Alec's Dream

by Riley Edwards

  Needless to say, Aurora filled the fifteen minutes Caleb and Alec stayed outside with chatter, giving Alec her seal of approval. What she didn’t do was ask her grandparents about their vacation.

  “And… he saved mommy from the bad guy just like he said he would.” Aurora finished with her hands on her hips.

  Before anyone could comment on her dramatic conclusion, my sweet, exuberant, boisterous daughter asked, “Now that we live here, and Alec’s your manfriend, and he’s buying us a puppy, and helping Caleb with football, does that mean that I’m Jossy’s big sister?”

  That was when Alec and Caleb decided to come into the house. All eyes swung to them, still standing in the entryway.

  Alec wore a glorious, blinding smile.

  Caleb looked like he was going to laugh.

  My dad made a choking sound.

  My mom simply beamed.

  Kill me now.

  “Hey, Gramps, Gran. Cool you guys are home. Now you get to meet Alec.”

  “Boy,” my father grunted and my son, knowing his grandfather, knew what my dad wanted.

  And Caleb being an all-around great kid didn’t make his grandfather wait. He moved to where my father stood up from the couch and walked into my dad’s arms and hugged him.

  “Did you have fun on your cruise?” Caleb asked.

  “Yep. Missed you three something bad, though.”

  “C’mere and give me some sugar,” my mom demanded, and Caleb again did what he always did, which was kiss his grandmother’s cheek then offer her his so she could return the gesture.

  “Ron Hartley,” my father boomed. “My wife, June.”

  Now that my dad had greeted his grandson, completing his grandfatherly role, he switched back to over-protective father, meeting his daughter’s manfriend for the first time. It didn’t matter that his daughter was thirty-five, divorced, had two children, and was living with said manfriend. The tone of my dad’s voice couldn’t be missed.

  Shit.

  “Alec Hall. Nice to meet you.”

  Alec shook my dad’s hand then turned to my mother, “June, it’s a pleasure.”

  “You as well.”

  Did my mother sound breathy? What the hell?

  Then Alec made his way to me, and right in front of my parents and children, he pulled me into his arms and brushed his lips against my forehead. When he pulled back, he was smiling.

  “Babe.”

  “Hey.”

  Now did I sound breathy?

  “You good?” he asked near a whisper.

  “Yeah. You?”

  “Practiced with Caleb. Got to pick up Aurora and hear her newest trivia fact. Came home to you, and the house smells like you’re cooking heaven. Yeah, babe, I’m better than good. Where’s Jocelyn?”

  Sweet Jesus. Why had I fought Alec for so long? I wanted to pull Alec closer and kiss the ever-loving hell out of him.

  “Joss was getting fussy so Mom rocked her. She fell asleep so Mom put her upstairs. I thought I’d let her rest a bit then wake her up before dinner so she’s not awake all night.”

  “Perfect. Caleb, your dad, and I have a few minutes to go outside? Caleb wants to practice a passing drill. Told him we’d do it before dinner if we have time.”

  “There’s time.”

  Oh, yeah, I sounded breathy. And that was because with all the goodness Alec was giving me, I could catch my breath.

  “You sure? If you need help, we’ll wait. Explained that to Caleb.”

  Of course he explained that to my son. Alec wouldn’t tell him they were doing something together unless he was absolutely sure, which meant he’d give Caleb options. Damn, but I was seriously falling in love with Alec at a speed that should’ve scared me to death but didn’t.

  “Mom and I will finish up.”

  Alec hooked his hand around the back of my neck, pulled me closer for another touch of his lips, then he turned.

  “Ron, would you like to come out back with Caleb and me? Toss a ball while we get to know each other?”

  Dad remained silent for a beat, his eyes never leaving Alec, and he was not hiding he was giving Alec a very thorough examination.

  “Think I know all I need to know, though I’d still like to spend some time with you and my grandson.”

