Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (new ebook reader .TXT) 📗

The drive home went fast with no incident despite Sally’s assumption that Nolan might pop up. Using the garage’s side door, Amy followed the muted voices to the living room, where Lauren and Raelynn were working on a Disney princess puzzle. Her daughter was already in her pajamas.

Raelynn looked up and dropped the piece she’d been holding. “Mommy. You’re back.” She flew into Amy’s arms.

“Just like I promised.”

“Where’s Mr. Eddie?” she asked.

“Right here, sweetheart,” Eddie said, entering the living room. Raelynn flashed him a grin.

“Did we interrupt a game?” he asked.

“No, we’re all done,” Raelynn said, speaking around her thumb.

“No, we’re not,” Lauren retorted, standing. “A piece of this puzzle is missing and I can’t seem to find it.”

Amy grinned when her daughter wiggled out of her arms. As soon as she put her down, Raelynn went to search for the piece she’d dropped.

“How did it go?” Amy asked.

“Great,” Lauren said. “But I’m no longer a teenager. Who knew hide-n-seek would be so hard.” Her gaze went to Eddie. “Did you catch him, detective?”

“He didn’t show up, but I had expected that. Sorry I haven’t called you about the listing.”

Lauren dismissed his comment with a wave. “Don’t worry about it. Besides, you look like a glass and concrete kind of guy.”

Eddie gave her an enigmatic smile. “You never know.”

“Well, you know where to find me if you ever decide on investing your hard-earned money in a home or a time-share.”  She grabbed her bag from the side table and winked at Amy. “Walk me outside.”

Outside, the security lights by the garage doors turned on, but they weren’t the usual low wattage bulbs. Eddie must have replaced them with flood lights, their brilliance blinding. Neither of them spoke until they reached her car.

“So, was it worth the effort?” Lauren asked, studying Amy with a knowing grin.

Amy gave her a blank stare. “What?”

“The outfit. How did the good detective like it?”

Amy shrugged, but didn’t meet Lauren’s gaze. She sucked at lying. One look into her eyes and Lauren would know she lusted after her houseguest. “I didn’t dress up for him.”

Lauren laughed. “Oh, honey, you are such a liar. From day one, I knew you were interested in him.”

“I am not. Thanks for babysitting. I owe you one. Now go.” Amy shoved the car keys at her friend and prayed Lauren hopped into her car and took off.

“I can always read you, Amy Kincaid. And I’m not wrong this time either. Why do you think I’ve bowed out?”

“You have?”

Lauren laughed. When she stopped, she peered at Amy through locks of ebony hair. She pushed them in place and sighed. “Honey, you are so transparent. I think he likes you too. The entire time we were talking by the boat, he kept glancing toward the house, hoping you’d come out or something. I tried to ignore it, because he has a body built for sin and I wanted to taste it.” She signed dramatically. “But then I realized I was being unfair to you. He’s attracted to you just like you are to him.”

“No, he’s not,” Amy protested, but her complaint sounded weak. She’d seen the flash of heat in his eyes, but that didn’t mean anything. He was wrong for her in so many ways.

“If you’d seen the way he was staring at you in there, you wouldn’t say that. I think you should go for it.”

Amy let out a long suffering sigh. “Lauren.”

“Don’t Lauren me. I’m serious. He’ll be here for several weeks then gone. A torrid affair is what you need to jumpstart your libido and kick your butt back into the dating scene. You’re only twenty-seven for pity sakes, and you’re gorgeous. Plus, Raelynn is warming up to him, so seeing the two of you all over each other won’t send her into a catatonic state.”

Amy squirmed, bothered by Lauren’s suggestions and the images “all over each other” evoked. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Eddie. She did. Like she’d told herself, he just happened to be around when her hormones decided to misbehave. On top of that, he was wrong for her in so many ways. He was anal and uptight. But gorgeous with a killer ass and smile, the annoying inner voice added.

Uneasy with her thoughts, she glared. “Shouldn’t you be leaving? Your friends are probably wondering what happened to you.”

“Think about it, Amy.” Lauren gave her a quick hug. “And keep me updated on the creep.”

Amy waited until Lauren drove away then entered the house. She bolted the side door and double-checked the door leading to the garage. Raelynn’s giggles teased her ears before she reached the living room.

Her daughter sounded like a happy, normal child.

Amy peered around the wall surrounding the living and stared in amazement. Eddie was teaching Raelynn how to play chess. Memories of Amy’s past snuck in. She and her dad hunched over a chess board as they faced off. How had she forgotten those moments?

Raelynn pointed at one piece at a time. “King…queen…knight…bbbb…”

“Bishop,” Eddie said.

Raelynn studied the board then wrinkled her nose. “Where do the prince and princess go?”

“There are no princes and princesses in chess.”

“Why not? Their mommy and daddy are here.”

Eddie opened his mouth to answer then closed it. He rubbed his nape and glanced at Amy. “Help,” he mouthed.

He looked so adorable with that helpless look. Amy grinned and walked around the wall to join them. She knelt by her daughter. “The princes and princesses are keeping all the citizens of Chess-ville calm while the king and queen defend the kingdom. When you win and capture his king,” she pointed at Eddie’s king, “they will throw a big, fancy ball for everyone.”

“Can he cap…cap…ture my king?”

“Not if we get his first. You want to try?”

Raelynn nodded.

Amy showed her where to move her first piece. Eddie countered the move. Under Amy’s guide, Raelynn moved the second piece and the next and next. After about ten moves, Eddie stared at the board in shock.

“How did you do