Page 56 of Secret Crush

Chapter Twenty One

Alice woke up entwined in John's strong arms. Cedar and pine tickled her nose. She felt protected and warm as she lay beside him.

She turned and stared at John, whose eyes were still closed. The sheets were entwined around their naked bodies, revealing the tattoo on his arm. The black ink of roses was something she hadn't expected.

The last time she saw him in short sleeves had been at a high school football game. One day she might get to ask him where the tattoo came from. She hugged her waist and flipped toward the edge of the bed. If she stuck around, she'd buy him a muscle shirt to let him show it off. He must have done it out of protest years ago.

Until last night, she had never found tattoos exciting. Right now she shouldn't either. She had to get on with her life.

She untangled herself from the sheets, careful not to wake him as she kissed his forehead. Time to leave the fairy tale.

No more designer dresses that were way out of her budget. No more fantasy dates. No more Prince Charming. None of it existed long term, and it was time to get her life together.

She dressed in last night's clothes and slipped out the door.

The hallway was still dark as she made her way back to her room.

As she packed, the sun peeked above the horizon, sending light through the blinds in the guest bedroom. Finished taking what she'd come with, she zipped her bag. If she stayed, she'd never want to leave this life, or John. One day, once the funeral was a memory, he'd realize that he belonged to the House of Morgan. He could never be just hers.

Her mother would tell her that the real world required toughness. She let out a sigh. For the past few days, Alice hadn't solved any of her own problems. The Morgans had taken over her every thought. Now she needed to be there for her parents and herself.

At her new condo, she'd be able to think clearly.

She peered through the sliver of window at the front door into the dim morning light. The house at her back was pitch-black, but the sound of the waves as they splashed against the shore played outside. In the dream, she'd never leave this place, but Alice Collins never lived in a dream.

First she went and released the security code. Then she unlocked the door and departed. The grass was wet with dew as she passed through the lawn to where her SUV was parked in the driveway to the right of the house. She threw her bag in the backseat and rushed to get inside herself. A chill raced up her spine, but she ignored it as she realized her keys were in the car waiting for her.

A moment later the car engine roared to life. She glanced up and down the street and then at the house one more time. John Morgan was the man she would always crave, and her crush on him had grown into love.

She backed out of the driveway and headed toward her new condo. She refused to get mopey or weepy—she was not Cinderella. No one forced her to do anything. If she and John were to have a future, it would need to be much later, after they'd gotten their lives sorted.

Alice wasn't against dating, but she had to live for herself too. Before she met John she spent months picking her first condo, painting it in yellow and white with a blue trim. The furniture was soft golden oak to let more sunshine in and her place was the first thing that would ever truly be hers.

First and foremost, after coffee, she'd brainstorm and then reach out to new fruit buyers for the farm.

She refused to let her mind wander back to John Morgan for one second.

Alice's phone rang and she rummaged through her pocketbook. On the second ring, she fished out the phone and saw a number she didn't recognize. If it was John calling from his house phone, she would do the right thing, and turn around to talk to him in person. Her heart hammered in her chest as she answered, "Hello."

"Alice? I would love for you to join me and Jennifer this morning. Please?"

Vicki's voice bubbled with the happiness Alice remembered from the old days. Alice touched her best friend necklace. "Where are you going?"

"The Miracle Mile for coffee and then I want to show you both my new idea for my future."

Vicki's take-charge attitude might rub off. It's what Alice needed to do, too. She shifted the wheel to turn in her new direction as she agreed. "We'll meet at the book store like we used to, but I can't stay for long."

"Deal," Vicki said.

Alice danced in her seat. A friend was what she needed. Vicki ended the call and Alice threw her phone onto the passenger seat. Today she'd find out where Vicki had spent the last few years and avoid all conversations about John. No one pretended to be dead without a good reason.

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