WindSwept Narrows: #4 Alice Branch

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Alice…” Nick held out his palm, fingers beckoning. He watched the wariness in her eyes, very carefully keeping the sofa between them. There wasn’t much in the apartment, mostly cartons against the counter.

  Alice knew she made a mistake as soon as she felt the hard wood of the door behind her. She caught a glimpse of his last name in his eyes, his movements quick and decisive. One hand went to the solid door by her head, the other on the door at her waist.

  “Why did you run?” He asked softly, taking in the ponytail high on the back of her head; the wide silver grey eyes and thick lashes. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

  “I didn’t run,” she returned after a long minute. “This is most…if you think you can…can intimidate me, Nick Hunter…”

  “Why did you leave, Alice?” Nick leaned closer, his mouth brushing her throat.

  “I…I was…I didn’t…it would have been awkward…”

  “We spent the night in bed together, Alice…I don’t feel at all awkward…we talked for hours…”

  “I…it was…make believe…almost magical…I’m not a…a fairy…I’m not even a natural blond…” She blushed at the smile on his face.

  “I know that…” he whispered intimately.

  “How…” Alice closed her eyes. “No…no…I know how…why didn’t you tell me about Matthew?” She demanded, gathering her confusion around her.

  “I’ve been waiting for that one…” He leaned his head against hers. “I honestly don’t know. Trust me when I tell you, you normally can’t shut me up when it comes to him…”

  “Were you afraid I would lose interest?”

  “Alice…I seriously don’t know…to be honest, the women I’ve met since he was born weren’t interested in a guy with a kid,” he said quietly, keeping his voice down. “A few I’ve met…Matt wanted nothing to do with them…it’s like he has this…this kid radar when we go to company parties or something.”

  “What happened to his mother?” Alice knew she was weakening, her head tipping to rest against his arm.

  “Jennifer left when he was four months old,” Nick kept his voice low, his eyes drifting to the little boy playing with the figures and blocks. “She filed for divorce within a month and I’ve never seen her since. I have no idea where she is or what…what the hell she’s doing and I honestly don’t care,” he stopped when her palm rose to touch his face, her thumb running over his lips.

  Alice shook her head. “No apology, please. Never apology for your honest feelings.”

  “Why did you leave?”

  “Because last night was a fantasy and this is reality,” Alice said quietly, closing her eyes against the intensity in his stare.

  “I want the fantasy and the reality, Alice. Come spend the weekend with us,” Nick put both his hands on her face, his mouth down gently on her lips, sending his tongue out to tease hers when she parted her lips to speak.

  “I…I don’t know…”

  “Matt…” Nick left her standing against the door, blinking in surprise. He crossed the floor, bending down and whispering to the little boy. Matthew jumped to his feet, excitement in his eyes, his grin broad.

  “Are you coming home with us?” Matthew took her hand in his, grinning up into the flashing silver eyes.

  “Nick Hunter,” she hissed furiously. “That is…absolutely…incorrigible…”

  “A smart guy uses what ever weapons available to him,” Nick leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest and grin smug. He winked at her. “And I think I have a really good one on my side…”

  “You can have a sleep over with daddy…and we can read…” Matthew let her lift him in her arms.

  “I…Matthew, it’s wonderful of you to invite me over…”

  “Don’t you like us?”

  Alice felt her heart melt even as she met the arrogantly arched eyebrow.

  “Pack some clothes, Alice…it really doesn’t look like you’ve unpacked here…” Nick looked around the apartment. “Just move in?”

  “Yes…and this is still…you should be ashamed of yourself,” she said, turning and striding into the bedroom, dropping Matthew onto the bed.

  Nick followed her, boxes around the room. He walked up behind her when she stood in the doorway to the closet, bare foot tapping on the floor. His hands settled on her waist, his mouth moving next to her ear.

  “Marry me.”

  Nick had no idea the woman could move that fast. She spun around, stumbling back and shoving hard against his chest.

  “You’re mad!” She announced loudly.

