The movie finally ended, and the boys jumped up and both starting talking excitedly.

“Well, that was a great movie,” Cage declared.

“You slept through the first half and molested me the second,” Sophie said. She wasn’t annoyed at all. In fact, she seemed overly indulgent.

“Only way to get through a movie with a flying cartoon dog,” Cage said.

Sophie snorted, Eddie laughed, and Gemma looked back and forth between all the crazy Rochons.

“It was very nice to meet you and Dash,” Sophie said, turning to wrap Gemma in a hug.

“Nice to meet you,” Gemma said, returning the hug. The only other woman that ever hugged her was Jamie. It was still awkward when she did it, but Gemma was growing accustomed to them. Sophie’s hug was warm and inviting, and she smelled like cookies.

The little boys even gave each other hugs before everyone walked back out to the cars. After more goodbyes, Gemma found herself back in Eddie’s car. Dash chatted away excitedly going over every detail of the movie.

She was so distracted by Dash that she didn’t register right away that Eddie had taken her hand after they’d pulled out of the parking lot. He was driving, his face tipping to look in the rearview mirror and smiling as he listened to Dash.

Gemma paused to take it in. Her hand wrapped in a strong warm hand. Her son happy in the back seat. It was like the freaking Cleaver family. She wasn’t about to put on an apron and iron someone’s pants.

Who ironed their pants anyway? Gemma had never ironed anything in her life. Her polyester uniforms were shockingly wrinkle free. She’d never even owned anything that needed to be dry cleaned. If Eddie Rochon thought she was going to turn into some happy housewife, he had another thing coming.

Gemma realized she was gritting her teeth. What the hell? She was getting annoyed over a hypothetical problem that she made up in her head. Eddie wasn’t asking her to move in and bake him pies. He wanted to see her. Date her, she guessed. Would that be so bad? Having a nice guy take her out for meals?

That nice guy broke into her thoughts. “So, let’s stop by your house, grab the laundry and head over to my house. I need to let Keno out. We can figure out dinner when we get there.”

Gemma had temporarily forgotten about the laundry. “Sounds good.”

“You have a dog?” Dash asked, bouncing in his seat.

“Yup, he’s super nice and is going to love you. You can throw a ball for him. He loves to chase after it,” Eddie told him.

“Cool,” Dash replied.

“See, Dash thinks I’m cool,” Eddie said, looking at Gemma.

She smirked, correcting him. “Dash thinks your dog is cool.”

“First the dog, then me,” Eddie said. “What is it going to take with you?”

“Well, letting me use your washer and dryer is one of the most romantic things a man’s ever done for me,” Gemma admitted.

“Oh, that just won’t do. You need flowers, candy, foot rubs, and chicken Alfredo.”

“Chicken Alfredo?” Gemma said with a giggle.

“It’s decadent, totally bad for your arteries and if you eat it with someone you love, it shows you’re willing to die with them over saturated fat-filled pasta,” Eddie explained.

“As a doctor, shouldn’t you be telling people to eat egg whites and kale?”

“Oh yeah right, like anyone actually eats that. Have you ever tried egg whites and kale? It’s sadness in a bowl. Seriously, it will make you cry in despair. A ham and cheese omelet? That makes a person happy. Blueberry crepes? Those will make you see heaven. Life is short, eat what you want, live a good life and you won’t care how old you are when you die,” he said wisely.

Gemma knew all about appreciating the little things. Her world was comprised of little things. Last Christmas she got a gift card to a fast food joint. Gemma was able to get a few kid’s meals for Dash. It brightened up his day and he thought the toys from them were golden. It was the little things. Finding a pair of shoes for Dash at the thrift store that lit up had made his last birthday special.

“I could write a book about the little things,” she said quietly.

The tone of her voice made Eddie frown. His bear didn’t like hearing her sound dejected. She should never doubt that the world was available to her. They would make sure that she had everything she could ever need from here on out.

“We’ll fix that,” he murmured.

“We?”

Eddie didn’t say anything; he just focused his eyes back on the road. He drove straight to Gemma’s house, his mind running over how he was going to convince her never to come back to the dumpy little shack.

Gemma was proud, it was one of the amazing things about her. She didn’t wear her pride like a garish light but rather a quiet, solid armor. Eddie hoped he would add to her armor with his love and protection.

Pulling to a stop in front of the house, all three got out. Gemma opened the front door, and Dash immediately grabbed Eddie’s hand and dragged him to the door decorated with drawings to show him his room.

Gemma didn’t want to think about Eddie seeing where she lived. The outside was bad enough. For him to see how little she had on the inside was embarrassing. Instead of dwelling on it, she gathered up the laundry as quickly as she could. She kept it sorted and in separate bags to make loading and unloading at the laundromat easier.

She could hear Dash chattering away at Eddie in the other room. She wasn’t prepared for a pair of strong arms to wrap around her stomach. Those arms pulled her tight up against a firm, broad chest.

“Where is your room?” the low voice came, close to her ear.

The heat radiating off his body was a distraction that scrambled her brain. His words filtered through and she pointed to the couch in the living room.

Eddie’s eyes followed her finger. She was pointing at the lumpy couch against the wall. Eddie didn’t miss the fact that there was only one room and she had given it to her son, but the thought of her sleeping on that lumpy couch, with a leaking roof overhead, made him furious. His bear wanted to scoop her up and make sure she never had to sleep like that again.

Tonight he could try to change that.

“Ready to go?” he asked, pulling himself together.

“Yeah, I’ll take the bags out,” she said, pulling from his arms.

“I’ll get the bags. Grab what you need for Dash in case he falls asleep at my house. You know, stuffed animal, blanket, whatever.” Eddie figured at that age he was attached to something.

“I can help,” Gemma said, reaching for a bag.

“Yes, you could. In fact, you can probably carry all of these in one trip. But I’m here to help and I will.” Eddie grabbed the bags she held and nodded for her to go find Dash.

Eddie made two trips loading all the bags into the Rover. Dash was hopping up and down now, wearing a jacket as the weather had turned colder now that twilight was upon them.

Gemma had put on a coat as well. She was standing holding only her purse and a small backpack that was clearly for Dash unless Gemma had a thing for superheroes.

“No overnight bag for you?” Eddie gave her a smile.

Gemma glared at him, but Eddie took it as acceptance of her entering the game. The whole evening would be a game – he’d push forward as she sidestepped. Inch by inch, he’d woo her.

“All right buddy, let’s jet,” Eddie said to Dash, holding out his arms.

Dash, without a thought, leapt into his arms.

The sight of this caused Gemma to suck in a breath. Her boy accepted Eddie. Maybe too easily, but she wasn’t about to deny him that small joy.

Hell, Gemma liked to be wrapped snug up in someone’s arms too. Especially if that someone was Eddie.

That dreadful man was smiling at her, but she couldn’t scowl. Not with her Dash smiling back at her, their smiles eerily similar.

“Let’s go,” she acquiesced.

Gemma knew when she was sunk.