  My mother’s swift intake of oxygen made my gaze jerk to her. She stared at my dad with a look I’d seen many times over my life—unquestionable adoration. I’d seen my father return that look just as many times.

  And every time I witnessed it, I’d coveted it, wished beyond wishing I’d find it. Then it dawned on me, I did have that, or a slightly different version of it.

  “Alec?” Rory called, breaking the tension.

  “Yeah, doll?”

  “Can I come outside, too?”

  I bit back my need to correct Rory and held my breath. I figured Alec wanted time with just Caleb and my dad, but I doubted he’d tell her no.

  “If you want, too. But it’s cold outside, so you need to get your hat and gloves and bundle up.” Rory’s nose started to scrunch. Alec didn’t miss much, therefore he wouldn’t have missed my daughter’s serious aversion to the cold. “Or you can stay in the house where it’s nice and warm and visit with your grandma. I know you missed her.”

  “Maybe I’ll stay inside. I can help with Jossy.”

  “I’d appreciate that. You know how much Jocelyn loves playing with you.”

  “Well played,” I whispered to Alec before I checked the time. “Actually, sweetheart, we should wake up Joss now.”

  “Caleb, give me a minute with Joss, yeah?”

  “Sure. Gramps and I will wait.”

  Alec took off in the direction of the stairs and I was left not knowing what to say or if I should say anything at all.

  “Um…” I started, then stopped because I was at a loss for words.

  “I like him,” my mom announced.

  “Hey, my sweet girl.” Alec’s voice cooed over the baby monitor.

  I started to move to the kitchen table to turn it off when Alec continued.

  “Did you have a good day, princess?”

  “Dada!”

  Jocelyn’s excited squeal made me smile. Boy, did that girl love her daddy.

  “I missed you today.”

  I picked up the monitor, heard Alec giving Joss kisses, making her giggle, and my heart soared.

  “Mama!”

  “She’s downstairs, baby. Let Daddy get you changed.”

  “Yes!”

  “Know how you feel, darlin’. I don’t like to be away from her either.”

  I sucked in a breath and turned off the sound.

  I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Both of my parents had heard Jocelyn call me mama. I tried to explain it away, even though I didn’t try all that hard when I told them Jocelyn was trying to say Macy. That had been proven false, but my parents didn’t know that. And I didn’t want them to be upset. But the truth was, I loved that Joss called me mama. I loved that she and I had a bond that was ours.

  And every day I spent with her, the more she felt like mine.

  Ball tossing in the backyard had been a success. So had the meet the parents portion of the evening, which had quickly turned into family time complete with laughing and story time. Dinner had been eaten, dishes done, Jocelyn had been as cute as she could be, meaning both my parents were completely in love with her.

  And Alec had just been Alec. And because he was simply the kind of man other men admired, my dad liked him. They had slipped outside without Caleb under the pretense of checking out Alec’s toys in the barn. They’d been gone for quite a while and when I started to fret, my mom calmed me down by telling me how happy she was the kids and I had found Alec.

  She didn’t see a problem with me moving in so quickly.

  She just shrugged and told me, “I knew by the end of my first date with your father he was the man I was going to marry. And if you ask him, he’ll tell you he knew on the drive to the restaurant.”

>   To which I replied, “But you didn’t move in with him that night. And you didn’t have two kids.”

  My mom’s eyes lit, her face went soft, and she explained, “If that had been an option, I would’ve. And don’t you worry about Aurora and Caleb, they’re getting exactly what they need.”

  Then my mom changed the subject to the upcoming holidays. And it must be noted that throughout the evening, June Hartley barely put down Jocelyn. She snuggled Joss as much as Joss would allow, and when my mom wasn’t holding the baby, she was watching Rory and Joss play together.

  Now we were getting ready to say goodnight. It was getting late, the kids needed sleep and Jocelyn was cranky even though she’d had a cat nap. My father never being one for subtlety, kissed his grandkids goodnight, shook Alec’s hand, and told me he needed a word in private.

