Alex (BIG Northwest Book 2)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

  The best people didn’t see what the big deal was.

  He was interested to know which of those categories Alex fell into.

  “And they’re both like Gail?”

  He gave her a little nod. “Afraid so.”

  Her shoulders dropped a little. “Shit.”

  Edward squeezed her hand where it was still in his. “I’ll make sure they don’t try to take over your kitchen.”

  “Thanks.” She peeked his way. “Can you wait until Gail’s gone before inviting them here?”

  “I can’t make any promises on that one. I’m the closest I’ve been to them in almost ten years. They’re going to want to take full advantage.” He’d lived on the east coast since going to school, and while his dads were happy to get on a plane to visit, this was a much shorter flight. Maybe even driving distance, which could prove to be an issue.

  Since his dad retired they were both itching for adventure, and Shadow Pine and the surrounding mountains would definitely qualify as an adventure to his parents.

  “Where do they live?” Alex’s question was quiet.

  “California. About ten hours from here.” Edward tried to keep pace with her, not wanting Alex to feel like she had to push herself to keep up, knowing that’s exactly what she would do just to prove she could. “They don’t know I’m here yet.”

  “You didn’t tell them you were moving?” This time her question was a little more solid. Comfortable.

  “I didn’t want them getting here before I did.” His initial plan was simply to surprise his parents with his closer proximity, but holding off on sharing the news was turning out to be the best thing he could have done. After seeing how Alex and her sisters were handling Gail, it was clear they weren’t ready to add two more overbearing parents into the mix.

  His fathers always wanted more children, but the system didn’t used to be as accepting of same sex couples as they were now.

  Not that it was still never a problem, there were just more options available.

  And the second his dads walked into Shadow Pine they would see five girls with no dad in their life and it would be on. They’d be just like Gail.

  Maybe worse.

  “They’ll really try to come here?” Alex’s confusion would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

  From what he understood, she and her sisters never had anyone to count on besides each other. No parents looking out for their best interest. Loving them no matter what.

  Supporting them.

  “They will do more than try, Al.” Edward opened the door to Alex’s office. “They’ll be packing up the car before we hang up the phone.”

  “That’s so weird.” She looked him up and down. “Explains why you’re so weird.” Her mouth almost pulled into a smile before smashing down.

  “Maybe you’re the one who’s weird.” Edward set the file with the options Joe worked up in front of Alex. “I’m willing to look past it, though.”

  “How noble of you.” She flipped open the file and fixed her gaze on the top paper inside.

  “I’m a noble guy.” He sat down beside her. “What do you think of the shirts?”

  Alex lifted one shoulder. “I think it’s a good start.” She tapped the image of a coffee cup. “Should we order them now?”

  “We should order them yesterday.” Edward flipped to the next page where he’d worked up a projection based on the number of visitors Tate counted over the past week. “These are what we should order based on how many people are currently visiting Shadow Pine.” He flipped to the next page. “But if you’re ready to start advertising then I think these are the kinds of quantities we are looking at.”

  “That’s too much.” Alex shook her head. “I’m not comfortable putting out that kind of money on items we may or may not sell.”

  “First of all, you’ll sell them.” Edward turned to the next page. “Second of all, you’ll make money selling them. Here’s what I would conservatively expect to make per week based on our current numbers.”

  “Where would we even store this kind of inventory?” Alex pressed her fingers to her temples again. She was overwhelmed. Definitely still overworked.

  “Let me worry about that.” Edward flipped the folder closed. “I can handle all of this if you’re comfortable with it.”

  “It’s not about just handling it. It’s about spending the money we should be investing.” She pointed out the window to where Craig walked with Danny and her son toward Alex’s house. “It’s about making sure Jude will be taken care of.”

  “Al, Jude will always be taken care of no matter what.” Edward had spent all of an hour with Craig since coming to Shadow Pine. Not because he didn’t want to spend more, but because Craig had one priority and that was his family. Nothing came before Danny and Jude. Period. “Craig would die before he let Jude go without.”

  “But...” Alex’s shoulders dropped as the air rushed from her lungs. “I just want him to never worry.”

  “He won’t, Al.” Edward reached out to slide his fingers along the skin of her hand. “Jude will always be fine.” He studied her as she watched the threesome as they walked. “What about you?”

  Alex blinked a few times before finally turning his way. “What about me?”

  “Who’s taking care of you? Who makes sure you are always fine?” She didn’t take care of herself. That was clear. She worked too hard. Took on too much.

  Never said no, even when she wanted to.

  All for the good of her family.

  Alex lifted one shoulder, her eyes going back to the paper in front of her. She chewed her lip as she scanned the numbers he came up with. “I guess if this is something you feel confident doing, then it would probably be fine if you wanted to handle it.”

  “If I feel confident?”

  She snorted. “That’s right. I forgot you don’t have a shortage of confidence.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being confident in my abilities, Al.” He leaned closer to her. “I didn’t hear you complaining about them last night.”

  “That’s because you had your hand over my mouth.” She smirked at him.

  “Didn’t realize you wanted Charlie to hear you when I made you come.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s not what would have happened.”

