Page 12 of The Archer and his Rosebud

His eyes meet mine above the roof of my Honda. “I’m going to break the driver’s side window, and I don’t want to get glass on Clem. I’m not waiting for the police or a tow truck with the right tools, okay?”

“No. No, don’t wait. Just break it. Break it now.” I don’t have time to think about what it’ll cost to fix. I need her out.

I lean against the car, placing my hand on her window. Thankfully, I pulled the car seat’s canopy over Clem’s head when we left the doctor to block the sun from her eyes. That bit of fabric could make a difference in protecting her from shards of glass.What if something happens to her?I sway on my feet, my vision blurring. Stepping back, I pace in a circle, my mind working non-stop.She’s my responsibility. I’m all she has.A warm hand wraps around mine, and Eli offers me a child’s smile of support. He’s his father’s twin in looks and heart.

“Be careful, Dad.”

Nolan’s plea is the last thing heard before the shatter of broken glass falling to the concrete stills my pacing. Clementine’s screams amplify.

“Clem, baby, it’s okay. Hang on.” Archer’s deep tone calms my racing heart as he punches the rest of the crackled glass away, reaches his hand inside, and slaps the unlock button. “Got it.” He yanks the passenger door wide and ducks into the car, brushing broken pieces off her seat before unbuckling Clem. “Hey, little one. I gotcha. You’re safe,” he soothes.

I’m a statue, squeezing Eli’s knuckles white as Archer slides out of my Civic with Clem in his arms. I lose it when his large hand swipes the moisture from her chubby cheeks. Nausea turns my stomach, and tears drip from my chin.She’s fine. She’s fine. She’s fine.

“Willa?” I blink. “Breathe, hun. Look at your girl, not even a scratch.”

He passes her off to me, and she nestles her blubbering mouth into my neck. I exhale my first natural breath in five minutes. “Thank you, Archer. Thank you so much.”

Archer draws Eli to his side. “I’m just glad I was home.”

God, me too. “I’m a terrible, horrible mom. I should not be allowed to have kids. I’m going to scar her forever.”

“Knock that off.” He rubs my back. “Every parent screws up. Mistakes happen. Everything worked out. Kids are resilient.”

Let’s hope, because she’s in for one hell of a ride with me as her mother.

“Let’s get you two upstairs, then I’ll tape off the window and make a few calls to find someone who can replace the window this afternoon or tomorrow.” He guides me forward. “Hey, Nolan? Will you grab those bags for Ms. Willa, bud?”

“The keys are inside.”

“Got ‘em.”

He dangles my keys between us, and my breath catches. “Is your hand okay?”

Flexing his fingers, his knuckles are red, but the skin’s not broken. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Archer enters his code to open the building and the five of us make our way to the elevator.

“Is Clementine okay?” Eli asks.

She’s whimpering against my neck, but it’s no different than any other minute of the day. I smile to reassure him. “She will be. Thanks for coming to help your dad.”

A pleased grin stretches across his little mouth as he shrugs. “He said you needed help. It’s important to help people.”

Maybe it’s the high emotion and crashing adrenaline, but I have to swallow a lump in my throat as I nod, keeping my smile in place.

Archer unlocks my apartment door, pushing it open. “I’m gonna slip your car key off and tape your window and lock up. Do you have anything in there of value I should grab?”

“Take the keys. It’s fine.” I have no reason to leave my apartment, especially not with the state of my car. “If you could grab her car seat. Um, I think that’s all. And phone charger, I guess.”

“No worries. I’ll double-check.”

He’s scooting the boys out the door by the time I turn. “You’re doing too much.”

“If this is too much, you expect too little, Willa. This is what you do for a friend.”

Friend. A simple word, yet it fans a few embers in my heart. Having Archer as a friend wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

An hour later, fingers tap at the door while I’m in the middle of feeding Clem, and I draw a receiving blanket over my chest as the keys work the lock and Archer’s dark head appears, followed by blue eyes and a wide smile. The moment he spots us, he averts his gaze. “Oh, I’m sorry. I should’ve waited until you answered the door. Can I come in? Or, I can leave this stuff by the door.”

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