  Alec decided to clear the room instead of me walking my parents out to their car in the dark and cold. I knew that was why he told Rory and Caleb it was time to go upstairs and get ready for bed. I knew because he straight out said I wasn’t going out into the cold, dark night, then he kissed my forehead and he and Joss followed my kids and left me alone with my parents.

  “Gonna ask you this once. Is this where you want to be?” Surprisingly, Dad’s voice wasn’t gruff and full of concern—it was laced with curiosity and affection.

  “Positive.”

  “I wasn’t happy about what happened. Still not, but now at least I’ll be able to sleep tonight knowing you three are safe.” My dad paused and the curiosity faded but the affection remained. “This right here is all I’ve ever wanted for you.”

  Shit. I was going to cry. I knew what my dad saw when he looked at Alec. I knew what he was thinking as he watched him with the kids. And I knew what my dad was feeling when he watched Alec with me. Everything he wished I’d had for the last fifteen years.

  Everything I’d once wished I had, but now that it was mine, I realized I didn’t have the first clue what I’d really wished for, because I had no idea life could be this beautiful.

  34

  “How’s Micky feeling?” Alec asked as he entered Nixon’s office noting the absence of his friend’s pregnant wife.

  “Morning sickness is finally gone, so she’s in a much better mood. Or at least she’s not puking her guts up while telling me this baby will be an only child.”

  Somewhere in the back of Alec’s mind, he wondered if Jaime had morning sickness, but the thought was just that—a thought. The guilt that had once accompanied any contemplation about the mother of his child didn’t punch him in the gut the way it used to.

  Over the last three months, Macy had helped him work through his issues. She hadn’t pushed him to talk about it, not even after he’d given her the letter that Jaime had left him. Macy simply read it, not concealing her sadness or tears. When she handed the note back to Alec, all she’d said was “You get to feel any way you want to feel. No shame in that.”

  That was all Alec had needed to start letting go of the uncomfortable self-loathing that had taken root. He was allowed to feel any way he wanted. It was okay for him to be mad, hurt, and wounded he’d been kept in the dark about a child he’d created.

  But none of it ate at him now the way it used to. Not when he had so much to be grateful for.

  “Glad to hear it,” Alec returned.

  “Championship game this weekend, right?”

  “Yeah. Last practice before the game. You and Micky coming?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  And Nixon wouldn’t. Something else to be grateful for. Nix, Jameson, and Weston never missed a game. Holden and Chasin made as many as they could, meaning if they weren’t on the road working, their asses were at the game. McKenna, Kennedy, and Silver had rallied around Macy and pulled her into the girl posse just like Alec thought they would, so they never missed a game either.

  Something that Caleb loved, and he didn’t hide the fact that he did. More goodness—Caleb had opened up and it was arguably more beautiful than the way his sister loved those around her. She’d always been untouched by the shit Doug had piled onto the three of them. But Caleb had been crippled under the weight. With that burden gone, the kid flourished.

  So Alec had it all. Everything he ever wanted, and every night when he came home after practice with Caleb and walked into his house, now cluttered with kids toys, shoes, coats, artwork, and school projects, the emptiness he’d felt was gone. His house wasn’t too big, it was just right. Macy, Caleb, Aurora, and Jocelyn had turned it into a home.

  “I’m headed out. Have a good night,” Alec told his friend, knowing Nix, too, was going home to a house full of love, so he’d have a good night.

  Alec was in his SUV on his way to the park for practice when his phone rang.

  Macy.

  Just seeing her name made him smile.

  “Hey babe,” he greeted.

  “Hey. Just making sure you and Caleb are still doing your thing tonight.”

  “Yep.”

  “Then since my boys won’t be home, I’m taking the girls to Kennedy’s for dinner.”

  Alec loved the way Macy’s voice got soft when she talked about her family. It was almost as good as when her breathy moans fanned across his neck when he was inside of her.

  So fucking sweet, he couldn’t get enough—never would get enough.

  “Sounds good. We won’t be out too late.”

