Page 50 of Hit the Ground
I stood automatically, my chair scraping against the floor. “Hey, Alice.”
She flicked her gaze up to me, but only for a flicker before she dropped it again. “Hi,” she whispered.
“How are you?”
She waved her cast around. “Banged up, but pretty good. You?”
My gut had been tied up in knots since she’d left. I’d only been able to convince her to stay with me for two days before she’d insisted she needed to get back to her own life to start feeling normal. Since I didn’t want to be another man to take what she didn’t want to give, I’d had to let her go. I hadn’t liked it, and it didn’t sit right, but it was what it was.
When she’d left, though, my house had never been more quiet. I’d found every reason I could to be out of it until Jesse had returned. Only then hadIstarted to feel normal.
I guessed seeing Alice hurt the way she was had affected me more than I’d thought. Seeing her now, out and about, most of her bruises faded, did me a world of good.
Of course, I wouldn’t be telling her any of that.
“Pretty good too,” was all I said.
Fortunately, Jesse took over, excited to see his favorite librarian in his grandparents’ house. He insisted she sit beside him and play trains with him and Silas.
Once she was seated, I sank back down into my chair, trying to swallow the hard knot in my throat as she crashed her train into Silas’s, making him squeal with delight.
I hadn’t expected to see her here tonight. But damn if I wasn’t glad about it.
Chapter Nineteen
Alice
IfI’dknownIwould be walking into a Kelly family dinner, I never would have come. Of course, they acted like my being here was the most normal thing in the world.
Well, most of them, anyway. Caleb kept looking at me, like he was trying to figure out why I was here. I hoped he didn’t think I was stalking him or some obsessed fan. Elena had invited me, and after she’d taken care of me last week and checked on me every day since, I couldn’t have possibly said no.
I regretted that decision now. This family was lovely and welcoming, exactly as I thought they’d be, but the last thing I wanted was to make Caleb uncomfortable. He’d shown me a lot of kindness last week, but I hadn’t misinterpreted that as anything more than him being a wonderfully protective human being.
Elena ordered everyone to take a seat at the long farmhouse table. Chairs scraped against the hardwood as everyone grabbed a spot. Caleb was already directly across from me, and it was difficult not to sneak glances at him, especially when I felt him staring.
“Now, Alice, tell me,” Lily said from her spot beside Caleb, her blue eyes bright with curiosity. “How’s our little library doing? Are they still cutting your funding every other year?”
I swallowed a mouthful of lemonade, trying to gather my thoughts. “Not enough funding is a fact of life as a librarian, but we're managing. Yes, we could use some new computers, and the roof leaks in the back office whenever it rains hard, but we’ll find our way through.”
Lily clucked her tongue in disapproval. “You shouldn’t have to find a way through. I don’t know if you’re aware, but I spent my career in politics. I know how to convince people to donate to a worthy cause. Leave this to me. I’ll find the funds for you.”
In my career, I’d met a myriad of people, but the Kellys stood apart. They were something else. “That is so kind, Lily. Thank you. But please don’t think you have to and don’t go out of your wa—”
“Don’t be silly,” Lily cut in. “At my age, I only do what I want to do, and I want to do this.”
Her husband patted her hand and shot me a wink. “Let her have it, Alice. My Lily loves a project.”
She leaned into him. “That’s right. I do.”
“Then, thank you.” I stacked my hands on the table. “Let me know what help you need. I have a few volunteers who also love projects. I’m sure I could lend them to you.”
Jesse lifted a forkful of mashed potatoes. “Did you guys know Alice wrote a book?”
Everyone’s head swiveled toward me, including the man across from me. His gaze was like sitting too close to a campfire. Enticing, but so hot, I could barely stand it for more than a minute.
“What kind of book?” Elena asked from down the table, her elbows propped up as she leaned forward.
I almost dismissed it. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her it was nothing worth speaking about, but I stopped myself. No one would ever know me unless I let them. And wasn’t that what I wanted—to be seen and known?
