You Belong to Me (Stevens Book 6)

Chapter 19

It was the first Sunday of the summer break.  Alice had finished grading all of her student's exams and turned in her final grades the day before. Somehow, she had gotten through the last few weeks. It was as if she was on automatic pilot, but she had survived.

Grace and Cassie had given her space, but they were asking her to help them plan some fundraising event for the restoration of an old New York theater, and she knew they were just trying to keep her busy. She had insisted that she had no event planning experience, but they had assured her that they would teach her all she needed to know, and swore to her that they really needed her help.

She was on the verge of caving, especially when she thought of the next three months stretching ahead of her empty. She had thought about teaching a few summer classes, but had decided that she was in no frame of mind to teach anyone anything.

Gabe had disappeared, perhaps it was because he had sensed her disinterest with everything. She wasn't eating, she wasn't sleeping, and she was close to becoming a recluse.

Her phone rang and she looked over at it, seriously considering ignoring it, but she couldn't, someone might need something.

"Hello-,"

"Alice." It was Cassie and she sounded like she was crying. "Turn on the news."

Alice felt her heart stop. She raced to find the remote control, and with shaking, hands hit the power button, turning it to one of the twenty four hour news stations.

Then her legs came out from under her as she sank to the floor listening.

"A hostage situation involving an American news crew, among them well known Rainer Stevens," the announcer was saying with an ominous tone.

"Alice...Alice... You need to come here to Grace's.  Bryce and Caleb are on their way to the Middle East now, but ..."

"I'll be there soon," she said, hanging up the phone and grabbing her keys and phone. 

Grace would need her.

When she arrived at Grace's; Lizzy, Brian, Mason, Cassie, Laura, Davis, and Grace were all glued to the T.V.

She sat next to Grace, and they wrapped their arms around each other.

"Mom, Dad, Dana, and Quinn are on their way, but they won't be here until tonight," Grace said just for something to say.

Alice just sat and listened to the news, trying to learn as much as she could.

Rainer and his crew had been invited to witness the signing of a peace treaty between two warring factions in the Middle East, but the negations had gone south, and everyone in the hotel had been taken hostage by the host country. All of the big players were there, and there was some talk about it all being planned.

"Why Caleb?" Alice asked sometime later.

"He has spent a lot of time in the region and knows the local dialects and politics," Grace answered.

That floored Alice.  Caleb, it seemed, had hidden depths that she had never known about.

"Caleb is a very talented engineer," Grace said getting up and moving to the kitchen. "I think I'll make something to eat."

"I'll help," Alice said following her to the kitchen.

They silently started to put together a chili that could be kept warm all day.

"Rainer-," Grace started, but Alice cut her off before she could begin, sensing that she wanted to comment on what, had or had not, happened between them.