Chapter 24

Twenty-Four

Damon

The best part of family dinner was having Isla with me. All of my siblings were gathered around the table, and the conversation was jovial. Jason and Trent were antsy to go to the fireworks in a little bit.

Dylan smiled at us. “I always thought you two would be good together.”

I didn’t really want to start this whole thing in front of my family.

Kayla grinned. “We all did.”

“I think I would be good with you, too,” McCrae said to Isla with a grunt.

Canyon laughed. “I think I would be the better one for you.”

I put my hand up, unamused. “That’s enough.”

Everyone else around the table laughed.

Noah shrugged. “Damon, if it makes you feel better, I didn’t think I would be good with Isla.”

Ella shoved him. “What? I would hope not.”

Isla laughed with the others. At least she was happy.

My father put his hands together and cleared his throat, signaling that he wanted to talk to the group. “Isla, we are glad to have you here. I want to say to everyone that we’re glad to have you all here. Especially on this weekend of freedom. Freedom to our nation. In this house, we recognize that God gave this country freedom, and we are grateful for that. We recognize that God Almighty is the one responsible for all our blessings. We also recognize that He is the one we worship. We love you all.”

My mother smiled. She put her hand on my dad’s hand. “Amen.”

The rest of us said, “Amen.”

After dinner, we all helped clear the table. Dylan started doing dishes, and Kayla played with Jason and Trent in the backyard. My parents still had a trampoline, and Kayla was great at doing flips.

Isla dried the dishes as Dylan filled her in on his life in Denver. In return, she filled Dylan in on a few details of her life. Some were about her previous jobs like serving in fancy restaurants and working retail at Christmastime. I might have been trying to listen and hear her stories as well.

My mother came up to me, slid an arm around my waist, and whispered, “I’m glad she’s here with us. You seem happy. Happier than I’ve seen you in a long time.”

I smiled. “I am.” There was part of me that felt trepidation, but most of me felt hopeful. I leaned into my mother. “Things might move faster than they should, but I think I’m falling for her.” I put my finger over my lips.

My mother gave me a wide-eyed expression and smiled. She leaned in and said, “I know.”

That caused me to laugh.

McCrae stopped and pounded me on the shoulder. “I think you smile more now than I’ve ever seen you smile.”

Canyon pounded me on the other shoulder. “You and Mom are telling secrets over here. Out with it.”

Everyone in the kitchen seemed to stop what they were doing.

I laughed. “Well, I guess it’s not a secret. I like this woman.” I pointed to Isla.

They all laughed, and she blushed.

“I really like her,” I admitted. Saying it out loud felt good. “Maybe I even love her.”

There was silence in the kitchen, and then Isla whispered, “Maybe I love him too.”

I was so happy that I let out a whoop, and I went over to hug her and pick her up. And then I kissed her.

All my siblings clapped.

Noah said, “I was hoping both of you knew it, because we all did.” That set off a round of laughter.

After a bit, everyone drove into the city park to watch the fireworks. We spread out blankets, and the boys cuddled next to me. Isla cuddled next to Trent after he’d invited her.

As the fireworks went off, Trent asked, “Is Isla going to be our new mom?”

I smiled at Isla, and she took my hand. “Maybe,” she said shyly.

Trent turned to her and snuggled into her side. “Because I like her.”

Isla blinked rapidly and then said, “I like you too.”

My heart could have burst from all this love. I was happier than I’d been in as long as I could remember.

Later that night, when I dropped Isla off at her place, I did a sweep of the ranch. Kayla had volunteered to stay with the boys at my house while I took Isla home.

“I have to tell you something,” Isla said suddenly.

“What is it?”

She reached for a bag and then pulled out a pistol. “Your father gave this to me tonight. He told me the official story is that you didn’t know about it.”

I let out a sigh and took the pistol in my hand. I pointed it down and opened the chamber to see if it was loaded. It was.

“I don’t have to have it. Your father just said he worries about my safety, and he knew you couldn’t give me a gun. Because you are the police chief.”

“He’s right.”

“I don’t have to have one.” She paced in a circle. “I don’t even know that I need one. I’m kind of scared to have one.”

I let out a laugh. “My father is right. You should have one. I want you to put this in that little table drawer that’s next to the bed. At night, you take it out and put it under your pillow. Of course, you want to make sure the safety is on. Do you know how to do that?”

She shook her head.

I quickly showed her how to turn the safety on and off. “I don’t know if I need to say this, but if you shoot at someone, you make sure you unload this gun. Don’t shoot unless you aim to kill.” I handed the gun back to her.

“Your father said the same thing,” she told me, clearly nervous.

“He taught me that.”

She sighed. “I’m a little bit scared. But I’ll keep it.”

I pulled her to me and hugged her. “My father is a good man, and he cares for you a lot.”

“I care for him too.” She closed her eyes. “I hope I will never have to use the gun.”

“Me, too.”