Page 50 of Irish

“I’m not going to tell you what to do with your Little but yes, Makenzie mentioned Mia’s name. She wasn’t tattling on Mia on purpose. She was telling on Emilee for not sharing and it came out,” Irish explained.

Mitch sighed in obvious frustration. “That’s my cue to take Mia home and have a nice long conversation with how wetreat others. Mia is one of the most compassionate, caring and empathetic women I know. Sometimes, her Little gets really big feelings and she lashes out wrong.”

“I suggested a private more intimate playdate for getting to know Emilee,” Irish said. “Maybe Mia should join us.”

“I think that is a great idea,” Jay said. “I’ll help you arrange it.”

“It’ll have to be after we get back from our next camp trip. We leave tomorrow,” Irish told him.

A week later.

The crisp morning air filled the wilderness camp as Irish, Makenzie, and Irish's son Wyatt stood at the base of the high ropes course, watching the at-risk teens tackle the challenging obstacles. The campers’ faces were illuminated with a mix of excitement and nervousness as they observed the rope course.

Among the teens, Dalton stood out the most in this bunch. He’d come to camp with almost nothing, which wasn’t completely shocking. The teen spent the last year in and out of homeless shelters and living in a car with his mother. He was quiet and respectful but lacked self-esteem and confidence. His sweet demeanor and willingness to lend a hand made him a favorite among the counselors and mentors. Now, it was his turn to start the course. His shoulders were tense, and his hands trembled slightly as he eyed the towering ropes course before him. Irish placed a reassuring hand on Dalton's shoulder, giving him a supportive smile.

“You got this, Dalton,” Irish encouraged. “Just take it one step at a time, and before you know it, you'll be at the top.”

Makenzie nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with pride. “We believe in you, Dalton. You're stronger than you think.”

Wyatt, standing beside them, added his own words of encouragement. “You've come so far already, bruh. Don't let fear hold you back now.”

With their encouragement echoing around him, Dalton took a deep breath and stepped forward. Slowly but steadily, he began to ascend the ropes.

Irish, Makenzie, and Wyatt watched with bated breath as Dalton navigated each obstacle, his confidence growing with each successful step. They cheered him on with every leap and swing, their voices echoing through the wilderness.

“You're doing great, Dalton! Keep going!”

“You're unstoppable, buddy! You've got this!”

As Dalton reached the final stretch of the course, a triumphant smile spread across his face. With one last leap, he landed safely on the platform at the top, his arms raised in victory.

Irish, Makenzie, and Wyatt erupted into cheers, their hearts bursting with pride at Dalton's accomplishment. They rushed forward to congratulate him, enveloping him in a group hug filled with joy and gratitude.

“You did it, Dalton!” Irish exclaimed, clapping him on the back. “We knew you could do it!”

Makenzie beamed at him. “We're so proud of you.”

Wyatt grinned, giving Dalton a high-five. “You're a champ, Dalton. Never forget that.”

As they stood together, basking in the glow of Dalton's success, Irish, Makenzie, and Wyatt knew that they had made a difference in his life. And as Makenzie watched him stand tall and confident atop the high ropes course, she knew leaving her groom at the altar was the best decision she’d ever made. Not only had she found her Daddy, and a community of friends whohad her back, she now had a more fulfilling job, where she truly felt like she was making a difference.

Emilee

Emilee couldn't shake the sense of dread that had settled in her stomach as she moved through The Citadel. The night was supposed to be just another catering gig, another chance to earn a paycheck and move further away from her past. But the moment she spotted Catie in the crowd, everything changed. She’d never expected her to be at the BDSM club’s elite party. She’d heard through the grapevine that she was found and had gone through a year of recovery. Emilee was happy for her; she knew first-hand how hard recovery had been. Seeing her with the tall, sexy man she was sure Catie had found more than just a second chance at life, she’d found love, too. Love. It wasn’t something in the bags for Emilee. No man would want her after everything she’d done in her life. Dirty. Used. Discarded. Anything but girlfriend material, let alone wife material.

After an hour of trying to avoid her, Emilee finally approached, her tray of champagne flutes trembling slightly. “Hey, Catie,” she said, her voice slicing through the din of conversation.

“Emilee,” Catie replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “You work here now?”

“New gig with Grand Ridge Catering,” Emilee nodded, offering the tray. “Never thought I'd see you here, looking all... clean.” Damn. That wasn’t the right word. Why was she so awkward?

“Life changes,” Catie replied tersely, declining the drink with a subtle hand gesture.

“Sure does,” Emilee agreed, her glance lingering for a moment too long before she moved away. They’d been best friends once. Could she call them that? Really? Were they ever best friends? Surviving the streets, with a needle in one arm or sniffing drugs off a random man’s table, they’d been inseparable. Together, they were safer. Sometimes, they’d even talk about their hopes and dreams, not that either of them was stupid enough to think they’d come true. One hit to the next, it was how they’d lived. She could feel Catie’s eyes boring into her back as she walked off, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on her shoulders. She knew she couldn’t leave it like that.

Taking a deep breath and summoning up courage from the tips of her toes, she turned back and found Catie again, sitting alone. The air around them seemed to tingle with static anticipation as she approached. It hadn’t been this way before. They were comfortable together; it was an easy friendship.

“Hey, Catie.” Emilee's voice trembled. “I couldn’t do it, just walk away without telling you that... I'm sorry. I couldn’t pretend everything was okay.” She was sorry Catie had been kidnapped and treated so poorly.

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