Read Online Stand Close 3 (Stand Close New Adult Romance Series) by Sabrina Lacey - Free Book Online
Authors: Sabrina Lacey
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boys.”
“What’s going on?” Mrs. Stone asks with her hands in the air like a blind person looking for something substantial to hold onto. “They’re alive?!! You found them?!”
“Mrs. Stone, I’m happy to report that your boys are very much alive,” comes the President’s sure, clear tone through the speaker.
She claps her hands over her mouth and screams pure joy. Falling into Alec for support, she stares at the phone, and looks to me, shaking her head. “I can’t believe it.”
Alec’s got the clearest head of all of us. “Where are they, Mr. President?” I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask.
All business, our President informs us, “They’re in Miami, Florida. They were found floating near Cuba and due to unfriendly waters and the boys’ public and financial personas, their rescue was kept a secret until they were on American soil. I just found out myself. They’re in the hospital and doing fine. We’ll be flying them back to Los Angeles in the morning. I have to get back to my affairs, but I hope you all have a wonderful day.”
“Thank you!” “Thank you, Mr. President!”
“Thank you, Barack! You made me a very happy woman tonight!” Mrs. Stone calls to him, clearly having met him in person before. I stare at her in awe a moment, taking that in.
I lock eyes with Alec. “It’s a miracle. I thought for sure they were…” I stop myself, and they know why.
Alec grins. “Anybody as starving as I am?”
“I couldn’t possibly eat,” Mrs. Stone mutters, holding her stomach with a smile. “I think I want to go back and lay down for awhile. I might have taken a pill to calm my anxiety. Will you let me know when they call?”
I pause, surprised the question was directed at me. “Sure. Of course. I hope you feel better.”
“Thank you.” She exhales, turning to walk away and resting a hand on Alec’s shoulder as she passes. “I love you, kid.”
He beams at her. “I love you, too, Connie.” After watching her exit, he turns to me and holds out his arms. I rush into them and we laugh, holding each other tightly and rocking from side to side, so grateful. After a few moments, the laughter subsides as we both become aware of each other as we haven’t been since the tragedy happened. Goosebumps spread across my skin as he rocks me and kisses the top of my head. He pulls back so he can look into my eyes, the bags under his evidence of what we’ve been through.
“Rue,” he whispers hoarsely.
Rising up on my tiptoes I rest my forehead against his and close my eyes. “We were being stupid.” He knows I’m talking about us.
He kisses my cheek and I can feel a difference in him, a chastity and restraint that can’t be ignored. Tucking my head into the nook of his neck, I wait for him to say what’s on his mind. “I didn’t protect you from Jack, and you…” he struggles to say it, “…almost drowned because I wasn’t there. I haven’t forgotten. This all made it more clear, actually, how much things have to change. This can never work otherwise.”
I close my eyes. “I know. I want to be in their lives, Alec. I don’t know if they’ll have me after abandoning them in Spain. I should have been on that plane!”
He strokes my head and whispers, “I should have been, too. I know exactly how you feel.”
My voice cracks as I admit what I’ve been feeling for hours, “I want to be their sister.”
He nods against the top of my head and gives me a squeeze, holding me so tightly. “When we were waiting for word, I decided if they made it, I wouldn’t do anything to harm our friendship. I care about you.” He pulls away and looks into my eyes, taking my chin between his forefinger and thumb. “I don’t know if it’s the heightened energy of everything that’s happened, or what, but I’m falling in love with you.”
My heart expands to hear it. “I feel the same way.”
“But it’s no good if it tears us all apart. This family, your family now,
“What’s going on?” Mrs. Stone asks with her hands in the air like a blind person looking for something substantial to hold onto. “They’re alive?!! You found them?!”
“Mrs. Stone, I’m happy to report that your boys are very much alive,” comes the President’s sure, clear tone through the speaker.
She claps her hands over her mouth and screams pure joy. Falling into Alec for support, she stares at the phone, and looks to me, shaking her head. “I can’t believe it.”
Alec’s got the clearest head of all of us. “Where are they, Mr. President?” I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask.
All business, our President informs us, “They’re in Miami, Florida. They were found floating near Cuba and due to unfriendly waters and the boys’ public and financial personas, their rescue was kept a secret until they were on American soil. I just found out myself. They’re in the hospital and doing fine. We’ll be flying them back to Los Angeles in the morning. I have to get back to my affairs, but I hope you all have a wonderful day.”
“Thank you!” “Thank you, Mr. President!”
“Thank you, Barack! You made me a very happy woman tonight!” Mrs. Stone calls to him, clearly having met him in person before. I stare at her in awe a moment, taking that in.
I lock eyes with Alec. “It’s a miracle. I thought for sure they were…” I stop myself, and they know why.
Alec grins. “Anybody as starving as I am?”
“I couldn’t possibly eat,” Mrs. Stone mutters, holding her stomach with a smile. “I think I want to go back and lay down for awhile. I might have taken a pill to calm my anxiety. Will you let me know when they call?”
I pause, surprised the question was directed at me. “Sure. Of course. I hope you feel better.”
“Thank you.” She exhales, turning to walk away and resting a hand on Alec’s shoulder as she passes. “I love you, kid.”
He beams at her. “I love you, too, Connie.” After watching her exit, he turns to me and holds out his arms. I rush into them and we laugh, holding each other tightly and rocking from side to side, so grateful. After a few moments, the laughter subsides as we both become aware of each other as we haven’t been since the tragedy happened. Goosebumps spread across my skin as he rocks me and kisses the top of my head. He pulls back so he can look into my eyes, the bags under his evidence of what we’ve been through.
“Rue,” he whispers hoarsely.
Rising up on my tiptoes I rest my forehead against his and close my eyes. “We were being stupid.” He knows I’m talking about us.
He kisses my cheek and I can feel a difference in him, a chastity and restraint that can’t be ignored. Tucking my head into the nook of his neck, I wait for him to say what’s on his mind. “I didn’t protect you from Jack, and you…” he struggles to say it, “…almost drowned because I wasn’t there. I haven’t forgotten. This all made it more clear, actually, how much things have to change. This can never work otherwise.”
I close my eyes. “I know. I want to be in their lives, Alec. I don’t know if they’ll have me after abandoning them in Spain. I should have been on that plane!”
He strokes my head and whispers, “I should have been, too. I know exactly how you feel.”
My voice cracks as I admit what I’ve been feeling for hours, “I want to be their sister.”
He nods against the top of my head and gives me a squeeze, holding me so tightly. “When we were waiting for word, I decided if they made it, I wouldn’t do anything to harm our friendship. I care about you.” He pulls away and looks into my eyes, taking my chin between his forefinger and thumb. “I don’t know if it’s the heightened energy of everything that’s happened, or what, but I’m falling in love with you.”
My heart expands to hear it. “I feel the same way.”
“But it’s no good if it tears us all apart. This family, your family now,
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