Page 18 of Alec’s Dream

Resolute.

Firm.

No holding back.

Shit, that hurt. Not my pride, somewhere deeper.

“Right,” I nodded. “Because I’m weak.”

“No, because you’re trying to be a good mom seeing as your children only have one good parent. You’re trying to protect them, but while you’re doing that, you’re telling them it is okay for a man to treat their mother like shit.”

The spike he’d pierced my heart with drove straight through and I sucked in a breath trying to hide how bad his observation killed.

“Right,” I hated that my voice wobbled.

I hated that I was still screwing up my kids.

I hated that Alec knew I was a bad mom.

“Ask me how I know.”

“Know what?” I inquired even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear anything else Alec had to say.

“How I know that’s what you’re doing.”

“I don’t think I want to know,” I whispered and before he could cover it, I could’ve sworn I saw disappointment.

Oh, well, so be it. There was already enough for him to be disappointed about.

He’d had a front-row seat to my lunacy.

“I need to go pick up my kids,” I told him in an effort to get rid of him.

The show was over. Doug was gone thanks to him and Jonny. And I still had a whole week to spend with my kids before they knew the kind of woman their mother was and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.

And maybe if I was lucky, Alec would keep this latest incident to himself and not call my boss to tell her that I was batshit crazy, which meant she may reconsider me running her daycare, putting me in serious jeopardy of not being able to feed my kids.

“I want you and your kids to come to Jocelyn’s birthday party. My house, tomorrow at noon.”

Yep, Alec was certifiable all right.

And that would be a hell to the no. I didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary with Alec. Doing so would provide him further opportunity to impart his parenting wisdom and I’d had more than enough of that.

No, just no.

“I appreciate the invitation but we have plans tomorrow.”

Alec stared at me, probably trying to figure out the veracity of my statement. And by the look on his face, he knew I was lying.

Of course he would. Jocelyn was only a year old and he already had the father-truth-radar perfectly honed in.

“I’ve never lied to you, Macy. And as far as I can tell you’ve never lied to me either. Don’t start now.”

Criminy, that was annoying.

If he wanted the truth, I’d tell him.

“Fine, Alec, the truth is, I don’t want to go to Jocelyn’s party. And please don’t take that the wrong way. I adore Joss. I love seeing her every day.”