I opened the door to Edward.

"Jack here?"

"You came here for my kid?" I gaped at him, kind of taken aback. He was in black today, hat on backward, curls too wild, pants too slouchy, cute as fuck. "How did you know where we live?"

"She told me. She said you wouldn't let her ride to the park on her own, even though it's only three blocks, so I figured I'd just come get her. Save you the walk."

"I don't mind the walking." It was the lounging on stinky cars, bored out of my mind for hours, that kind of sucked.

"Could try a board, you know? If the kid is that good, her mom might be even better."

I laughed out loud. "Doubtful."

"Never know until you try."

"Guess we're never going to know. Jacy!" I yelled up the stairs and heard her feet hit the floor with a thud above my head. She came bounding down the stairs, totally out of breath with her hair all wild.

"Edward!" she panted. "I didn't think you'd come!"

"Gotta trust me a bit more than that, Jack." He held out his hand for a low five, and Jacy slapped his palm with a grin on her face.

"Can I go?" she asked me, eyes blazing. She had a crush.

You and me both, kiddo.

"I don't know. It's kind of far away, and what if something happens—"

"Gotta trust me more than that, B." Edward grinned at me.

I shot a glare at Jacy. "You told him?"

"No, I told him the first letter. He has to guess the rest."

Edward gave me the cockiest grin I'd ever seen. "And considering you named your daughter Jack, I'm betting your name is Ben."

"Close, but not quite."

Jacy whined at a pitch only dogs could hear.

"Ok, fine!" I waved my hands at her. "But you listen to me." I pointed down at her, then at Edward. "Both of you. I want you home by five. I want you to be careful. I want you to remember what I said about boys."

"What did you say about boys?" Edward asked.

"To kick them between the legs and tell them that I'm better than they are," Jacy answered seriously.

Edward stifled a snort, grinning at her. "Legit. You should do that."

"It'll be ok, Mom."

I know," I sighed.

"I'll have her back before five. Scout's honor." He held up three fingers.

"That's Star Trek."

"Oops." He jammed his fingers back together. "Never was a scout."

"I went to Campfire Girls for about thirty-five minutes, and then I quit," Jacy said, sounding proud, slipping into her shoes.

"Thank god for that," I said. Ain't no mom judgement worse than the troop-mom judgement.

"Let's go," Edward said before he stepped on his board and launched himself off all six steps of the porch, landing with a grunt and rolling down the walkway to the sidewalk. I caught Jacy by the neck of her t-shirt, just as she was ready to sail right off the stairs after him.

"Don't you dare," I hissed. "Not yet."

She kissed me on the cheek and clattered down the stairs, meeting him in the road. With a "See you later, Ben," and a wave from both of them, they were off.

I closed the door, clutching her kiss to my face.

AN

I know you want to know how old our boy is.

We're getting there.

In the meantime - rest assured that I don't like to be grossed out. So I'm not going to do it to you. Ok? Ok.

Hadley beta'd this in the midst of a bunch of real-life stress and other editing projects. Because she's wonder woman. They made a movie about her.

Thank you for reading.

HB