“Hey,” Isaac drapes an arm around her and gives her a squeeze, then pulls away. “You’re safe here.”
She offers him a small smile. “I know. I just can’t help but stay alert.”
I take her hand in my free one as the three of us lag behind the rest. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”
Her face drops and she stares down at the ground. She bites her bottom lip and turns her dark brown eyes up to me and shakes her head, her dark curls bouncing around her pretty face. “No.”
“Why?” I ask in frustration.
“It’s just better for you if you don’t know.”
I look over at Isaac. “Do you know?”
He shakes his head and scowls over at Brynna. “No. She’s a stubborn mule.”
“Matt and I have it under control,” she mutters.
“Right, so looking over your shoulder everywhere you go, getting a new disposable cell phone with a new number and changing your hair color are keeping it under control? What’s next, Bryn, you gonna change your names and social security numbers too?”
She glares at me and I think I see tears start to form. I feel like a bitch.
“Shit, I’m sorry.” I shake my head and exhale deeply. “That was horrible. I’m just worried about you, and you’ve never kept secrets from me before.”
“I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“Okay.” She looks up at me, surprised. “Okay. When you can tell me, come tell me.”
“So, Brynna,” Isaac starts. “I’m assuming you could use a job.”
She cringes. “Yeah, but I don’t really want to start applying and having prospective employers run a background check. It’ll draw attention.”
“Right.,” Isaac nods. “Well, I need help in my office. I need someone to answer the phone, take care of billing, things like that.”
“I thought you already had someone for that,” she frowns.
“I do, but business is good, and we need more help. You in?”
“You’re offering me a job?”
“Yep.”
She bites her lip, considering his offer.
“Under the table, Bryn.”
“Really?”
He just smiles over at her, and I just love him so much.
“I can start tomorrow.” She smiles big, the first true smile I’ve seen on her beautiful face since she got home almost two weeks ago and launches herself at him, hugging him as closely as she can with Sophie strapped to his chest.
“Hey, watch your hands, sister,” I mutter playfully. “And don’t crush my baby.”
She laughs.
“If he wasn’t yours, I’d claim him.”
“Ladies, no need to fight. There’s enough of me to go around.”
We both bust into giggles, and Isaac frowns. “Trust me babe, you’ve got your hands full with what you have.”
“Killjoy.”
“Mom! Mom! I’m gonna feed the ‘deer!” Josie screams and runs up to her mother in excitement.
“Great, Jose! How many are there?”
“Eight.”
“What are their names?” Luke asks her and winks at Brynna.
I can’t help but laugh at Brynna’s response to Luke. She blushes like a teenager whenever he looks at her. She still can’t believe that Natalie is married to the Luke Williams.
“Donner, Dasher…” Josie starts.
“Blitzen and Cupid…” Maddie adds, and scrunches up her face, thinking hard.
“Comet and Vixen and Dancer and… and…” Josie and Maddie look at each other, counting on their little fingers.
“And Lucky!” Maddie cries!
“Lucky?” Luke asks with a surprised laugh. We all try to hide our snickers behind our hands, but fail miserably.
“Yep.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Auntie Stace, Sophie wants to feed the deer,” Josie says earnestly.
“I think Sophie is too little to feed the deer, sweetie,” I smile down at her and pull her soft, long raven braid through my hand.
“Well, can I look at her then?” she asks and Isaac squats, letting the sweet little girl look in the sling at the sleeping baby. Both girls have been a bit obsessed with their little cousin since meeting her for the first time. “Oh, she’s sleeping,” she whispers loudly at Isaac.
“Yes, she is,” he responds with a grin. I can’t help but smile at them.
“Why?” she gazes earnestly into Isaac’s eyes, which are eye-level with hers.
“Cause she’s sleepy.”
Josie smiles sweetly. “Okay.”
And off she goes to continue feeding the deer with her sister.
“You’re good with kids, Isaac,” Jules says casually while watching her parents help the girls feed the animals.
“What do you want, brat?”
“I can’t say something nice to you without wanting something?”
Isaac laughs and tucks Sophie’s binkie in her mouth. “Okay, thanks. I think.”
“For the love of the baby Jesus in a manger will you stop!” Jules suddenly exclaims and we all break out laughing at the sight of Natalie and Luke in another passionate embrace.
“Give it up, Jules.” Luke mutters and dips Natalie low, giving us all a show.
“God, I hate you.”
Chapter Eight
“We’re sitting in the back,” Isaac murmurs in my ear as we enter the movie theater. It’s a weeknight, so there aren’t many other movie-goers in the plush seats.
“I’m so not making out with you in a movie theater,” I mumble and hear him chuckle.
“Yes you will.”
“I’m not sixteen.”
I climb the steps to the top and we claim seats directly in the middle. We are in a theater that offers reclining leather loveseats rather than the typical theater seats. It’s new, and I swear to God, I’m never going to another run-of-the-mill theater ever again. Isaac raises the armrest, effectively converting the space into a cozy leather loveseat. We settle in and wait for the movie to start.
“I can’t believe you agreed to watch a chick flick,” I shove a handful of popcorn in my mouth and take a sip of soda.
“I don’t plan on watching much of it.”
“I’m not making out with you during the movie. I’ve been waiting for this movie to come out for weeks.”
“I’ll buy it for you on Blu Ray.” He shrugs and bites his hotdog almost in half.