Ty's chance *An Animals MC Novel*

Chapter Four.

Chris parked his patrol car in the driveway next to the small house that he shared with his five-year-old daughter Hannah. It was dark and his shift at the police station was over, the porch lights were on for him just like always and he smiled.

He walked across the porch his large frame making it impossible to do so silently as he used his key to unlock the front door, he stepped into the warm entryway and called out.

"I'm home!"

"In the dining room!" Zoey called back.

He shed his jacket and shoes, making his way into the open kitchen, only an island separating it from the dining room.

"Hi daddy," Hannah called form the table where she sat coloring, Zoey was seated beside her.

"Hi baby, how was your day?" He asked loosening his tie.

"Great! We went to the park and we got pizza for lunch." She said excitedly.

Zoey his babysitter, nanny, chef, and housekeeper stood with a smile bringing two empty plates to the kitchen and sticking them in the dishwasher.

"You should have told me you wanted to eat out for lunch I would have left money," He said.

"Relax, with what you pay me I can buy us pizza.

Zoey was only Twenty-one but when his wife had died four years ago she had held his tiny family together. His wife Marie had hired Zoey when she was only fifteen to help her around the house with their new baby and chores, she had adored Zoey from day one and after her death, Zoey insisted she stay and help him.

She was more like a family member than a babysitter, he paid her enough she never needed to worry about money and gave her bonuses. She spent most holidays with them and was with his daughter every day from early morning until he got home.

Not long after his wife died she began making dinner for him and cleaning as well, insisting he and Hannah couldn't live on what he knew how to make.

Sometimes Chris felt guilty, Zoey was great and Hannah adored her and he never worried about her abilities but her life was on hold while she helped them.

"I made your favorite for dinner, we already ate though. I didn't know how late you would be."

She opened the cupboard and got down a plate, piling it high with spaghetti and meatballs before handing it to him and walking to the fridge.

"You're too good to me," He said with a sigh.

"Well Hannah has to eat if I'm going to cook for us I may as well make you something." She handed him a cold Pepsi from the fridge.

"How's your mom doing?" He asked, leaning against the counter.

"The same...I...I don't know why she does what she does."

Her mother was the town drunk, prostitute and Chris had his suspicion she was on drugs. How she ever managed to have a child as wonderful as Zoey was he didn't know. Even as a teen Zoey had been a good kid.

"Look, Daddy!" Hannah climbed down from her chair rushing over with a large picture she had drawn of stick people.

"That looks great Han!" Zoey praised.

It didn't look great it looked like a mess but Chris didn't say that he just smiled and let Hannah point out everything in her drawing.

He was there and Hannah, Zoey standing next to him, his sister Lizzie and her twin girls stood further off.

"It looks, good Princess." He said.

"Here, we will put it on the fridge," Zoey said.

Hannah scurried off somewhere, most likely to get ready for bed so that Chris could tuck her in.

She took the picture and stuck it on the front of the fridge moving aside some of the older artwork to do so.

"I did some laundry today but tomorrow I think we will need to go get groceries, is there anything you want?" Zoey asked as she began cleaning up the table.

"No, I'll let cash on the countertop and the keys to the car."

His wife's car sat mostly untouched in the garage, several times he had offered it to Zoey but she refused. Instead, she borrowed it only when she needed too and always put gas in it and returned it exactly as it was.

"Do you need a ride home or do you want to crash in the guest bedroom?" He asked.

"I would but...I better get home to mom. I can walk, stay here and tuck in Hannah. "

She returned the large box of art supplies to the corner cupboard, restoring his dining room to its normal condition.

"What time tomorrow?" She asked.

"The usual."

"Alright."

She grabbed her jacket and disappeared into the entryway to grab her cowgirl boots, pulling them on over her skinny jeans.

"I wish you'd let me drive you," He said from the kitchen doorway.

"It's only a few blocks, I'll be fine."

"Zo, I'm a cop I know the things that happen to people."

"Christopher, I know how to handle myself. I'll see you tomorrow."

She opened the door and was gone, she only needed to walk about a mile all together and had been doing so for 6 years. While it was a quiet mostly crime-free town Chris still wished he could convince her to take Marie's car.

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed his plate moving to settle at the table and eat his dinner.

"Daddy! I'm ready to be tucked in!" Hannah called from the steps.

"Coming Princess!"

His meal would have to wait a little longer.

He walked up the stairs looking at the pictures of his beautiful wife, on their wedding day, holding a newborn Hannah and beaming at the camera, at a cookout, at the beach.

Hannah barely remembered her mother and Zoey insisted that keeping the pictures present would help Hannah identify the woman as her mother but Chris wasn't so sure. Maybe all they really did was prevent both of them from moving on.

At thirty-four, Chris was a good looking man, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a decent build. Well over six foot tall and thanks to his profession no shortage of woman willing to go out with him. It had come to his attention that one of his female deputies was more than interested and even though he still loved Marie he was lonely.