Chapter 8

Archer stood in Ally’s kitchen, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankles. And waited. He waited with all the patience he could muster, for Ally to make up her mind. “Well?”

She nibbled her bottom lip, removing the shiny stuff that made it hard for him to look away, as a mixture of emotions crossed her face. “You want to take her ice skating? On the ice?”

He bit back a smile, certain that laughing right now wouldn’t get him what he wanted. “Yes, that’s how ice skating works. I’ll be right there with her. Holding her hand and cushioning her fall.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Archer sighed. “This is something I can teach her, Ally.” She’d done it all, from carrying her inside her body to being there for every scrape and fall and near miss. He needed to do something too.

“Fine,” she finally relented. “But make sure she doesn’t touch the blades, and take her bicycle helmet. And listen to your mother.” Her tone brooked no argument, but Archer had never been fond of rules.

“A helmet? Ice skating?”

“Yes,” she insisted. “Head wounds bleed. A lot. Why risk it?”

Archer’s eyes clenched tight against the morbid image of Glory lying on the ice with blood pouring from her head. “Okay.”

She grinned and relaxed. “Okay, then. Have fun. I’ll let you tell her and get her ready. I’m here if you need me.”

He smiled and stood up straight as warmth flooded his body. He needed her. Naked and writhing beneath him while she cried his name. But he couldn’t say that, so instead he said, “Thank you.” He surprised her by pulling her in for a hug and dropping a kiss on her forehead.

“Be careful.”

“I’ll be Captain Careful,” he said as he strode away, feeling lighter now that Ally had agreed. He’d worried all morning that she would say no, especially after that kiss he hadn’t stopped thinking about since it happened. His lips burned to taste her again. All of her.

But now, he had another girl to impress. “Hey kiddo, can I come in?”

Archer didn’t think he would ever get used to the happy smile she always sent his way. “Daddy! Whatcha doing here?”

He frowned and dropped into his haunches. “You’re not happy to see me,” he asked, voice low and head hung in sadness.

“I am!” She insisted, cupping his jaw and kissing his nose. “I didn’t know you were comin’.”

“I have a surprise.”

She gasped, wide blue eyes filled with joy and wonder. “What is it?”

“Me and you and grandma Cindy are going ice skating.”

Her little body vibrated with excitement and finally she let out an ear-splitting squeal that told the entire neighborhood how she felt about his idea. “Really?”

“Yep. But only if you get dressed.” He grinned when she hopped off the bed and went to her closet, grabbing jeans and a sweater haphazardly, the same way a young Ally used to do. She froze and looked at him, both of them unsure how to proceed. “What is it?”

She held up a pair of thick red tights with green wreaths on them. “Help.”

He glanced around the room, in search of help that wouldn’t come unless he called for it. Luckily Glory was a smart girl. She hopped up on the bed and shoved her little feet in his face, so he began to slide them on. “Okay?”

She nodded, lips twisted in thought just like her mom. “It’s easier if you roll it,” she showed him how and Archer repeated the move, looking up for her approval. “Thank you, Daddy.” She threw her little arms around him and he hugged her fragile little body close, loving that sweet little girl scent.

“Anytime,” he told her, not at all surprised to realize he meant it. In just a short amount of time, Glory changed the way he thought about everything. “What else?”

She pointed to a thermal shirt, slipped it on and then tossed a sweater over it. It looked good, but rumpled. “Mama will help,” she said, running from the room. “Mama, look.”

Seconds later Archer entered the living room and saw the amused smile on her face. “You look beautiful honey. Come let mama straighten you up.”

“See,” she beamed over her shoulder. “Outside clothes!”

Archer watched, taking note of every detail as Ally helped her into her purple boots with wool around the top, hats and gloves and scarves. He watched it all to see how to recreate it if he needed to. Damn kids took a lot of work. Fifteen minutes had passed and his daughter was finally ready. “Wow. I guess we better have fun, then.”

Glory missed the joke and wrapped her hand around his middle and forefinger. “We will,” she answered confidently.

“Have fun sweetheart.” Ally kissed her cheek and rose.

“A kiss for me?”

Her face turned a beautiful shade of pink and then she grinned. “You wish.”

Damn right I do.

“Mama, a kiss for Daddy!”

Ally rolled her eyes and grabbed his face while Archer held his breath, unable to believe she was about to lay one on him right there in front of Glory. But he should have known. She pulled him in for a chaste forehead kiss and shoved them both out the door. “Have fun, kids!”