  Edward leaned back in his chair. “Trust me, Al. It’s definitely what would have happened.” He rocked a little in his seat as he considered pushing her buttons a little more. “We can test it out tonight. See who’s right.”

  Her nostrils flared as she glared his way. “I’m right.”

  “Only one way to know, Al.” He glanced at the blinds on the window. “We could test it out right now.”

  Her skin flushed almost instantly as her eyes darted to the span of grass outside. “Absolutely not.”

  He leaned close to her again. “You sure about that, Al? You’re looking awful flushed.”

  “It’s because you piss me off.” She swatted at him as he eased in a little more. “Stop being a pain in the ass.”

  “I think the chances of either of us not being a pain in the ass are slim to none.” He nuzzled her neck. “And I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.”

  “You’re a glutton for punishment.” She wiggled her shoulder, halfheartedly trying to block his nose as it ran across his skin.

  “I don’t consider fighting with you anything close to punishment.” He pulled her chair closer to his, the rollers easily scooting across the floor.

  “What do you consider it then?”

  “Foreplay.” Edward skimmed his lips along the line of her neck, smiling at the goosebumps that lifted almost immediately.

  “Pretty sure that’s not what the textbooks would call it.” Alex shivered a little as his lips locked onto her skin.

  He nipped his way up to her ear, pulling the lobe between his teeth. “I love the way you taste, Al.” He took a deep breath, stray bits of her blonde hair tickling his nose as the air moved. “I love the way you smell.”
He raked the fingers of one hand into the waves falling past her shoulders. “I love the way you fight with me.”

  Alex was everything he’d been missing. Everything he didn’t know he wanted. And the more time he spent with her the more clear it became.

  He wanted to be closer to her. Know more about her. Tell her more about him.

  “If we’re not back for lunch Gail will come looking for us.” Alex’s voice was softer than normal, sweeter.

  “So?” Edward kissed his way back down her neck, fingers pressing into her scalp as more of the weight of her head relaxed into his hand.

  “Then she’ll know.”

  He smiled against her skin. “She already knows, Al.”

  Chances were good everyone already knew, but he wasn’t telling her that. If it made Alex feel better to think what was happening between them was a secret he would let her hold onto that a little longer.

  “Shit.” Alex jumped up from her seat, leaving him hanging as she scrambled to smooth down her hair.

  “Hey, Aunt Alex. My mom sent me to tell you it was time for lunch.” The little boy standing in the doorway waved his way. “Hi, Edward.”

  “Hi, Jude.” Edward stood up, grabbing Alex’s crutch and holding it out the boy’s way. “Can you carry your aunt’s crutch?”

  “Sure.” Jude took it, his brows coming together. “She doesn’t need it anymore?”

  “She doesn’t need it right now.” Edward turned his back to Alex. “Come on, Al. Let’s go.”

  “No thank you.” She hobbled her way to where Jude stood, snagging the crutch away. “I’m fine to walk.”

  Edward lifted his brows Jude’s way. “You want a piggy back then?”

  Jude frowned. “Mom says I’m too heavy.”

  “Maybe for your mom.” Edward thumbed over his shoulder. “But I carried your Aunt Alex here this morning and there’s no way you can be as heavy as she is.”

  Alex turned toward him. “Was that really necessary?”

  Edward wiggled his brows her way. “Nothing wrong with being sturdy, Al.”

  “I’ll give you sturdy.” She shot him a glare. “You better watch your back once my ankle’s better, Ed.”

  Edward laughed loud as he followed Alex and Jude from the office. Alex walked at a decent clip across the grass, probably just to prove she could. By the time they reached her porch the bob of her limp was a little more pronounced than when they started. Jude raced up the stairs ahead of her, holding the door as Alex slow-stepped her way to the porch.

  “Should have let me haul you here.” Edward stuck close, making sure he was within arm’s reach just in case she went down.

  “Wouldn’t want you to strain your little arms carrying someone as husky as me around.” She leaned hard, bumping him with her body, managing to use her crutch as leverage to push herself back upright.

  “You’re willing to risk falling down the steps just to give me shit, Al?”

  “Abso-freaking-lutely I am.” She smiled at Jude as she reached the top step. “Thank you, sweet boy.”

  Edward followed behind Alex. “That’s nice of you to hold the door open.”

  “It’s what gentlemen do.” Jude stood a little straighter. “My mom taught me.”

  “Your mom’s a smart lady. Being a gentleman is an important thing.”

  Jude’s head bobbed in a nod. “I know. Girls can open their own doors but we should do it anyway.”

  “That’s right.” Edward glanced in at the crowd filling Alex’s house.

  Jude’s shoulders pushed back and his chin lifted. “Cause we respect them.”

  Edward stopped halfway in the house. “That’s right.” He eyed Danny’s son. “You’re a smart kid, Jude.”

  “That’s what my teacher says too.”

  “She’s right.” Edward reached out to brace the door with one hand. “Come on. Let’s go in together.”

  “Kay.” Jude straightened away from where he held the door open with his back. “Thanks. I’m real hungry.”

  “How was school this morning?” Edward walked beside Jude as they worked their way toward the kitchen.

