Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) by Lynnette Bonner

Alyssa. “Yes, baby.” She forced herself to undo her seat belt and climb down from the truck.
    As she helped Alyssa down from her booster seat in the back, she noticed there were already several other cars parked in the drive and along the street. She recognized Kylen’s red Mustang and eased out a breath of relief. So Taysia would be here to keep her company.
    Reece appeared at her side, carrying the paper bag with the pickle jars in it.
    Marie glanced from Alyssa to the clear, blue, still-sunny skies. “Is it okay if I just leave Alyssa’s coat out here? I might need to get the keys from you to come get it later if it cools off too much.”
    “Of course. No problem.” He smiled and then turned to Alyssa and waggled his eyebrows. “You ready for some food? My mom makes a pretty mean chocolate cake! And there will be carrot cake too.”
    Alyssa wrinkled her nose as she scrambled down from the truck. “Carrot cake? Yuck! I want chocate!” Suddenly she froze in her tracks, and a huge frown creased her pudgy little brow. “Mommy, do I like mean chocate?”
    Marie couldn’t help a chuckle, and Reece joined her. She rested her hand in the middle of Alyssa’s back, nudging her forward. “A mean chocolate cake is just one that’s really yummy is all.”
    “Oh!” The little girl gasped with delight. “A dog!”
    Loping toward them across the lawn was a beautiful golden retriever.
    Marie shook her head at the rapidity with which her daughter could change the subject.
    “That’s Tawny. Hey, Tawny, girl.” Reece reached down and ruffled a silky ear. “Do you want to pet her?”
    Alyssa fisted her little hands together uncertainly. “Does it bite?”
    “No. Tawny’s a very nice dog.”
    As if to prove his point, Tawny got right into Alyssa’s face and tried to lick her.
    Alyssa squealed and darted to Marie, clambering up into her arms, where she looked down to study the panting dog from a safe distance.
    “Alyssa, honey, it’s okay. Dogs do that. She’s just trying to give you a doggy kiss.” She glanced at Reece. “Sorry. She hasn’t been around dogs before.”
    Reece shrugged and gave her a subtle wink, then bent and patted Tawny’s head as he met Alyssa’s gaze. “It’s okay. Tawny will be here all night, and I bet she’ll have you”—he reached over and pinched one of Alyssa’s cheeks, eliciting a giggle—“wrapped around her wagging tail by the time the night is through. Come on, let’s get inside.”
    Alyssa squirmed as they started to walk. “But I want to pet the doggy now!”
    Reece grinned at Marie. “I remember you always faced your fears head-on, too.”
    Her stomach churned a little at the reminder of the time he and some of the guys from school had talked her into jumping off one of the nearby cliffs into the ocean. She’d done it once, just to prove she could, but she’d never gone back and done it again. She offered him a weak nod.
    He held the bag of pickles toward her and gestured to Alyssa. “Trade me?”
    “Sure.” She accepted the bag and handed Alyssa off to him.
    Reece squatted in front of Tawny and settled Alyssa onto one leg. “Sit, girl.”
    The dog obeyed, her tongue lolling and her huge brown eyes fixed solely on Reece.
    “Watch me now,” he said to Alyssa as he slid a hand over Tawny’s head and stroked one ear. “See? She’s really nice.”
    Alyssa still had her little hands curled up under her chin in uncertainty.
    Marie wanted to reassure her, but stopped herself. Reece was doing a fantastic job of encouraging her but not pushing her too hard. And it would do Alyssa some good to get adult input from someone besides her this time. Not to mention how wonderful it was to watch the two of them together.
    Reece studied Alyssa’s clenched fists for a moment, then asked her, “Are you afraid to touch her?”
    Alyssa hesitated, but then nodded.
    “Why?”
    “She might bite me!”
    Reece continued to pet the dog, who had now turned her studious expression