Page 62 of Owned By The Cowboy

“What’s the difference?”

“Inigo’s fighting for something that matters to him. The Man in Black was just proving he could.”

“But he was trying to save the princess,” Annalise points out.

“True. So maybe they’re both fighting for something that matters.”

“Like you did,” Nia says quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“The other day. When you came to get me. You were fighting for something that matters.”

“I wasn’t fighting anyone.”

“Not with swords. But you fought the paperwork, the insurance people, and all the stuff that was trying to keep you from taking care of me.”

I swallow with difficulty, feeling my eyes prickle. I don’t know what to say to that. She’s right, in a way. I did fight. Fought every instinct that said I wasn’t qualified to handle a medical emergency with someone else’s kid, fought the voice in my head that said I was in over my head, fought the system that wanted to make everything complicated when all I wanted was to make sure she was okay.

“That’s different,” I say finally.

“How?”

“Because you’re…” I stop, realizing what I was about to say. Because you’re mine. Because all of you are mine, and I’ll fight anyone and anything that tries to hurt you.

But I can’t say that. Not yet.

“Because you matter,” I say instead.

“We all matter to you,” Annalise jumps in with the confidence of a six-year-old who’s never doubted her place in the world. “Right?”

“Right.”

“Good. Because you matter to us too.”

And just like that, this little girl has said what none of the adults in the room have been brave enough to say. We matter to each other. This thing between us, goes both ways.

By the time the credits roll, Annalise is asleep on the floor, curled up with her stuffed elephant. Nia’s dozed off on the couch, her head tilted back against the cushions. Jaylen’s trying to pretend he’s not tired, but his eyelids are heavy.

“Bedtime,” Reggie announces softly.

“Do we have to?” Jaylen asks.

“Yes. You’ve got tryouts tomorrow, and you need sleep.”

“Will you be here tomorrow?” Annalise asks me as Reggie helps her gather up her stuffed animals.

“Do you want me to be here?”

“Yes. I want to hear about Jaylen’s tryouts. And Nia might need help with her homework.”

“I don’t need help with homework,” Nia protests, but she’s smiling.

“I’ll be here,” I tell Annalise with a smile and a wink.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” I brush her hair back.