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He eyes them curiously before grunting a laugh. “I guess they are kind of cute.”
I run a finger over them. “You have to play with their paws a lot so they don’t mind having them groomed. Eventually.” I reach down and kiss the top of Jerry’s head. “I think this means he’s going to get pretty big. Look at these things. They’re enormous.” I hold one paw up next to my cheek and it’s nearly the length of my whole head.
“Stella sure played dirty today.” Alec chuckles and shakes his head. “We didn’t stand a chance when she brought him in.”
“You’re right.” I giggle. “She ambushed us with his cuteness.”
Jerry scrambles off my lap and into Alec’s. “For all she’s done for my brothers and me, it’s the least I can do for her,” he says.
“She seems like she was really great to you guys growing up.”
He shifts on the sofa, and the look he gives me sears into my soul. It’s about to get real up in here and I’m drawn to it. Let’s throw all the pretenses and posturing aside. Let’s get down to business.
Not that kind of business!I tell my mind to stop going there. I only mean I want to get to know more about him, about what makes him tick.
“Some of my brothers didn’t want to come to Longdale when school let out. We had our friends back in Denver and we were involved in a lot of things. Besides, summertime, for whatever reason, gradually started to mean that my parents were having an especially rough time and it was decided it was best for us boys to come here. So there’s that. But for me, Longdale was the best place. I could explore the beach around the lake. We paddle boated. We learned to jet ski and eventually water ski. Have you ever tasted wild raspberries?”
When I shake my head, he gasps. “Okay, down by the lake, I’ll show you the best spots. You’ve never tasted anything like those wild raspberries. Anyway, I made a couple of good friends here—guys I’m actually more in touch with now than my high school friends from Denver. Besides the lack of football resources here, it was pretty much perfect.”
Hearing about Alec’s growing up years draws me to him even more. I’m seriously in danger of losing my head, but I don’t care about that right now. Which is, arguably, a clear indication I’m about to lose my head. “That’s so cool ya’ll had this refuge to come to every year.”
“It was a refuge.” Alec nods. “Like a wild, spread-out Mayberry.”
“Is it strange to you that you have five brothers and only one of you has a significant other?”
He scratches at his five o’clock shadow. “When you meet my parents, you’ll probably understand.”
I don’t miss how he said “when” not “if.” And I don’t miss that he mentioned feeding me wild raspberries, the thought of which makes me melt.
He hesitates. “They’re not bad people. At all. And they’ve softened over the years. My dad was busy building his empire. My mom is highly involved in the company, too, so she traveled with him a lot. She’s soft spoken, more reserved. Gabriel is the most like her in that way. She’s very refined. She was a ballerina when she and my dad met. My dad even called her “princess” more than he called her by her name. I think sometimes she didn’t quite know what to do with six boys.”
“Yeah, I can imagine. Looks like you all turned out fine, though. Your parents should be proud.”
“They are. But the jury’s still out on me and how I’m turning out.” He offers a crooked grin. “I think I was almost making my dad proud, being in the NFL.” His mouth contorts and tightens against his teeth. His chuckle is bitter under his breath. “He was disappointed when I couldn’t cut it.”
“Couldn’t cut it? You had the most severe knee injury a football player can have. That’s not a sign of weakness, Alec.”
I’m beginning to understand a little more why this injury has been so hard on Alec. If his football career was to prove himself to his dad, no wonder it was such a blow.
I feel for him. I really do. And if—when—I meet his dad, I’m going to tell him as much. But the feeling of unease is really settling in my bones now.
With a start, I see more parallels between Alec and Brandt. Brandt lived to please his father. And it never really happened, especially after his injury forced him to quit football. Brandt is forever chasing a pipe dream and instead of dealing with his insecurities in a healthy way, his drives went underground, seething far below the surface. Ugly. Secretive. And completely destructive.
And destructive men? I’ve had enough of them for a lifetime. I’m not going to go back to that scenario. Ever.
Chapter 24
Alec
Oakley’s open expression has shut down and the quiet stretches between us. I’m not sure what happened. Maybe it’s nothing or maybe she’s just tired after her first day as a dog mom.
“I guess I should get to bed.” I give her one last look before getting up from the sofa. “Goodnight, Oakley,” I tell her. She’s in torn up jeans, with tantalizing holes in them, an oversized purple t-shirt, and her hair’s mussed. She keeps grabbing at it to try to straighten it out. It’s not doing much good, but I don’t care. She’s sexy. Even when she’s taking care of the dog.
I have a dog. At least, temporarily. Stella’s always scheming in one way or another. I can’t help but think her dropping off this puppy has something to do with Oakley.
Oakley’s grin is sleepy. “I can’t believe we’ve had this dog less than twenty-four hours and I’m already sore and tired.” She gives a giggle. “I’ll be on doggy duty tonight. I have no idea how he’ll do, but we’ll give it a try. And then it’s your turn tomorrow,” she says decidedly.
I give Jerry a thorough scrub under his chin. “Sure. Just let me know if you need help in the night, okay?”
