Page 23 of Operation Protector
“He would protect her against any threat,” Ali said.
Colby saw Hayley nod approvingly, and gathered they must have discussed that exact response. Judging by her satisfied expression, that they’d chosen it to include Liz herself, although Liz would never interpret it that way. The only threat she ever saw was him.
“So I can go?” Grace asked.
She sounded as if she were holding her breath, waiting for an answer that would determine…everything. She was handling this so well, as if she understood exactly what was going on. How on earth had ordinary him managed to father the most brilliant seven-year-old in the world?
“I think that would be all right. As long as you don’t make a nuisance of yourself. And tell Irene where you are.” A pause, then an explanation. “Irene is my housekeeper and child minder.”
Colby heard a tiny sound he was certain was Grace suppressing a squeal of delight.
“She knows not to act too happy,” he said at Quinn’s look. The Foxworth man gave a short shake of his head, and Colby saw that his jaw was tight.
“I’ll make sure she knows when Grace comes to visit, Ms. Hollen,” Ali said.
“I think,” Liz Hollen said slowly, “you should call me Liz.”
Colby sat up straight.
“Damn,” he said under his breath. Hayley turned her head to look at him. “She’s got her,” he explained. “She doesn’t give first-name rights to anyone she hasn’t decided she can trust.”
He got to his feet then, because he had to. He could feel it swirling inside him again, that feeling of hope. He was pacing when Liz started what he’d figured would be coming.
“It’s only fair to warn you, Ali,” Liz said, “Grace’s father is a good-for-nothing slacker who thinks he still has rights, and he may come looking for her.”
There was a soft whuff it took him a second to recognize as coming from Cutter. To his surprise Grace said nothing, so there was a brief silence before Ali said, “Oh, dear.”
“If he does while she’s there, just call me and I’ll handle it.”
“What if you’re not home?”
“I’ll still see to it. I have people.”
“Well, that’s a relief, that you have it handled.”
“Ask if she has a photo of him,” Hayley said quickly into the mic, and Ali did so. Colby wasn’t sure what that was for, but he was sure there was a reason.
“Here,” Liz said. “Be on the lookout.”
“His driver’s license?” Ali asked. Liz had a copy of his DL? How had she managed that?
“I snuck a photo of it one time when he was here to visit Grace. I thought I might need it one day.”
Always planning ahead, that was Liz.
“Does he still look like that?”
Colby blinked at that, wondering why she’d asked when she knew perfectly well he didn’t. Well, not much.
Liz let out a rather unladylike snort. “Hardly. He’s much…scruffier now. I held him to a certain standard, and he was quite handsome then, but he quickly reverted to type once we separated.”
Colby rubbed a hand over his stubbled chin, but resisted shoving his hair back again. She just never stopped, never passed up a chance to slam him, even to, in essence, a total stranger.
A stranger who’s helping you for no reason other than kindness and liking Grace.
A stranger who had gotten past Liz’s considerable walls in less than an hour. Speaking of brilliant females…
He heard a sigh that he knew had to be Ali because Liz would never betray that much emotion. “I hate it when men do that. Appear to be one thing, or pretend, but turn out to be something else altogether.”