  “Daddy’s not mad at you, Alice,” Matthew stopped bouncing, looking expectantly from one adult to the other.

  “Words…” Nick looked over at his son. “She doesn’t mean I’m angry…it’s okay, Matt…”

  Alice poked him in the chest with a sharp fingernail. “You are mad!” She whispered hoarsely.

  “And you’re Alice…so what’s that make our world?” Nick moved cautiously forward, caging her against the closet door. “Spend the weekend with us…please, Alice…tell me what you’re afraid of…honest feelings, isn’t that what you said?”

  “Nick…it’s…so fast…I’ve never…it feels so powerful and…and frightening,” she whispered hesitantly.

  “Is that why you ran?” He saw the answer in her eyes. “I don’t have guarantees, Alice…and believe me, I wish I did. We spent more hours talking last night than I’ve ever talked with another woman…about everything…and I want that. I want to find out if it’s real…”

  “Alice can have a sleep over with you ‘cause she’s not a girl,” Matt declared, bouncing off the bed and peering up at the couple.

  Nick arched a dark eye brow, looking at Alice first and then at his son.

  “She’s not, huh?”

  “Nope…I showed you the picture,” he whispered seriously. “She’s a fairy princess…so gran’ma won’t be mad if she has a sleep over with us.”

  “I think I need to have a chat with gran’ma about what’s not appropriate to discuss,” Nick said with a long sigh. He dropped to his heels and gathered Matt against him. “How about we help Alice pack some clothes and head back to the house to start the barbecue?”

  “Hot dogs!”

  “I have to work on Monday, Nick,” Alice lifted a skirt and jacket from the closet, a blouse added and a pair of short heels.

  “Then follow us home in your car,” Nick told her simply.

  “Can I ride with Alice?” Matt asked hopefully.

  “Sorry, kid…no car seat…you know the laws…” Nick dropped him onto the bed, grinning at the giggling child. “Be back in a minute,” he looked around, heading in the direction Alice pointed quietly.

  Alice laid the clothes on the chair and crawled over the bed, pulling the quilt over them and snuggling down. Nick entered to see the quilt moving and listen to the giggling from beneath it.

  “C’mon…we gotta move…it’s after eleven,” Nick held his palm out, hauling Alice to her feet.

  “Here’s your shoes!” Matt brought a pair of sneakers from the closet.

  “You two are very bossy,” Alice glared at them both, getting a few things from the dresser, shampoo and comb and brush, tossing everything into a large tote bag. She didn’t protest when Nick lifted the hangers and tote bag, moving them to the front door. She packed her laptop and lifted her purse, checked the patio door was locked and sighed. “Okay…”

  “How about you grab Matt…he’s not too good on steep stairs yet,” Nick set the lock on the front door, everything else in his hands. He let her go out first carrying Matt to the ground level.

  “Follow us, Alice!” Matt laughed as his dad tossed him lightly into the air.

  Alice sat behind the wheel of her car, watching the tall, rugged man hugging and kissing on the little boy. Matthew’s giggles echoed in her ears, making her smile as she sang along to her music and followed the larger vehicle through Saturday morning traffic. She deliberately slowed whe
n they approached a light, missing it and waiting in traffic, making a turn off a few minutes later.

  Nick frowned in the mirror. The road was too narrow and too full of curves to keep track of her once they were separated. He pulled the SUV beside the house, setting Matt free before gathering her things.

  “Did we lose her?”

  “Let’s put this stuff in the bedroom and we’ll give her a call,” Nick told the concerned little frown, watching the serious nod. He pushed the door wide, leaving it open.

  Chapter Five

  Alice wheeled the cart through the aisles, absently lifting her phone from inside her purse with a glare at the read out.

  “How’d you get this number?” She demanded in a low, rushed voice.

  “I got connections. Where are you?”

  “I will be there in a few minutes, Nick.” Alice ended the call and slid the phone away, selecting a jar of marmalade and adding it to her cart.

