Chapter 21

Twenty-One

Isla

That afternoon, I rode with Damon’s family on what they told me was a brand-new boat of Nora and Frank’s. Refuge Lake was big, so we had a lot of room to cruise on the boat, drinking cold water and laughing. The boys wore life jackets, and Frank looked totally happy captaining the boat. I could almost forget this looming threat that seemed to curse me. I could tell Damon wasn’t completely relaxed, but he was more relaxed out here on the boat in the sunshine.

Kayla was sitting by Nora, and they were talking about something that made them both laugh. Canyon and Dylan were having an easy conversation. The boys kept asking their grandpa questions, and he was giving them turns letting them hold the steering wheel with him.

I leaned into Damon, and it felt so right. When we were growing up, I would periodically come out with them on the boat. It was always such a great day. A break from my real life, and my alcoholic parents and abusive father.

I didn’t want to think about them. I didn’t want to think about how I still had to decide whether to make a statement to the parole board next week.

Damon whispered. “What are you thinking?”

I didn’t want to talk about crappy stuff, so I said, “I love being out here on the lake with all of you. Thanks for asking me to come.”

Damon squeezed me against him. He wore a swimsuit, leaving his chest bare. His brothers teased him about having a farmer’s tan, but they did too. He looked good with a well-trimmed beard. He kept in shape, and he was muscular and lean.

His sister had loaned me a one-piece that had only one shoulder strap. It was stylish and very flattering. I felt good in it.

I smiled at him. “This is a good day.”

He grunted. “It is a good day.”

I let my head lean back a little bit and enjoyed the wind whipping around me.

We had just reached the center of the lake when his father slowed and then cut the engine. “Who wants to tube?”

Both boys shot to their feet. Damon reached up, unhooked the tube that was attached to the top of the boat, and then dropped it into the water. Canyon helped the boys get out onto the tube.

The boys said, “Dad, you do it with us.”

Damon waved a hand. “No, you guys do it.”

“It seats four,” his mother said. “You and Isla could both go with the boys.”

My heart thumped as Damon turned back and put his hand out, asking silently if I wanted to go. I didn’t want to be a buzzkill, so I put on my life jacket and then jumped out into the water with them. The boys were instructed to sit in the middle, so Damon and I were on the sides.

It’d been so long since I’d been in a lake that I couldn’t help but laugh. The boys were laughing too, and so was Damon. I looked over, and Damon stretched his arm above the boys’ heads toward me. We held hands.

His father called back, “The minute I go a little faster, you guys give me a thumbs-up or thumbs-down if you want me to speed up or slow down.”

We took off, and it was glorious. The kids were screaming, and so was I. I lost Damon’s hand. Everyone from the boat was yelling for us. I got lost in the adrenaline and the fun and the joy of it all.

Trent grabbed me. “I’m scared.”

I giggled. “Me too.”

Finally, the boat slowed, and his father called back, “Are you guys done?”

Jason yelled out, “Flip us!”

Terror washed over me.

Damon laughed at my expression and asked, “Do you want to get off?”

Jason turned to me. “You can’t get off. We have to get flipped.”

“I don’t want to get flipped,” Trent cried, holding me tighter.

Damon looked at me. “Are you okay?”

I lowered my voice as I spoke to Trent. “I’ll get flipped if you get flipped. Should we stay or get flipped?”

Trent sucked in a shaky breath and looked at his brother. Then he seemed determined. “Let’s get flipped.”

I raised my hand. “Let’s get flipped!”

Everyone on the boat cheered.

His father took off again, going back and forth in the boat, and then he turned in a steep curve so the boat took on air. Then it started to flip, but it came back down.

“I’m done, Grandpa!” Trent yelled.

His grandpa slowed, and then they were pulling us back to the boat.

I hugged Trent. “Are you okay?”

He nodded with a grin. “We were brave, but I had him come back for you.”

I hugged him and grinned at Damon. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

Trent snuggled into me. “You’re welcome.”

For the rest of the afternoon, all of the adults except his parents took turns surfing, which was really fun. Even I got up on the board and stayed in the wake, with everyone cheering me on.

We got back to the dock around six at night, and everyone was starving. We loaded all the stuff into different trucks and headed out to Damon’s parents’ place. I’d brought extra clothes, and I showered quickly before going and helping Nora prepare dinner. The boys were outside, making sure the boat was cleaned off and drying everything out.

Kayla came into the kitchen and turned on some light rock-’n’-roll music. All of us began dancing in the kitchen. I found myself lost in fun with these women.

Right before we were ready to eat, McCrae showed up. He was done working for the day. I could tell he wasn’t his usual self, and I worried that something was on his mind.

“Did something happen?” I asked. “If you can tell me.”

He turned to me and tried to put on a happy face. “Nope. The same old stuff. I guess I’m just concerned. I’m thinking we need to get those cameras up at your place sooner than later.”

I was grateful for all the Armstrongs.

Damon’s mother gathered the family for dinner. We all sat and prayed over the food.

After a bit, Damon asked, “Are you okay if I go with the guys and we put up the security system? I don’t really want to take my boys, because I don’t want to alert them that something’s wrong. Do you want to stay here with my mom and Kayla and Ella and the boys?”

Kayla, who was sitting on my other side, grinned. “Stay here with us. We’ll watch some chick flick and put on cartoons in the other room for the boys.”

I was exhausted, so I agreed. “Thank you so much.”

The men left, and the boys ended up snuggling by me and Kayla. We watched Sleepless in Seattle with Nora and Ella, snuggling under the blankets on their big couch. I wondered again what it would be like to be part of this family. To feel so protected and loved. I felt myself falling asleep. I couldn’t stop it.