. a lot, and you know she'll treat you like thedaughter she never had! She had been wondering when I would meetsomeone, and frankly, after we had dinn...r together, all she talks aboutis you! And besides, you're the only girl that has ever made me feelthis way! Please, say that you'll come; I promise, I'll protect youfrom all the nosy questions, and I won't let them embarrass you!" It's a picnic type thing then?" God no! My mother insisted on a hall with a catered meal, a band, theworks. Like a. Emily was still in her bathrobe. She answered the door and Mike stood there looking as if he had stepped off the cover of GQ magazine, in a nice suit with the jacket slung nonchalantly over his shoulder. ‘You’re not ready,’ he frowned. ‘I’m so sorry but I can’t go out with you tonight.’ ‘Why not? I thought you didn’t have any plans?’ ‘I didn’t….I don’t but I….’ ‘At least let me come in.’ She blushed at her rudeness and immediately stepped back to allow him entrance. ‘Would you like something to. As I watched her sleep, I made a decision. There was nothing I wasn't prepared to do to keep Beth safe. I had just decided to be a very dangerous man.I raised my head, fully awake and aware, an instant before Bill knocked on the door. He gently opened it and peaked in. "Alex? We're here. Paulee will be parking in a moment and then we'll be spending at least a couple of hours here getting ready, maybe more as we'll be going for supplies and waiting for Asa and Yuki to arrive." He looked at Beth. Gave him a condensed version of what had happened to me. Told him to hold off on calls for the rest of the week, "Unless it's an emergency, buddy. I trust your judgment on that." I didn't say anything about Kay. Didn't want to stir that particular pot until it was ready to be stirred.Ray's an excellent tech, and about as laid back as you can get. He just said "No sweat, Rob, just get better quick. Anything else you need?" I told him no, and he said "Just call when you're ready to pick it up.