It's Only Love(18)
“I’m thirty-one years old, Mom. If I want to go to a biker bar, alone or otherwise, I will.”
“I don’t care if you’re thirty-one or a hundred and one, you’re still my baby.”
“You’re planning to stick around until I’m a hundred and one, aren’t you?”
“You bet I am. This family would go to hell in a handbasket without me.”
“That’s the truth.” Eager to change the subject, Ella said, “What’s for dinner?”
“Roasted chicken and all the fixings.”
“Sounds good. What can I do to help?”
*
With the dogs running ahead of them, Gavin walked with Lincoln across the yard to the tree line.
“Couldn’t help but notice you happened to be holding my little girl’s hand when you came into the house.”
Whoa, Gavin thought, we’re going to dive right into it, are we? “Yes, I was. She’s got very nice hands.”
“Everything about her is nice.”
“Yes, it is.”
“She’s far too good for you.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Heard you got arrested a couple of months ago. Any truth to that?”
“Yes, sir. I got into a fight with a guy in a bar who said we’d wasted our time in Iraq.”
“Huh. Well, I hope you punched his lights out.”
“I did. Mr. Abbott—”
“Since when am I Mr. Abbott?”
“Since I started dating your daughter. Sir.” Gavin stopped walking and turned to face Lincoln. “I want you to know that I care about her. I have for a long time, but it was never the right time.”
“And now is the right time?”
“I don’t know. What I do know is I can’t fight what I feel for her anymore. I’m tired of fighting, in more ways than one. I can’t go on the way I’ve been.”
“So you’re looking to my daughter to fix what’s wrong in your life?”
“No. I’d never do that to her. What you said about her being too good for me. You’re absolutely right. She’s too good for most guys. But she makes me want to be good for her. She makes me want to be a better man so I’ll deserve her.”
“Not much I can say to that except ask you to take care of her.”
“I will.” Gavin was determined not to screw this up, which was actually a huge improvement over the months he’d spent not giving a shit about much of anything. He’d been going along, doing his thing, running his business, keeping his head down and soldiering on even though the pain of his loss was always with him. Then Caleb’s dog died. Good old Homer. He’d been part of so many of their adventures that losing him had been like losing Caleb all over again.
“Let me show you the trees I want to get rid of,” Lincoln said. “I’d like to turn them into firewood. I could use some of it here and send the rest up the mountain to Colton.”
“We can do that for you.”
They trudged deeper into the dense vegetation, where the height of the trees blocked the sunlight.
“I’m going to be keeping an eye on this situation with you and Ella. Just thought I should let you know that. You’re a good man, Gavin, and I think you might even be worthy of my little girl. But you’re going to have to prove that to me—and to others who’ll be watching, too.”
“I understand.” If Ella had been his daughter, and she was getting involved with the likes of him, he’d be concerned, too. But now Gavin had one more reason to make sure he did right by her. He liked and respected Lincoln Abbott. Letting him down was the last thing he wanted to do.
*
Ella helped her mother finish the dinner preparations and was setting the table when Hannah and Nolan arrived. Hannah’s baby bump was becoming more pronounced by the day, and her sister fairly glowed with happiness and excitement. It was nice to see after so many years of wondering if Hannah would ever bounce back from losing Caleb.
Nolan was perfect for her in every way and was obviously crazy in love with Hannah. Her sister deserved nothing less after all she’d been through.
“How’s it going?” Hannah asked when she came into the dining room to help Ella.
“I’m good. How’re you feeling?”
“Much better now that I’m not puking all day. Once in the morning, and that’s that.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Me, too. Now I can really enjoy being pregnant.”
Ella was struck by a pang of envy that made her feel ridiculous, especially in light of her conversation with Gavin about kids. It had taken a lot for her to admit to him that she’d once hoped to have a big family. That didn’t seem to be in the cards for her anymore, but that didn’t give her the right to be envious of her sister.
“I happened to notice Gavin’s truck in the yard.”
“He’s outside with Dad.”
“I didn’t see your car, and yet here you are. Which leads me to wonder if you came with Gavin.”
“Maybe I did.”
“Something you want to tell me?”
“Not if you’re going to tell me all the reasons it’s a bad idea.”