“It’s all right.I just thought that I’d ask.”He took another step back and continued to smile at her.“No harm done.”
“Look, most men don’t want to have anything to do with me when they find out that I have a child.It’s just the way things work out.Then, when they hear that I’m a widow, they usually turn tail and run in the opposite direction.”He said he wasn’t like most men.“I can see that.”She looked around, and he watched her.She was afraid, but he could also tell that she wanted to go out.“I’m taking Harri to dinner tonight at the pizza place on Maple.It’s our once-a-week tradition.If you want to meet us there, that’s fine.But I’m not saying that I’m going to sleep with you.I have enough going on in my life without complicating it with sex.”
“No sex is fine with me.”He handed her one of his business cards and told her that his number was on the back.After giving him her number, she looked cautious again.“I won’t harm you or your daughter.I just wanted to get to know you on a personal level and thought that you two might enjoy anight out too.What time should I be there?”
“We go straight from school, so about five.I’m not saying that this is going to be a long-term thing, but I have a feeling that I can trust you for some reason.”He thanked her.“No reason for that.I don’t trust easily.”
“I can see that.I’m glad that you are willing to take a chance with me.”He got back in his cruiser and decided that he was going to be on his best behavior.He didn’t know why, but he felt a connection with her like he’d never felt with a woman before.Perhaps she was his mate, and he had met someone who was going to finish him.Unlike his brother, he wanted a mate in his life so that he could feel complete.
Going back to the station house, he told Aaron about what had happened with Ms.Reynolds.They both got a kick out of how she was handled, and that made him feel good.He told his brother that he knew she’d be out there every day until Anna left.That made him sort of sad, but if she was his mate, then he was going to go with her.He’d do whatever was necessary to make sure that she was happy.Laughing to himself, he thought about Aaron and how foolish he’d been when he’d been around Mac.And he couldn’t wait for things to be just the way that he wanted them.
For the rest of the day, he was finishing up paperwork that he’d been putting off.As soon as it was about time for him to leave, he realized that he’d gotten nothing more done than the basics and was going to blame it on the fact that his mind had been elsewhere.He decided to change, so running home, he was there in no time.When his cell phone rang, he nearly didn’t answer the unknown number, but decided that he’d get to it.As soon as he heard her voice, he knew that she was going to cancel on him.
“I want to go home and change so we’ll be there a little after five.I didn’t think about that when I made the arrangements with you.”He said that he’d gone home to change as well and would meet her there.“I still don’t know why I’m doing this.I feel like I’m going to be in trouble, and I don’t know why.”
“I won’t hurt you.Not at all if I can help it.”She didn’t say anything, and he wondered what she was thinking.“How about if I pick you two up and we can go in one car.I’m not sure where you live, but it would be worth the trip to hang out with you two for a bit longer.”
“I’d rather take my own car.That way, if things don’t work out, I won’t have to worry about getting home.I’m not saying that things won’t work out for the three of us, but I want you to know that my daughter comes first in all things.She’s all I have in the world.”He said that he’d never come between them.“See that you don’t.I have no trouble at all defending myself if it comes to that.”
“Again, I’d never come between the two of you for anything.”When he got off the phone, he put her in his contacts so that the next time she called, he’d be able to know it was her.Just as he was about to leave, she called him back.He was laughing when she told him that she was going to have to cancel, as her car wouldn’t start.“I can pick you up.I don’t mind at all.Besides, you don’t want to disappoint your daughter.She seemed to be looking forward to it as much as I am.”
“Do you usually play dirty like this?”He might have thought that she was mad, but for the humor in her voice.“All right.I’m at the post office now.I’m going to have to get myself something newer someday, but I don’t have the time to look.I have to pick up Harri too.Is that going to be a problem for you?”
“None at all.”He could hear the tension in her voice and wondered if it was just him.As soon as he got off the phone with her, he headed to the post office.He didn’t know what to think when he saw her car.It looked to be about as old as he was.“I think you’re right, you do need to get yourself another car.How old is this one anyway?”
