Colton 911: Family Under Fire. Jane Godman

of their will with someone other than their lawyer, possibly Georgia? Since they hadn’t shared that information with Everett or Alyssa, the people most closely affected, it seemed unlikely. Even if that was the case, what were the chances of that person knowing when Kennedy’s new living arrangements would begin?

       If we didn’t know, how could anyone else have known?

      Could someone in Child Services have leaked the information? It was a possibility, but why would anyone do that?

      Add in the fact that Everett living at a temporary address… No, whoever had sent this gift to Kennedy had worked hard to find her. And it didn’t feel comfortable.

      “See. It’s a bear. Just like the guy said.” Joe was starting to get on his nerves.

      It wasn’t just any bear. It was a giant, candy-pink, fluffy bear holding a cushion that read I Love You. Everett placed the lid back on the box and walked away.

      “Hey,” Joe called after him. “What do you want me to do with this?”

      “Donate it to your favorite charity.”

       Chapter 3

      When he arrived back at the apartment, Everett found his brother on his knees assembling a crib while Alyssa unloaded baby clothes from a box. From one of many. His confused brain took an inventory of what had once been his living space. “What the—?”

      “Kennedy’s stuff arrived.” Alyssa appeared way too calm for someone who was speaking to him from behind a wall of boxes.

      Before he could reply, Casey got to his feet. “All done. Where do you want this?”

      “Well, there isn’t really space in the smaller bedroom.” Alyssa cast a wary look in Everett’s direction.

      “I see.” He wanted to adopt an outraged pose, but there was barely enough room to breathe let alone throw out his chest. “So, as well as this room being taken over by baby items, I’m also being kicked out of my bedroom. Maybe I should sleep in my car from now on?”

      He knew he was being unfair but how much more was this day going to throw at him? A baby, an ex-girlfriend—and not just any ex-girlfriend. No, Alyssa was the one he’d never quite managed to get over…and then there was that mysterious delivery. Now his rented apartment, never the most organized space, looked like a natural disaster had struck it.

      All of those things were bad enough, but none of them were the worst. Like a knot tightening in his chest, there was also the knowledge that he couldn’t protect Alyssa from his fears. He would have to watch some of the light go out of those beautiful eyes as he told her about the teddy bear.

      Aware of his twin’s gaze on his profile, he turned his head. The look in Casey’s eyes said it all. Don’t be a jerk.

      “You guys have a lot to discuss. You don’t need me getting in the way.” Casey headed toward the door, turning back to look at Everett before he left. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

      The message was clear. Tonight he was getting a reprieve. On the following day, his brother would want to know everything.

      “I thought we could order pizza?” Alyssa said when Casey had gone. “It’s getting late. And we can’t eat out.”

      She indicated the sleeping figure on the sofa. Kennedy was sprawled on her back, snoring softly. Alyssa had placed the cushions from the other sofa in a line on the floor next to her. Something about the action both touched and frightened him. Concern for the baby’s safety was an instinct that came naturally to her. He’d never have thought of this particular gesture.

       I have so much to learn.

      “I get it now. That’s why Sean did this. No more beers after a long day. If the guys from work are going for seafood or pasta or Thai, I’ll have to pass. I can’t stay up all night watching movies, or go for an early morning run. And…” He clapped a hand to his forehead in mock despair. “I’ll have to get a family car.”

      Alyssa regarded him with amusement. “You think your former best friend is controlling your life from beyond the grave?”

      “I wouldn’t put it past the guy.” He drew his cell phone from his pocket. “Pizza Paradise has my regular order. How about you? Still sticking with the boredom special? Goat cheese and red onion?”

      “You remembered?”

      “Four years is a long time.” It was true. Although he wasn’t sure whether he was talking about the four years they’d been together, or the four years since they’d split up. One of those stretches always seemed much longer than the other. “And we did eat a lot of pizza.”

      “Yeah.” Her smile still had the power to warm his whole body. “The same as always for me. And I checked your refrigerator.” Her little shudder took him back in time. “Add some diet soda to the order, please.”

      He placed the order, and, when he ended the call, Alyssa had switched into serious mode. “There’s something I need to speak to you about.”

      “I was being a jerk. I’ll move my stuff into the small bedroom after we’ve eaten.”

      “Thank you. But that’s not what I was going to say.” She waved a hand to indicate the boxes. “Patty Griffiths said they only brought the basics. The rest of Kennedy’s belongings are at the house her parents owned.”

      “Well, that’s where they can stay. We can’t fit anything else in here.”

      “Exactly. Everett, look at all of this.” She held out a framed picture to him as she spoke. “Look how much they loved their little girl. I just can’t believe that Sean would have chosen to leave Kennedy all alone by killing himself and Delilah.”

      Everett stacked Kennedy’s boxes neatly along one wall, which meant they could place the pizza on the coffee table. While they ate, Alyssa sat on the sofa next to Kennedy and Everett piled cushions on the floor and sprawled at her feet. It was a moment of normality in a day that had taken unreal to a whole new level. She still didn’t know why he’d taken off so abruptly, or why he’d asked Casey to come over. She figured he would tell her in his own time, and already knew she wasn’t going to like the explanation.

      “Patty brought a cool bag with some jars of baby food, so Kennedy will have something to eat when she wakes up.” Alyssa smiled as she looked at the little girl. “But tomorrow, I’ll need to go shopping.”

      “Have you thought about what this really means?” She figured Everett was entitled to the note of skepticism she could hear in his voice. “I don’t just mean shopping for diapers and formula. What about your job? Your home? My place in Phoenix?” He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture that was as familiar as her own reflection in the mirror. “And what about us? After all this time, how are we supposed to do this together?”

      After her relationship with Everett ended, Alyssa had accepted that theirs, like all other love stories, was unique. It was like a quilt, made of scraps and pieces that once held so much meaning. Everything they had done together had left a mark on her life. Every time she thought she was ready to move on, something would happen to remind her of those vibrant threads of color that bound her to him.

      But the reality was simpler and less poetic. Breaking up had been the only logical way of dealing with her fears about his job, but she had never stopped caring for him. And leaving him had been like trying to blow up a life vest while drowning. If they’d ended things because the feelings had gone, this conversation would have been different.

      But she knew what he was saying. Taking on Sean and Delilah’s baby was a huge commitment. Their history would