Chapter 17

Emily kneeled down by her daughter and pretended to brush some wrinkles out of her T-shirt. She really just wanted to be eye to eye with Annie so she could best gauge her reaction.

"Are you excited about today?"

"Uh-huh."

Emily looked into Annie's eyes for a long time, trying to make out what the little girl was thinking. They were headed down to Austin for the day…Fletch had wanted to take them on a double date. Emily had tried to talk him out of it, saying Annie would be just as happy to go to McDonald's with them one day, but he'd knocked any further argument out of her by saying, "If I'm willing to spend the time and energy on her mom, why wouldn't I want to do the same for Annie?"

But Emily had more concerns than just her daughter getting a sugar high and spazzing out all day. Annie was already extremely attached to Fletch. It was one thing for Emily to get hurt if their relationship ended, it was another thing altogether for Annie to get hurt if things didn't work out.

"Remember when I went on a few dates with Rodney?" Emily asked her daughter.

"When we were at the other place," Annie said with a solemn nod.

"Right. And you liked him too. But adults sometimes date each other and don't get married. I know you like Fletch, and you want us to get married, but that doesn't always happen."

"Rodney told me once that when you and him got married, that I was gonna be sent off to a boring school," Annie told her mom seriously with absolutely no hint that she was kidding.

"What? He did? When ?"

The little girl nodded. "He was there to pick you up for a date to the funny singing place and you weren't ready yet."

Emily felt the tears behind her lids, but controlled them. She put a hand on Annie's cheek. "The opera?"

Annie nodded.

Emily felt sick inside, knowing exactly when Rodney had said that to her child. She'd been upstairs finishing getting ready before he'd arrived to pick her up. She never would've guessed that he'd say something so horrible to her daughter. "I would never send you anywhere, baby. We stick together. Always. I'd never send you off to a boarding school. Ever."

Annie nodded solemnly. "I know. I told Rodney that. He laughed at me."

Emily brought Annie into her embrace, hating that she was just learning about this now. She pulled back and held her daughter's shoulders tightly. "Annie. Listen to me. I love you. You're everything to me. I don't like that you kept this secret from me."

"I know, Mommy."

"Did he tell you not to tell me?"

She shook her head. "No. But it's okay. I was gonna tell you, but then you stopped going on dates with him, so I didn't have to."

Emily eyed her daughter critically. There was still something she wasn't telling her. "We only went on one more date after that."

"I know."

"What'd you do?"

Annie bit her lip and looked away from her mom.

"Annie. Look at me." Emily waited until the little girl had looked her in the eyes again. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't want to be sent away. I didn't think you would, and I could tell you didn't really like him. He smelled funny, like fried food. And you always say that fried stuff wasn't good for us. Your boss called and you went into your room to take his call."

"Go on," Emily urged when Annie paused.

"I just told him how hard it was being a kid," Annie protested, her little eyes tearing up, obviously afraid her mom was going to be mad at her. "I told him about the time I got the lice bug things in my hair, and how you had to help me all the time with my homework. And that time I got sick and barfded all over my bed and you. But then I told him how much I love to sing in public, and that I couldn't wait to be able to be old enough to have a sleepover with all ten of my best friends, and how Chuck E. Cheese's is my favoritest place to eat in the whole world."

Emily wanted to laugh, but held it back. She'd already decided that things with her and Rodney weren't going to go any further than they had, but it seems her daughter helped him break up with her, rather than the other way around.

"Ann Elizabeth. You know better than to do something like that."

Annie pouted and looked at the ground. Her words came out in a small whisper. "I didn't want you to love him more than me and send me away."

Any trace of laughter Emily might've had was washed away in an instant. There were times she honestly forgot that Annie was only six years old. She put her fingers under her daughter's chin and raised her head until they were looking into each other's eyes. "I will never send you away. No matter what. I love you, baby. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. No man will ever come between us. Ever."

Annie sniffed and ran the back of her hand over her nose. "Promise?"

"Pinky swear." Emily held out her hand and smiled when Annie hooked her smaller finger around hers. "Now, about today. I like Fletch, and I'm pretty sure he likes me back. But adults sometimes like each other, and when they've been dating for a while, decide they don't like each other as much anymore."

