Page 99 of When Alec Met Evie
Megan
Sure. But if I walk into my brother’s bedroom holding your baby and find you touching each other AT ALL, I might throw up in Juno’s hair. Just remember that when you pick your spot on the bed.
Evie
Noted.
Thanks for watching her for me.
Megan
Thanks for watching out for Alec. I’m glad he has you.
“Who are you texting over there?” Alec asks.
“Just Megan,” I say as I drop my phone on his nightstand. “She’s got Juno in her room with her, but she says she’ll bring her to me if she wakes up.”
Alec lifts his arm in invitation, and I shimmy up the bed until I’m cradled in the curve of his shoulder, my head on his chest.
He lifts his head enough to kiss my forehead. “I’m sorry to make things harder on you,” he says.
“Yeah, this is pretty horrible,” I say, as I snuggle a little deeper into his mattress. “A real strain.”
We’ve been quiet so long, I’m wondering if Alec has fallen asleep when his voice cuts through the stillness. “Can I make a confession?” he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Mmhmm,” I say sleepily.
He takes a long, slow breath. “I’m really glad Devon isn’t coming for Thanksgiving. Is that bad? Because I’m alsosadhe isn’t coming. At least for Juno. Does that make sense?”
I lift my head and prop my chin on his chest. A streetlight outside filters in through the blinds, making it just bright enough for me to see the outline of Alec’s profile, but there’s no way to see his expression.
“It makes sense,” I say. “It’s exactly how I feel too.”
I drop my head again, nestling into Alec, and listen as his breathing slows and steadies.
I have a lot of things to be happy about right now. Megan and her parents are here. Juno is healthy and happy. Alec and I are together.
But ever since I read Devon’s text, a knot of uncertainty has rooted itself into my gut. I don’t want to live with a question mark hovering over us all the time. Will Devon come? Will he not? Will he finally decide to grace us with his presence? It’s not fair to me, and it isn’t fair to Juno, but it isn’t fair to Alec either.
Devon shouldn’t get to just show up when it’s convenient for him and claim his place as Juno’s father. Juno deserves a fathernow,one who knows how important she is.
Once I’m sure Alec is fully asleep, I push myself up and carefully reach across him to grab my phone from his nightstand, making sure not to touch one of the many places on his body where he’s bruised.
With phone in hand, I lean back onto the pillows beside him and pull up Devon’s text.
I take a steadying breath, then type out a reply I should have sent him a long time ago.
Evie
I can’t live with the uncertainty of your involvement hovering over us. You’re either here for her, engaged and present and connected, or you aren’t. Juno doesn’t need a father who only shows up when it’s convenient. I won’t put her through it, Dev. I won’t let you break her heart. Please. Don’t come. Not now. Not in a few weeks. Just let us move on.
CHAPTER 27
ALEC
I wishI could say I was a charming and gracious host over the holidays.
Unfortunately for my family, I was nothing of the sort.