  “Good. I like it.” Jude went straight for Vanessa, leaving Edward standing alone in the small dining area just off the living room.

  “He’s something else, isn’t he?” Craig held out a bottle of water as he sipped from the open one in his other hand.

  “The sisters have done a great job with him.” Edward took the water, glancing Craig’s way. “And you too.”

  “I had nothing to do with it. The kid was great when I got here.” Craig capped his drink. “It was all Danny and her sisters.”

  “Raising good kids is hard work.” He’d given his dads a run for their money in high school. Like most kids.

  But they never once backed down. Never stopped being consistent and constant.

  Never stopped loving him and putting him first.

  So different from what Alex and her sisters grew up with.

  And yet here they were, breaking the cycle. Proving there were a hundred different ways to raise a good kid. That it didn’t matter what it looked like, as long as it worked.

  “Vanessa and Jude. It’s time for lunch.” Gail’s voice in the kitchen sent the kids running from where they were camped out on the shag rug in Alex’s living room, racing toward the kitchen where Kari’s mom was dishing out soup and sandwiches like she did it for a living.

  “You’ll get used to her.” Craig watched as Gail made over each of the kids, her smile wide and warm. “You have to.”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about.” Edward scanned the blonde heads filling the house, looking for the one that belonged to Alex. “I think the girls might be a little overwhelmed. His eyes finally landed on Alex’s slightly wavy hair. She sat on the edge of the sectional with Frankie on one side and Danny on the other. “They’re not used to being out mothered.”

  “Or having it directed at them.” Craig’s eyes went to the same spot as Edward’s. “Their mother died when they were young. Even then she was never like they are. She was all about their father.”

  Edward watched as the sisters spoke in hushed tones, their heads close together. “That makes a hell of a lot of sense.”

  He thought Alex’s issues with men stemmed from their father. From his control and manipulation. Maybe to a certain point they did.

  But not all of them were rooted in the man who essentially held them captive for years, hidden from the world.

  Alex’s problem with men might have more to do with her mother than it did the man who controlled her.

  “Ladies.” Gail called from the kitchen. “It’s your turn.”

  The three sisters all went silent at once, lips pressing tight together as they stood from the couch, Danny and Frankie flanking Alex’s sides. They walked to the kitchen, a unified front as they faced down the woman turning their worlds upside down.

  Which was mildly amusing considering Gail would have fit right in with them twenty years ago.

  It was like the present and the future staring each other down, and the sisters were too close to see the truth.

  Gail hung back a little as Alex and her two sisters filled their bowls. Frankie and Danny stuck close to Alex, one carrying her plate and the other balancing her bowl as they made their way toward the small table next to Edward and Craig. Danny gave Craig a soft smile as he pulled out a chair for Alex. “Thanks, City Boy.”

  Alex eased into the seat, her eyes finding Edward as she settled in next to her sisters.

  “Here.” A bag hit him in the chest.

  Edward turned to find Gail at his side, holding the bag she clearly intended for him to take.

  “This is for Sam. She couldn’t come to lunch because she had to work.” A matching bag hit Craig’s chest as she shoved it his way. “This one’s for Charlie. She got stuck working too.” Gail propped her hands on her hips, brows lifting. “What are you waiting for? Go.”

  Edward caught Alex hiding a smile behind
the glass of water she’d been sipping from for longer than necessary

  “Yes, ma’am.” Edward turned his head toward Alex, giving her a wink. “I’m happy to do what I’m told.”

  Alex’s eyes narrowed over the rim of the glass, her gaze appraising as she studied him from behind the false safety of the tumbler.

  Edward followed Craig from the house. They were halfway across the field when Craig peeked over one shoulder. When he faced forward again, his voice was low. “They’re not used to men treating them right. Don’t take it personally.”

  “Why are you whispering?” Edward glanced back at the house, expecting to see one of the women on the porch.

  “No reason.” Craig continued speaking like they were in a library. “Just don’t ever say anything you don’t want half the town hearing.”

  “Half the town is half the sisters.” Edward balanced the bagged lunch on one hand as he reached for the door to Charlie’s shop.

  “Exactly.” Craig walked in ahead of him, going straight to the counter where Charlie was ringing out a group of visitors. He set her lunch on the glass top before turning a smile on the group of women in line. “Ladies.”

  “They deliver lunch here?” One of the women turned toward Edward, her eyes scanning him from head to toe before her attention snapped back to Charlie. She leaned against the counter. “Those are your delivery boys?”

  Charlie glanced up. “No.” She huffed out a sigh. “Those are my sisters’ boyfriends.”

  ELEVEN

  “WHAT’S GOING ON with you and Edward?” Frankie was leaned close, watching Gail work in the kitchen over Alex’s shoulder.

  “We’re getting the website together and working on souvenirs and things we can sell in the store.”

  Frankie’s blue eyes came straight to hers, the tilt of her head angling to one side. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

  Alex shifted around the potatoes in her bowl of soup. “Nothing is going on with me and Edward.”

  It was a flat out lie. One she couldn’t even pretend to believe herself anymore.

  “Come on.” Frankie leaned back in her seat. “It’s clear something is going on with you two.” Her brows lifted. “That wink?”