Chapter 23
It was really goes getting to low you, Mer. I hope we see mete of each other soen.” Mom said, embracing Alec in the parking lot.
“Di course, likewise, Masoudan. We need to schedule that dinner with Mr. Jordan,” Alec replied, flashing a charming simile. These two was like two peas in a pod now.
*1’ll be sure to send you two an incite very soon, okay Mom palted Alec’s shoulder.
Sounds great. Have a great day. Mrs Joodan,” Aler said politely but seemed to be waiting for my mom
I need to speak with my daughter, so I’ll waMom took a small step back and pretended to be busy with her phone.
11 see you at home,” Alec kissed m cheek, his stubble ending shiras down my spine,
you be home for dinner?‘
– “Yeah_what’s up?”
“I’ll make dinner then,” Alec offered, and for the first time, I found myself craving his cooking specifically, “I do have three meals a week to make for you still,” he added with a playful tone but could till he meant every word.
“You wode serious about that?
n’t joke around, Lana.” he said placing his hand on my arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Drive safely.”
” he said “Tana‘ and his firm touch left me feeling a misture of desire and anticipation. I needed any mother to validate my suspicions, to tell me I was right–that Alec was too good to and this wouldn’t be a love story like hers and Dad’s A mother’s intuition about friends was always spot on. Whenever she warned me about someone, they turned out to be terrible. They inhittios lo when with my doub
“You too.” Twhispered as walled Airco his car, then turned to my mother, who wore a sly gain.
, you think he’s too good to be true, right? There must be something he’s hiding.“I began to complain, Inoking at her expectantly. “I need to be cautious with him.” Talana, I genuinely believe that boy wants to make this work You’re just painting him as the villain,” Mom epiled her honesty hitting me like a ton of bricka.
her
you don’t know him.” 1 sighed, feeling the weight of my past mistakes and the bullying in high school that Alec endured regretted my actions, and I had changed, but I still needed to
a voy. Well enough, it appears. He’s making all sorts of promises and gestures,” Moms replied as she walked me to my car, her voice bashed to prevent eavesdropping. She glanced truticent ring on my ting. “Cooking dinner, bringing flowers and chocolate to your workplace, and this ring, which streams “alana‘ more than the previous one,” she pointed out, nd gently raling mine. She wasn’t entirely wrong. I did love this ring more than any other piece of jewelry wed “You can deny it if you like, but Aler seems determined to make this work. I’m rooting for him to succeed because a man leeding oft in.” Mom said Laying one von for my fature with beutal honesty, especially when it came to her views on Daniel “Don 1 kagatosur it at all.” I mumbled, trying not to let her words allect me too deeply:
that will make you happy and support y
your car
carent, rather than
I love you more than anything in this world, but you, my love, are just as stubborn as your dad. I dealt with him, and I low exactly how to deal with you too, she leaned over and kissed my
“I love you too. Mom. Take care,” siged as he drives pulled up.
“Delve sately: Lana,” Mom wished me before getting into the car, with Jon, our trusted driver, holding the door for her.
Creatived at work. I humed to my office and began my online Investigation of Killian. His social media profile was filled mostly with pictures of nature and the various places he had victed, and in most of them, a hand was visible–carly belonging to someone I knew quite well, lec. Itis distinctive watch gave him away even when he wasn’t fully in the frame. I was about is gren agi when I scrolled further and found more photos, this time including that girl, Hyan However, it seemed that Ryan wasn’t on social media. Perhaps it was a rule in their foster
Het out a sigh of Frustration and put my phone away. The only thing could could from my online leuthing was that Ales
Together Although they didn’t come from te se foster home, they clearly shared a bond.
Killian were long–time friends who had traveled to many
After work, I fitaded bark, where the
contract was already in the works. So, we would start with the scriptwriting, and I would have to face the challenge of working with
alted parking my car in the garage, entered the bouse through the side door, and immediately, I was enveloped in a mouthwatering aroma Alec haliquid eacher it 1 had any dinner nd 1 had simply mentioned my lack of desi face or dish. The scent that now filled the air hinted at something pasta–related, and it was nothing short of heavenly,
nothe lurchen, where I found Alec standing, one hand on his hip and the other gracefully sitting a pot on the stove. He had a kitchen rag slang over his ning song in the sodi mortir playing at a low volume.
Eller dinner ready in no time,” Ale said withour ring to face me, is primary focus still on that analizing pasta dish ho was preparing
Carivalty for the leitel of ine, and I couldn’t rettur asking. “What are we having”
“It’s Pente alla vodka,” Aler amplied, finally turning his attention to me. “Don’t worry, I haven’t gate overboard with the vodka. I thought maybe we could have dinner out in the garden.
The image he painted was uneally ismantle and intimate. I couldn’t help but wonder why he was being These had to be a catch, right? Had he someone lost his memory and Being I could let my image wild, I decided it was time to add the elephant in the room. “We need to talk now.”