"Like Tommy's parents. They don't live in the same house anymore. He spends school days with his mom, and weekends with his dad."

"Sort of like that, yes," Emily agreed.

"But you've been on four dates with Fletch. I think he likes you."

Emily smiled. "I want you to have fun today, but I just want you to realize that we aren't getting married. At least not right now. The last thing in the world I want is for you to be disappointed if it never happens. Okay?"

"Okay. But Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

Annie leaned into her mom and whispered, "I have a good feeling about Fletch."

Emily laughed and shook her head. She'd tried. She stood up, wincing at the creak in her knees as she did. "What are you most excited about for today?"

They were going to the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex in East Austin. It was a huge building that had a movie theater, bowling, roller skating, food, and even an arcade. Emily knew it was going to be an exhausting day, for both Annie and her, but when Fletch had suggested it—and seemed so excited to have thought of it—she didn't have the heart to turn him down. The man had no idea what he'd gotten himself into. None. He'd first suggested laser tag, but Emily had vetoed that. As much as she knew Annie would love it, she thought her daughter was still a bit too young to be running around trying to shoot people.

"Roller skating. I've never done it before," Annie said.

"You think you can stay up and not fall?"

Annie shrugged and turned to the mirror, grabbing her brush and running it through her hair. "Don't know, but Fletch will be there to help me."

Emily couldn't argue with that. "What about bowling? You like bowling."

"Yeah. Me and Fletch have a bet."

"What? What kind of bet?" Emily demanded. It looked like she was going to have to have a talk with Fletch about a few things.

"I guess it wasn't really a bet since you told him he wasn't ever allowed to bet in his entire life. But he said you and me together couldn't beat him by himself."

"Oh he did, did he?" Emily asked, leaning down to hug Annie again. She put her face next to her daughter's and they both looked at each other in the mirror. "You didn't tell him that I've been taking you to the free family bowling night since you were three, did you?"

"Nope."

They grinned at each other.

"He's so going down," Emily told her daughter.

"Yup."

Mother and daughter smiled at each other. This was gonna be fun.

* * *

Emily watched as Fletch "instructed" Annie on how to bowl. They'd arrived at the entertainment complex and had started with some food. It wasn't a long drive to Austin, but of course Annie was hungry. Ever since Fletch had found out how little they'd been getting along with, food-wise, he'd made it his mission in life to always have healthy snacks around and to prepare nutritious meals for the two of them. He vowed that neither of them would ever go hungry again.

After making quick work of an order of nachos, Annie declared she wanted to bowl first. Emily knew it was because the little girl was gonna burst if she couldn't "trick" Fletch soon.

They had exchanged their shoes and found an empty lane. Fletch was standing behind Annie, showing her the holes in the ball and pointing down the lane at the pins. Emily tried to hide her smile behind her hand. Fletch happened to look back at her right at that moment.

"What?"

"What what ?" Emily asked, trying to sound innocent.

"What are you smiling about?"

Emily thought fast. "I just love seeing you with Annie."

Fletch leaned down to the little girl and said something to her. Annie smiled back and nodded.

Walking back toward Emily, Fletch had an intense look on his face, one Emily couldn't read. He came right up to her and put both hands on her waist. He leaned in and said in a voice only loud enough for them to hear, "You've raised an amazing child, Em. She's funny, smart, and sensitive to the feelings of those around her."

Emily beamed. There was nothing that made her feel better than hearing someone compliment her daughter.

"She's also sneaky, underhanded, and a cheat. Just like her mom."

Trying not to laugh, knowing he was right, Emily did her best to play it off. She pouted and tried to look hurt. "What do you mean?"

"Don't give me that hangdog look. You know what I mean." Fletch turned them so he was standing behind Emily and they were both watching Annie at the bowling lane. He had one hand on Emily's stomach and the other at her hip. He pulled her back into him, and Emily snuggled in close.

"Go on, Annie, see what you can do," he called out to the little girl, who was practically dancing in place, anxious to throw the ball down the lane for the first time.

