Free Playing Dirty by Jamie Ann Denton

herself at him. He lifted her, and she wrapped her little arms around his neck, squeezing tight. “I missed you so much.”
    A piece of his heart broke off and shattered. “I missed you too, Munchkin.” Mattie wouldn’t be the only one he’d be walking away from if he lost out to Grayson. Phoebe would be lost to him, as well, and that had him seriously considering Jed’s suggestion that he play dirty to keep what belonged to him—the two females who’d become his family.  
    “Did you hear? My daddy’s not in Heaven anymore.”
    “Yes, I heard,” he said, careful to keep the fresh surge of anger clawing at his insides from his voice. He understood Phoebe would be curious about the man she knew only from photographs. Grayson might be her biological father, but he wasn’t who Phoebe cuddled next to to on Sunday mornings so he could read the funny papers to her. And Grayson sure as hell wasn’t the one who’d been up all night on Christmas Eve, building a dream condo for Barbie. Grayson had never kissed Phoebe’s boo-boo’s all better, hadn’t endured tea parties or helped dress a baby doll on demand. While he’d been only God knew where, Trenton had been the one sitting through an endless stream of Disney DVD’s. Okay, so maybe on some level he could muster a modicum of sympathy for the guy. In serving his country, he’d lost a lot, had missed out on moments that could never be recaptured. But did that mean he was just supposed to step aside and let Grayson resume his place in Mattie and Phoebe’s lives? God, would he even have a say in the matter?  
    Griffen stood and went to Mattie, pulling her in for a hug. “Oh, Stinkerbell, I’m so sorry.”
    “You’re going to make me cry again,” Mattie said as she pulled away from her sister. She cast those green eyes in his direction. “Can we talk?”
    “We should go,” Jed said. “If you want, we can take Phoebe back home with us.”
    “No,” Mattie said. “Thank you, but no. I’d really like for you to stay.” She looked to Griffen. “Have you called Dad?”
    “Not yet. But I will if you want me to.”
    Mattie nodded. “He should be here.”
    “I’ll take care of it,” Griffen said.
    Jed stood and pulled his keys from his pocket. “Why don’t Griff and I take the kids to Goldie’s for some ice cream,” he suggested. “Give you guys a few minutes alone.”
    “Thank you, Jed,” Mattie said with a half-hearted smile. “I appreciate it.” She turned and walked into the formal living room without another glance in his direction.  
    Dread filled him as he set Phoebe down, but he forced a smile for the girl’s sake. “You go with Aunt Griffen, okay?”
    “But I didn’t get my presence from Paris yet.”
    “Your presents will be waiting for you when you get back,” he said. “I promise.”
    At that, she flashed him the same high wattage smile that had melted his heart from Day One. “Okee-dokee.” Oblivious to the tension in the room, she skipped out of the kitchen and joined Griffen, Jed and Austin in the foyer.
    Griffen cast a worried glance in Mattie’s direction. His bride stood by one of the yellow and white striped winged chairs near the large picture window, staring at the mountain of wedding gifts carefully stacked on the dining room table and on the floor near the china cabinet.  
    “Let her know Dad’s not answering. I left a voice mail and will try him again later,” Griffen told him. She hesitated for half a second, then kissed his cheek. “I really am sorry, Trenton.”
    So was he. “Thanks,” he said, then closed the door behind them before he joined Mattie in the living room.
    As a litigator, he was paid well to think fast on his feet. He prided himself on his ability to look at both sides of any argument, and be ready for whatever the opposition might throw his way in court. But seeing Mattie now, at how dejected and hurt she looked, he didn’t have a clue what to say to her other than he loved her. In his