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I shook my head. “I want to encourage her, not tear her down.”
“Good.” He seemed satisfied with my responses because he gestured for me to sit on the couch.
“How much do you know about California?” I asked him as he pulled open the fridge in the kitchenette along the back wall and pulled out two beers.
“I heard enough from Elle. Their upbringing wasn’t great. But Elle tried to shield Alice from the show.”
I grimaced. “I’m not sure she was successful.”
“From what I heard, Alice was determined to be part of it.”
That might have been what bit her in the ass and why she was so cautious now. She didn’t trust her judgment when it came to men.
“Just be careful with her. Treat her right. She deserves it.”
“I have every intention of doing that.” I just needed to balance that with the needs of my daughter. But Alice understood that.
“What about her job?” Gray asked.
“This won’t affect her job.”
He frowned. “You say that now—”
“That’s why we’re going slow.”
He flicked on the TV and nodded toward the football highlights. “What do you think about Colorado this season?”
We talked about football and other mundane things, nothing serious. By the time Elle called us to dinner, I felt like I knew more about Gray. He was serious and quiet, didn’t talk about his family at all, and was protective of the women in his life. I could respect that.
I was glad Alice had Elle and Gray in her corner. Even if she was operating as if she were alone, she could trust them.
Upstairs, Amelia and Maggie had built a fort in the living room with pillows and blankets.
“Girls, dinner’s ready,” Elle said.
They popped out of the fort, their hair sticking up, giggling as they raced to the table. I was happy to see Maggie making a new friend.
Elle made enchiladas for the adults and tacos for the kids.
“Have you been able to get Maggie into school? Amelia would love to have her in class,” Elle asked me.
“Alice looked into it, but they’re full for now.” I’d almost forgotten about it.
“That’s too bad,” Elle said.
That prompted Amelia to talk about how much she loved her teacher.
When Amelia fell silent, I said, “The enchiladas are delicious.”
“Thank you. I wasn’t much of a cook before I moved here. Gray was my first guinea pig in that department.”
Gray sat back in his chair and winked at his wife. “You were amazing at baking cookies though.”
Elle flushed a deep red, and I wondered what that was about.
Alice didn’t seem to notice the exchange. She was listening to Amelia talk. It was clear she loved her niece.
“How are things at work?” I asked Elle to be polite.
