“Good night, Jake.” He kicked the door shut behind him.

chapter

nine

Alec sighed and stared down at his cell. He’d managed to avoid Faith for two days, but Cole’s text would make that difficult to keep up.

About to board the plane to Cozumel. Mia is a mess. Can you keep an eye on Ginny and Faith while Jake is working? Just pop in once in a while. Thanks, man.

Jake’s text followed two minutes later.

Mom asked about you again. Go visit.

He scrubbed his hands over his face and rested the back of his head on the chair. He’d written nothing new for his book, guilt clawed at his stomach for how he’d handled Jake the other night, and he wanted to see Faith more than he wanted his next cup of coffee. He’d rationalized this desire with her ability to get him to write, but yeah . . .

He wanted to finish that kiss. He wanted to follow Jake’s advice and see where things led. He wanted his head back in the book. But none of those things were happening, so he got dressed and headed to his parents’ cozy ranch house in a suburb near the county line.

His memories of the house weren’t unpleasant. Their yard was still the most beautiful, manicured one on the street. Even though Dad was retired, the landscaper in him still sought perfection. Holly berry bushes lined the front walk from the driveway to the front stoop. Lilies and dahlias mingled in a couple flower beds. Geraniums and marigolds in potted baskets hung from the fascia. There wasn’t a dandelion in sight. Even the white aluminum siding was pristine.

His mother never had that kind of precision, except in the kitchen. If it involved baked goodness, she was an expert. But she was too even-tempered to be anything but pleasant. When Dad harped on Alec for staring off into space, making up a poorly fabricated story to get out of trouble, or failing math, it had been Mom who came to his rescue.

He’d come back home at Christmas. Before that, it had been a little more than a year since he’d seen them. Plenty of time for his dad to come up with some new teasing quips about his chosen profession. Millions of fans worldwide, and he couldn’t get his own dad to read one of his books.

The screen door slammed shut with a clap, and he looked up to find his mom’s warm smile. Her blond hair was cut in a shorter bob since he’d seen her last and she’d rounded out some.

“You’re home.” She opened her arms, wiggling her fingers when he didn’t step forward right away.

He closed the distance and accepted her embrace, bending nearly in half to stoop to her height. She still smelled like flour. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. Come inside. How long are you staying in Wilmington?”

“Until Jake ties the knot.”

Her grin was something special and drowning in delight. “Can you believe it? I’m so excited.”

“I never would’ve guessed.”

He followed her through the foyer and toward the back of the house, breathing in the familiar scent of lemon dusting spray. He stopped short at the sight of Dad at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. It was rare growing up to find him anywhere but the yard when he was actually home. The wrinkles on his face had deepened, but his skin was the bronze Alec remembered. Reading glasses were perched at the end of his wide nose. A new addition.

“Well, hey, son.” He rose and clapped him on the back.

“Hi, Dad.” With that pleasantry out of the way, he turned back to his mother, who was busy pouring sun tea.

“You’re not at all concerned Jake’s marrying a Covington?” Alec asked. Sure, the Covington dynamic had changed a great deal over the past year, and Alec was pretty certain Lacey loved his brother to the moon and back, but she was still a Covington and the Winstons were just the help.

The newspaper hit the table with a crack, but there was no anger in the gesture. “Why? He’s not being forced into it. Not everyone weds because they’re stupid enough to knock a girl up. Right, son?” He barked out a laugh at his own joke.

Direct hit. Score one for Dad.

Alec waved his hand, even though the barb hurt. They all did, not that his dad noticed. He might stroke out if his father ever thought about what he said before it spewed from his mouth. No filter, his dad. He’d never had one. Alec didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times his father had embarrassed him growing up.

Alec sat across from his father and studied the ancient yellow linoleum. The counters and cabinets dated back to the year the house was built. He was pretty sure the appliances did, too.

“Lacey’s a sweetheart,” Mom chirped. “We’re so happy for them. Aren’t we, Gregory?”

Dad nodded. “Jake could do worse for himself.”

Alec tried for neutral ground so he wouldn’t set his dad off on any new tangents. “The yard looks nice.”

Pride filled his father’s smile. “Hard work pays off—not that you’d know about that, with your apartment penthouse in the city. Probably hire maids to clean for you, too.”

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. “I do work, you know. Books don’t write themselves.”

“True, true.”

Mom cleared her throat. “Are you hungry, honey?”

“No,” they both answered in unison.

She sliced some banana bread anyway.

Dad went back to his newspaper as if Alec wasn’t there, sipping the tea Mom had set out for him. Even as a child, his father had never seemed to know what to say to him, so this was nothing new.

Home sweet home.

His mom finished slicing the bread and reached into a drawer. She set the entire loaf in foil and handed it to Alec. “To eat while you’re writing. I’m so proud of you.”

That made one of them.

She went on and on for the next twenty minutes about how the local libraries had his books in stock, the weather, the neighbors, and by the time he tuned her out, she was on a kick about knitting.

When she paused to come up for air, he cut in. “I have to go soon. I’m on a deadline.”

The disappointment in her eyes cut. “I wish we could see you more often. It was good you stopped by.”

“I’ll be around this summer. I’ll visit.”

Alec wrapped her in a hug, squeezing until she squeaked. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Make him take you out to dinner tonight.” He jerked his chin toward his dad.

Confusion sparked in her blue eyes. “For what occasion?”

Alec shrugged. “Who says you need one? Do it just because.”

The newspaper came down again. “Waste of money when we have food right here. Unless you’re buying, Mr. Fancy Writer.”

“Take your wife out on a date,” Alec ground through clenched teeth. Try as he may to remember his father meant well and was harmless, his patience was wearing thin.

Dad wasn’t done, though. “Good one, son. What would you know about taking care of a wife?” He snorted out a full belly laugh before he finally realized no one else was laughing.

Except his dad was so fucking right. Even though they’d never actually gotten to tie the knot, Alec hadn’t taken care of Laura, and look how she’d wound up. A vegetable, being fed through a tube, with machines doing her breathing for her.

Nausea rolled in his gut. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. Shook his head.

When he finally could speak his voice sounded like sandpaper. “I gotta go. Love you guys.”

His father stood and wrapped his arms around Alec, the scent of cut grass surrounding him as he squeezed the air from his lungs. “Love you, too, son.”

*   *   *

The blunt knock on the kitchen door caused Faith to jump. She’d been staring off into space again, thinking about Alec and why he’d kissed her, instead of listening to Ginny read like she was supposed to be doing. Thinking how darn good it felt when he’d cupped her cheek and brushed his lips over hers. Going so long without another’s touch had obviously muddled her brain.