Page 59 of Vanishing Legacy
“Someone’s outside. Close enough to the house to trip the motion sensor.”
“Is it Juliette? Maybe she’s early.”
Alana shook her head. “No. Juliette would call. Stay put and let me check it out.”
“Hold up a sec.” He crossed the room and grabbed the baseball bat from under the couch. If Trejo was making a move, he would defend his family.
Alana moved to the front door. Raised her weapon and pressed the muzzle against the wood. She leaned in and peered through the peephole.
His heart raced as the bright flashing lights of the police cruiser illuminated the room through the sidelight windows. The harsh red and blue colors cast eerie shadows on the walls.
Alana’s phone rang. He could hear her side of the conversation, which was a lot of “uh-huh” and “I understand.” Her shoulders dropped and she holstered her weapon. She hung up and gave him a small smile. “The police were doing a drive-by and saw someone running away from the house.”
He tightened his grip on the baseball bat. “What? Who was it?”
“The neighbor. Looks like her cat escaped. She was searching in the bushes by your porch.”
“Oh man.” He leaned against the wall and put his hand on his chest. “Are you kidding?”
“Don’t worry. The officer gave her an earful about staying off private property. They’re going to hang out for a while, but I need to do a security sweep. Someone could have used that as a distraction.” She gestured to the living room. “Sit. Give your heart a few minutes to slow. I’ll be right back.”
Cash was too amped to sit. He checked on the kids. Still sound asleep. He retrieved their ice-cream bowls and carried them to the sink. He’d just finished washing and drying them when Alana came back.
“We’re all good. Nothing out of order. What about the kids?” Alana walked to the living room.
“Slept right through it, thankfully.” He settled into the soft cushions beside her.
Warmth emanated from the crackling fire in the fireplace. The flickering light cast a soft glow on Alana’s face and highlighted the delicate features that he found so captivating. Where had they been headed before the alarm blared?
“Boy, that false alarm got my heart racing,” he said.
“Tell me about it,” Alana said. “I’m not sure if I should be mad at that cat or not.”
Cash let out a small laugh. “I never knew a cat could cause so much trouble. Next thing you know, we’ll be putting the house on lockdown for a squirrel.”
Alana chuckled and leaned back against the couch. “It’s funny how the smallest things can cause the biggest scares.”
“I’m glad you were here. We did good together.” He took her hand and traced invisible lines on her palm with his finger.
She held his gaze. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. In the moment, I was reminded how much I have to lose. And since my heart nearly exploded over an old lady and a cat, you owe me.”
“Owe you?” Her eyebrow arched. “What do you mean?”
“Here I was spilling my guts about my childhood—in a pillow fort with fairy lights, no less—and now it’s your turn.”
“Oh? Is that how this is supposed to work?” She smiled. “A little quid pro quo, then?”
“A story for a story. Unless you can think of something else you’d like to exchange?” He wagged his eyebrows. “A kiss, maybe?”
“Men!” She slapped his chest.
He caught her hand and kissed it. “I might be a red-blooded American soldier boy, but I hope you know I’d never do anything to hurt you.”
Alana’s expression softened. “I think I do know you, Cash Thomas.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, snuggling in to hear the story. “So, tell me what happened after you moved to California.”