Page 60 of Dreaming About Forever

The words she hadn’t been able to grasp before solidified in her mind, and she closed her eyes.

“God, thank You for sending Jordan. Thank You for peace. Amen.”

The smile tugged at her mouth before her eyes opened. The morning sun lit up the ceiling she’d watched all night. Every line and crack were different, shouting at her to get up instead of staying stuck in the paralyzing prison.

Sitting up slowly, she ducked into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, her teeth were brushed, her face was washed, and her hair was tied in a tight bun on top of her head.

The warm scent of coffee and bacon greeted her before she entered the kitchen. Jordan’s dad sat at the table with a cup of coffee and a newspaper in front of him, while Jordan and his mom stood by the counter.

Jordan spotted her first, and his subtle grin greeted her.

“Morning, sunshine!” his mom sang. “You want your eggs fried or scrambled?”

Her stomach let out a low rumble at the mention of food. She’d been up half the night, and her other worries had overshadowed her hunger until now. “Fried. Can I have two? And can I watch you cook them?”

“Sure can,” Vicci said before turning back to the skillet on the stovetop.

His dad lifted his mug of coffee to her as she pulled a mug from the cabinet. “Morning. You sleep well?”

Alicia cut a glance at Jordan before answering. “Not really, but I’m feeling fine this morning.”

Better than fine, actually.

“What are your plans after church today?” Vicci asked. “I was thinking we could go clothes shopping with Caroline and Nora. They want new outfits for the barn dance, and I could use a little something new myself.”

“I have some meetings this morning before church, but I’m free for the afternoon.” Meetings were the bane of her existence, but they were a necessary evil that came with the job. She’d never wanted to skip them more than she had in the last few weeks.

“Perfect. Caroline wanted to run by the bakery and do a few things this morning anyway. I’ll help Grant feed the cattle, and we can have sandwiches for lunch before we head out.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Vicci turned around and pointed her spatula toward a chair at the table. “Oh, I bought that shirt for you at Maddie’s store the other day. I thought it would look good on you.”

Alicia ran her fingertips over the fabric. There were white and beige squares with black lines crossing over it. “I love it. Thank you so much.”

She’d seen lots of people wearing similar shirts around town, and she’d been hoping to get one for herself. In fact, she’d be wearing it on their shopping trip later. “How much do I owe you?”

That was a ridiculous question. No amount of money could pay the Taylors back for all they’d done for her. She knew her financial team had compensated the Taylors well, but Alicia had decided weeks ago that it wasn’t enough.

Vicci scoffed. “No, baby. It’s a gift.”

Alicia looked at Jordan, who rested his back against the counter and sipped coffee with his gaze attached to her. His mom’s kindness wasn’t anything new to him. They were family, and they looked out for each other.

“You’ve given me so much,” Alicia said as she stepped up beside Vicci. Not only that, but they never asked for anything. So many people in the entertainment world sidled up to successful people because of what they could get from them. The Taylors had no idea how social circles worked, and they didn’t seem to want to be a part of it.

Deception was the game public figures knew how to play, and resentment colored every relationship from the beginning.

Not the Taylors. They lived in a sheltered world where things were fair and good was rewarded.

Well, except for their awful neighbor, Chuck, who liked to terrorize them whenever he got the urge.

Vicci cracked the eggs into the pan and talked Alicia through the cooking, noting what to watch for and the different ways people might like their eggs. When they were cooked to Alicia’s preference, or what she hoped was her preference, Vicci plated the fried eggs before handing it to Alicia. “Eat up. We blessed the food earlier. Jordan has been eating buffet style while I’ve been cooking.”

“Did you think I was going to stand here and not touch the bacon?” he asked.

Alicia bit her lips between her teeth and dipped her chin. Logic told her this life wasn’t always roses, but she’d jump in with both feet if there was any possible way. She’d leave the headlines and bright lights behind to plant her roots in Redemption Ridge.

But she had an international tour coming up, and millions of dollars and thousands of jobs were already tied up in the events. The tour itself was eight months long, but the rehearsals and interviews took up every second of her waking hours for the three months prior.

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