Page 84 of Alec’s Dream

“I don’t have…my football’s at home.”

“I got one, bud. If you want, we’ll play a little before dinner.”

Caleb’s eyes came to mine and it was not lost on me what my kid was feeling. Never had Doug offered to play football with his son. Doug had also never deemed it important to go to a practice or a game. Not fucking one. God, he was such a dick. And seeing my kid shocked that a man would offer something small—which, really, was something huge because it meant Alec was offering Caleb his time and attention, neither of which he’d ever gotten from his father—only underlined what a fucking bastard Doug really was.

“That’d be cool,” Caleb muttered.

“They down?” Alec asked as I walked into the living room where he was sprawled out on the couch.

“Yeah. Rory wanted Caleb to sleep with her. My son being the big brother he is, was cool about it and agreed. Though I think he was relieved to stay in there with her.”

Seeing as Alec was a single man living in a house with five bedrooms, only two of them in use by him and his daughter, it was a little surprising the other three bedrooms were furnished. Two of them looked to have been redone after he moved in if the third, which still had old-fashioned wallpaper, was any indication.

“Before it gets too late, we need to talk, babe.”

His declaration didn’t fill me with warm and fuzzy thoughts. There was a lot we needed to talk about none of which I wanted to actually participate in. It had been a long, horrible day and I wanted it to end without any added trauma.

“Hit me with it,” I invited.

There was a ghost of a smile when he said, “Come sit down.”

I didn’t feel much like sitting, pacing sounded a whole lot better. But I complied mainly because I was dog-ass tired.

“Did Jameson or Jonny call?”

“Not yet. I hate to make a shit day worse, Macy, but I think you need to call Monica and tell her you need some time off.”

“What?”

“Pains me, but you can’t go to work in a building full of kids when Malone has proven to be a serious motherfucker. You’ll be putting all those kids at risk. Not to mention, you leave this house to go to work, you’re an easy mark.”

Shit.

He was right.

All those sweet babies would be in danger—no way could I do that.

Another example of Doug taking more from us. Not going to work meant no pay. Less money for me to provide for my kids during a time when I seriously needed a paycheck. I couldn’t even think of the damage done to my house and the money it would cost to repair the damage and purchase what had been destroyed.

“You’re right. I’ll call Monica.”

“Something else. Tomorrow I’ll go with you to drop off the kids to school. We’ll talk to whoever we need to so you can add me as Rory and Caleb’s emergency contact and let them know I’ll be picking them up after school. Also, the kids need to stay in the office until I get there.”

My heart clenched and my stomach tightened. “Do you think—”

“Babe, I don’t think anything. I know we’re going to play this safe, be cautious, be smart, and take every step we need to protect them. Short of you pulling them out of school, this is the best we got. Jonny’s talking to the middle school’s resource officer so he’ll be in the know and keep sharp. We’re gonna be extra vigilant. Caleb fully understands what’s going on and Rory knows all she needs to. So if you gently remind her she is not to talk to strangers, stay where a teacher can see her, she’ll be smart.”

“Caleb fully understands?” I whispered.

I watched with rapt attention as Alec’s entire being gentled. His gaze never left mine, with those green eyes of his that could burn with fire, or fill with love when he’s looking at his daughter, or soften and turn sweet when he was speaking to Rory, were a different kind of hot right then.

That kind of hot—gentle, soft, and sweet—that I had no defense against.

And as I sat next to a man who had continually proved he was good and honest, I wondered why I’d stupidly pushed him away. Then I remembered I’d decided I was done being an idiot and not for the first time, or even the fiftieth time that day, wished Doug’s shit would vanish in a plume of smoke, never to touch us again. Because right then I really, really wished Alec Hall would pull me closer and kiss me.

26

Alec watched as every emotion darted across Macy’s face. Anger flashed in her eyes before it flitted away, turning into concern, then something else skimmed over her features leaving them lax.