Page 106 of Protecting You
How long had it gone on? How had it happened?
Why hadn’t Megan told her?
Peri held out a piece of paper, and Alyssa took it, settling beside her, all but shaking herself to return to the moment and focus. It was a crayon drawing of a unicorn. “Wow. Did you do this yourself?”
“Uh-huh. In art class.”
Alyssa traced the white body, the rainbow horn on its horse-head. “It’s really good.”
“Thanks.” She pulled more artwork from the folder and showed Alyssa each one, chattering about what they were and how much she was learning and how she wanted to be an artist someday.
Artistic, like her mother, though Megan’s talents had been literary. She’d taken every literature class offered at BC, along with every mythology and folklore class.
Like mother, like daughter. “You should show these to your daddy.”
“Maybe.” Peri returned her drawings to her folder.
Obviously, Alyssa had said the wrong thing. “They’re very good. You’ve got a lot of talent.”
That brightened her expression, but a yawn interrupted her smile. It was after nine, probably past her bedtime.
Peri slid off the bed. “I’m gonna ask Aunt Hannah for a snack.”
“Is it okay if I use the bathroom?”
“Uh-huh.” Peri led her to one down the hall and turned on the light. “See you downstairs.”
“I’ll find you. Thanks.”
Alyssa used the restroom and washed her hands. Three towels hung from hooks near the porcelain tub. Two were pale blue and matched the decor. The other was smaller, pink-and-white striped.
How long had Peri lived here? Long enough to have her own bedroom. Long enough to fit right in as if this were home.
Megan’s daughter. Megan and Callan’s daughter.
She squelched a hot wave of jealousy. Stupid, considering her old friend was gone. Considering she’d spent four years pretending her Callan-crush didn’t exist.
Had they been married? No, surely not. Callan had been in the service. But people in the service got married.
She obviously couldn’t guess at what had happened. Maybe if she asked him, he’d tell her.
She made her way down, draped the jacket she’d bought that morning over a dining room chair, and was nearing the back of the house when Hannah’s voice—low but angry—reached her.
“I’m not doing it.”
“I need your help,” Callan said. “I can’t?—”
“You should’ve thought of that before you got involved in…in whatever this is.”
Where was Peri? Surely they weren’t arguing in front of the child.
“She was in trouble. I had to help.”
“Right. It has nothing to do with the fact that she’s gorgeous.”
Alyssa cringed. Where was Peri?
“I’m doing my best.” Callan’s words came out hard. “I need you to take her. I can’t have Peri anywhere?—”
