Alton's Secret Baby

by Iris Parker

  I still don’t know what was up with that. Or why she never ate any meat at all, for that matter. That was definitely weird and unnatural and wrong.

  So okay, maybe she was a lot of fun to be around. And she was really passionate about stuff, full of light and life. And colors always seemed a little more vibrant when she was next to them.

  All stuff I couldn't stand.

  Ali got out of the water and rushed over to me, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Did you see that? I think I splashed halfway to the barbecue!”

  “Yeah,” I agreed reluctantly. It had been a pretty impressive jump, after all.

  “I’m hungry. Are you hungry?” she asked, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me towards the food. I wanted to roll my eyes, but her smile was just too infectious. As annoying as she was, I couldn’t help but laugh as she half led, and half dragged, me over to the picnic table.

  Yeah, it was all stuff I couldn’t stand.

  And yet, I couldn’t imagine life without it.

  * * * *

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  If you haven’t read Dominick’s Secret Baby yet, keep reading.

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  * * * *

  …and it all started with one little girl.

  Still curious to read more about Alton and Dominick? Keep reading below!

  Sometimes life works in mysterious ways, and even the smallest of events can change your life forever. So was the case last year, when Ali Bramford set out to find the father she never knew. Without that fateful decision, Jessie and Alton never would’ve met—and neither would Ali’s parents, Dominick and Helena.

  To learn their story, and to get a look at what Alton was like before he met Jessie, check out this preview for Dominick’s Secret Baby.

  Dominick’s Secret Baby

  Prologue: Ali

  Ali did her best to ignore the ice-rink below, to project a calmness she certainly didn’t feel. She hoped that the guard couldn’t hear the pounding in her chest, or notice the way that her mouth was suddenly as dry as a desert. She couldn’t afford to mess this opportunity up, not when she’d spent so long waiting for it.

  Months.

  No, years.

  No, longer than even that. After all, she’d been waiting for this day for as far back as she could remember. The details had changed a little as she grew up, but she’d never lost sight of her dream.

  It was finally time, and she couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Today was her last chance before summer vacation started, and soon Ali’s mom would hardly let her out of sight. For one last time, though, she’d left her alone for the day, safely ensconced with all her favorite books inside a cozy blanket fort.

  Her mother had given Ali all the usual warnings and recommendations. Lunch was in the fridge, keep the phone close by, never open the door for strangers. Remembering that last rule filled Ali with pangs of guilt, even if technically she hadn’t opened the door for a stranger.

  She’d opened it for herself, with a stranger parked in the driveway. The technicality had given Ali courage to ignore her guilt, getting into the taxi she’d called with the remainder of her savings. This had been a long time coming, after all, and bending one little rule wasn’t going to stop her.

  Of course now, two hours later, she’d broken enough rules that she imagined she had to qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records—or at least she would have, if they had a section on misbehaving preteens. It had all culminated in Ali lying her way inside the Ristuccia Memorial Arena, telling security that she was there to visit her father.

  Of course, that part had been true. She’d just lied about his name.

  “John Fletcher, sir. He’s a cook,” she’d said, the carefully rehearsed words allowing her to keep calm and polite despite the butterflies in her stomach.

  From running experiments her mom had helped her set up, to understanding what each part did in one of her grandpa’s inventions, Ali knew that research was important for doing any job right. Needless to say, with this job being the most important one of her life, she’d spent more time researching it than anyone her age should’ve been capable of.

  She’d found Mr. Fletcher with a search engine, and friending him on Facebook had confirmed that the man had kids about Ali’s age. She’d done everything she could, and now it was up to luck. Was Mr. Fletcher actually working today? No matter how hard she’d tried, Ali couldn’t find that out online.

  So the guard had radioed ahead, and the following pause had made Ali’s heart feel like it was going to explode. When a voice finally crackled back with let her in, she barely stopped herself from jumping in the air and shouting a cheer.

