Page 109 of Alec’s Dream

“The Alec who told you you’re teaching Rory that it’s okay for a man to shit all over her and you’re teaching your son to be the sort of man that would harm a good woman, that’s the Alec you’re staying with?”

I couldn’t believe my dad remembered that. Hell, I hadn’t even remembered telling my dad about Alec.

“Yes, that’s him.”

“Text me his address. Your mother and I will be there at six.”

“Okay. But Alec and the kids might not be home yet. Alec’s going to football practice to watch Caleb, then swinging by to get Rory. But Joss and I will be there. And maybe it’s good you coming before they get home so we can talk.”

“He’s watching my grandson’s football practice?”

My dad’s voice had gone funny and I knew what he was thinking—Doug had never bothered. Not a practice, not a game, not a damn thing.

“Yeah, Dad. I got a lot to catch you up on. I know it’s a lot to ask but please come with an open mind.”

“Shit. Football practice. He good to my Rory?”

“The best. She came home with a bad tummy, Alec took care of her while she got sick, made her soup, took care of me, handled Caleb because he was freaked out I had a cut lip and black eye, then he promised Aurora he’d make us safe and he kept that promise, Dad. Alec caught Josh after Josh shot at him and the police, but not even bullets flying by Alec stopped him from keeping his promise to my daughter. So, yes, he is good to Aurora.”

“I’ll come with an open mind,” my dad choked out, then the line went dead.

I figured my dad would after hearing all of that.

But I knew I didn’t need to worry. Mom and Dad loved me and the kids. It would take my father thirty seconds to see what I saw in Alec. And my mom would take one look at him and swoon. Then there was Jocelyn. Mom and Dad were gonna swoop in and love her to pieces.

32

Alec couldn’t remember the last time his phone had rung so many times in one day.

Jonny called with an update about Malone. Bail had been denied and he was sitting in a cell until his ass was scheduled before a judge.

Jameson called to say he was on his way home and everything was good in Florida.

Macy called to inform him her parents had heard what had gone on while they were on their cruise, her father was beside himself pissed but had promised to come over later with an open mind. Whatever that meant, Alec wasn’t sure. What he did know was Ron Hartley loved his daughter and grandkids, so he wasn’t worried. If the man didn’t see they had that in common, he would in time.

Then Jonny called again to inform Alec that Macy’s dad had stopped by the station for a brief on Josh Malone and to pump Jonny for information about Alec and Jocelyn. Normally this would piss Alec off. He didn’t like people in his business, and certainly didn’t like people going behind his back to talk about him. But he figured if Jocelyn had been fucked over the way Macy had, Alec would crawl up the ass of the new man in her life. So he couldn’t blame Ron.

After those four calls, he fielded work calls until Nixon gathered everyone in the conference room for a briefing. Thankfully the new contract didn’t require fieldwork or going out of town. There’d been a string of kidnappings in Jackson, Wyoming and the local FBI office was beginning to think the area was the under attack of sex traffickers. The locals asked Gemini Group to comb through the files of the investigation to see if they missed anything.

Nixon distributed the case files and Alec took his stack back to his office and started reading. It hadn’t taken long for the calls to start again. Macy to tell him she was stopping by the store on the way home and wanted to know if he or Joss needed anything. Jonny again to update him about the guns and money they’d found in Malone’s basement—the guy was fucked. After that he got back to work and the rest of the day flew by.

“You leaving?” Nixon asked Alec.

“Yep. Going to Caleb’s football practice,” Alec returned.

“And then the Hartleys are coming by to give you a onceover.” Nixon smiled. Alec didn’t, he also didn’t answer because there was no need. Nixon obviously already knew Alec’s plans for the evening. “Ron Hartley isn’t stupid. You got nothing to worry about.”

“Didn’t think I did.”

“Right. Listen, before you leave, I wanted to put your mind ease. Don’t think my wife’s planning on taking Jocelyn and fleeing the country anymore.”

Alec noted that this time when Nixon smiled, it was different. Bigger, broader, happy.

The smile a father makes when he’s thinking about his child.

“She’s pregnant,” Alec surmised.

“Yep. It’s early but we’re having a kid.”