Page 83 of Protecting Love

“Absolutely not. Are we going to butt heads there? Most likely. I’m not backing down though.”

“Not even if I put a sexy dress on for you again?”

“Nope. I’m not into fancy all that much.”

“How about a white T-shirt, no bra, and a thong with athletic shorts.”

“Now that—that would push the meter some more.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. Can I let London know what is going on?” She stopped him before he could speak. “Before you answer, you should know—I don’t hide much from her because I can’t. It’s true about those twin things. She’ll know when something good or bad is going on with me.”

“Then there was no reason to ask,” he said.

“You’re okay with it?”

“Doesn’t seem as if I’ve got a choice, does it?”

She didn’t want him to feel that way. “You’ve got one.”

“For now, if she keeps quiet, I’m good with it. Though I’m sure she’ll tell Spencer?”

“He won’t say anything if she does. Trust me, he struggled with having a relationship with her along with a working one. He’d understand.”

“Does this mean we’re okay now?”

She pushed back from her chair and moved closer, then crawled onto his lap. “I’m okay. Are you?”

“Yeah,” he breathed out and kissed her forehead.

She snuggled in some, knowing they got through that.

20

POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS

“Are you back for the day now, Dad?” Ian asked when he walked in at ten thirty with a few bags of food.

“Yeah. I just had some errands to run.”

He hadn’t thought he’d be gone two and a half hours. He’d only told Ian he was running out for some things and would be back with food.

And of course that had been sent in a text because his son didn’t get up before ten on a Sunday if someone didn’t wake him up.

The fact that Ian’s hair was standing in every direction and driving Fletcher nuts said his kid probably woke up not that long ago.

His son needed a haircut in the worst way, but he wouldn’t be that parent to say it. He wouldn’t try to project his style onto a teen who was trying to find his own.

“Sweet, you got more flour. I was thinking of trying to make homemade bread today.”

“Again?” he asked.

Last weekend Ian tried to do it and it was more like a brick to break a window, or maybe his teeth. Rather than say a word, after a few crunches, he just put it down and let it go.

His son’s laughter was enough.

Sometimes in life, you just didn’t need to point out the obvious.

“Yeah. I’ve been watching videos. I overworked it last time. Can I cook dinner today too?”