keeping secrets, he must be too. But just because there was stuff in his life I wasn’t privy to didn’t mean he was lying. Like Rose said, I couldn’t expect him to bare his soul after knowing me for little more than two weeks. Where was the mystery or romance in that?
“Wefound Rose,” I said, correcting him. “You told me I couldn’t thank you until we did, so now that we have, I want you to know how much it means to me. And I’m not just talking about driving me here. Thank you for not letting me give up in San Francisco and for helping me through the whole Asha-Boomer debacle. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.”
Taking my hand in his, Alec ran his thumb over my knuckles. “It was my pleasure,” he said. I knew he meant it—Alec always meant what he said—but the smile on his face quickly faded.
“Hey, you okay?” I asked, bumping my shoulder into his. “Asha texted me about what happened at lunch. Said you got mobbed.”
He slumped against the back of the bench and jammed his free hand into the pocket of his shorts. The other stayed locked with mine.
“It’s not that,” he replied. “I know it might not seem like it, but I really do enjoy meeting fans. Plus, I’m fairly positive Asha was exaggerating. There weren’tthatmany people.”
“Then what’s up?”
Alec forced a smile, but it only made him look more miserable. “My dad.”
“He called again?” Even though Alec had told me not to worry, I did exactly that. The frequency of King’s calls was increasing at a noticeable rate, which made me think that whatever was going on was serious. “If you need to go back to LA, I totally understand. The three of us can figure out our own way home. I’d hate to think this trip is coming between you and your dad.”
“Felicity, I’m not abandoning you in Seattle,” he said. “King being a dick is nothing new. I can handle it, okay?”
