“Alexis.”The tough guy moved like lightning to his wife’s side.Dropping down onto his haunches, he reached out to test her pulse.
Roxie looked at him, wide-eyed.Her heart was beating in her ears.She recognized the curve of his cheekbones now.Her breath caught at the auburn highlights in his hair.She’d seen both traits in her sisters.
“Dad?”she whispered.
His gaze flashed up to hers and, for a moment, the concern on his face was replaced by happiness.Warmth spread through Roxie’s chest when he reached out and stroked a finger down her cheek.“There you are, Rocket.”
Her breath caught in her lungs and stuck there like a fist.
“A chair,” Lexie ordered, her voice still shaking.Not waiting for anyone else or trusting anyone else, she pulled a chair away from the table they’d all abandoned.“Put her here.Make her comfortable.”
Maxie stood staring in disbelief.“She faints like I do.”
Zac pulled his girlfriend close and kissed the top of her head.
Billy moved to the bar.When he came to the table, he had a glass of water and a wet rag.Roxie quickly swiped up the cold compress.At some point, she’d taken her mother’s limp hand.She wasn’t about to let it go.She followed along as the man—her dad—settled her mom into the chair.
Roxie shook her head.The concept just wouldn’t sink in.Was this really happening?
She wasn’t going to miss out on a moment of the dream if it wasn’t.She knelt by the chair as close as she could get.She smoothed the cold rag over the woman’s forehead and then the back of her neck.She looked so young.So delicate.
“Alexis.Come on, babe.You don’t want to miss this.”
“Here.”Maxie spread her jacket over the unconscious woman.“Keep her warm.”
“Alexis,” the man kept repeating.Bending his head close, he pressed his mouth to her ear.“Wake up.”
That, finally, got through.The woman’s eyes fluttered.Her eyelids opened, but drooped, only to lift again.When she finally snapped to, there was confusion on her face.Her gaze tracked over the lights, the jukebox, and the bar.Her brow furrowed when she didn’t recognize any of it.
“Allie.”
She followed the voice, and her shoulders relaxed when she saw her husband.“Dex?”
His hard face was gentle as he looked down at her.He kissed the small hand he held so tightly.“It’s all right.You fainted.”
“Oh, damn,” she murmured, making Roxie smile.
She tried to sit up.She pushed back her hair and looked at her hand strangely when she found dampness.That same wet cloth was making a puddle on the floor and wetting Roxie’s knee, but she didn’t care.She didn’t even notice.
“I had the most vivid dream,” Alexis murmured.She licked her lips, but her gaze was sad when she looked at her husband.“I saw Roxie.She was grown up and so pretty.”
“It wasn’t a dream, sweetheart,” Dex said gruffly.
The laxness went out of the woman’s body.Her hands clamped down on the arms of the chair and her feet hit the floor.Feet that were clad in the most awesome pair of brown boots.
She shook her head slowly.“Don’t,” she warned.
“I’m not.”Dex let out a shuddering breath as he leaned his forehead against hers.“Roux found our babies.Allie, our girls are here.”
Chapter Fifteen
Roxie’s heart panged when her mother let out a heart-stricken sound.Alexis pushed herself up in the chair and looked frantically around the room.Roxie squeezed her hand and felt it deep down inside when her gaze connected with her mom’s for the first time in over twenty-five years.
The fear on Alexis’ face turned to caution and wonder, yet the hand that squeezed back was fierce.Roxie suddenly found it difficult to breathe.Those were the eyes in her dreams, the gentle dark eyes filled with so much love.When she finally managed to inhale, the scent of lavender filled her lungs.
Roxie’s head spun, and her stomach clenched as if she’d been punched.She was afraid to believe.It was too much.
She couldn’t take this.
