Page 135 of Never After Us
So much for taking care of my emotionally devoided neighbor.Aunt Lina didn’t know him well, obviously or ...she would’ve probably told him to stay away from me instead.I’m the one who’s never in one place.
“You don’t have to babysit me,” I tell him.
“I’m not babysitting.”
I swallow.“Then what are you doing?”
“Hanging out while making sure that you know I’m here for whatever,” he says.“I’m staying.”
That word grips everything within me.They startle and feel calming and make me want to ask something like, ‘why would you want to do that?’Usually no one stays.Not in my story.Now I have more solid proof of that and I hate having all these abandonment issues.
“Come on,” he finally murmurs.“You’re shaking.Let’s get you to a warm place and maybe today I’ll cook something for you and Mila.”
I nod because I’m too tired to argue, and I only say softly, “Thank you.”
He just looks at me for a long, careful moment and murmurs, “I’m here.”
ChapterFifty-Four
Mara
We pick up Mila from karate, and she’s practically vibrating with pride.
“They made us jump like frogs,” she announces as she bolts out of the gym barefoot, shoes tucked under her arm, beaming like she just won some competition—probably a frog medal comes along with it.“I was the highest jumper.”
I try to match her energy, I do.I force a grin, let out a cheer.But it’s Alec who’s already crouched in front of her, pretending to examine her knees for “jumping fuel” and nodding solemnly when she flexes her arms like a tiny, chaotic bodybuilder.
“That’s incredible,” he tells her.“You might be part kangaroo.”
“Probably a kangaroo-frog hybrid,” she corrects him as he’s helping her with the socks and shoes.
He winks.“I suspected it the moment you jumped off the couch last week.”
Who is this man?
This is the same Alec Hovarth who used to tense up every time he saw Mila and I when we first arrived in the building.Now—now he’s making my daughter laugh so hard she hiccups, while I stand on the sidewalk trying not to completely unravel.
It feels like too much and not enough all at once.
This—this is at least a win.It has to be.
“Jacket or no jacket?”he asks once he’s done helping Mila with her shoes.
“Frogs don’t wear jackets,” she states.
“That’s because they live in tropical places.”He looks at her as if contemplating his next words.“We’d have to move somewhere else.”
Mila takes a couple of deep breaths, looking unamused.“Fine, I’ll wear a jacket, but we need to find a tropical place for the summer—where they have frogs.”
“As long as your mom approves, we can try that,” Alec feigns defeat.It’s as if he’s trying to make her think that she’s won whatever frog-related argument they were having.
This man is a genius and I need him to stay for at least another ten years.He’s definitely a better negotiator than I am.
When we get home, Alec’s already rolling up his sleeves.
“I have a plan,” he declares, heading straight for the kitchen like it’s a mission.
Mila tugs at my hand.“Is this the pasta plan?”
