Forever Hers Walters, Ednah (best novels for teenagers .TXT) 📖

“Whatever game you are playing.”

She was so close to losing it. “Me? You started it with your Miss Goody Two Shoes attitude.”

“Just go and kiss her goodnight before I accidentally lob this,” she picked up the plate he’d left on the counter, “at your head, Fitzgerald. If you haven’t noticed, my aim has become pretty good.”

Her lean physique confirmed how hard she’d been training. Her punches and kicks weren’t something to laugh at anymore. He grinned and started toward her bedroom His Amy was back.

“I want warm food when I come back, freshly squeezed orange juice, iced—”

He ducked into the hallway leading to her bedroom when she lifted the plate. He was still laughing when he started across her bedroom.

He’d seen both rooms the day Chase and the others visited, but he hadn’t really paid them much attention. Amy’s was bare. There was no dresser or decent draperies on her windows, and the cover on the bed was as bland as the wall paper.

The daughter’s room was bigger, the décor colorful and cheerful, from the reading corner with its purple and pink bean bags, shelves filled with books and stuffed animals to a white princess bed with matching drawers. Raelynn’s eyes were closed even though the bedside lamp was still on

“Hey, short stack,” he said, kneeling by her bed.

Eyelids lifted and blue eyes, so like Amy’s, stared at him. Something warm settled in his chest, but he decided not to analyze it. When it came to Amy and her daughter, he couldn’t compartmentalize his thoughts or actions. In about a week and a half, he’d be back in L.A. and things would go back to normal.

Raelynn threw her skinny arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Eddie closed his eyes and savored the moment. Another thing he’d miss when he went home.

“Mommy had a bad dream,” she whispered

Eddie frowned. “She did?”

Raelynn nodded. “I heard Mommy crying this morning, but when I went to her room, she was sleeping and crying. I want Mommy to be happy.”

“Me too, sweetheart.”

“Did you send Nolan away?”

“He’s not here anymore, but I’m working on putting him so far way you will never see him again.” According to Rod, Nolan was acting like any normal cop. He even had a girlfriend.

Raelynn smiled then leaned forward, planted a wet kiss on his cheek then settled back on her pillow. “You can kiss me goodnight now.”

Eddie chuckled. He was going to miss her precociousness. He pressed a kiss on her forehead, then pulled the cover to her chin. “Goodnight, princess.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Eddie.”

He smiled. He’d just been elevated to an uncle.

Back in the kitchen, steaming food sat on the table, the tray of paper towel, shakers, the whole pitcher of orange juice and a jar of water with ice. She’d taken to giving him everything he could possibly want, except the most important one—her.

She stood by the sink, rinsing utensils and putting them in the dishwasher, headphones on and singing under her breath. He stopped behind her, braced himself on the counter and neatly boxed her in, their bodies almost touching. She froze.

“What are you doing?” she asked with a catch in her voice.

“You work too hard.” He took her hand and slipped off one glove at a time, then turned her around. “Please, sit with me while I eat,” he said.

“But the dishes—”

“I’ll do them later.”

She shook her head. “No. I’ll do them.”

Stubborn to the core. He gripped her hand and tugged her along.

“Here you go.” He nudged her into a chair. “You tried the perfect housekeeper thing and I did my best to accommodate you, but that’s not who we are. You are the smart-mouthed woman who takes no crap from anyone and I’m the gracious guy who puts up with you.”

She laughed. “Gracious? Ha.”

“I promise to eat turkey bacon without complaining.”

She snorted. “You have been eating turkey bacon without complaining for two days.”

“Then I’m a reformed man. Do you want a drink?” He poured orange juice in a glass and placed it in front of her even though she shook her head, then sat and served himself a healthy potion of the lasagna and green beans. There were warm slices of sourdough bread and a green spread. Tangy flavors exploded in his mouth with each. If he didn’t jog and swim every day, he’d be twenty pounds heavier.

“This is really good. What’s in it?” he asked, scooping another chunk of the lasagna.

She gave him a tiny smug smile. “Tofu.”

He continued eating with gusto. “I’ve changed my mind about that too. I’m officially a tofu-man, if it tastes like this or in soup like the one you made when the guys visited. Oh, and last night’s stir fry.” He grinned when she stared at him with rounded eyes. “That was good stuff.”

“Dang, I thought I’d slipped it in unnoticed.”

He smirked, then turned the computer on and brought up the report he’d handed Briggs. “Take a look at what I’ve worked on the last couple of days.”

Amy leaned forward to study the screen. “What am I looking at?”

“My conclusion on the local break-ins. The detective in charge, Captain Briggs, asked for my help and I delivered.”

The corner of her lips lifted. “And you even wrote a report.”

He pointed the fork at her. “No wisecracks about my organization skills. Read it.”

He ate and watched her. When she got done, she dropped her elbow on the table, propped her chin on the heel of her palm and smiled at him.

“What?” he asked.

“I’m impressed. You’re good.”

“Thank you.” Her praised meant a lot, especially since he had to convince her to trust him with her worst nightmare. “Briggs already picked them up for questioning. No one at my station is going to believe I worked on a case with him. He’s a legend.”

“What about the last two robberies?”

“Now that’s where things get interesting. You see, most criminals don’t change their styles. A serial killer, rapist or arsonist sticks to his or her routine no matter what happens. That’s why