“We’ll cross that path when it comes.” I looked from him to Alana Catherine. “Together.”
“As a family,” Gram added. “Ain’t nothing me and my girlies can’t handle. Of course, Gideon ain’t chopped liver either!”
I nodded and forced a smile, wishing I could let go of the tiny knot of doubt tightening in my gut. Risking my own life or even Gideon’s was one thing. Risking my daughter’s was something else. I shoved the awful fear down and put on a brave face.
It was family time, and I wasn’t going to waste precious moments with what ifs.
CHAPTER SEVEN
As Alana Catherine,Gram and I followed Gideon into the house, Tim invited everyone inside for a delicious lunch. Delicious was pushing it. Lunch was a scary proposition when Tim was the chef in charge. Last week, his turkey-noodle-hoohoo-surprise had multiple unappetizing surprises in it—like sardines, black olives, chocolate chips and marshmallows—but it was made with love… and very little skill. Shitty Ritchie and Candy Vargo were the only enthusiastic fans of his cooking that I knew of. I had to wonder if all three of them had defective taste buds. Mostly, I was happy to be a vegetarian and able to legit pass on most of Tim’s culinary disasters. He’d promised me he was going to make a veggie-dooda-surprise soon. I was not looking forward to it. Would I eat some? Absolutely, because it was from Tim. Would I enjoy it? Probably not.
The Demons had wisely declined lunch and went to their posts. Five followed Jennifer into the house. Five followed Shitty Ritchie. Fifteen spread out to the perimeter and five trailed behind us to watch over Alana Catherine. I wasn’t too keen on Demons horning in on our family time, but at least the gals who’d been eating Gideon up with their eyes weren’t part of the contingency guarding my daughter.
“None of them,” Gideon said casually as he squeezed my hand and continued walking.
Gram and Alana Catherine were busy introducing themselves to my daughter’s guards.
I squinted at him. “None of them, what?” I asked.
He raised a brow and gave me a lopsided grin. “I’ve not had a relationship with any of the Demons on our property.”
“Oh my God!” I hissed, punching him in the arm and glancing around to see if anyone heard. “Are you reading my freaking mind?”
“Your face,” he said with a laugh. “It’s flattering that you’re jealous. You have no need to be. Hell knows, I would gouge the eyeballs out of any man who so much as looked at you sideways.”
“Ouch,” I said with a wince. “That’s kind of harsh.”
He shrugged. “Are you telling me you didn’t want a go at the Demons who were giving me the once over?”
“I hadn’t gotten that far in my brain,” I told him, secretly knowing I probably would have gotten there with time. “But gouging eyes out for looking? Not sure I’d do it.”
He chuckled. “You’re a far better person than me.”
“Wrong.”
“Nope,” he insisted. “I’m right.” He stopped walking and cupped my face in his hands. “The very first time I saw you, that was it for me. Period. Done. You are my person. Without you, I have no reason to exist.”
I shook my head. “Our daughter,” I reminded him. A large part of my heart would wither away and die if Gideon was gone. I knew it and he knew it, but I would go on for Alana Catherine. I didn’t know how… but I would and I expected the same from him.
He paused, then nodded solemnly. “You’re correct. But I don’t want to entertain either scenario. It’s family time. We’re going to enjoy it.”
“Deal,” I said as he led us to the backyard. I knew exactly where he was taking us, and it was perfect.
“OH MY GOSH!” Alana Catherine shouted with delight as we rounded the corner of the house and arrived at the destination. “Seriously?”
“Totally,” I said with a laugh. “Compliments of your dad.”
Gideon took a bow and grinned like a fool.
In front of us was what I could only describe as a massive, hot pink jungle gym. It was way over the top, but also kind of amazing. There were three slides, swings for adults, swings for babies and toddlers, a sandbox, a fort and bright purple climbing ropes. The gorgeously garish playset was surrounded by sunflowers and daisies. Enormous orange and green stuffed teddy bears sat on the swings and at the top of the slides. And of course, two were in the sandbox holding bright yellow plastic shovels and pails. Surrounding the entire epic play area was a baby pink and powder blue picket fence that had been child-proofed… of course.
Alana Catherine ran around the playground, touching everything. Gone was the serene Higher Power. She was now just a little girl enjoying her parents’ love. Gram flew behind her, laughing like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Your dad built it,” I announced.
“Shut the front door!” she shot back, checking out the sand box. “With magic?”
“By hand,” he said with pride. “Used a little magic for the color scheme, but the rest was all sweat equity.”
