Page 11 of The Truth

He just didn’t know how he was going to make it happen.

Probably slowly. She hadn’t even dated a man before. He wouldn’t want to rush her. He had some thinking, some strategizing, and some praying to do tonight.

Until he figured out his plan.

“How do you feel about pizza?”

“I love pizza. Any kind. Except those microwave bagel ones; those things just aren’t very good.” She shot a nervous look at his brothers when Grady came back with her crutches. “I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“You’re not any trouble at all.” He looked at his brothers. “I know it’s late, but do we have any frozen pizzas in there? Neither she nor Aubrey have eaten dinner yet, and they need to eat.”

His family would take care of them tonight. Of that he had no doubt.

Gene nodded. “I think so. Just so you know… Chan is still asleep, in George’s old room.”

Gunn wasn’t stupid; he doubted that gorgeous woman his brother was head-over-heels in love with had started out in George’s room. It was their choice—and he respected that.

He just nodded. It would probably help Aubrey and Ayla feelsafehaving their friend here, too. He just wanted to scoop her close and help her feel safemore than anything else in the world.

“I’ll make the pizzas. You say Guth and Aubrey are on their way?” Gene asked.

“As soon as they finish up with Charlie. Guthrie is sticking pretty close to Aubrey tonight.”

“I’m sure he is,” Gene said, a world of memories in his own eyes. A sound came from the hallway. Then Chantal was there.

She took one look at Ayla, who looked so… defenseless… there in Gunn’s sweatshirt, with her hair in two braids, and her eyes big and wide and wet.

Just like that, Chantal was in full-out overprotective mother mode.

Chantal went all mother-hen for several long minutes, fussing and practically rocking her. Until Ayla relaxed and some of the fear left her eyes.

By the time Guthrie walked in with Aubrey, they had the pizzas ready and Chantal had found Aubrey and Ayla some things to sleep in. Including two of Gunn’s own t-shirts and some of Greer’s old sweatpants.

But when Chantal just wrapped her arms around Aubrey, and the other woman started crying and couldn’t seem to stop, that was all it took.

Guthrie turned into a complete puddle of goo right at Aubrey’s feet. Gunn and his other brothers weren’t much better. Especially when Ayla’s face crumbled after she saw her sister. Chantal’s own face was wet.

Crying women could destroy a Hiller man in an instant.Threeof them was more than they could take.

But… they had them at their ranch where they could keep them safe now, and that was what mattered.

They didn’t have to be alone anymore.

Gunn was going to see to it.

8

Dinah Ruth Davidsonsat at the old vinyl kitchen table long after she had cleaned up the dinner dishes, reading the Scriptures to herself like she did every night after dinner. Her father insisted on it. Her younger brother Judah was next to her, his own Bible open before him. He’d say something occasionally, when he felt strongly about something.

But mostly he was doing that spaced out thing he did that freaked her out a little. He didn’t really read all that well, and she knew he didn’t understand the implications of the Bible. Not the way she did. Sometimes, she had to help him figure out what the verses meant. How they applied to their lives now.

He was so weird sometimes. Lost in his own head. Nothing about Judah fit into the world around them.

Nothere,anyway.

In Texas.

In Nebraska, he’d done okay. There had been other boys like him up there. Working for Father Rei. Boys who had taken care of Judah, looked out for him. That kind of thing. Everything had had a plan then. Felt right.

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