Glow (Glimmer and Glow 2) - Page 108

She felt him gently press his lips to the top of her head. His hand ran up and down her spine, as if he ironed out her emotional upheaval. “Who I think you are is Alice. And Alice has been through more than most people could imagine in the last few weeks, let alone bear.”

“I’m not bearing,” she gasped between shudders. “I feel like everything is crashing down on my life. It’s such a fucking mess.”

“All the crashing is done, baby. All the catastrophe is over. Now comes the hard part.”

“What?” she muttered, her attention caught.

“Now you have to clear aside the rubble and decide what you want your life to look like.”

Minutes passed. Slowly, the onslaught of emotion subsided. She was left exhausted in its wake, her body aching with a dull throb. Dylan continued to hold her. She clung to him. They didn’t talk. Nevertheless, it was his voice she kept hearing in her head.

What did she want her life to look like?

THE next morning, the agents returned with some follow-up questions, most of them in regard to the Reeds. Alice became highly uncomfortable when they asked her for details on the physical layout of the trailer where she’d grown up and whether or not she knew of any weapons on the property. They were asking her for specifics because they were planning on sending agents there to arrest the Reeds. Dylan was in her room when the agents arrived, and they didn’t ask him to leave. When he saw Alice’s hesitation over answering the questions, he stepped in.

“I know it’s hard, Alice. But the details you give them will help insure that no one gets hurt.”

Alice nodded. He was right. She answered all the agents’ questions to the best of her ability.

LATER that morning, she went for more tests. Just as she was finishing her lunch, Dylan popped his head in the room.

“Hi,” he said.

She laughed. She recognized his look. He had some kind of surprise in store for her. “Hi. What are you so smug about?”

“You have a visitor,” he said. He moved aside to make room for someone to enter the room. Alice thought maybe it was Kuvi or Dave, even though she knew the kids’ buses didn’t leave until after lunch today. But instead of Kuvi or Dave, Maggie Lopez entered the room.

“Maggie,” Alice cried, overwhelmed at seeing the familiar face of her mentor and friend. Maggie had been her graduate school advisor. She’d been so proud of Alice for getting hired as a Camp Durand counselor. Alice rented the apartment above Maggie’s garage, and they’d become close.

“Dylan called me last night,” Maggie said, coming over to the bed. She reached to hug her, but paused, looking worried about Alice’s injuries.

“It’s okay,” Alice assured, extending her arms. Thankfully, they’d removed her IV that morning. “I’m so glad to see you.”

Maggie hugged her delicately, laughing. She planted a warm kiss on her right temple to make up for her weak embrace. Her heart went out to Maggie when she straightened and studied Alice’s face. She wasn’t able to entirely disguise her concern and anxiety.

“I look a l

ot worse off than I actually am,” Alice assured. “Right, Dylan?”

Dylan still stood in the doorway, watching them. “The doctor says all indications are good. She’s not going to have any lasting damage. She’ll heal, in time.” Alice held his stare for a moment, gratitude in her eyes that he’d called Maggie. How had he known that she was precisely the person Alice needed at that moment.

Why do you have to be so perfect? Not perfect in some objective way. Perfect for me.

Dylan nodded once, as though he’d understood her thanks, even if he probably hadn’t decoded her longing for him. Her confusion. He pointed down the hallway. “I’m going to make a few calls, give you two some time to catch up.”

Maggie turned and gave Alice her familiar game face. Her gaze flickered to the trophy on the bedside table. She grinned.

“Dylan told me all about your big win,” she said, picking up the trophy and looking at it proudly.

“Since when are you two on a first-name basis?” Alice asked, amused.

“Since he called me last night and told me everything,” Maggie said, giving her a sharp glance. She set down the trophy. “Or almost everything. Surely a story of this magnitude can’t be told in a forty-five-minute conversation. I kept thinking I’d heard it all, and then Dylan would spring some new shocker on me.”

“You’re telling me,” Alice said, rolling her eyes.

“So . . . Adelaide Durand?”

Alice shrugged and nodded in agreement at Maggie’s incredulity.

Tags: Beth Kery Glimmer and Glow Erotic
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