  “Next week’s my turn.” She told Alec something he knew since he was the one who’d set the schedule.

  Something he decided to do after the night he met her parents. Ron Hartley was a smart man—he took one look at Alec, the smiles on his grandchildren’s faces, and declared he and June would be taking the kids, including Joss, one weekend a month. That meant he and Macy got alone time. Time that they used wisely. But since Alec knew he wasn’t just winning Macy but a family, he made time for just him and the kids. So once a month he took each kid separately out to spend time with them. Sometimes it was dinner, sometimes to a movie, sometimes he and Caleb went to a big box hardware store. It didn’t matter where they went, or what they did, it was time they spent together one on one so it meant everything.

  But next weekend, the Hartley’s were taking the kids and Alec had plans.

  “Rest up, babe.”

  “Rest up?”

  “Oh yeah.”

  “You feeling creative?” she whispered and he felt that straight to his cock.

  Hell yes, he was feeling creative, though he felt that way every night when they got into bed and each morning when he woke up with her pressed to his side.

  “I’m feeling something, baby, which normally is a good thing but I’m pulling up to the park so I can’t get out of my car with my cock standing at attention.”

  “I’ll let you go. See you when you get home.”

  Home. Fuck, yeah.

  “Later, babe.”

  I love you was on the tip of his tongue but he swallowed the urge to tell her what he’d known for months. He was saving it for their weekend. His Macy deserved special and the first time she heard him utter those words would not be in a casual conversation.

  “Later, honey.”

  Alec disconnected and scanned the park. The commotion near the practice field caught his attention. It was early, too early for the boys to be running drills, yet three boys were running across the field toward the woods surrounding the park.

  A fine tremor ran down Alec’s spine as he quickly found a parking spot and got out.

  “Yo!” Alec called out to Lou.

  “Thank God. Caleb took off.”

  “Took off?”

  The tremor was turning into a quake as Alec looked in the direction the boys were running but he couldn’t see Caleb.

  “I was helping a few of the boys into their pads. I vaguely heard a car pull up but I wasn’t paying attention. Then the next thing I know, Caleb took off like a shot. I was just getting ready to call you.”

  “Where’s the car?”<
br />
  “Backed out and drove away. Fuck, man, it happened so fast, I didn’t see who was driving.”

  Fear started to creep in, a kind Alec had never known. Not the kind that urged him forward on a mission, making his senses come alive. This was new, paralyzing.

  “Plate? Make? Model?”

  “Blue Toyota sedan. Florida plates. I didn’t—”

  “Florida?”

  “Yeah. The orange caught my eye…”

  Alec was no longer listening to Lou, his phone was up to his ear and it was ringing.

  “Miss me—”

  “Doug Spencer’s in town,” Alec cut off Nixon. “He was at the park. Caleb must’ve seen him because he took off. I need someone to go to the rec center and get Rory, someone on Macy, and the rest need to be canvassing the woods around the park. Call Jonny.”

  “Copy,” Nixon grunted before he disconnected.

  “Doug?” Lou inquired. A hard edge had taken root.

  “He’s been down in Florida. He’s also the only person who would make Caleb take off.”

  “I’ll—”

  “’Preciate whatever help you can offer, but first get the boys out of here.”

  “All right.” Lou jogged off to round up the boys.

  Alec’s fingers felt stiff as he dialed. This call was harder to make than the first. He knew what he had to tell Macy was going to tear her to shreds.

  Fuck.

  “Hey. I’m—”

  “Baby. I want you and Joss to stay at the daycare. Someone is on the way to you now.”

  “What’s—”

  “Macy, baby, I need you to stay there.”

  “You’re scaring me. Where are—”

  Goddammit, he was screwing this all up. But he couldn’t get the words out and when he finally did, they tasted foul. His stomach protested the very idea of Doug being anywhere near Caleb or Rory.

  “Doug’s in town—”

  “What?” Macy screeched. “Did you see him? The kids!”