Page 6 of Stranded with a Very-Kissable Cowboy

I gasp and hug him again. “Okay, well, your dad is going to be so proud of you.”

He happily nods his head, and I laugh with them both. “All right, do you want to read some more?”

The both nod, and Ethan picks up my phone and hands it to me. We sit here and read about Drago the dragon and all his sports. The boys both take turns reading, and it takes everything in me to sit here and not run and holler for Dalton. He’s going to be so excited.

After a few minutes and after reading the story twice, I ask them, “What else do you like to do?”

“Dance!” Ethan hollers, and Evan joins in.

I stand up. “Ooh, now you’re talking. Let’s go back to the living room, and I’ll turn on some music. You guys can show me your moves.”

When we all get to the living room, I open the music app on my phone and hit play. Thank goodness, I have a playlist with clean music, and I turn it up loud. “All right, let’s do this.”

Both boys start jumping up and down, and I’m swaying my hips, happy and content for the first time in a long time. I’m not sure why Ethan decided to talk tonight and what role I played in it, but it’s the best feeling. I’m glad I was here for it.

“Louder,” Ethan hollers.

I hold my phone up, “You want it louder?”

They both scream in unison, and who am I to deny them? I turn my phone all the way up, set it on the coffee table, and then we all start to dance around the living room.

We laugh, and I try to soak it all in because I don’t ever want to forget this moment.

CHAPTER 6

DALTON

The closer tothe house I get, the louder it is. For a second I hear a scream, then laughter all while music blares through the open screened door.

There’s no stopping the smile from my face as I climb the steps to the house and quietly enter the door. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard laughter like that around here, and I know exactly what the reason is. Gianna has that contagious smile, that contagious laugh, and she’s already spread her brightness to my twins.

I walk in to a dance fest. Gianna and the boys are all dancing, jumping up and down and having a great time. I long to watch Gianna, but my eyes are drawn to my boys. They’re happier than they have been in a long time, and I’m captivated by the huge smiles on their faces.

Over the chaos, I hear Ethan holler, “Can we have hot dogs for dinner?”

Gianna points at him while she’s dancing. “I think hot dogs sound great. We’ll ask your dad.”

“Yes!” Ethan says, pumping his little fist in the air.

I step into the room with my mouth hanging open. Evan is the first one to see me, and he comes running. “Daddy, Ethan is talking.”

Ethan runs over to me. “Hey, Dad!”

I drop to my knees and hug the boys. “Hey, kiddo,” I say into his ear.

Gianna turns the music off and stands with her arms wrapped around herself in a hug, watching us. I don’t have to ask her if she knows what an amazing moment this is. She wipes at a tear on her cheek, and I hug my boys a little tighter. I clear my throat because it’s thick with emotion. “Hot dogs sound good to me. And how about s'mores for dessert?”

Both boys cheer, and I need a minute to get myself together. “I’m going to grab the stuff out of the kitchen, and I’ll be back. We’ll just go out to the fire pit and cook dinner together.”

The boys are happy, and I walk toward the kitchen. As soon as the door closes behind me, I put both hands on the counter and lean onto it. My son is talking. It’s been three years, and even though the doctors and therapists assured me that he would talk again, I still wasn’t sure. The feeling of happiness is immense, but it’s overwhelming at the same time.

I feel Gianna’s presence before I see her, and when she reaches out and puts her hand on my shoulder, I automatically turn and pull her into my arms. I hug her tightly, wanting her to know what this means to me.

Her voice is muffled because she’s pressed into my chest. “Are you okay?”

I nod, resting my chin on the top of her head. I know none of this is appropriate, and she’s just met me so I’m sure she wasn’t expecting this embrace, but at the same time, I’m glad I can share it with her. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

I bury my nose in the top of her hair and breathe her in. I want to remember everything about this moment. I mean to tell her about my appreciation, but the hug feels like something different. “Gianna… Gia…” I start.

---