Incarnate by Claire Kent

until Mac gets back.”
    “We’ve all got phones. She can call us if she needs us.” Seth was starting to look impatient. “Of course, at this rate, it’s going to be midnight before I get my dinner."
    Anna giggled and shot Erin another questioning look—as if to ask if Seth had gone crazy. But she obediently headed off to her room to change clothes.
    Erin went over to Seth and put a hand on his arm. “It’s a nice thought to go out. But I’m kind of tired—”
    Seth frowned and murmured, “You wanted my help with that other matter, didn’t you?”
    Erin immediately knew what he was talking about. “Oh.”
    “This is part of my plan.”
    “Oh.”
    She was having some trouble thinking clearly, since it seemed like everything was happening at once. But she figured she better go change into something nicer, as Seth had suggested.
    If Seth had a plan to address Anna’s insecurities, then things would happen fast.
    Seth Thomas was an excellent strategist.
    ***
    They went to one of the most exclusive restaurants in Atlanta, one that Anna had been to only a couple of times before. They still had their long-established “family night” at least once a week, and often they went out to eat for that now instead of playing games or watching movies. But they usually went to more casual, comfortable places.
    Only for special occasions had the family gone to this particular restaurant. The last time they’d gone—almost two years ago—Anna had fallen in love with the chocolate peanut-butter torte, raving about it for weeks afterwards. So Erin was touched that Seth had remembered and had chosen this place to take Anna tonight.
    Erin was already feeling better about Anna’s emotional state, especially at the sight of Anna’s pink cheeks and barely suppressed pleasure as they were shown to their table. The girl was trying hard to retain her characteristic snarkiness but Erin wasn’t fooled.
    Anna was very happy about this unexpected outing.
    As they took their seats, Anna quipped, “I thought we might have been going to Antonio’s.” Her tone was wry but she shot a quick, searching look at her father’s face.
    Seth met her eyes blandly over his menu. “Antonio makes some decent pasta, but the ambiance is too forced and hackneyed for my taste.”
    Anna clearly wasn’t convinced by his bored voice. “Right. I just thought you might want to spy on Mac so you could make sure Justin wasn’t groping her.”
    Her blunt tone was clearly a challenge, and her choice of words made Seth’s eyes flicker with a glint of outraged protectiveness. But Seth had never caved to his daughters' strong wills—not when it was important—no matter how much he adored them and longed to make them happy.
    His expression grew sober as he asked softly, “Do you really think I’d be as foolish as that?”
    Erin actually held her breath as she waited for Anna’s response. It could easily be flip or disrespectful, since Seth’s question had left him open for it. But Erin desperately hoped Anna wouldn’t take advantage of the way Seth had made himself vulnerable.
    Anna wasn’t even fifteen yet. But she had the power to hurt Seth—deeply.
    Her eyelashes lowered. “No. I guess not.”
    Erin let out her breath.
    Then Anna’s eyes shifted back up to Seth’s face, and her mouth quirked a little with an irrepressible humor she’d gotten from Erin.
    Seth’s mouth twitched in response. “That’s a relief.”
    Erin chuckled—absurdly touched by this small moment of father-daughter bonding. Then the server came over to take their drink orders and the conversation became friendly and casual.
    Erin asked Anna something about school and that was all she needed to get Anna to start talking. Anna held court all the while they were waiting for their dinners, blooming more and more from having the undivided attention of her parents even as she tried to maintain her wry, witty demeanor.
    In a lot of ways, Anna was more knowledgeable, more