Page 110 of Protecting You

She just didn’t trust him enough to say it.

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?” She voiced the question with a small and tentative voice.

He loved that she’d asked. She needed to know she wasn’t alone, and she needed to know he could be trusted.

As much as he was eager to get downstairs and talk to Alyssa, he lay down on top of the covers.

She snuggled up next to him, curling her back against his chest, and he wrapped his free arm around her and held her close. And prayed.

Lord, don’t let me screw this up. She deserves so much more than I can give her. She deserves so much more than I can ever be.

* * *

When Peri’s breathing deepened,when she’d been still for a solid five minutes, Callan eased off her bed and tiptoed out of her room.

He found Alyssa in front of her laptop at the kitchen table. He’d told her to get comfortable, but she still wore the jeans and pink blouse she’d bought that morning in Portland.

She looked up when he came in, so many questions in her eyes that he figured she was trying to decide which to start with.

He lifted his hand to hold her off. “You want a snack?”

“No.” But then, she wagged her head side to side. “Depends.”

He raided the pantry in search of…

Yes.

He snatched the bright red package, then poured them both glasses of milk and brought the treat to the table, along with two small plates and two napkins.

She pushed her laptop out of the way. “Milk and cookies?”

“The ultimate comfort food.” He settled beside her and pulled back the top of the package to reveal perfectly arranged peanut-shaped sandwich cookies. His favorite, which Mom always kept on hand just in case he popped in unannounced.

Alyssa took one and broke it in half. “Peanut butter has protein.”

“It’s practically health food.”

That earned a tiny grin, but it didn’t last. “You and Megan?”

Whoa. Of all the questions, he hadn’t expected that one. How had Alyssa figured out who Peri’s mother was?

As if reading his mind, she said, “Peri has her photograph on her bureau.”

“Oh, right. Yeah.” He finished the cookie and sipped the milk, though he wasn’t feeling all that comfortable despite the comfort food. “It was…uh…” Why did he feel guilty, as if he’d betrayed this woman who’d never felt anything for him but scorn?

“When did it happen?” she asked.

“Senior year, right after the holiday break.”

She frowned. “I knew something was different that semester. She would never tell me…” Alyssa took another cookie, broke it in half, then in half again. “I’m sorry. I was shocked to hear about her death. I’m sure that was a terrible blow to both of you.”

He wasn’t sure what to say to that. He didn’t grieve Megan the way he probably should. He grieved for Peri. He grieved the lost time. Mostly, he worked very hard not to resent a dead woman.

“I just don’t understand why…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. With everything going on, it doesn’t…”

But Callan wasn’t buying her brave face. He saw hurt in her eyes, the tightness around her mouth. Her best friend had started a serious relationship, had fallen in love, or so Megan had claimed, and had never told her.

“She didn’t want you to know,” Callan said.

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