Archer laughed at her words, walking with Glory to the car where he spent a respectable ten minutes securing her into the car seat. Maybe closer to fifteen. But it was done and soon they were parked and heading to the skate rental desk. Another ten minutes spent trying on four different size skates for Glory and they were ready to hit the ice. “You ever skated before?”

She shook her head. “Mama don’t know how.”

He smiled at a memory that came to him. “She was always scared of falling on the ice. Do you know that she would only skate if I held her hand?” He hadn’t minded one minute and instantly regretted he hadn’t gotten her to come along.

“Mama’s not scared of nothing!”

He couldn’t help but grin again at her excited defense of Ally. It was a testament to the kind of love and loyalty she inspired in people. “Nothing except falling on the ice.” He took her hand, trying to explain as simply as he knew how. “Do this to stop,” he showed her, dipping his toe slowly towards the ice. “But I’m right here, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.” It was just that simple for her and Archer was so humbled he knew he would work every day to earn the trust she’d placed in him. “Look! Grandma!” She waved her little pink gloved hands wildly, nearly falling before they even got moving.

“Hey sweetie. I’m gonna watch you and your dad together for a bit, okay?”

He thought she might throw a tantrum, but Glory was proving to have the same steady nature as Ally. She nodded and reached for his hand again. “Ready.”

He pushed off the ice, holding her with him, smiling as her laughter grew louder and louder. “Push left. Push right.” Glory repeated the words for a full revolution of the rink before she got it, grinning proudly up at him. “Great job, kid. Now let’s practice.” He grabbed her hands and turned in front of her, skating backwards to check her form.

“Wow! I wanna do that!” She tried to turn but he held her, lifting her in the air when she would fall. “I’m flying! I’m flying, Grandma!”

Her laughter was the only sound he heard and Archer felt so light and free, so happy he began to spin and turn, making her laugh and squeal even harder. Her body shook with laughter until he slowed and neared his mom. “We looked pretty good, didn’t we?”

“Adorable,” she said softly, gloved hand spread over her heart.

“Cocoa or more skating?”

She pretended to think about it, chubby little finger to her chin and then she grinned. “More skating!”

That’s my girl. They spent nearly an hour on the ice, skating and goofing around but mostly laughing. By the time they shucked their skates, Glory had skated side by side without falling three times around the rink. “You did very good today, Glory. You’re a natural.”

She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that?”

“It means you do it easily, like you were born to do it.”

A smile split her face. “Really? Thanks, Dad. You’re a good teacher.”

“Thanks, but how do you know?”

“Mama says a good teacher makes learning easy and fun.”

Thanks, Ally. He had a feeling he would be saying that a lot in the coming months and years. “You’re good for my ego.”

“What’s a ego?”

“My pride. Your words make me feel good.”

She stood, a serious expression on her face as her tiny hands grasped his face. “I’m glad you came home.”

And there went another piece of his heart. Soon she would have it all and he’d be going crazy trying to protect her and keep her happy. “Me too. Let’s go. You coming, Ma?”

She shook her head, a conspiratorial smile on her face. “I have plans but Ally invited us for dinner. I told her you’d love to eat her cooking.” She bent to hug and kiss Glory. “See you later honey.”

“Bye-bye, Grandma!”

She looked up at Archer and he grinned down at her. “So Glory, what’s your mom’s favorite dessert?” He might go to hell for pumping his daughter for information, but he was a man desperate to have both of his girls at his side.

 

 

“Since you’ve stuffed me full of caramel pecan cheesecake, you two will have to decorate the tree.” With a hearty pat of her stomach, Ally dropped down on the sofa with a soft, oof!

Archer grinned. It wasn’t part of his evil plan when he’d asked about dessert, but it got him more time with mother and daughter so he would take it. “If you insist. I am yours to command.” He flashed a flirty grin, feeling smug and satisfied when her lips twitched and she looked away.

“Glory show your dad where the decorations are.” She kept her eyes closed as she spoke, looking relaxed and content.

“Okay! Come on.” She tore from the room, leaving him to follow or get left behind. He followed much slower, and he was met with an impatient little girl with her hands on her hips. “You walk slow,” she accused.

“I’m older and I have all the muscle to do this,” he told her and scooped her over his shoulder, pushing open the door to a room filled with all kinds of stuff. “What’s this?”

“It’s our junk room! For now, Mama says.” She rolled her eyes affectionately.

“I don’t think I can carry all these boxes plus you,” he told her, looking seriously worried.

“I can help, silly!”

“All right, then.” He smacked a kiss on her cheek and set her on her feet. “Tell me what to do.”