  Alice pulled beneath the over hang, her silver car fitting nicely. She had the passenger door open when she heard the giggles come running around the side of the house.

  “Alice!” Matthew launched himself into the arms that opened readily for him, his momentum almost sending them both to the ground. “We thought we lost you!”

  “Us fairies never get lost,” she promised, meeting the smiling dark eyes above her. She slipped her free hand into his, letting him pull her to her feet with Matthew on her hip. “I need those exquisite muscles to haul things into the kitchen, please.”

  “Exquisite muscles?” Nick repeated, looking inside at the five large bags and the twitching behind that held Matt and her purse going inside the house.

  “What’re we gonna do now?” Matthew climbed on his father’s bed, watching Alice hang things in the closet and put things into the bathroom.

  “You...are going to play for a bit while I see what I need to do…” Alice said with a wink, watching him run off toward his room.

  “We have food…I wasn’t planning on starving you,” Nick glanced into Matthews’ room before standing in the door of his bedroom, watching Alice fix her suit.

  “Just a few things…” she murmured, distracted. She wasn’t even sure where Pier 38 was…but since they were numbered, it couldn’t be that difficult to find.

  “When is gran’pa coming over?” Matthew called out from his room.

  Nick winced.

  Alice glared at him.

  “Alice…”

  “You…I can not believe…” she paced the large room, arms crossing and uncrossing over her chest. She wanted to throw something. Instead, she stormed up to him and poked him in the chest. “Your parents?”

  “I…”

  “Your parents are coming over? Here?”

  “We had the barbecue planned…”

  “It’s not bad enough that you involve an innocent child in your…your low down, nefarious, under-handed scheme…”

  “Nefarious?” Nick loved watching her pace. Her jeans were just tight enough and rode just low enough on her hips to send the male in him to attention.

  “Yes! Yes, nefarious!” Alice whipped around, her ponytail sweeping over his face, if he hadn’t moved quickly.

  “Watch it with that thing…” Nick said through his laughter.

  “Your parents?” She said again, only this time a small kind of wail was in her tone. She stopped pacing and stared at him, sighing thickly when he came up to her, his palms on her shoulders. “Nick…”

  “They’re just like your parents, Alice…only with a different accent,” he gathered her close, his palms resting on the rise of her behind. “So…there’s another ball on Friday…”

  “I know,” she exhaled slowly, looking up at him. “I already have my costume and my ticket,” Alice leaned back in his arms, her fingers on his shoulders and sliding over his muscles.

  “What’re you wearing?” Nick worked to remind himself he had a three year old playing two rooms along the hall. “It would be so very easy to…” He whispered against her mouth.

  “Ahem…I think I shall keep my costume to myself,” she peered up into his eyes with a teasing gleam. “I’ll take my car and you can find me there.”

  “Find…Alice, that event is slated for over five hundred people. How the hell…come on…a clue…”

  Alice took a step closer, her lips moving next to his ear.

  “It’s robin’s egg blue…and white…and beneath the skirt will be a pair of white silk stockings and a matching garter,” she whispered hotly, stepping back when his head clunked against the door frame, his groan soft.

  “You’re evil…”

  Alice moved to the hall, glancing over her shoulder. “I don’t get mad…I get even,” she told him, striding along the hall. “Matthew, want to help me in the kitchen?”

  Alice heard the purely honest, deep male laughter from the back of the house as she set the large bags on the floor and began unloading things. She parked Matthew on one of the high stools, wedging him close and handing him the small book she had bought. It was designed for small children to learn about various foods in the market.

  He took his book a short time later and followed Nick to the patio, chattering away.

  Fifteen minutes later, she carried the large platter to the screen door, fingers carefully sliding it open. She set the platter on the wide picnic table, jumping slightly when two warm hands settled on her waist from behind.

  “We had that in the kitchen?” Nick reached for a slice of cucumber and dipped it casually in the center bowl. Reaching for another. He watched Matthew climb onto the chair and reach for a carrot, accepting the small container Alice had put a spoonful of the creamy dip into for him.

