Page 13 of SEAL's Doorstep Baby

But now I do. Her sharp gaze, the depth of her green eyes, the freckles across the tip of her nose—everything about her is captivating, if I give myself the chance tobecaptured, even for just a second.

It’s not attraction I feel right now. It’s not even appreciation. It’s just… she’s beautiful. It’s just a fact.

“Sure, Jake. I mean, I don’t think I know any specific stuff, but I have an idea about everything. I hope it will be helpful.” She shrugs.

I relax a little at her agreement. “Trust me, anything you know, anything Emily has shared with you will be helpful. Far more helpful than you know. So, thank you. For this.”

“Sure thing.” She nods. Then she hesitates.

I frown. “What?”

“It’s just… I don’t know. It feels wrong, a bit. Telling Emily’s business.”

I feel sour about it myself. I shrug. “It’s for Maddie.”

Allison nods. “For Maddie.”

We glance at her together, our responsibility, and then turn back to each other with serious expressions.

“The first thing I want to know is exactly who Jeff is. I still don’t have a last name, and so I can’t make any searches right now, but I’d like to know anything you know about him. Please.”

I watch her think it over for a while before she speaks. “Okay see, by the time I had moved back here—about six to seven months ago—Jeff was already out of the picture.” Allison taps her finger against her thumb. “But… Jeffrey Walters. That’s his full name.”

Jeffrey Walters.

I already hate the guy.

“That will be helpful. Anything else?”

“I remember he didn’t believe her, at first. She was still having some bleeding, and he thought she was trying to trap him. Emily went on a pretty big tirade about it one night.”

For some reason I find myself chuckling. Maybe it is because I can see the exact look of exasperation on her face, the same one I had seen so many times. “Millie complaining about the unfairness of life was a sight to see.”

“True. It was almost an art.” Allison laughs, losing herself in the fond memories.

“That it was.” I agree. “Do you know why they split?”

Allison’s expression darkens, signaling that what she is about to say is not something I’ll like to hear, but I’ll hear it anyway. “Jeff could be charming, he was an Ivy League prince and was only here because he had been kicked out of a couple of schools already. Jeff could also be unpleasant, and his drug habit contributed largely to that.”

“Drugs?”

Allison’s eyes widen. Her green eyes narrow. “You aren’t going to, like, John Wick this guy, are you?”

I roll my eyes. “No. But if Emily was doing drugs too…”

“She wasn’t,” Allison insists. She looks serious, and, considering it would affect Maddie, I think she’s telling me the truth. I nod.

The final thing I need to know is his whereabouts, which I can find out in less than a day. Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask. “Do you know where he is?”

“The last time he called asking Millie for some money he was somewhere on a beach in California.”

At least he’s not in town. That’s good.

“Thank you, Allie. You have been more than helpful on a difficult day. Maddie is lucky to have a godmother like you.”

It is impossible to talk to Allie and not be trapped by her green eyes. This time they seem to have a light behind them—maybe itis delight at the compliment—changing them into green flames. In the deepest recesses of my mind, a decision is made to set fire to her eyes in this very way, as often as possible.

Allison has enchanting eyes.

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