She rang the bell and was surprised at how quickly he opened the door. Smiling, he took her bag and let her into the living room. He gathered her in his arms, closing them around her snugly, stroking her hair. “How is my baby girl tonight? It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you.” She smiled, finding herself melting at his use of the term “baby girl.” She loved to hear him say it because it felt so natural to her, even...

Good gods, it had been a long night. He chuckled to himself, knowing that he said that every time, but it seemed a little truer this time. In fact, the whole project had taken a lot more out of him than usual. Was he getting too old? Was there too much on his plate? Had he lost his joie de vivre? He certainly hoped not, because a new project would start in a matter of days and he needed to be ready. As he gathered the wil...