  “This is good,” Matt declared, crunching away. Both males watched Alice turn and go back into the kitchen.

  “Eat the carrot, sport…it’s not just for licking the dip,” Nick teased, popping a carrot into his mouth and finishing up the grill, set safely at the end of the deck.

  Alice found the hot dogs and hamburger patties in the fridge, setting them out on a plate for Nick to carry to the deck. She smiled when Matthew came wandering into the kitchen, a tiny moustache of dip around his lips. He offered no protest when she dampened a paper towel and cleaned up his face. She slid the cherry pie into the oven and set the timer.

  “Can I play in here?” Matthew came out of the back dragging a large bucket of toys behind him.

  “Of course you can…” Alice wiped her palms on the back of her jeans, frowning at the layout of the huge living area. “It should be divided,” she mused aloud. “But we have to move the furniture a wee bit…you sit by the fireplace…”

  Fifteen minutes, Nick looked up from the pile of leaves he’d raked, frowning and jogging into the house.

  “Alice! What the…” he caught himself with a quick glance at the quiet little boy perched on the bricks around the fireplace.

  “We’re making a play space,” Matthew declared with a grin.

  “Who arranged this room, Nick?” Alice was bent over, hands on her knees and inhaling slowly. She managed to position the large, heavy sofa where she wanted it and nodded to herself.

  “I…I don’t…my mother was here when they delivered the stuff. We’ve only been here about eight months…” Nick looked at the new arrangement. The room seemed much bigger and open than before.

  “Matthew,” Alice dropped to the floor, tugging the bucket of toys to the center of the new wide open space in front of the fireplace. “Who told you that you weren’t permitted to play in this room?”

  “Gran’ma,” he answered without pausing, digging into the tub and setting up his little rolly people next to their vehicles.

  “He was here with her the day…” Nick ran one hand through the short cropped dark hair.

  “It’s okay, Nick…” Alice lay on her stomach, knees bent behind her and playing with Matthew. “We have it all sorted out now…” She peered up at him pacing the solid floor in front of the patio doors. “
Has it occurred to you…two women in your life may be more than you’re prepared to cope with.”

  “No,” he answered immediately. “No. I’m an executive with amazing coping skills, Alice. So just you don’t count me…us…out on that score…” His head went up when the chimes rang through the vaulted room.

  Alice saw the word on his lips. Lips that quickly slammed shut. She tried to hide the giggle but lost, sitting upright with a little dignity. She felt her chest constrict, scrambling hastily to her feet just as he pulled the door wide.

  “Mom…dad…hope you’re hungry,” Nick stepped to the side, accepting the clap on the shoulder from his father and hug from his mother.

  “Your mother wasn’t sure what to bring,” the older man held out a large bowl. “Your first barbecue…”

  Alice watched him and then looked at Matthew. He sat up, watching but not moving or speaking. Her palm went out automatically.

  “Hello…I’m Alice.”

  “Alice, this is Victoria and Darren Hunter…” Nick moved to her side, his arm possessively around her waist.

  “Very nice to meet you both,” Alice said with a bright smile, stepping forward and taking the bowl. “I’ll just put this with the other food. Would you like something to drink? I’m not sure what all we have…Nick filled the cooler on the deck.”

  “Hey…how’s my best kid today?” Darren dropped casually to his heels, accepting the hug Matthew offered.

  “I’m doing very well, thank you,” Matthew parroted politely, not noticing the choking giggle from the kitchen.

  “I didn’t know you were having others over, Nick,” Victoria Hunter watched Alice move around the kitchen.

  “It’s just us…a family kind of picnic,” Nick told her, aware of his choice of words when he looked over at Alice. “Let’s go outside…”

  “You couldn’t have picked a better day for it,” Darren followed Nick to the deck.

  “Why are these toys in this room?” She looked around, a small frown on her lips. “You’ve moved the furniture…”

  “Yes, I did…” Alice gazed around with a nod. “It looks much larger and open, don’t you think?”