Page 4 of Perfect Alpha

“I’ll be on the road all day, but home by five,” I tell her.

Hannah nods, her curtain of auburn hair falling in front of her face. “Okay. If you’re late, I’ll ask Julia to come over so I can get to work on time.” She’s referring to her best friend Victory’s mom, who lives beside us.

“I just said I’ll be here,” I reply.

Our mom had the patience of a saint. We haven’t changed a single thing about her kitchen since she died, and my gaze circles the room while trying to soak up her wisdom.

The space is tiny and warm with rich oak cupboards, white subway tiles, and countless bee adornments.

There’s an oversize cookie jar covered with cartoon bees encouraging passersby to “bee happy,” honeycomb oven mitts hanging on one of the pale yellow walls, and a giant ceramic bumblebee teapot.

Finding holiday gifts for my mom was never challenging. I’ll never be able to walk by a bee decoration without thinking about her.

“I know what you said, but sometimes you say that you’ll be home and–”

“I’m doing my best,” I interrupt, my tone sharper than intended. I would move mountains for my sister, but she can also irritate me like no one else can. “Okay? I just woke up. Can you please lay off until at least noon?”

When Hannah faces me, there’s fire in her hazel eyes, anger making the green a flashing iridescent warning. “Oh, I’msorry, Cade, my bad. I didn’t mean to interrupt your hangover with actual adult responsibilities.”

Learning to think before I speak is a “development opportunity” according to Julia, and unfortunately, my mouth works quicker than my brain in this instance.

“Aidan isn’t my responsibility. He’s yours.” Even as I’m saying the words, I want to swallow them.

She quickly looks away, but not before I catch the tears shining in her eyes. Her voice is barely a whisper when she responds. “And Dad? Is he my responsibility, too?”

Fuck.

I stand up and scoop Aidan off the floor, closing my eyes and inhaling the scent of the toddler I love so much. Pulling Hannah into my arms, she cries on my chest, and I decide that I’m the world’s biggest prick.

“I’m sorry, kid.”

“Why sowwy, Uncle Cade?” Aidan squirms in my arms, trying desperately to get back to his trucks. “Wanna play wif me?”

“Of course I do, buddy.”

I shoot Hannah my best hangdog expression until she relents and rewards me with a genuine smile that completely transforms her face. She turns into the twenty-four-year-old girl she actually is rather than the world-weary woman she was forced to become.

Setting a wriggling Aidan down, I hug Hannah again, crushing her small frame to my chest. “I’m sorry,” I repeat.

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have been on your case first thing in the morning. I’m just… My God, I’m justsotired.”

My heart swells painfully against my sternum until it’s liable to pop. “Just tell me how I can help you. What else can I do?”

Tears course down her freckled cheeks, which I used to tease her about mercilessly when we were growing up. “I honestly don’t know how we’d make it without you. Thank you for everything you do for us. We love you so much.”

Swallowing over the lump in my throat proves to be quite the challenge. “You don’t have to thank me. You’re my kin. I’ll go to the ends of the earth for you, no questions asked. You’re an amazing mama, Hannah, and a hell of a woman.”

“We’ll get through this season.” She squares her shoulders and stands up straighter, a determined glint in her eyes.

My sister is the strongest person I know.

“Absolutely,” I reply. “We’re the Fenway clan. We stick together, and we get shit done.”

“Language,” Hannah scolds me.

She glances down at Aidan, who isn’t paying one bit of attention to us. Trucks are his new obsession, and unless Mickey Mouse walks into the kitchen, nothing is going to distract him.

“Sorry, Mom.” I smirk, happy that balance is restored.

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