Page 13 of Dax (Big Hot Alphas 1)

Chapter Five

Bailey

My dad keeps insisting that he’s fine, that I don’t need to stay, but I tell him over and over again that Iwantto be here.

“But you’ll miss work, Bailey,” he points out.

“Yeah, and I never take days off,” I say. “The other girls can cover my shifts. It’s seriously not a big deal.”

Thankfully, the manager of the café I work at is a chill guy. When I text him about my situation, he texts back telling me how sorry he is to hear about my dad and assures me he’ll take care of rearranging the schedule.

After that, I text Madison to tell her about my dad and apologize in advance if she gets stuck with a bunch of my shifts.

Happy to take them, babe, she texts back.Thinking of you & your fam. Love you. Btw, any update on D???

A grin lifts the corners of my lips when I see her question. I consider telling her about everything that’s happened with Dax. But I know Madison is going to have a million questions for me, so I just text her back:

Will update you when I’m home.

After I send the text, I just keep staring at it. At first, I can’t figure out why.

Then I realize it’s the wordhome. Everything that’s just happened has completely changed the meaning of that word for me.

My home is with Dax now.

I just hope it’s something my parents will be able to accept.

A few days later,unable to hold my secret inside any longer, I find my mom in the master bedroom folding clothes.

“Can I talk to you for a second, Mom?” I say, rubbing one hand with the other nervously.

“Of course, honey,” she says. She finishes folding a shirt and sets it on top of a pile.

I walk into the bedroom and take a seat on the bed. “So, uh…I don’t know how exactly to say this, so I guess I’ll just say it.”

She stops folding laundry. “Say what?”

“I…” I swallow. Shit. This is harder than I thought.

“Bailey, what is it?”

I clear my throat. “So…you know how the first time I came up here, Dax and I stayed out by the fire pit after you and Dad went to bed?”

She lets a beat pass. “Yes?”

“Well…we were out there talking for quite a while. And we actually really hit it off.”

My mom gives me a confused smile. “You hit it off?”

“Yeah. In this…crazy intense way.” I draw in a breath. “And I feel really weird admitting this, but I snuck over to his house the night of the storm to see him again.”

“Bailey,” my mom says, shocked.

“I know how it sounds…but…”

“Butwhat?”

“I’m in love with him, Mom,” I blurt out.

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