Alace

Bending at the waist, Alace yanked at the tank for the grill, lifting the empty unit from the enclosure and setting the full one in its place. She quickly manipulated the connections and turned on the controls, listening for a moment to hear the rush of gas escaping before turning it off. “Grill’s ready,” she called, knowing Eric would hear her through the open patio doors.

She was nervous. Uncharacteristically so. Today marked their six-month anniversary, and two weeks ago, Eric had announced it was past time for her to meet his friends. Shoot me now.

Trying to assuage her fears, he’d cuddled with her this morning, arms wrapped around and holding her close, his cock still buried inside her as he said, “You already know my mom, baby. We’ve done this all backwards. My buds are the easy part.”

Their outings together hadn’t been without drama. There had been random encounters with people who had known her as Querida. Alace rolled her eyes, turning the knob again and flicking the lighter with her thumb, watching as the gas burners were surrounded by blue flames. They’d known it would happen. She’d worked in the two places in town guaranteed to bring Eric into her path, after all, picked since both the bar and diner were popular places, which ensured a lot of the community had known her by sight, at least.

So Alace had to reinvent herself—again—but this time it was her real self she was inventing. Odd, but doable. She and Eric had spent hours in bed and on the couch coming up with possible scenarios. Undercover cop was out, not that it wasn’t a cool idea, but mostly it was too easy to verify—or refute. So was an investigative reporter, since that one could lead people into places she’d rather they not go. After much debate, she’d settled on writing as a profession, at least one she could talk about. Using that, she could also play coy about a pen name, and no one would blink an eye.

A few of Eric’s friends had even stumbled on them out for a drink or meal, so the crew coming today wouldn’t be all new faces.

But all the important people in Eric’s life would be here. His boss—who was, by the way, the district attorney for Douglas County—that man’s wife, several college buddies, Eric’s working cohort in the DA’s office…and his best friend. Todd Worthson, who also happened to be a sitting judge, and the one person who knew what it had taken for Eric to find her. Todd had proven instrumental in the weeks and months after she’d first bugged out, when she was already on the job down in Alabama. Of everyone who would be invading—she had to keep reminding herself to not think of it that way, they were invited guests—their home, he was the biggest threat.

Todd Worthson could bring it all tumbling down around her ears.

She didn’t think he would, but the fact remained he could.

Alace pulled in a breath and blew it out, closed the lid on the grill and turned towards the house in time to see Eric walking out, tongs in hand.

“Move over, woman. Grillin’ is a man’s work.” He crowded her, getting close enough to brush his chest against her breasts before he bent his neck. She lifted to her toes, fingers digging into the sides of his waist as she kissed him. “Mmmm. Maybe don’t move it. Maybe you need to stay right here.” His lips caressed hers as he murmured, “Love you, baby.”

He did. She never doubted it anymore. He’d proven her fears groundless, bringing her back to center, time and again.

“Love you more.” She felt his lips move and knew by the crinkles at the corners of his beautiful eyes he was smiling down at her. Something she could see every day for the rest of her life and never tire of. “Now,” she lifted that scant inch again and kissed him, “get to grillin’, honey. Guests will be here soon.”

“Hello, the house,” she heard and froze in place, Eric chuckling at her reaction. Turning, she saw a man walk out, tall and broad, his carriage confident, stride long in jeans that fit him well. “Hey, man.” He was pacing towards them, and Alace shifted to the side, going to give them some space, her attempts foiled when Eric’s arm closed tight around her, pulling her close as he moved to meet their guest.

“Todd,” Eric said, warmth in his voice. Alace examined his friend intently. Todd looked different from the official pictures she’d studied, more laidback, resembling the man in the photos Eric had from vacation trips together. He didn’t quite present himself like a judge, with his too-long hair and easy smile. She realized he was staring back at her, corners of his mouth curling up into a boyish grin.

“Damn, E. She’s gorgeous.”

“Told you.” Eric’s arm gave her a squeeze. “No date?”

“Nope. She couldn’t make it.” Todd shrugged, tucking his hands deep into his pockets. “Story of my life, man.”

Alace thoughtfully studied the two of them, watching as their conversation casually volleyed back and forth.

“Which one was this?” Eric led her away, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Todd following them towards the grill. She had no doubt Eric had arranged this, made it so the one person she was most nervous about meeting showed first, giving her time to settle down without a bigger audience. She relaxed into him and felt him press a kiss to the top of her head as she gave him her weight.

