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My dad exhaled in a rush

"That’s good"

"Yeah

I don’t think Moht otherwise"

That made some of the tension leave his shoulders

"Let me show you to your roouest rooe

I saw hi-size bed

"Are you tired?" He looked at me

"I know you are

And you have to work today, don’t you? Why don’t we nap for a bit before you have to get up?" I stifled a yawn and nodded, knowing I could use the couple of hours of shut-eye

"Sounds good"

"Wakehis shoulders back

"I’llready"

"Awesome"

My voice came husky with suppressed tears

Gideon al for ot up before me

I missed that little ritual of ours

So up onto lad you’re here, Daddy"

I closed ed s of grocery ingredients for dinner and frowned at finding Angus idling at the curb

I’d refused a ride in the ain when I’d left the Crossfire, and he was still following and shadowing

It was ridiculous

I couldn’t help but wonder if Gideon didn’t want irlfriend anymore, but his neurotic lust for my body meant that he didn’t want anyone else to have hts of having Brett over for dinner instead, i toup to eful fantasy, since I wouldn’t lead Brett on that way and he was in Florida anyway, but it did the trick

My step lightened and when I entered ood mood in daysI dumped all the dinner stuff off in the kitchen, then went to finda video game

Cary worked a nunchuk one-handed, since his other hand was in a cast

"Woo!" my dad shouted

"Spanked"

"You should be ashae of an invalid"

"I’ a river here"

Cary looked at me in the doorway and winked

I loved him soover to hi a kiss to his bruised forehead

"Thank you," I whispered

"Thank ot the goods toI’d need his help

"Yeah?" "When you’re ready," I told hirab a shower"

Forty-fivecheese and store-bought rotisserie chicken - my little cheat to save ti rooer slipped in the next disk and Van Morrison’s soulful voice piped through the surround sound speakers

"Oh yeah,"me away fro in his deep baritone, twirling ainst ers off me, he sweptand laughing

We wereour second revolution when I noticed the two people standing at the breakfast bar

My sot two left feet?" he teased, his eyes only on me

"Eva’s a wonderful dancer," Gideon interjected, his face arrested in that i, tooGideon rounded the bar and entered the kitchen

He’d dressed for the occasion in jeans and a Yankees T- shirt

It was a suitably casual choice and a conversation starter, since my dad was a die-hard Padres fan

"I hadn’t realized she was such a good singer, as well

Gideon Cross," he introduced hi out his hand

"Victor Reyes"

My dad waved his shiny fingers

"I’, my dad took his hand and sized hiuys and

Her blue eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed with pleasure

"I’ her carefully

"You look gorgeous!" "So do you!" It was a fib, but I appreciated it anyway

I hadn’t done anything to my face or hair after my shower, because I knew my dad wouldn’t care and I hadn’t expected Gideon to show up

After all, the last time I’d heard from him had been when he’d said he would meet me at Dr

Petersen’s office

She looked over at the counter where I’d du

"Can I help?" "Sure

Just don’t count calories in your head - it’ll explode"