Rescuing Emily (Delta Force Heroes Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Susan Stoker
his eyes. “If someone is giving Annie a hard time for asking questions, I’m okay with you getting out of there and moving in here now. No kid should have to feel bad for being herself.”
“Again, thank you.” Emily had no idea how she’d gotten so lucky, but she’d never been so glad in all her life that she’d seen the ad in the paper about the apartment. She’d been actively looking, and had found the Sunday paper in the recycle bin behind her current apartment. She usually looked over the paper when she was at the PX, but since she wasn’t working that Sunday, she’d grabbed it from the recycleables.
“Can I drop this by after work tomorrow?” Emily wanted to have her boss look it over. She couldn’t afford to take it to a lawyer, but Jimmy liked her and he’d be able to tell her if she’d missed anything.
“Of course. I’ll leave a key under the mat by the stairs that go up to the apartment.”
“Uh, you know that’s the first place burglars would look for a spare key, don’t you?”
Fletch barked out a laugh. If someone did manage to somehow get on to his property undetected, his face would be recorded from so many different angles, he’d be caught before he could get too far away. “I think it’ll be okay for a day or so, Em.”
Emily smiled shyly at Fletch, teasing him. “Okay, but if I come back and someone has stolen the couch up there, I’ll expect you to replace it.”
“Deal.” Fletch smiled back. Maybe having another renter wouldn’t be so bad after all. After the last one he’d thought long and hard about trying again. Fletch would make sure Tex got the background check done on one Miracle Emily Grant before she returned the signed lease the next day. It’d be child’s play for the man.
Fletch would sign it after making sure she was everything she seemed to be. He didn’t think he had anything to worry about. The woman seemed open and honest, and relieved to have a place for her and her daughter to live, even if it was a small, barely furnished hole in the wall.
Being safe trumped material things, and he understood that in a way not a lot of other men would. He’d seen too much in his ten years in the Army, and five years in Delta Force. People would lie, cheat, steal, and kill to feel safe. He’d seen it over and over. Mothers who did whatever the local terrorists and bullies ordered them to, simply to protect their children. Kids who joined gangs, just to feed their families. The horrors of the world went on and on.
But Fletch could tell that the woman sitting in front of him now was a completely different person than the one he’d invited into his home thirty minutes ago. She was more relaxed and at ease, whereas before she was tense, cautious, and suspicious. Simply because she’d been offered a safe place to live for her and her daughter.
Fletch liked that he could give that to her. It felt good. He’d helped too many people to count in his lifetime, but he could feel the relief emanating from the woman all the way to his gut. “Go tell Annie she has a new home and I’ll see you when I see you. Yeah?”
Emily nodded. “Yeah.”
They stood up and Fletch walked her to his door. He stood in the entryway with one arm braced on the doorjamb and watched as Emily walked toward her car. She stopped when she was halfway there and turned to him. “Thank you, Fletch. I know you’re totally giving me a break on the security deposit and rent, and I appreciate it. I’ll do what I can to help around here, you just need to let me know what you want me to do. I can rake, mow, sweep and—not that it looks like you need any help—I can even clean your house if you wanted me to.”
“You’re welcome, Emily. But I didn’t hire you to be my maid or groundskeeper. I’m actually getting as much out of this arrangement as you are. I have a responsible tenant living on my property who isn’t interested in robbing me blind or throwing crazy parties. It’s a win-win
“Again, thank you.” Emily had no idea how she’d gotten so lucky, but she’d never been so glad in all her life that she’d seen the ad in the paper about the apartment. She’d been actively looking, and had found the Sunday paper in the recycle bin behind her current apartment. She usually looked over the paper when she was at the PX, but since she wasn’t working that Sunday, she’d grabbed it from the recycleables.
“Can I drop this by after work tomorrow?” Emily wanted to have her boss look it over. She couldn’t afford to take it to a lawyer, but Jimmy liked her and he’d be able to tell her if she’d missed anything.
“Of course. I’ll leave a key under the mat by the stairs that go up to the apartment.”
“Uh, you know that’s the first place burglars would look for a spare key, don’t you?”
Fletch barked out a laugh. If someone did manage to somehow get on to his property undetected, his face would be recorded from so many different angles, he’d be caught before he could get too far away. “I think it’ll be okay for a day or so, Em.”
Emily smiled shyly at Fletch, teasing him. “Okay, but if I come back and someone has stolen the couch up there, I’ll expect you to replace it.”
“Deal.” Fletch smiled back. Maybe having another renter wouldn’t be so bad after all. After the last one he’d thought long and hard about trying again. Fletch would make sure Tex got the background check done on one Miracle Emily Grant before she returned the signed lease the next day. It’d be child’s play for the man.
Fletch would sign it after making sure she was everything she seemed to be. He didn’t think he had anything to worry about. The woman seemed open and honest, and relieved to have a place for her and her daughter to live, even if it was a small, barely furnished hole in the wall.
Being safe trumped material things, and he understood that in a way not a lot of other men would. He’d seen too much in his ten years in the Army, and five years in Delta Force. People would lie, cheat, steal, and kill to feel safe. He’d seen it over and over. Mothers who did whatever the local terrorists and bullies ordered them to, simply to protect their children. Kids who joined gangs, just to feed their families. The horrors of the world went on and on.
But Fletch could tell that the woman sitting in front of him now was a completely different person than the one he’d invited into his home thirty minutes ago. She was more relaxed and at ease, whereas before she was tense, cautious, and suspicious. Simply because she’d been offered a safe place to live for her and her daughter.
Fletch liked that he could give that to her. It felt good. He’d helped too many people to count in his lifetime, but he could feel the relief emanating from the woman all the way to his gut. “Go tell Annie she has a new home and I’ll see you when I see you. Yeah?”
Emily nodded. “Yeah.”
They stood up and Fletch walked her to his door. He stood in the entryway with one arm braced on the doorjamb and watched as Emily walked toward her car. She stopped when she was halfway there and turned to him. “Thank you, Fletch. I know you’re totally giving me a break on the security deposit and rent, and I appreciate it. I’ll do what I can to help around here, you just need to let me know what you want me to do. I can rake, mow, sweep and—not that it looks like you need any help—I can even clean your house if you wanted me to.”
“You’re welcome, Emily. But I didn’t hire you to be my maid or groundskeeper. I’m actually getting as much out of this arrangement as you are. I have a responsible tenant living on my property who isn’t interested in robbing me blind or throwing crazy parties. It’s a win-win
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