They both watched as Annie confidently strode up to the line, she held the ball, granny style, and lined it up.

"She's done this before," Fletch said unnecessarily as they watched the bowling ball roll lazily down the lane and knock down seven pins. "I'm gonna lose, aren't I?"

They watched as Annie turned to them with a huge smile on her face. "Is seven good, Fletch?"

"Shit. I'm so gonna lose." It was a statement that time.

Emily turned in Fletch's arms and leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips, loving that he felt comfortable with the public display of affection, and that every time she did something like kiss him or hold his hand, Fletch's eyes glittered with desire. "You're going down, Cormac."

An hour and a half later, Fletch slumped against the seat in defeat. "You guys win. Heck, you had me beat from Annie's first spare."

Annie danced a victory dance and Fletch couldn't hold back his laugh. He leaned over and grabbed the little girl, holding her upside down on his lap and tickling her. Annie's giggles rang out through the busy bowling alley as she wiggled and screeched, trying to get away from Fletch's nimble fingers.

Finally, he pulled her upright and sat her sideways on his lap and looked over at Emily.

Seeing the tears in her eyes, his entire demeanor changed. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Emily reassured him immediately, wiping away the moisture.

"Em, what?"

"I'm just…happy, Fletch. These are happy tears."

Understanding what she wasn't saying, Fletch leaned over, Annie still in his lap, and put his free hand behind her neck and pulled her into him. He kissed her, hard. The kiss probably wasn't appropriate for their surroundings, especially considering how closely Annie was scrutinizing them, but Emily couldn't care at the moment.

He placed his forehead against Emily's and whispered, "As long as they're happy tears, I'll take 'em. It's the other kind I can't stand."

"Come on, Fletch. You said after I beat you, you'd show me how to roller skate," Annie begged, squirming off his lap to the floor.

Fletch pulled back and brushed his thumb under Emily's eye. Without looking away from her, he told, Annie, "I did, sprite. Can you return our shoes? We'll go after that."

"Yay!" Annie chirped in excitement.

Emily smiled at her daughter as the little girl plunked herself on the ground and ripped the rented bowling shoes off her feet. She waited impatiently as she and Fletch removed theirs as well.

"We'll be right here. Don't go anywhere else but the return counter," Fletch warned. "I want you in our sight the entire time."

"I won't!" Annie reassured him.

Fletch and Emily watched as the little girl skipped up to the counter and got into the short line.

"Thank you, Fletch," Emily said quietly. "She's having the time of her life."

"I feel like I should be thanking you ," Fletch said seriously. "I haven't really thought about kids. Not with what I do. I figured it was either a pipe dream, or that it would be many, many years before I'd ever have the chance to have any. Today has been amazing. I mean, I know that Annie is awesome. But seeing her like this, seeing her without a care in the world, it's…" His voice trailed off. He cleared his throat once, then continued.

"It's everything. It makes me feel that what I do has meaning. Seeing her happy and carefree, makes me realize something that I didn't get before. Every mission has a purpose."

Emily laid her hand on Fletch's tattooed forearm. He kept his eyes on Annie as she crept forward in the line. She leaned up and kissed Fletch's jaw. Then his temple. Then leaned forward so she could whisper in his ear.

"You're so getting lucky tonight."

Fletch's head whipped around so fast Emily couldn't even catch a breath before his lips were on hers. His tongue plunged into her mouth and his hand once more came up to rest behind her neck. But this time it wasn't in a tender caress. It was to hold her still for his sensual assault on her mouth.

It didn't last nearly long enough, but Fletch was obviously more than aware they were sitting in a bowling alley surrounded by families. He turned his head back to where Annie was, and murmured without looking at Emily. "Damn straight. You set me up, woman. You owe me."

Emily giggled, feeling the goosebumps break out over her arms as Fletch's thumb caressed the side of her neck. He hadn't taken his hand away, and she put her head on his shoulder.

They sat like that for several moments, watching Annie as she returned their bowling shoes and came skipping back toward them, her arms full with their regular ones.

"Here they are! Hurry! I wanna skate!"

