Page 155 of Dream Mates
“Yes, I know, my good doctor. You are beyond capable.” He touched his forehead to mine. “Still, I’ll stay with you for the duration of our trip.”
I snuggled back into him. “I like the sound of that. I don’t know why this is affecting me so badly. I’m not from this world. He’s not my dad. And oh my god, Spencer, while my father most likely abandoned my mom and I, because I feel like she would have told me if he died, I’m not sure I could handle that level of assholery. Also, the likelihood that one of the alphas knew the girlfriend was pregnant is high if she continued trying to get tohim after the first few months–or that his family knew. It would make sense that if she couldn’t get ahold of Nate she might go to his family. Considering how Adriana was so adamant that I wasn’t Nate’s Grace, I wonder what she knows about the fate of the baby. Not to mention the idea that he has a Grace, that there’s a me in this world someplace…”
“If the other alphas saw her in person, they’d know she was pregnant by scent, even if she wasn’t showing. It really is quite the puzzle.” He started kneading my shoulders with his strong hands. “His record isn’t fake, not to mention he has a family identity that would be hard to create. Several brothers, parents, grandparents, all with social media and history. I think Evan was looking him up in the Center computer, too.”
I sighed. “I feel bad for that girl with her mother dead and her dad and his family being what they are. At least he never stopped looking for her and acknowledged that they fucked up. But still…”
Closing my eyes, I sank into Spencer’s touch. How much time did we have before we got there?
“Is the pull really that much? To abandon your whole life for someone you just met who could very well be an ax murderer? There’s so much I still don’t understand.” I had been willing to try to travel to another world, but that was different.
“I know.” His arms wrapped around me. “Today has been so much for you emotionally, and I can see how you’d resonate with and be affected by all this. But we’ll leave soon, and you won’t have to see them again. We can even leave tonight if you wish.”
“I’m looking forward to the beach. Maybe I want to stay in touch with Creed. Is that weird?” I asked.
“He seems like a good man. But I can also make sure he isn’t hired if you want me to.”
I shook my head. “Just leave it. If he gets hired, great, and if he doesn’t, oh well. But please don’t mess with his career.”
“As you wish.” Spencer checked his phone. “We still have a few moments before we get there. What do you need?”
What did I need? “Hold me?”
Spencer gave me a kiss and snuggled me into him as I laid my head on his chest. “It would be my pleasure.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Spencer
My phone rang and I gave Grace a kiss, grabbed my glass, then stepped back from the tasting bar in the old restored barn at the farm and distillery Brennan had suggested.
“Wes, I’m so very sorry for allowing her to be injured. I should have canceled my meetings and gone with her when she decided to leave the conference hotel.” My voice went rough. “Ilet my own bias against super colliders cloud my judgment and convinced myself that being in the same town was enough.”
Guilt coated me. The bruises on her wrist made me angry. Some alpha felt that it was okay topush her,and I wasn’t there to protect her. Because I’d put my meetings, my comfort first.
“Are you done?” Wes snorted. “Spence, you didn’tallowher to be injured. Grace is an adult. One who wasn’t raised like us and would absolutely resent any actions we’d take that she might see as us attempting to quell her independence. She doesn’t think you failed her in any way and that, my friend, is what’s important here.”
I watched as she sipped the contents of her glass. True. “I should have been there.”
“You were down the street. No one blames you. Issheokay? What is she doing right now?”
I looked back over at the tasting bar in time to see her nod and point to a bottle.
“I do believe she’s buying more overpriced bourbon than we could possibly need.” The converted barn was rustic, charming, and filled with liquor to try, food to taste, and items to buy. Soft music filled the room, and a late afternoon breeze wafted in from the open doors.
“You’re bourbon tasting? Not wine tasting?” He laughed.
I took a sip. It wasn’t bad. I didn’t have an issue with bourbon or whiskey, I simply preferred red wine.
“Brennan likes this place and asked us to get him some. I figured that Grace would enjoy the chance to see the animals, tour the distillery, and have a sunset picnic,” I replied. “She isn’t all right emotionally. It has her more shaken than she wants to admit. I’m not sure what’s going on here–there are too many coincidences.”
“Genetics are weird. I mean, this just proves there’s a multiverse and there’s another Grace.”
No.
“As I have told you before, while thereisa multiverse,we are not in it.If he’s not one of the omegas my father protected, then who is he?” I wondered.
We were missing something.