“That blonde from the corner store.” Todd helpfully lifted the lid on the grill, as comfortable in Eric’s backyard as if he hadn’t stayed away for half a year at Eric’s request. “Got a beer?”

Alace decided it was time to join the conversation, time to carve her space out of this friendship between the two men. “There’s a full cooler in the house. I just need to add ice. I’ll bring you one.” Tipping her head up, she caught sight of Eric’s smile and noted he looked even more at ease, lines of stress disappearing. He was nervous about this, too, she realized.

“Okay, baby.” He gave her a squeeze and released her.

Alace was dumping a bag of ice into the opened cooler when she heard footsteps at the door and tipped her head up, freezing in place when she saw Todd. He studied her for a moment, and as he did so, his happy façade fell away, a tension flowing back into his features revealing to her the man who sat on a tall seat in ponderous robes. He stood there looking at her, and Alace felt his judgment was balancing on the edge, ready to go either way.

“I love him.” She blurted this to a man she didn’t know, but who meant the world to Eric.

“I know you do. He loves you, too.” She nodded, but Todd wasn’t done. “Can you keep him safe?”

That one question told her he knew much more than Eric had let on to her. Todd knew who she’d been, might even have an inkling of who she might need to be again. She was exploring ideas about how to put her unique skills to work in a better way, but those plans were still in their infancy, wishful thinking more than plans, if she were honest. Todd knew what she’d been might put his friend at risk, and she needed to reassure him without giving away things he might not already have guessed.

“I can.” She didn’t promise, didn’t have to, her gut telling her confidence was the right path, and she saw the muscles in Todd’s jaw relax a tiny amount. He looked at her for a long moment, gaze flicking back and forth across her face, and finally he nodded, accepting her statement at face value. She straightened, closing the lid on the cooler and shoved it an inch towards him. “Can you carry that for me?” Moving past the intense moment they’d shared, she needed Todd out of her space so she could breathe. For all she might appear carefree, fear still clotted her veins, making her heart race in her chest.

“Sure can.” He hefted the container, bottles and cans shifting inside, clinking quietly against each other as they adjusted to find the best fit alongside their neighbors. “Eric said he’ll be ready for the meat soon.” She nodded, gaze still locked on his, knowing instinctively he wasn’t done. “I like you, Alace. I like you for Eric. He was pretty intense for a while, and I think you know why. I’m damned glad he found you, and I’m even more glad you’re here, now. He needed something, and it looks like you’re it.”

With that surprise pronouncement, Todd turned and stalked away while Alace stood and stared, mouth open, speechless for once.

***

Eric

“You’re certain?” He pressured Todd for confirmation, wanting verification before he allowed himself to believe in his friend’s words.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Not just redacted, but deleted, and where they couldn’t be deleted, they’re buried under a thousand pages of bullshit. She’s vapor, man.”

Todd had been working on erasing not just the traces of Eric’s pursuit of Alace, those crumbs left behind when someone was searching and stirring up old information, but on the absolute clearing of the evidence that had led him to Alabama in the first place. It had been slow going, taking months longer than Eric wanted, but he’d known Todd was the only person he trusted to handle it.

No one else in his life knew the full breadth of what Eric had been willing to do to find Alace. Todd knew not only that, but everything. That had been a tense conversation, one filled with danger. If Todd had chosen the high road, Eric couldn’t have stopped him. It would have cost Eric an open life with Alace, and he knew it. He also knew he needed to be honest with the one man who’d had his back through their entire lives. Closer than brothers.

No surprise when Todd chose the path of support, deciding to trust Eric’s judgment, even as he’d been ruthless about his questioning. He’d demanded to know everything, and Eric gave it to him. It had taken time, but eventually knowing Alace’s background, what had happened to her, and Eric’s unfailing belief in what he’d found with her had been enough to convince Todd.

So when he’d approached him about this task, Eric had known it wouldn’t be an issue. He was glad to know he’d been right.

“Thanks aren’t enough.” Eric reached out, gripping Todd’s shoulder firmly, shaking him slightly. “I owe you.”

Todd didn’t respond, just flashed a grin that Eric found himself returning with profound relief.

All of that was now officially in the past, and he and Alace could move forwards.

He couldn’t wait to see what the future brought them.