The tender moment gone, Fletch slowly sat up and reached for his boots. He put them on as leisurely as he could, just to torture the little girl. Emily followed suit, until Annie was literally dancing around them, begging for them to go faster.

Fletch stood and held out his hand to Emily. Her warm hand against his own made his heart swell, but it was Annie's smaller hand, which grabbed hold of his, that made it melt. The little girl was affectionate, but she'd never held his hand before.

He wasn't a mushy man, but at that moment, he knew he'd do everything in his power to keep both Emily and Annie for his own.

* * *

Emily watched as Fletch and Annie made their way slowly around the roller-skating rink. Annie had only let go of Fletch's hand long enough for them both to tie up their skates, and as soon as they were securely fastened, she'd grabbed hold again. The duo made their way around the floor with about what seemed like five thousand other kids and adults.

Leaning against the wooden rail, Emily watched as Fletch steered Annie away from a pile-up of kids who'd fallen. Then, as he got between her and another kid who was recklessly racing around the far end of the rink, not caring who was in his way. And as Fletch threw his head back and laughed at something Annie said, she sighed.

The man was amazing. Granted, she'd never really been on a date with both a man and Annie before, but somehow she knew this wasn't exactly normal. Annie was exhausting. She'd be the first to admit it. Emily loved her child, but her never-ending questions, unrelenting energy and enthusiasm for life, and her stubbornness weren't conducive to a relaxing day by any stretch.

But watching Fletch with her, Emily wouldn't have guessed he'd gotten up at four-thirty to do PT, after being awake until two making love to her. The man was a robot. He was able to do it all. And Emily was falling in love with him.

No. She was in love with him.

The thought should've scared her, but strangely it didn't. People always said that when you found your soul mate, you just knew. And Emily knew.

"Mommy! Look at me!" Annie called out as they skated past.

"You're doing great, baby!" Emily dutifully responded, waving.

Fletch smiled lazily at her, but didn't say anything.

"They're really cute," a woman next to Emily noted.

"Oh, thanks. Yeah."

"Looks like she's got her daddy wrapped around her little finger."

Emily opened her mouth to explain that Fletch wasn't her father, but closed it, nodding instead. "Yes, she does."

"Lucky," the other woman observed. "Have fun." She ambled away.

She hadn't corrected the stranger, one, because it just seemed too complicated, and two, because it felt good to have someone think that Fletch was hers. It was juvenile and stupid, but there it was.

After what seemed like another fifty laps, Annie had finally had enough. She and Fletch skated over to where Emily was waiting. Fletch helped her step over the wooden lip of the rink and smiled at Emily as Annie talked nonstop.

"Did you see me, Mommy? That was so fun! At first I couldn't do it good but Fletch helped me keep my balance. Did you see that he could go backwards ? I wish I could do that, but Fletch says that if I keep pracmacing that I'll be doing it in no time. And then he let go but he was still right there. Did you see that? I did it by myself! It's like when you taught me to ride my bike. I was scared, but you were there holding the bike until I could do it on my own. When can we come again?"

Emily let Annie prattle on and looked over at Fletch. The love inside her seemed to grow when he mouthed, "Thank you," and his lips turned upward in a smile bigger than she'd ever seen on his face before.

She grinned back and mouthed, "Lucky tonight," and pointed to herself, then to Fletch.

Emily didn't think it was possible, but his smile got even bigger.

* * *

The cab of the truck was silent and dark as they headed back home after dinner. Fletch had drawn the line at Chuck E. Cheese's, refusing to step foot in the notorious restaurant, finally winning Annie over by telling her that all good soldiers needed to keep their protein intake up by eating a nice large steak at least once a week.

Emily should've been concerned at how good Fletch was getting at manipulating Annie into doing what was best for her, but she wasn't. It was nice to share the responsibility for raising her daughter for once. Very nice.

"Mommy said I could wear combat boots when you get married," Annie announced when they were on I-35 headed home.

Emily almost choked. Good Lord. She opened her mouth to say something, she wasn't sure what, when Fletch beat her to it.

"I'm okay with that."

"Fletch," Emily hissed. "Don't encourage her."