“Lights,” she insisted. “They take forever,” she said, sounding a lot like Ally.

It took several trips between the two of them, but eventually they transferred all the supplies from the junk room to the living room. “Now comes the hard part,” he said as he dug into one of the boxes and lifted up at least ten pounds of tangled Christmas lights.

“I’ll help,” Glory offered with a wide grin.

Archer was so happy to spend time with her that he set her a few feet from him and explained how to do it. “Let’s get them untangled and then we can worry about if they work.”

“Okay.” Her little tongue stuck out as she focused on trying to get the green cords unraveled. “Dad, where were you?”

He froze at the question, innocent as it was. “When I was in the military or after?”

“Yep,” she sang and those chubby little fingers kept working hard.

“I was in Iraq and Afghanistan and then a few other places before leaving the military.” He’d been through and hell and back over the past decade, fighting and killing, dodging bullets and sending out a whole lot more. “I didn’t come home right away and I should have but I had to get my head on straight.”

She looked up with a frown. “How?”

Archer grinned. “I needed to do something useful that wasn’t what I’d been doing,” he explained, looking to Ally for assistance.

“Come here, honey.” Ally patted the seat beside her but Glory climbed into her lap and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Your dad was in the military. That means he helped keep people safe all around the world, but that’s dangerous work.” It looked like she was in pain, trying to figure out what to say next and Archer wished he could help. “People he served with, who helped him protect people, they didn’t all make it home and some who did make it home were very badly injured. You understand?”

Big blue eyes turned to him, filled with questions and wariness. Then she slid off Ally and walked over to him. With him sitting on the floor they were nearly the same height as she cupped his face. “You got a owie?”

“A few,” he grinned, “but nothing too bad. You know what I always need to make me feel better?”

“What?”

“A hug.”

She grinned and lunged at him like a little flying squirrel, tightening her arms around his neck and squeezing with all her might. “I like hugs.”

“Me too.” She smacked a kiss on his cheek and stepped back.

“I love you Daddy.”

Every emotion he’d bottled up over the past ten years, rose to the surface at four sweetly spoken words and he tried to push them down before the telltale wetness around his eyes turned into something like tears. “I love you too, sweet girl.”

And then she was back in little tyrant mode, untangling lights and bossing him around until the tree was overloaded with both store bought and handmade ornaments. Glitter and tinsel, popsicle sticks and even popcorn hung everywhere. It was the Jackson Pollock of Christmas tree decorations. He loved it. “What do you think?” He took a step back to examine the loud tree and grinned when Glory stepped beside him, her pose mimicked his.

“I like it. But it’s missing a topper.” She ran from the room and returned with a gold and red wrapped box that she handed to Ally. “It’s a gift from grandma.”

Even from his spot near the tree, Archer could see the worry on Ally’s face. His Ma could have gotten anything from a wedding cake topper to a plain old angel, one never knew. She took a deep sigh and tore off the wrapping paper as Glory cheered her on. “Oh.” She stared at it for a long moment, tears welling in her eyes as she handed it to Glory. “I think this was meant for you.”

Glory took it and Archer’s curiosity was piqued by Ally’s response. Then by the reverent way Glory looked at the star, traced her finger over it. “I love it. Look,” she handed it to him with strange look on her face.

When he saw it, he knew why. The big golden star had a spot in the center for a photo and his ma had chosen their senior prom picture. “We looked so young.” And so happy and in love. They had no idea what the future had in store for them.

“We were young.”

His gaze connected with hers and he could tell her thoughts were the same as his. Lost chances and missed opportunities. They both felt them hard in that moment, he could feel it. He wanted her, badly. And she wanted him, even if she didn’t want to. He had to find a way to capitalize on it. “I think your mom should put up the star, don’t you?”

Her head bobbed up and down with excitement. “Yeah! Come on Mama!”

“Oh honey, no. I can’t reach up there.” She relaxed back into the sofa as if that were the end of it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you. I have muscles, remember?” he grinned and flexed, feeling intense male pride as her gaze darkened and raked over him with the force of a caress.

“Like I could forget,” she grumbled and stood. “Okay, hand me the star.”

Archer dropped it in her hand and she turned to face the tree. His hands grasped her waist and lifted her straight up, he ignored the way she stiffened. “Got it?”

“Yep,” she answered, sounding all sexy and breathless. “Got it.”

He held her for anther long moment just because it had been far too long since he’d held her. With his head dipped low, he took the moment to inhale the flowery scent of her hair. “Ally.”

She turned in his arms and looked up at him with a sad smile that said it all.

Dammit.