Page 37 of Keeping Penny

“We aren’t moving into Pyro’s apartment, Bowie. And that’s that. But he’s already pinky promised to be your friend and do lots of stuff with you. He has a life, one that doesn’t include us. Besides, we just met him. You can’t be inviting yourself to live with people you just met.”

“But I like him! And you do too. I can hear it in your voice. And he likes you back.”

For a moment, time seemed to stop as Penny and Pyro stared at each other. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest. She should’ve been embarrassed that her six-year-old daughter could tell that she liked Pyro…more than someone who’d just met him a week ago should. But it felt good to hear that Bowie thought he liked her the same way.

“Enough, Bowie,” she said sternly, using her “mom voice.”

Bowie pressed her lips together and squirmed to be let down. Penny lowered her to the ground and let her have some space.

“You’re going to love Anchor Point, Bowie,” Pyro said, while still looking at Penny. “It’s where we all like to hang out together whenever we have a chance. The food is awesome too.”

“Do they have chicken nuggets?” Bowie asked sullenly, looking in Pyro’s direction.

“They sure do. Wanna hold my hand so I don’t trip over my feet on the way to my car?” he asked.

Bowie nodded, and Pyro took her hand. They started walking again, side-by-side, as Penny followed behind.

She could easily dismiss good-looking, successful men if they thought talking to a kid was beneath them. Or if they treated Bowie with disrespect, or as if she was somehow less-than because of her lack of sight. Pyro, however, had quickly won both her respect and affection with the way he treated her daughter.

Affection. What a joke.

Penny had a crush on the man. And not a crush like she’d had when she was in her early twenties and didn’t know any better. When John had brought her flowers or candy, she’d thought that meant he was madly in love with her and would make a perfect partner. She was older and wiser now, and material things meant nothing.

Pyro had literally offered her a solution to their housing situation and safety from a threat that had been hanging over her head for two years. Not only that, but he’d befriended Bowie, as if it was perfectly normal for a grown man to spend hours reading Little House on the Prairie, or share a candy bar every night after dinner like it was the finest dessert in the land.

It was probably good she would be able to put some space between her and Pyro. Bowie was obviously too attached already, and Penny was quickly getting that way too. Some time away would be good for both of them, and for Pyro. He was probably sick of babysitting.

But he didn’t seem as if he was tired of Bowie. Even now, he looked like he was listening intently as she babbled on about the sounds she’d experienced while disembarking the giant ship.

Penny had no idea what the future held for her and Bowie, but one thing was clear—she was damn lucky to have been rescued from that hotel roof by Pyro and Casper. She and Bowie had been taken under Pyro’s wing, been welcomed by his friends, and treated as members of their Night Stalker family. It was a strange feeling, but a comforting one.

Because of Pyro, they were safe. Wouldn’t be sleeping on the streets or in a shelter. But gratefulness wasn’t really what Penny felt toward the man. At least, not completely. She was drawn to him for other reasons. They had a lot in common, and every time their fingers brushed or he put his hand on her arm, she felt it deep in her core.

Falling in love wasn’t on her agenda. But as she’d learned over the years, even the most carefully crafted agenda could be smashed to smithereens at any moment.

Realizing that trying to predict the future was futile, Penny knew she’d have to continue living the way she had for years—one day at a time. Whatever happened would happen. She’d deal with life as it came…and be the best mother, friend, and employee she could be in the meantime.

CHAPTER NINE

Pyro had been restless for days. He’d always been a solitary man. Yes, he enjoyed spending time with his friends, but he was also perfectly happy being by himself in his apartment. Reading, watching TV, sleeping, eating…however he passed the time, he was content to do it alone.

But now? After meeting Bowie and Penny? All he did was think about them. What were they doing? Were they happy? How was Penny’s job search going? Was Bowie sleeping through the night yet?

A week had gone by since Bowie had stated unequivocally that she wanted to live with Pyro. Her words had made him yearn for things he’d never even had on his radar.

He also wanted Bowie in his apartment. He had plenty of room. He couldn’t imagine anything better than waking up in the morning to the sound of her laughter. Teaching her how to make scrambled eggs or waffles, reading to her as they sat in the corner of his couch, all bundled up in blankets. Taking her to school to meet her new teacher.

But it wasn’t just Bowie he could imagine living with. Penny was constantly on his mind, as well.

He felt like a different man than he’d been before his mission to Gabon.

Honestly, he was having a hard time wrapping his brain around how much he felt he’d changed in such a short period of time. Before his deployment, he wasn’t even interested in a serious relationship. And he hadn’t thought about children at all.

No, that wasn’t true. He’d thought about the fact he didn’t want any.

Many foster kids yearned for their own children, so they could give the love to a child that they never had growing up. Not Pyro. He’d simply never wanted anything to do with kids.

Until Bowie.