Page 68 of Alec’s Dream

“Absolutely.”

And Alec found that was the truth, he absolutely wanted to know more about Rory’s day.

“A person farts more than fourteen times a day.” Rory giggled uncontrollably for a moment, bending at the waist. When she finally got herself under control, she added, “And… a fart travels seven miles per hour. That’s faster than I can run.”

Caleb had joined in laughing at his sister, the two kids roaring with it, and Alec couldn’t stop the feeling of rightness from invading his chest. Movement caught his attention. His gaze went to the mouth of the hallway where he found Macy standing there with a huge, brilliant smile on her pretty face. As she watched her kids laugh themselves sick, pure love shone so brightly he couldn’t look away.

That was what he wanted—all that beauty. That look was what he was fighting so hard for. Not only did he want it aimed at him and Joss every day, he wanted her to be free to give it. Free from the cloud her ex had saddled her with. Free from the stress so she could shine her goodness on her kids. Free from worrying about heating her home or feeding a dog. But above all else, he wanted Macy free from the demons the douchebag had planted.

He’d make it his life’s mission to dig them up, each and every one of them, until she knew her worth, knew how beautiful she was, how strong and brave, how good and kind. There would come a day when Macy Hartley would shine and he wasn’t going to rest until she saw exactly what he did.

21

I’d finally lost my marbles—gone completely around the bend to Nutsville.

It was Sunday and I had officially glanced out my front window thirty times. No, I wasn’t checking to see which deputy was sitting in front of my house, though there was one almost constantly there. And if not a deputy, then one of Alec’s friends. Rob had even taken a shift, sitting in his truck outside my house for hours.

Oh, no, I wasn’t worried about Josh Malone or my slimeball ex showing up. I was waiting for Alec.

Friday night after fart jokes and homework help, he left—without a fight. Other than pushing into my house then proceeding to push my buttons, he didn’t pitch a fit or argue when I told him dinner was ready and I needed to feed my kids.

He simply took Jocelyn from me, brushed his soft lips against my forehead, said goodnight to my kids, and walked out the door. He did boss me one last time, telling me to lock the door after he left, but that was it.

Saturday he showed up sans Jocelyn—which made me kind of sad—and barged into my house long enough to tell me he would be installing my storm windows, something I hadn’t gotten around to doing because it was a pain in the ass. But it needed to be done.

This caused a little tiff. I didn’t want him putting in my storm windows. A task I loathed though if I wanted the extra barrier to keep the heat in I did every fall. Mainly I didn’t want him to do this because I didn’t want to be indebted to him. And it was intrusive. And I didn’t want him to see me as any more helpless than he already did.

But I gave in. I did this because it was cold outside and getting colder and heating oil was expensive. So why not? If Alec wanted to do it and that meant I could stay in my warm house finishing up my Saturday chores whatever. It was maddening that it had taken him half the time it normally took me. But again, whatever.

When he was done, he knocked on the door, said goodbye to me and Rory and this time brushed his lips across mine. It wasn’t obscene, there was no tongue, but it had been done in front of Rory and Caleb so I tamped down the impulse to punch him in his gut. He saw this and chuckled on his way out the door.

Jerk.

Now it was Sunday afternoon, an hour later than Alec had shown yesterday, and I was stupidly checking the window.

I needed Alec Hall hanging around like I needed…nothing. I didn’t need anything from Alec and I didn’t need him coming around at all. Yet I was dying to see him. And I’d been lying to myself for the past hour convincing myself I only wanted Alec to stop by because my kids seemed to like him.

Rory, I was not surprised by, she liked everyone. She’d never met a stranger that wasn’t her best friend within ten seconds.

Caleb, now he shocked me. He was wary of men, his dad had taught him that. My son also didn’t make friends easily, not with his peers, not with adults. But once he was comfortable, which normally took a long time, he was friendly and open. And for some reason, Caleb liked Alec. They weren’t best buds or anything but Caleb had wandered outside when Alec was putting the storm windows in, and with more patience than I knew Alec had, he showed Caleb how to install them.

But really, all of this was stupid. I should’ve been grateful I was getting a reprieve.

“Rory!” I called down the hall. “Your grilled cheese is ready.”

My daughter bound into the living room full of six-year-old excitement that never ceased to make me smile.

“Awesome. Is Alec coming over for lunch?”

Ugh!

“No, baby girl. Now hurry and get your sandwich before your brother eats it.”

“Mom. Is anyone eating this extra grilled cheese?” Caleb shouted from the kitchen.

“See?” I smiled at my daughter. “You better hurry.”

I followed Rory at a much slower pace and found Caleb with his head in the fridge looking for something else to shovel into his stomach.