Page 104 of Broken Skulls

“You did,” she assures me. “Don’t you ever doubt the power of the dragonfly.”

I don’t argue with her. I’m just relieved she likes my gift.

“Oh Mom, that is so pretty,” Kelsie says after Dan hangs it in their kitchen window.

It spins from the chain, and I can’t help but smile, knowing I saved it from being crushed.

Chapter Forty-One

Jacob

I’m so goddamn nervous. I run my hands down my jeans as I watch Dan instructing Elizabeth and Lexie on the proper shooting form. It’s getting late, and I’m running out of time.

Lily grabs my arm. “Calm down. She’s going to say yes.”

“Maybe it’s too soon,” I tell her.

“I think you’ve both waited long enough, don’t you? I mean, neither of you are getting any younger.”

“You make it sound like I’m an old man.”

She laughs. “That’s not what I meant. I guess … I don’t know. You’ve both waited so long to find true love. Why wait any longer? I see the way she looks at you. She loves you, Jacob.”

“I know. I know.”

My hand reaches in my pocket and wraps around the box.

Dan snaps at Kelsie. “Come here a minute. I want you to show the girls how it’s done a time or two before I put a loaded gun in their hands.”

He motions for Elizabeth and Lexie to step back. They come to stand beside Lily and me.

Tank walks back from putting up a new target sheet. “Have at her,” he says, standing beside Kelsie.

She picks up the gun and holds it in front of her, narrowing her eyes on the target.

And then she freezes, tears pooling in her eyes.

We all look down the field to see what has her so upset. Tank kneels to the ground beside her.

Oh shit. That bastard beat me to it. I was the one who was supposed to be proposing tonight.

Kelsie pulls her eyes away from the target, the one that readsWill You Marry Me?,and then her gaze drops to the man on his knee beside her.

Tank grabs the gun out of her hand before she drops it. He lays it down and then pulls a little box out of his pocket - similar to the one that is currently burning a hole in mine.

“Will you marry me, Kelsie?”

She falls into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes, a million times yes!” she squeals.

Lily and I look at each other. “I’m so sorry,” she mouths before moving to congratulate her daughter and new son-in-law.

That pretty much wraps up the day, because no one is interested in learning to shoot now.

We stay and have dessert, but I can see the day has worn on Elizabeth. If I’m honest, it’s worn on me too.

When I’m strapping her helmet on, I notice tears in her eyes. I wipe them away with my thumbs.

“I’m not crying over Tank. I’m happy for them. I don’t want you to think I still have feelings for him.”

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