Page 24 of Alec’s Dream

“Okay. Have a good weekend. See you Monday.”

“Um… is everything all right with you?”

I sat up straight and plastered a fake smile on my face before I answered.

“Of course. Everything’s great,” I lied.

“You sure? You seemed…off this week.”

“Positive. Just busy this week. Dreaded paperwork. You know I’d rather be out with the kids than locked in my office.”

That wasn’t a lie. I loved my job but hated being stuck in my office.

“Okay. I just thought I’d check. Have a good weekend.”

“Thanks, I will.”

Another lie. My weekend would suck. It was Doug’s weekend, meaning I’d be all alone and my children would be with a viper for two days. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

“Is this fucking necessary?” Doug asked through gritted teeth.

I knew it was coming, therefore I was prepared. I also knew he’d wait until the kids—or more to the point, Rory—was in his car so she wouldn’t hear him being a dick.

This, I appreciated. Though I was still worried why he’d suddenly made a change that seemed to only be about my daughter. And I was even more worried because the nicer he became to Rory the harder he was on Caleb. Not in a fatherly way, guiding his son to be a man with a strong hand while being gentle and understanding. Nope, not Doug. He was just being a hard-ass.

“It is and I told you why.”

“This isn’t going to work for me. I’m not picking my kids—”

“It doesn’t have to work for you. It has to work for the kids and for me. You are no longer welcome at my home. Not to pick up Caleb and Aurora. Not to come there and cause a scene. Not for any reason. You do and I’ll call the police.”

Doug’s mouth bowed up in a cocky smile and I braced. I knew, fucking knew, this was coming, too.

“Now what would Rory think about you calling the police on her daddy?”

Rory. Not Caleb and Rory.

“I don’t know, Doug, and I hope I don’t have to find out. But maybe you should be more worried about what Caleb and Aurora would think about why I’d have to call the police.”

“My baby girl—”

“Is six and she shouldn’t be put in the middle. She certainly shouldn’t have to know that I was forced to call the police because her father’s an ass that constantly gets in her mother’s face. But if you go there and tell her. I’ll deal with it.”

Doug took a step closer to me and I carefully blanked my face since Caleb could very well see me.

“You talking shit about me to my kids?”

“Nope.”

“I’m telling you now, you worthless piece of shit, you open your trap to my daughter and talk shit I’ll make it so those are your last words.”

“Have a nice weekend, Doug. I’ll meet you here on Sunday at noon.”

“I’m dropping them at your house.”

“You do that and you’ll be met by the police.”

This time when Doug smiled at me it was not cocky—it was downright frightening.