Rescuing Emily (Delta Force Heroes Book 2) by Susan Stoker

eyebrows questioningly.
    “Are you upset with me? Because the last couple of months I’ve definitely sensed some ice-queen vibes from you.”
    Emily couldn’t believe Fletch was accusing her of being frosty to him—as if he didn’t know why. She tried to work through what she wanted to say to him, but before she’d thought of a suitable comeback, he spoke again.
    “Just because you have a boyfriend doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends. I’ve missed Annie. She’s funny and sweet and I enjoy spending time with her. Maybe you’ve just been busy, or maybe you really are avoiding me, but I hope that you’ll at least consider loosening up a bit around me. I haven’t had my friends over for a barbeque in too long. Now that my best friend has hooked up with a woman, I’d like to invite them all over and introduce you properly.”
    Emily was horrified. He thought she was dating his friend? That they’d hooked up? He was delusional. “I don’t think that’d be a good idea.”
    Instead of looking upset, Fletch looked determined. Lord, the last thing she needed was him deciding they should be friends and hang out together. She was afraid of the one friend of his she’d met, and hanging with more wasn’t even something she wanted to think about.
    “Why?”
    “Fletch, look, I appreciate that you let me and Annie move in, but that’s all we are. Your tenants. We’ll come over tonight, because I already told Annie we would, but I’d appreciate it if, after dinner, you don’t try to get us any more embroiled in your life than we already are.”
    She almost felt bad for the look of confusion and sorrow that flitted across his face before he locked it down. There was no reason Emily should feel sorry for Fletch, not after everything that had happened over the last few months. No way in hell.
    “All right. I didn’t know you felt that way, but fine. I’ll see you in a bit.” Fletch spat the words out, spun around and stalked across the yard to his front door.
    Emily swayed where she stood. She was so tired. Tired of being hungry, tired of being scared, tired of being worried, and tired of always watching to see if that man was lurking about. All she wanted was to keep Annie safe; she hadn’t thought that was too much to ask, but apparently it was. She sighed and held a hand to her tummy, which was letting her know she’d skipped lunch…and breakfast.
    She headed up the stairs to her apartment, wondering how she was going to get through dinner.
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    H ours later , Emily realized she shouldn’t have been concerned. Fletch was super-attentive…to Annie. He’d given Emily a glass of wine, and then proceeded to give all of his attention to her daughter. They laughed as Annie tossed the salad, and spilled most of it on the counter in the process. He sliced the corn off the cob so she could eat it without burning her fingers. Fletch even cut her steak up into tiny bites so it was easier to eat.
    At one point, he’d brought up the shooting that had happened recently at her elementary school. A man had gone into the school Annie attended and had injured a few people and held an entire gym full of children hostage. Luckily, he hadn’t actually known kids were hiding in the gym, but it had been horrific all the same. It turned out that one of Fletch’s Army friends, a man named Jones, happened to be in the area for a hostage negotiation seminar, and had been able to help take down the bad guy.
    Annie had chattered away with Fletch about the experience as if it was the coolest thing that had ever happened to her. She’d been in her own classroom, far away from the gym, and Mrs. O had quickly gotten all the kids out of the building through the window so they’d had no idea what was really going on.
    Emily knew what Fletch was trying to do…make the entire experience not seem as horrifying as it was…and she appreciated it. But she couldn’t think about that day and not remember how insanely scared she’d been.