  Most kids aren’t that happy to see their dads, after all.

  Most kids.

  The guard escorted Ali through a maze of corridors and doors, passing by the arena and pointing her to the security office where she could find someone to take her the rest of the way.

  Ali nodded patiently as the guard left, but she had no intention of entering the office. Once she was finally alone, she stared straight into the ice-rink below, scanning the players carefully. In the distance, they all looked like muscled giants. Each one was gliding over the ice so quickly that, even after getting closer, she couldn’t make out any details.

  Her heart sank. She’d come so far, and now with the seconds ticking away, she didn’t actually know who to approach. Time was precious, and all she could do was continue forward before getting caught or too scared to move.

  One foot in front of the other.

  She moved towards the rink slowly at first, picking up speed when she realized the players were finishing up. This was it, the last step in her plan. It would be the hardest, and the only one she hadn’t rehearsed.

  Because really, how do you say something like that to a stranger?

  And just how the heck was he going to react?

  Chapter 1: Dominick

  “Hey there! Stop! Stop right this instant!” someone shouted, and I immediately recognized the voice as one of the security guards.

  That wasn’t something you ever wanted to hear.

  After all, the times when we could safely assume that intruders were just fans in search of an autograph were long gone. Who knew what to expect anymore, these days? The whole world could turn upside down in a matter of seconds, and if you weren’t careful you could end up on the news for all the wrong reasons. Cautiously, I turned around to face the commotion.

  I thought I was prepared for anything, but I certainly hadn’t been ready for this.

  A young girl, thirteen at most, was rushing straight in our direction. Her face was full of confidence and determination, betrayed only by the hint of fear in her eyes. The guard had given up on shouting warnings, and was now quickly gaining on her as she sprinted towards the rink.

  Behind me, most of my teammates lost interest. Even if she wasn’t the typical obsessed fan, the girl ultimately seemed harmless. My friend Alton called for me to hurry up and join the others as they filed into the locker room, but I stayed exactly where I was. I wanted to see how all of this played out—after all, it wasn’t every day that a young kid managed to get the better of security.

  Giving a few seconds of my time and an autograph seemed like the least I could do.

  Besides, something about her made me curious. Really curious. The feeling grew stronger with each passing second, and I was unable to look away as the girl came closer. I could hear Alton’s voice once again, but his words simply didn’t register.

  Who the heck was this little girl, and why did she look like this was a matter of life and death? She’d made it as far as the edge of the rink, hesitating as she scanned through the few players left on the ice. She shook her head and frowned, her expression shifting from determined to panicked.

  At least until she not
iced me standing apart from the rest of the group.

  In that moment, her entire demeanor changed. There was a flash of a smile, so brief that I would’ve missed it had I not been staring at her. The guard had almost caught up to her, at least until she calmly stepped out onto the ice as if it were preordained.

  Her composed demeanor lasted about two seconds, then her legs started to shake. She was dressed for a hot summer day, and the sandals she was wearing couldn’t have been less appropriate for walking on ice if they’d tried. With wobbly knees, she made it a few more steps before the fear returned to her face. Lurching forward, she grasped at the empty air in front of her in a futile attempt to steady herself.

  I didn’t think, I just reacted.

  Skating forward as quickly as I could, I caught up to her just before she lost her balance. When she started to fall, my arms were there to scoop her up, saving her from taking a nasty spill on the ice in light summer clothes.

  “Hey now!” I said, putting her down and righting her as I spoke. “Be careful, you wouldn’t want—”

  And that’s when I first noticed.

  Heterochromia.

  It was really hard to miss—plain as day, right there in her wide and tearful eyes. One deep green iris, the other a striking crystal blue.

  Just like mine.

  Neither the girl nor I said anything, and a few moments later the security guard finally caught up. Huffing and puffing, he admonished her for the stunt and demanded that she come with him immediately. The girl winced as he grabbed her firmly by the wrist, and I had to fight back an irrational urge to shove the man away from her.

