Page 25 of Defending Casey

Zeke turned Evangeline’s head and gave her a big kiss. “That’s what I said too.”

Hale felt a strange thrumming energy in the air. Just a few minutes ago he’d grudgingly considered himself the odd man out, but now he felt like he wasn’t so very different from his friends.

It wasn’t like he was in a relationship with Casey, but he felt like it was only a matter of time.

He loved her. That had never changed, no matter how angry or devastated he’d been.

“So,” Evangeline sat forward and smiled, “what’s her name? How old is she? And when do we get to meet her?”

Zeke chuckled and rubbed his hand over her back. “Give the man a minute to think, let alone answer one of the questions before you launch into a half dozen more.”

Sophie waved off Zeke’s comment. “Shh. Let Hondo answer.”

It felt good to share the news and even better that no one seemed to have any reservations when they heard it. “Her name is Sonora Foster.” God, it felt good to say that. “But her mom calls her Nora. And she’s almost ten.”

Bodie’s expression changed slightly. “Ten? What?”

Letting out a breath, Hale took a moment. He knew what it sounded like. He’d felt the same way when the realization had hit him square between the eyes.

“When I left Fool’s Gold, I had no intention of coming back. Mostly everyone in town thought I was going to college to play football. When I made the decision to join up instead, I told my dad, but he didn’t tell Casey.

“So she tried to contact the college and they didn’t give her any information, not that they had much anyway. She tried the other two schools where I’d been accepted, and from there, she went to my dad.”

“And he didn’t tell you about it?” Sophie’s eyes darkened in concern.

“I guess not. He knew I was headed for the Army, but after he told me to go to hell for turning my back on football and college, I guess he meant it.”

Hale shifted on his seat. “It’s all still new to me and I don’t have everything figured out, but I know what I need to for now.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out his phone and opened up his photo app and clicked on the newest photo he’d taken and handed the phone to Evangeline. “That’s Nora.”

As the others passed around his phone and smiled at his daughter, he continued on.

“She’s always known that I’m her dad. Casey didn’t keep that a secret at all and Nora just accepted me like we’d always known each other. Casey and I,” he shrugged, “it’s going to take time to work through all of my questions and probably her own too. All I know is that I have a reason to settle here and make this my hometown for good.”

Smiling broadly at the friends beside him he sighed.

“Looks like the Brotherhood Protectors are stuck with me.”

Bodie shook his head with a smirk. “Like you really had a choice. You’re part of our team, Hondo. You’re family.”

He accepted their congratulations, and he shared a few more pictures with his friends, but he knew there were still some things weighing heavily on his mind. He’d work out those problems later. For the moment, he wanted to enjoy the news.

Nora and Casey were giving him back the joy that he’d thought he’d lost permanently when he’d left Fool’s Gold.

It turns out you could go home again, after all.

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