Page 78 of Alec’s Dream

“I don’t know, baby. What I do know is that there are a lot of people who are working on finding out.”

“But Caleb said it was Daddy’s fault you got hurt and someone—”

“Aurora, sweetheart, I know this is confusing and scary and I’m so sorry, baby girl. Mommy is so, so sorry. But your dad’s problems are not yours and I don’t want you to worry about them.”

“He has problems?”

“Yes, sweetie he does. But they are his and he’s going to have to work them out. And while he’s doing that, you and Caleb will not be seeing him. Now let’s talk about today.”

Rory shook her head and her gaze slid away from mine.

“Honey. I need you to look at me. This is important. It’s one of those times when you need to get all the icky stuff out of your belly.”

Then suddenly Rory wasn’t sitting on Alec’s ginormous bed next to me—she was in my arms with Joss pinned between us. I shifted slightly so Jocelyn didn’t get smushed and I held my daughter and Alec’s as tightly as I could.

Rory sobbed. Jocelyn wiggled. And I thanked God we were all alive and breathing.

I was standing in Alec’s kitchen, Jocelyn was in her highchair, and Rory was spooning applesauce into Joss’s mouth.

It was after Aurora had let go a little of the icky and cried, but she hadn’t talked other than to admit she was scared. And not for the first time, I wished my parents weren’t on a cruise because my mother would know what to do. When I was a surly teenager, she was the queen of making me talk about things I wanted to keep buried.

I was seriously worried I was screwing this up. Rory had to open up and talk about the shooting, hell, she still needed to talk about what she’d seen the other day when I was attacked. Caleb did, too, and I hoped that was exactly what he did with Alec during their walk.

My head was in Alec’s fridge surveying the meager contents when I heard a door open.

“Is Alec like your manfriend?” Rory asked.

“Man friend?”

“Yeah.”

“Of course Alec’s our friend.”

“No. I mean like your boyfriend. But he’s not a boy so is he your manfriend?”

My insides warmed when I heard Alec’s deep, smooth chuckle from behind me.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Alec rumbled, now much closer than he had been when he was laughing at Rory’s embarrassing question. “Just wanted to let you know we’re home and the girls are here.”

Home?

Sheesh, why did that make me feel all squishy inside? And when did I start having butterflies in my stomach?

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“It’s all good, babe,” Alec assured. “We’ll talk tonight.”

I nodded my agreement and Alec turned me so I faced him. When I caught sight of his handsome face, all I could do was stare. He looked ten years younger, some of the worry lines he wore softened and the normal intensity in his eyes morphed from alertness to affection.

“You trust me?”

How could he not know?

“Yeah.”

Instead of Alec’s body relaxing at my confirmation, his hands still on my biceps flexed and I felt the vibration rolling off of him.