Page 59 of Find Me in the Rain
He kisses my cheek. “I was hoping you were going to ask, by the way.”
He wraps me up in his arms, and I feel myself sink into him. All my stress, anger, and pain melt against him.
A peace I haven’t felt in a long time settles into my heart.
15
The dragon nudges my side again.
“Knock it off. Five more minutes.” I shoo the beast away with my hand.
It doesn’t leave. Instead, it nudges me again. And when I ignore it, it speaks to me in a whispered tone. “Mom, can I lie with you?”
Wow, the dragon sounds a lot like …
Oh my God!
My eyes smack open, revealing a blurry little Jack standing at the edge of my bed.
His eyes keep flashing behind me, and I don’t understand until my body recognizes the feel of a warm arm draped over my waist.
Alec.
I wiggle out from under his heavy arm and push myself up onto my elbow.How in the hell am I going to explain this?
“Hi, buddy.” My voice is hoarse and broken from my deep sleep.
He raises his hand and points to Alec. “Does he live here now?”
My eyes widen. “No, honey, of course not. It was just really late last night, and I didn’t want him to drive home.”
Jack crawls up into bed and nestles into my arms. “Can he live here?”
My eyebrows furrow, and with my brain just waking up, my words fall irregularly from my lips. “Wh-why would you want that?”
He rolls over, looking into my eyes. “I like him. And he likes my room. It’d be cool.”
This is way too much to deal with the second I wake up. I glance at my phone and tap it with my finger. It’s six thirty a.m.
Good God, where does this boy get his sleep schedule?
A deep groan sounds behind us, and I can’t suppress the giggle in time. Alec hooks his arm around me again, tugging me against his firm chest, pulling Jack with him.
I wonder if he would want to go with us today to see Mom. It’s been a long time, and she isn’t exactly her best self right now.
Alec is shifting a lot behind me. I’ve got a good guess he’s not sleeping anymore from the growing pressure on my butt.
I clear my throat to get his attention. He sits up on his elbows, and his eyes bulge at seeing Jack.
“Good morning, guys.” His voice is thick and raspy.
Jack, full of energy, bursts up. “Good morning, Alec! Can we play with cars today?”
I’m starting to think he didn’t come in here to lie with me.
Alec’s gaze falls to me before he answers, “Of course. It depends on what your mom has planned though.”
Jack’s puppy-dog eyes are in full force as he jumps on top of me. “Please, Mom!”
