John didn't have a clue how much her mother despised his family. She pressed her lips together as John told Colt, "You were the quarterback the year I was running back. Remember?"
Football seemed to be John's argument that Colt could leave her with him. Alice's mind prepared an argument for when that didn't work.
Then her brother shrugged. "Which is why I can let my sister stay with you. I don't think you're like your brother or father."
How did football translate into trust? Alice blinked, but kept her silence.
John said, "Alice, you didn't have to leave alone this morning."
Yes, I did. Though it hadn't worked out in her favor, she'd had to reach out for her independence. If she'd stayed in his bed, she would have turned into a needy sex-slave who begged for another moment of John's time. Not how she envisioned herself. She lifted her chin. "I'll stay for a few more days."
A few days she could handle. She dropped the phones on the seat beside her like they were heavy bricks.
John stopped at a light. "Colt, want to stay for dinner then?"
John seemed relieved as the light turned green and he accelerated the car. He had to know how he affected her. All her life, she'd had this overreaching crush on him that never wavered.
Her brother's brown eyes met hers. He nodded. "Yeah. John, we should catch up."
Strange. They drove back into the driveway of John's house where cameras waited outside. She kept her head down until the garage door closed. Despite the walls, she rushed inside with both men on either end of her.
Once inside, Alice rushed to pick up the flowers that she and John knocked down last night with the stand, before her brother saw it. A minute later, he walked in with John and Alice squared her shoulders. Colt nodded at her and said, "Text Mom you're here and you're safe."
Her mind went blank. "Mom?"
Colt again met John's gaze. Then he turned to her. "Yeah."
Again, Alice was hit with a jolt. Colt knew something she didn't about their mother.
John asked, "Anybody want something to drink? Water? Coffee? Soda?"
She took off her shoes and left them at the front door.
Colt walked in like he'd been here all morning. He slapped John on the back and smiled. "Iced tea."
"Me too," she said.
John went toward the kitchen, so Alice tapped her brother on the arm. She'd ask her questions before John came back. "Come on, Colt. Let's go to the living room and sit down."
He followed her. The sun shone bright in the window that faced the bay. She took a step toward the clear glass, but then her brother blocked the sun. "Now you can tell me why you left here without John's listening in."
Her face heated. No, she'd not tell him that. "I wanted my independence. I've lived with Mom and Dad for a while, and Mom always drives me crazy."
"I asked why you left John's side, not Mom's."
Adrenaline rushed in her veins. "I like him."
He shrugged his shoulders like she was the one that needed to see reason. "That's not a reason to put yourself in danger."
The birds chirped out the window as palm trees rustled in the breeze. She hugged her waist. She'd steer this conversation now. "Yeah it is. You know our mother hates his family."
Instead of looking at her, he turned toward the blue waves outside the window. "She doesn't hate John. She doesn't know him.Idon't even hate John."
She stood next to her brother, staring up at his profile. "Even? You should hate the others?"
His face turned red. "Let's not talk about me. What's going on with you?"
"I'm angry she disowned me, again." She took a step backwards. In the background, John put on some music.
