Page 178 of Guardian Daddy

They sat and ate the picnic food, which ended with him feeding her strawberries and chocolate brownies.

It was amazing.

Later on that evening after their picnic dinner, she and Ethan were curled up on the sofa when Ethan’s phone buzzed. Seth walked into the room with his phone in his hand. “It’s Polly at the gate.”

“Why would Polly be here on a Sunday night?” Ethan asked.

“Samantha probably has her working,” Seth muttered. “I’ll let her in.”

They hadn’t seen anything more of Samantha today. Something that Ethan wasn’t upset about. Sure, he probably should feel sorry for Rhodes having to deal with that viper. However, he’d made his bed. Now he had to lie on it.

The front doorbell rang, and Seth walked out to open the door. Polly walked in, looking pale and flustered.

Her hair was even more wild than usual. And she was wearing a long, bright orange skirt with a purple top with pink flowers on it.

It was the loudest outfit he’d ever seen.

“Is everything all right?” Cate asked. “Are you working on a Sunday?”

“Yes, I, um, Samantha asked me to do a few jobs for her, and I was collecting the mail from her apartment when I saw this. It’s a letter with just her name on it. What if it’s from the stalker!” Polly cried, pulling an envelope from her oversized handbag. It was encased in a plastic bag.

Seth frowned at the envelope. “I’ll get Rip.”

Ethan stood and moved to Polly. She was holding the envelope tightly, her breath coming in sharp pants.

“Give it to me, Polly,” Ethan said. “Thank you.”

She nodded frantically as he took the envelope. He noticed she was still panting heavily.

“Are you all right?”

“I just . . . I had to take three different buses to get here, but I accidentally got off too early and had to run the rest of the way. Sorry. I’m rambling.”

“Would you like me to get you some water?” Cate asked.

Polly gave her a surprised look. “Yes, please.”

Ethan sent Cate a wink as she passed him. Then Rhodes and Samantha strode into the living room, followed by Seth.

“What’s going on?” Rhodes asked. “Seth said there’s another letter?”

“Polly? What are you doing here?” Samantha asked.

“I went to get your mail from your apartment like you said and I found a suspicious letter,” Polly said.

“What?” Rhodes asked, turning to Samantha. “You had Polly go to your apartment?”

“Yes, of course. I can’t get my mail.”

“Yes, but she shouldn’t be getting it either,” Rhodes told her. “Obviously, the stalker has discovered where you live.”

“Pfft.” Samantha waved her hand in the air. “It’s not like anyone is interested in Polly. She’s no one.”

“Samantha!” Rhodes barked.

Samantha instantly looked contrite. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just that the stalker isn’t likely to bother Polly. And what’s this about another letter? I want to see it!”

“We need to check it for prints,” Ethan said.

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