Page 48 of Alec’s Dream

“Who’s picking up Caleb?” Alec asked.

“I am.”

Firm. Stubborn.

“Macy, I think you should call your mom or Becky,” Jonny countered.

“My parents are on a ten-day cruise and I’m not bothering Becky.”

“You know she’d be pissed if she heard you say that.”

Macy returned Jonny’s frown, adding her own angry twist. No, this woman was not a pushover.

“Well, lucky for me she’s not here. I have responsibilities. I’m capable of taking care of them.”

“I’m going to the store to get Rory her crackers and ginger ale,” Alec entered the conversation. “I can pick him up so you don’t have to go out.”

Macy’s eyes sliced to his and relief flooded, gone was the dullness. Alec would take her censure any day of the week.

Anger he could work with. It was the sadness that gutted him.

“We need to talk,” she sniped.

Hell, yes, they did. Though he figured what she wanted to talk about and what he was going to say were two very different things.

15

“Baby, I need you to stay with Uncle Jonny while I walk Mr. Hall out.”

Rory nodded against my shoulder before she picked her head up and looked at Alec.

“Sorry I threw up.”

Damn everything to hell.

Fucking, fucking, Doug—again. Always him screwing up my life, traumatizing our kids. It wasn’t bad enough Josh had taken his anger out on me because my stupid ex had gambled away everything he had then got into debt. No, it had to be monumentally worse and happen in front of Rory.

Of all goddamn days for my baby to be sick. Though if she wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been home in the middle of the day and maybe Josh would’ve gone by the daycare.

“You don’t have to apologize for being sick, sweetheart. I’ll be back with your—”

“Alec,” I stopped him before he told Rory something untrue. “Let me walk you out.”

I ignored the flash of irritation my interruption caused and set Rory on the couch. Jonny gave me a small smile and I walked around a few of the deputies that were still there, toward the front of my house.

“I’m not going to bother asking why you’re here,” I started once Alec stopped next to me. “I want you to leave.”

“You’ve said that already.”

“Yet, you’re still here.”

“Indeed.”

“Do I look like I’m in the mood for your games?”

His gaze drifted over my face and those beautiful eyes of his turned hard. It was a look I’d seen before, the day Doug had shown up and caused a scene. The day I lost my cool and punched my ex-husband.

“I’m not playing games with you, Macy,” he denied. “I’m going to pick up stuff for Rory. Do you need me to pick up Caleb or are you going to call Becky?”