Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Finding Solutions

Feeling like he was getting whiplash, but determined to stick it out, he spread his arms out.

"Fine, I'll stop being nice. Sometimes I think your hair is too messy. It pisses me off that one day you might actually beat me in a fight. Though you hate them, I wish you would wear dresses sometimes cause you would look amazing. I also wish you would wear heels cause I know they would make your legs look extremely hot. There? Is that better?"

Carter's eyebrows inched together. "You think my hair is too messy?"

Donovan rubbed his face, having the feeling he was never going to win.

"Do you really?" she asked.

Knowing that whatever he would say next could end up with them broken up or his arm broken, he went with the next best option, he kissed her.

The frantic, tangled mess that was Carter's emotions seemed to still. She melted into his hold like he was the eye of the storm.

When they broke apart, she rested her forehead on his chest.

"I really hate being a girl sometimes," she said.

He kissed the top of her head. "Yes, but I like you as a girl and wouldn't change a thing."

Carter gripped his shirt. "You're doing that nice thing again."

"Okay, I'll stop." He paused. "You want to watch 13 Going On 30 and eat ice cream."

"If I say yes, does that make me weak?"

"If I said yes, you could break my wrist, so I think that answers your question."

Raising her head, Carter smiled at him. Kissing the tip of her nose, he led her back to the couch. They sat, Carter curled up beside Donovan.

They transitioned from one movie to the next as the ice cream diminished. Eventually, the work out from before got the best of Carter and she fell asleep beside him, a pillow tucked under her head. Having no place he would rather be, Donovan rested a hand on her waist as his other hand played with her hair.

They were towards the end of their third movie when the front door opened. Donovan tensed with panic, while Carter slept on.

Steve walked in and stopped at the sight of his daughter sleeping next to Donovan. In reaction to the line that cut into Steve's brow, Donovan raised his hands.

"Please don't shoot me," he said.

There was a tense moment where Steve held Donovan's gaze. When it slipped down to Carter, Donovan let out a breath.

"You made it through the day," Steve said, hanging up his suit jacket and dropping the keys into their bowl. "I'll give you credit for that. Any more ice cream left?"

Donovan nodded, daring to relax. Grabbing one of the remaining cartons, Steve took a spot by Carter's feet.

"This is one of our favorites," Steve said, to the tv screen.

Donovan focused on the movie as if forgetting what he had been watching for the last hour and a half.

"Notting Hill? Really?"

Steve nodded. "The push-ups, crunches and attack routine was my way of helping her cope. Romance movies were Maggie's way of helping her cope. So I got used to watching them with her." He looked down at his daughter. "It's good to remind her that it's okay to be a girl once and a while."

"You can stop talking about me now," Carter mumbled.

Steve chuckled and nudged Carter's leg. "It's your favorite part, Sarge."

Carter shifted to get a better view. On the screen Julia Roberts stood in the bookstore, staring at Hugh Grant. Instead of watching the movie, Donovan watched Carter. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he saw her mouth the words.

"I"m just a girl. Standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her."

Donovan's smile grew because the answer to that question was so simple. It was always yes.

**********************************************************************

Bang! 💥
(Bang bang into your heart.)

(Fun dancing song with a terrible message but that's usually how it goes.)

Okay if you feel like telling me what you thought of this then feel free to do so here! ✍️

A small explanation. The reason there are so many of these extra chapters is cause they help when I hit writer's block on my other books. If you think you've had enough I understand and will not fault you if you peace out here and now.

Question: is there one type of chapter you would pay actual money to read?

(I'm not saying I would actually charge you, just asking if there is one chapter you want that badly.)

Also Dirty Dancing is the one romance movie I like cause it has a strong girl lead! Also no one puts Baby in a corner.

If you feel at all inclined to do so then vote, comment, follow, but if you don't then I will never hold it against you cause well you control me and it's obvious because this book is so crazy long!