After she told him the year, he thought he’d been right on the money.It was about as old as she was, but she explained that it had been her husband’s car and she couldn’t part with it.He told her that he understood, and they headed to the school.Harri looked just like a younger version of her mother and seemed to have her attitude, too.She didn’t pull any punches when she asked him what he was doing with her mom.
“Her car broke down, and I offered to pick her up.If it’s all right with you, I’m going to join youfor pizza.I heard that you love it above all other foods.”She just gave him the side eye and told him that all kids loved pizza.He nearly laughed but caught himself in time.She told him that he needed to have his own pizza, that her and her mom shared one together.“That’s nice.I love mine spicy, so it might be too hot for you.”
“You’d be wrong.Are you trying to get into my mom’s pants?”He couldn’t help it; he burst out laughing, and he could tell that Anna was embarrassed.As soon as she chastised her daughter for what she said, he hoped again that she was his mate.But he was also thinking that she wasn’t.
There were no clues to let him think that she was anything but a good friend.It saddened him to no end, but he thought he was right.She wasn’t his mate, and he was about as disappointed as he’d ever been about it.
“I’m sorry, Mr.Dresden.Mommy said that I learn things at school that are better left on the school yard.”He told her she was all right, and she looked out the window.As he was pulling out of the school parking lot, his mom called him.
“I need you to come by for a minute.I have some things that need to go to the post office, and I should have done it before now.”He said that he was on a date.“I’m sorry, son, but it has to go out tonight.Are you sure that you can’t do it for me?”
He looked at his dates tonight and wondered what they’d think about meeting his parents.Instead of speculating on that, he told her what he needed to be doing, and they both seemed to be all right with it.Swinging by his parents’ home, he ran in as they said they’d wait in the car to get the package that she had.
“Why didn’t you bring her in?”He explained how she had her daughter with her.“You’re dating a woman with a child?Good for you.I’d love to meet them.Go and get them.”
“Harri, her daughter has her heart set on having pizza tonight.”There was a knock at the door, and when the maid answered it, he knew that it was Anna.“Everything all right?”
“Harri needs to use the bathroom.I hope you don’t mind.This day is turning out to be something else, isn’t it?I mean, I thought it was going to be a good day, but it feels like it’s turning to crap.”Harri asked where the bathroom was, and Mom took her to it.While she was using the bathroom, he introduced Anna to his family.His mom asked him through their link if she was his mate, and he sadly told her that she wasn’t.“I’m sorry about this, Mrs.Dresden.I never thought that we’d be so late getting dinner.”
“It’s quite all right.We were just going to have dinner ourselves.”She said that was nice, and when Harri came back from the bathroom, he kissed his mom and hugged his dad.They were getting a late start, but he was all right with that, too.Going by the post office, laughing a little to wonder if Anna would be delivering it tomorrow, they were on their way to the pizza shop in no time.
Harri did like her pizza hot and spicy.When she ordered her side with double pepperoni, he wanted to pick her up and hug her.Anna ordered black olives for her side, and she seemed to be all right with them ordering a large.She told him that she would take it to work tomorrow and have it while she was walking.While he knew she wasn’t his mate, he was still beginning to fall in love with the two of them.
Dinner was a lot better than he thought it would have been, as they both made him laugh a great deal, even at himself.Harri ate a little less than half of her side of the pizza and was beginning to fall asleep in her chair.Picking up the tab, he was happy to pay for all three of them since he’d barged in
After dinner, they went to get some ice cream.He loved ice cream and had been known to eat it just for his dinner.But tonight he was trying to be good and only ordered two scoops instead of the usual four that he normally did.Just as they were ready to leave the ice cream shop, his brother Zeno showed up.He introduced him to the little family and was shocked when he looked so pissed off.
~*~
Zeno thought that he’d been trapped.The woman was his mate, and he couldn’t have been more pissed off than if she had put a gun to his head.Not only that, but she had a little girl with her that would be doubly hard to avoid.He looked at his brother and told him that he didn’t want him datingher anymore.
“Why not?It’s not like you care if she’s your mate or not.And I’ve enjoyed myself with her tonight.”He said that he wasn’t going to be pushed into something that he didn’t want to be.“You showed up here; I didn’t invite you.So get off your high horse and be nice.You’re scaring Harri.”
