Lynda Sandoval - Daddy on Demand / Déjà You - Daddy on Demand / Déjà You

As soon as the door closed behind him, Cassie turned back to Sabrina, her expression relaxing to weariness and worry. “How was the drive down?”

“Better than expected. It can’t help but get awkward every once in awhile considering our history.”

“He likes to watch you when he thinks you won’t notice.”

“I suppose I am becoming like a second kid sister to him.”

With a badly faked cough, Cassie replied, “Right. That’s exactly the conclusion that I came to.”

Feeling heat in her cheeks, Sabrina shook her head. “You don’t have to worry that I would—or he would, for that matter—behave improperly in front of the girls.”

“I’m so not worried. In fact, I wish you would drive the old fossil a little crazy.”

“Oh, please don’t start.”

“I hereby quit. I’ll just point out that a complete stranger would notice you’re good for him.”

“Thank you, but you know the chant better than I do. Your brother is ‘not the marrying kind.’ What about you?” Sabrina asked. “Do you ever have time for a life, let alone romance?”

Cassidy glanced over her shoulder to make sure the girls were still down the hall. “Believe me, I could have a different man every night if that was what appealed, and I have to admit one or two have been tempting, but as you can tell, right now it’s the girls and the job that need to take priority.”

“It must feel like a huge responsibility to fly something where everyone counts on you to get them home.”

“It does, but I count on them just as much to do their jobs, so it’s a team thing.”

The girls returned and Cassie effortlessly changed the subject to who wanted to drink milk and who wanted to drink spring water.

“I try to keep soft drinks out of their diet as much as possible,” she told Sabrina. “They can thank me for their healthier teeth and digestive systems later. Oh, and for afternoon snacks, I always keep carrot and celery sticks. Add a little peanut butter and they’re good until dinner. They like apples with peanut butter, too. And bananas.”

“I know Collin doesn’t have any peanut butter in the house, but I’ll get it. What about D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S? What is and isn’t permitted?”

The spelling had Cassie smiling. “That won’t work much longer. Not only can they now spell their names, not just recognize them in print, they can spell cat and dog. But back to your point—it’s your call. I know the calendar is charging into the most sugar-intense time of the year on top of the kids craving comfort food for one reason or another.”

“You’re making it so easy for me. I thought since you’re so slender, you might be concerned about them gaining too much weight.”

“Those two take after me. I burn triple-digit calories just breathing. That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. If they tell that you they’re hungry, feed them.” Cassie added, “I would love not to look like a boy going and coming. Please tell me yours aren’t a boob job?”

Sabrina gasped. “Why, no!” She couldn’t imagine what her family’s reaction would be if she did such a thing. “With a B-cup, I’m considered the flat-chested one in my family.”

“You’re from Wisconsin? Your family is Scandinavian?”

“On my mother’s side. My father’s people are English.”

“Ever curious to see the old family haunts?”

“If it wasn’t so cold. I hate being cold.”

“I’m with you there. So where am I going? The mountains of Afghanistan—during the winter, no less.”

“Make a snowman, Mommy, and send us the picture,” Addison said returning to the kitchen.

“I will, my glass-half-full girl.”

Sliding Sabrina a wry look, Cassie started pouring the children’s drinks. “What will you have, Sabrina? I do have beer or wine if you’d prefer.”

“Oh, no, thanks. That and the long drive back to Dallas will put me to sleep.”

“I’ll have a glass of that wine,” Collin told his sister returning with the tray of grilled food.

“You’re driving,” Cassie sang, gently reminding him.

“Actually, we’re staying the night at a hotel just down the road,” he sang back.

Cassie glanced at Sabrina’s startled face. “Would have been nice if you had told her that.” Then she concentrated on getting the rest of the food onto the kitchen table.

As Collin poured himself the wine, Addison studied him with furrowed brow and pursed lips. “I don’t get it,” she began.

“Well, if you don’t, love, I’m sure the experts at NASA haven’t got a clue. Tell me what the problem is.”

“What do we call you when we live by you, Unca Colon? You can’t be Daddy Colon?”

Collin had taken a sip of the chardonnay and launched himself for the paper towels. Cassie and Sabrina covered their mouths and had to turn away.

Seeing no adult corrected her sister, serious Gena took over. “He can’t be our Daddy, Gena. He’s our Uncle Daddy.”

It was dark by the time Sabrina and Collin left the base. After a picnic-style lunch, and a tour of the base, they went through photo albums and then snacked. Afterward, she helped Cassie give the girls their baths, learned how they liked their hair dried, listened to prayers and tucked them in. She was exhausted and told Collin that she didn’t know how Cassie did all she did and fulfilled her military responsibility.

“I’m more impressed than ever with her,” Sabrina said as Collin navigated the crowded Saturday-night streets of San Antonio as expertly as he drove in Dallas. “She wasn’t kidding when she said she burns calories like a grand prix racing car did fuel.”

“What pleased me is that you two got along famously,” Collin said.

“Thanks, but who wouldn’t? She’s smart and funny, and radiates charisma.” She almost added, “Like someone else I know,” but she wasn’t about to swell his head more than it already was. His nieces clearly adored him and had taken full advantage of his presence to ask for repeated piggyback rides and sleight-of-hand tricks with his pocket change that always became theirs. “How’s your back?” she asked him instead.

“As soon as we check in, I plan to nurse it with a single malt. I did the math and I almost toted around the equivalent of a side of beef today.”

Sabrina glanced at the next hotel they drove by. That made three quite nice, executive-type inns. “Where exactly are we going to stay?” she had to ask.

“The Hilton on the River Walk. I made reservations the evening after I spoke with Cassie about coming down. Please don’t scold. Blame it on my need for creature comforts.”

“Wouldn’t think of it, but that’s way over my budget,” she told him. “Why don’t you drop me at the place we just passed and pick me up in the morning?”

“Not on your life. I have your room reserved, as well. Business expense. Besides, I want you to join me for dinner. I need real food, not toddler munchies.”

“Please don’t ask me to do the bag-lady-at-the-steak-house act again.”

Collin scoffed at her protest. “You look terrific. If you insist, we’ll stop in the hotel lobby store and pick you up a glitzy pair of earrings.”

“You’re kind to think that’s all it would take. Surely you know people in the city? You know half of Texas. Wouldn’t you rather touch base with them?”

“You’re just fishing to see if I have an old flame lurking in this area code.”

“I am giving you an out if you were only being polite.”

“Look, we are about to spend the next four months inundated with baby talk, kiddie videos and mushy cereal. I would consider it a gift and pleasure if you’d properly dine with me.”

With her resistance to him melting faster than ice cream in a microwave, Sabrina replied, “Well, I know I couldn’t sleep yet if I tried…and I am somewhat hungry.”