A 49%


    “I don’t think so, honey,” I told her.


    “But…” she sniffled loudly. “I want him to be my father… What if he doesn’t want to anymore?”


    I looked at Roman in time to see the hurt before he could suppress it.


    “I’ll take you home,” Roman said.


    “No!” Alice shouted. She shoved against me with sudden strength – werewolf strength. I was caught by surprise and she hopped


    from my arms before I could more fully hold her.


    “Alice!”


    She bounded away from me, racing at full speed back towards the event. Fortunately, Julian had yet to return back inside, and was standing by the bottom of the stairs watching us from a distance. He saw Aliceing and hurried to intercept.


    I moved quickly, hurrying to catch up with her. Roman was behind me, but, seeing Alice connect with Julian with no issues, I


    turned to Roman.


    With haste, I told him, “Maybe it’s best if you leave us for the night, Roman. Alice is having some trouble, and you seem to be the


    trigger…”


    “But…”


    “I know you want to help, but trust me, okay?” I said. “Please.”


    Fortunately, he stopped following us then, and I hurried along to catch up with Alice, who was still in Julian’s arms. She was


    crying, her little shoulders shaking, but I didn’t spot any werewolf traits, for which I am grateful.


    “I want you to be my daddy,” she said into his shoulder.


    Julian was good with her, gently patting her back while holding her close.


    “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said. “Things don’t always work out like that…”


    “But why?” she asked.


    He wouldn’t look at me, not even as I came closer. Instead, his gaze stayed on the ground. “There’s no reason for it. That’s just


    how it goes sometimes. Your mom found someone else, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you or won’t care about you. We’re still buddies, yeah?”


    “Yeah,” she agreed. She continued to cry for a few minutes until eventually crying her to sleep. Julian scooped her up into his arms


    and stood.


    “Thank you,” I told him.


    12:41 PM Tue 26 Aug


    49%


    He lightly shook his head. I knew he was angry with me. There were so many unanswered questions between us, but neither of us seemed willing to talk about them now, especially with how upset Alice was.


    “You should get home,” he said. “Where’s Roman?”


    “Alice wasn’t too happy with Roman tonight. I sent him away.’


    Before I could even think about how we were going to get back to the house, Julian offered, “Do you need a ride?”


    “I couldn’t ask that…”


    “I’m offering,” Julian said. “Come on.”


    He carried Alice to his luxury sedan and then gently ced her across the backseat. Then he took the driver’s seat while I hopped


    in on the passenger’s side.


    I didn’t feel like talking at all, but fortunately neither did Julian. He drove most of the way in total silence.


    Only as we neared the house did he ask me, his voice a whisper in the quiet car, “Do you intend to marry Roman?”


    Just as softly, I told him, “No.”


    I didn’t know why I told him that. It was none of his business, really. And just because I didn’t want to be with Roman had nothing


    to do with my situation with Julian.


    Yet… it felt, in this quiet moment, like an important thing to share.


    When we arrived at the house, Julian carried Alice inside to her bedroom, then quietly went back out toward the door. I followed


    him outside where he stopped and nced back at me.


    Before I could thank him for what he’d done, he said, “I’m d you are staying single.”


    Then he turned and walked away, leaving me too stunned to reply.


    GET IT N…


    12:42 PM Tue 26 Aug