  He’s just doing his job, and his job is to keep everyone safe, I reminded myself.

  “I…give us a minute,” I finally managed to say, after I’d recovered enough from my shock that I remembered how to speak.

  “You know her?” the guard asked.

  I didn’t know what to say to that. Yes? Kind of? No, but I wanted to speak with her privately anyway? Every answer seemed wrong. Eventually I just shook my head, repeating myself.

  “Just give us a few minutes, okay?”

  The guard nodded, letting go of her wrist and crossing his arms impatiently. She glanced up at him and seemed to freeze, hugging herself and shivering from the cold.

  “Alone,” I clarified.

  The guard sighed heavily and walked off, muttering something about players and their egos. I ignored him, looking back down at the girl who seemed even paler than she had a few moments ago.

  Again, I had no idea what to say.

  “Let’s…get you off the ice, okay?” I offered, trying to focus on the practical.

  She nodded, taking my hand for support as the two of us slowly left the rink.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She opened her mouth but didn’t say anything.

  “Can I help you with anything?” I asked, crouching down so I didn’t dwarf her quite so much. I was easily a couple of feet taller than her, and the bulky gear must’ve been intimidating for a kid her size.

  Of course, getting face-to-face with her just made it that much harder to ignore her eyes. They were shinier and even more colorful than mine, but the similarity was undeniable. I saw those eyes every day when I looked in the mirror, but never before had I seen another person with them.

  “Y—yeah,” the girl replied, but didn’t elaborate further.

  “You, uh—you want an autograph or something?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Years of dealing with the public had taught me how to handle fans, but nothing could’ve prepared me for this situation.

  “No, thank you,” she said politely.

  “So…,” I said awkwardly, feeling every bit as lost as she looked. My heart started pounding in my chest and suddenly, I felt strangely lightheaded.

  “Uh—well—that is to say that—” she stammered, wringing her small hands.

  “Yeah?” I asked, smiling and doing my best to look reassuring despite the utter confusion I felt.

  “The thing is, I wanted to talk to you,” she said, sounding even more tense than she had when the guard was after her.

  I nodded, my chest feeling tighter. Rivers of blood seemed to be rushing to my head, making me feel dizzy and unsteady.

  It couldn’t be that—

  But before the thoughts fully formed in my head, she opened her mouth. The anxiety on her face was clear, and her next few words turned my whole world upside down in a matter of seconds.

  It’s just that…you’re my father.

  * * *

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  Dominick’s Secret Baby is now available on Amazon!

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  * * * *

  If you’ve already finished both Dominick and Alton’s books, have you met Simon yet?

  They only knew each other for a few months, but in that time he hurt her badly. Now he’s back, and he wants to make things right. Can old wounds heal, or is it too late for both of them?

  Much like how Alton’s Secret Baby wasn’t your typical secret baby romance, Hooked defies its genre—it’s nothing like your typical stepbrother romance. It’s a story about redemption and second chances. It’s about overcoming the past, and trying to make things right even when it seems impossible. If you like second chance romances, you’ll probably love Hooked.

  * * * *

  Money can’t buy forgiveness, but at least it can get my foot in the door.

  When Emilia’s inner-city youth center loses its funding, she has no choice but to accept help from the man who ruined her life.

  Her stepbrother.

  Now an international rugby superstar, Simon Ferguson is back. He’s spent his entire life running, but it’s finally time to face his past. Determined to make amends with Emilia, Simon offers part of his fortune to keep the youth center open.

  The two must work together for one summer. The last time Emilia saw Simon, he was a monster. Can he overcome a lifetime of secrets and regret to redeem himself, or are they destined to hate each other?

  Hooked is a full-length standalone novel with no cliffhangers and no cheating.

  Get your copy today.

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  Contents

  Title

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  Dominick's Secret Baby

  Hooked

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