Page 68 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

“It’s pretty,” she says, her eye fixed on the lens. “What is it?”

“It’s a lesser-known binary formation,” I answer. “Two silver stars caught in each other’s gravity, spinning for eternity.”

Clara stands up, giving me an intense look. Before I can expand upon the moment, Nico calls us over to see a close-up of the rings on Saturn.

Even though I feel I missed a romantic moment, I’m always happy to spend more time with Nico. His enthusiasm gives me an incredibly warm, accomplished feeling, more fulfilling than anything I’ve ever known.

This is what it means to be a father. To admire my son, to help him grow.

A dark mood threatens to take me as the thought slips into my head that I may never have met Nico if it wasn’t for Iris Porter. I push the frustration and fear away, comforting myself that I have Nico with me now, and that’s all that matters.

And I have Clara by my side, too… just not as I’d hoped. How I wish I could take back my stupid, foolish actions—tell my old man right to his face what I think of him! All I can do is keep trying to convince Clara that she’s all I ever wanted.

When Nico starts to yawn, we decide to take him home, promising he can come back any time he likes. We wave goodbye to Gemma and Frankie, who are still happily dancing under the stars.

They are so lucky to have each other. If I can have anything close to that with Clara, I’ll call myself a happy man.

By the time we get back to town, Nico is already asleep. When we get home, I carry him inside and tuck him into bed, giving him a kiss goodnight before I move aside for Clara to do the same.

“Would you like to have a drink with me?” I ask as she closes Nico’s door behind her on the way out. “Or just straight to bed?”

“I’d love a drink, thank you, Galen. What are we having?”

“You can have whatever you like, but my choice was going to be sweet brandy.”

“Bring it on,” she says, smiling.

When she takes my hand and leads me out to the living room, my hopes soar. All I want is a chance to be close to her and talk. I’m determined to respect her boundaries and not let anything get sexual again, unless I’m sure she really wants it.

As we sit down, I pour two nips and give Clara a glass. She sighs with pleasure as she takes her first sip.

“This is good stuff.”

“Family recipe, actually. It started with my great-grandfather, and there’s a distillery outside of town.”

Clara nods in response, taking another sip.

“I want to thank you for tonight, Galen. Nico had such an amazing time. It was really thoughtful of you, and a great outing for him.”

“You had fun, too, I hope?”

“I sure did,” she says, smiling. “One of the most romantic things I’ve ever done.”

I knock back half my glass, feeling the burn of the brandy against the back of my throat.

“I’m glad,” I answer, not knowing what else to say. “I want you to know, anything you need, just name it, and it’s yours.”

Clara looks at me, her beautiful golden eyes very dark in the dim light. When she smiles, it feels to me like a gulp of air to a drowning man.

“Thank you, Galen. But now that Nico is doing better, I’ve pretty much got everything I need. I didn’t come here for anything else.”

Her words wound me a little. I feel like she’s telling me straight out that my dates and promises aren’t going to work, and she’s not going to change her mind.

That doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying!

“Okay,” I answer, trying to keep my voice even. “I understand. That’s why it’s important for you to ever tell me if you need something. I won’t intrude on your privacy or pry. I’ve done enough terrible things to you, so many that I can’t even apologize for them all—but dammit, Clara, I’m going to try!”

“Galen,” she says, leaning forward to stroke my cheek, “you don’t have to keep apologizing.”

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