Playing For Keeps by Deborah Fletcher Mello

They’d been meeting for coffee on the regular, sneaking away for lunch a time or two, and had even managed a few late-night excursions at the club. Spending as much time with Cilla as he could had become one of his priorities behind his family and his businesses.
    He took a deep breath. “First, you better watch your tone, young lady. Now, I said we were only friends and I meant that. How much time we spend together won’t change that one way or the other.”
    â€œCan we meet her?” Claudia asked. She pulled her legs beneath her, sitting Indian-style as she eyed him curiously.
    He blew another low sigh. Malcolm had never before introduced his daughters to anyone he’d ever dated. Knowing those relationships would never go but so far, he didn’t think it right for him to shuffle women into and out of their lives. Lately though, with him and Cilla growing closer, he’d been giving some serious thought to her being the first to meet his girls. He looked from one to the other.
    â€œYou always insist on meeting all of our friends,” Cleo retorted. “So I don’t see why we can’t meet yours.”
    He took another deep breath. “I’ll make the decision when I think it’s appropriate for you two to meet my friends, not you.”
    â€œYou suck!” Cleo exclaimed as she jumped up abruptly, her eyes rolling toward the ceiling.
    â€œExcuse me?” Malcolm snapped. “Watch your mouth, young lady!”
    â€œYou don’t even follow your own rules,” his daughter snapped back. “Why should we follow them?”
    â€œYou’ll follow them because I said so,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “I’m the parent and you’re the child and you don’t have to like my rules but as long as you’re under my roof you’re going to follow them. Now this conversation is done and finished. If you’re going to the pool you need to go get ready before your grandmother changes her mind.”
    â€œYou’re such an asshole,” Cleo muttered under her breath as she stomped out and down the hall, the door to her own bedroom slamming harshly.
    For a brief moment Malcolm stood stunned, shocked by his daughter’s mouth. He met Claudia’s stare, the young woman watching him intently. Her eyes were wide, something like fear across her face as she paused, waiting to see if her father was going to follow behind her twin to discipline her for the profanity. When another few minutes passed without him moving from where he stood she lifted her slight frame from the mattress and moved to her father’s side, throwing her arms around his waist.
    â€œWe just miss you, Daddy,” she said as she hugged him. “Cleo didn’t mean that.”
    Malcolm took a deep breath as he hugged her back. He leaned to kiss the top of her head. “Why don’t you and your sister plan a daddy-daughter day for us this coming Sunday. Whatever you want to do. Within reason, of course. And I promise you’ll both have me all to yourselves.”
    â€œThe whole day?”
    â€œFrom sunup to sundown.”
    â€œYou promise?”
    Malcolm nodded. “Cross my heart and swear.”
    Claudia smiled brightly. “I’ll go tell Cleo. That will make her happy.”
    He pressed a hand to her cheek. “Thank you.”
    â€œHave fun on your date,” Claudia said as she skipped toward the door, turning to give him one last wave of her hand.
    As she disappeared from view, her footsteps echoing toward her own room, he blew out the breath he’d been holding, something telling him that Cleo’s teenage angst was just the beginning to the tribulations his beloved daughters were going to put him through.
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    Cleo stood staring out her bedroom window as Malcolm left the house. When he pulled his SUV out of the driveway and into the cul de sac, Claudia entered her sister’s room through their shared Jack