He looked over at her and said in a serious voice, "Why not?"

"Want to watch your movie?" Emily asked Annie, ignoring Fletch and the entire conversation.

" Small Soldiers !" Annie yelled, happy to be distracted by her favorite movie. She knew every word in it and could recite it anywhere, anytime.

Emily got it cued up and handed her daughter the headphones and tablet, provided by Fletch, to watch. Within ten minutes, Annie was out.

"I think she had a good time," Emily told Fletch dryly, glancing in the backseat at her daughter, who was sleeping the sleep of the exhausted in her booster seat. The tablet still clutched in her hands, the light from the video flickering over her lightly flushed cheeks.

"I did too," Fletch said softly. "Thank you for letting me take you both out."

"We had fun. But you know," Emily said hesitantly, "you shouldn't encourage her."

"What do you mean?"

"The wedding thing. She's at that stage where she gets fixated on stuff. I don't want to set her up for disappointment."

"What if I'm not?"

"Not what?"

"Setting her up for disappointment." Fletch's tone was low and urgent. "I like you, Emily. A lot. I'm not dating you just so I can have sex. I have every intention of following through with this relationship. All the way."

"Fletch—"

"I know, it's still early. But I want you to know, I'm not messing with the two of you. Okay?"

"Okay." There was more Emily wanted to say, but she couldn't bring herself to mention any of it.

Fletch put his hand on Emily's leg as they continued the rest of the way home in a comfortable silence.

When they pulled up back at the house, Annie was still sound asleep. Fletch turned to Emily. "Will you let me help you put her to bed?"

"Of course."

"Then you'll let me put you to bed?"

Emily smiled and leaned toward Fletch, brushing her lips against his softly. "I did say you were getting lucky tonight, didn't I?"

"You did," he confirmed with a smile, keeping his hands on the steering wheel.

"Then you can put me to bed afterward."

The look of lust in his eyes made Emily squirm in her seat. Lord, she wanted this man. Her nipples got tight under her shirt and she wanted nothing more than to straddle him right there in his truck and have her way with him.

"Are we home?" Annie's sleepy voice asked from the backseat.

"Yeah, sprite. We're home ," Fletch affirmed, emphasizing the word "home" without breaking eye contact with Emily.

"Good. I'm hungry."

Emily laughed at the look of surprise in Fletch's eyes. As much as she wanted to go straight to bed, now that Annie was awake, and apparently hungry, they'd both have to wait a bit longer.

"Soon," Emily told Fletch softly as she reached for her seatbelt.

"Soon," Fletch agreed as he climbed out of his side of the truck.

* * *

Several hours later, Emily lay in Fletch's arms, replete and satisfied.

"Best day ever," she stated resolutely.

"Best day ever," Fletch agreed, hugging Emily's naked body to his even tighter. "But, I plan on every day from here on out being the best ever."

"Knock yourself out, soldier," Emily teased. "I won't stop you."

Fletch kissed Emily lightly on the forehead, then settled himself back down on the mattress. "You'll never know hunger again. You and Annie are safe with me. I'll do everything in my power to make sure Jacks never gets near you."

His words were somewhat out of left field, but Emily went with it. She was getting used to how Fletch's mind worked. "What he did wasn't your fault."

"Yes and no. We've talked about this," Fletch argued. "He got to you once. He's still out there. I won't let him get to you again."

"You're not God, Fletch. You don't know what will happen."

"I know I'm not. But I promise, you and Annie are protected."

"Okay," Emily agreed. She knew in her heart that there was no way he could guarantee their safety. Heck, the shooting at Annie's school showed her that. People were responsible for their own actions, and unless Fletch was around them twenty-four/seven, he couldn't guarantee anything.

"Okay," Fletch repeated. "Go to sleep, Em."

"Good night, Fletch. Thanks for an awesome day. For me and Annie."

"You're welcome. We'll do it again soon."

"Yay."

Fletch smiled against Emily's hair as she fell asleep in his arms. He tightened his hold.

His. She and Annie were his.

He fell asleep, content in the knowledge that the two most important females in his life were safe under his roof.