Alec gets our kindle’s and puts them to the side. He gently takes my hand into his.
“Sunshine,” Alec says carefully. “Why are you most afraid this couldn’t work?”
I know my answer immediately. “Our lives are so different—complicated. This isn’t a fairytale and I won’t jeopardise your friendships. I’ve known you guys for five days, other than Jace.” I stare at our interlocked fingers.
“Does that bother you? That you’ve only known us for a short amount of time?” Alec adds.
“No,” I say in a small voice. “Not really. It feels like I’ve known you guys forever.”
“Sunshine.” Alec reaches up to my face with his other hand. He tilts my head up with his gentle fingers under my chin.
Alec leans forward until he’s a hair's breath away. My heart skips a beat as I stare into the swirling depths of those hazel irises.
“When Dom and I…ended.” Pain flickers in and out of Alec’s eyes. “That’s when I knew that this would work.”
My eyebrows furrow as I try to understand his hidden meaning.
“When you came to get me, you didn’t try to make me fight for him or to accept that I should be happy with half of his love. You helped me pull myself together and stand on my feet again,” Alec whispers quietly.
His thumb pad brushes over my knuckles, the fading scars there from the time I’m healing from.
“I might be upset with Dom but I can’t deny the connection between you too. The connection between you and all of us.”
I open my mouth to interject but Alec’s growing smile has me swallowing my words.
“Dom’s parents have been trying to get him to stop hiding his accent for years. He met you once and came home like it was never gone,” Alec says amazement is his voice.
“I love his accent,” I admit.
Alec grins. “Me too.”
His amusement fades. “Jace’s done a complete three-sixty since you’ve been back, Rory. He’s been getting better but as soon as he was reminded of you or Declan, he’d take two stepsback. We’ve never seen him like this, Sunshine,” Alec says softly. “He’s completely at ease—he’shappyaround you.”
Tears burn my eyes. I clear my throat when it tightens with emotion, casting my eyes away.
“The twins have had their coping mechanisms since Elodie passed. Mason draws. When he can’t sleep, or feels the pain remembering his mum, he throws himself into his drawings. Since he’s been sleeping with you, the only time I’ve seen him lift a pencil was for your covers. We rarely see his drawings because they’re a piece of his soul.”
That’s why he looked like he was going to be sick showing me the drawings. I look down at the kindle in my lap. The gorgeous cover protecting it. My gaze shifts to Maverick when Alec continues talking.
“Before the twin’s mum died, she was really sick. Early onset of Alzheimers. There were times when she couldn’t tell the difference between her children and—” Alec hesitates, studying Maverick closely before continuing. “It was nearing the end when she forgot Maverick existed at all.”
A hand flies up to my mouth as tears start to prick at my eyes. Alec sighs.
“He didn’t want to cause her any more grief so when she called him Mason, he didn’t correct her. Maverickexpectspeople not to be able to tell them apart. He doesn’t tolerate new people—people who aren’t us who can easily tell them as two very different beings. Then you came along. Maverick thought you were just getting lucky but you really can tell the difference between them.” Alec watches me intently.
“I didn’t know,” I tell him, quietly. My fingers return to Maverick’s hair. His arm tightens as he nuzzles his face into me. Emotion makes my throat close up—unable to say anything.
Alec continues. “I’ve never seen Luc get as comfortable with someone new as he is with you, Rory. When he called me to get you emancipated…I’ve never heard him so worried, so panicked. He told us why you weren’t taking painkillers.” I feel Alec’s eyes search out mine but I keep them trained on Maverick.
“I didn’t want to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt any of you,” I finally manage to get out.
“Don’t you see, Rory? The only way you could possibly hurt us is if you shut us out or leave or a million other things and vice versa but we’ll never know if you decide not to open that door.” Alec sighs heavily, turning away from me but not pulling his hand away.
“We’ve never really beenjustfriends to you, Rory and I know that’s not fair. If you don’t want to do this…the guys won’t push. We can just be friends.” Alec smiles sadly.
After everything with Dom, I can believe just how hard it is for Alec to say that.
“I don’t want to just be friends.” I surprise myself when the words escape.
