Page 33 of Defending Our Ever After

“Sounds like a date,” I tell him, leaning up to peck his lips again. This, as usual, turns into a longer kiss, but I push him away because the word ‘dinner’ got my stomach rumbling.

*

I have no idea what time it is later when Russ gently nudges my shoulder. “Firecracker?”

Blinking my eyes a couple of times brings his face into focus and I shoot up, barely missing whacking my head against his chin.

“Mom...” I say the word, wanting to know she’s alright as I clear the fog in my head.

“Dylan and your dad are back,” he tells me. “Aiden took over guard duty since we’ll need Eddie to translate for Trisha, and Mike’s brewing the rest of Lee’s coffee. I figured that was reason enough to wake you.”

“Take me to your leader,” I croak out past the brain fog I have from being woken up so suddenly and am rewarded by Russ’s blinding smile.

“You’re a weirdo,” he says before kissing me and peeling the comforter down along my body. “Here’s your coat, I don’t want to miss what your dad has to say.”

“You have no idea how much trouble you’re in right now, do you?” I growl at him as I begrudgingly pull it on. We have a very strict rule about not waking me up.

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

I grumble as the door opens and the cold air wallops me in the face. Russ no sooner closes the door behind us than he sweeps me into his arms, all in all, not a bad way to get to the main house.

As we near the house, the backdoor swings open and Dylan steps out onto the landing, nearly sliding on the ice close to the top step. Even after his momentary panic fades, I can tell from his face that something is wrong, but he holds his finger over his lips. Russ places me on the bottom step and I walk into Dylan’s embrace.

“I need to talk to you afterwards, Julia,” he whispers in my ear.

“Finally,” my gramps says from the back hallway. “Come on inside before you let all the heat out.”

I squeeze Russ’s hand as I give my kid brother a nod and we go in to join the others.

“Hey, Jules,” Dad calls out to me, sitting on the couch like he’s all worn out.

Based on Dylan’s greeting, I try to analyze his demeanor. This is made easier when Grandma hands me a cup of coffee. Dad seems to be exhausted even though Dylan seems to be hyped up, and unless I’m missing something, they should have ridden the ATV back up the mountain.

“Trisha and Dale were right about many of the townspeople having left. The majority of those who stayed gathered up the supplies and used the worthless vehicles to form a perimeter,” Dad tells us. “They made up a list of rules to live inside the zone, number one being—no outsiders. If you break the rules they can vote you out.”

Starting to perk up, I look around and see that Rachel isn’t here and I can’t help but think that’s a mistake.

“The people who didn’t want to agree to the rules have banded together and now attack the main group when they head outside their area for supplies. Basically, the whole situation needs one little match and what’s left of the town will go up in smoke.”

“Dad, tell them about the military group,” Dylan blurts out and while it looks like Dad’s just taking a sip of water, I see the glint in his eyes as they quickly shift to and away from his son.

“Both sides seem to be hearing the same rumors of a military unit that is traveling across the country, surveying what’s needed and where the population centers are,” my dad says and there’s no missing the upset look on Dylan’s face.

“But, that’s not what…”

“Well, now there’s no use spreading gossip about something that we can’t confirm,” Dad cuts him off, and if Dylan were a porcupine, you would have seen the needles rising from passive to aggressive in a heartbeat.

Clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth in a silent message to Dylan, I turn and smile over at Dad. “So, do you think we’ll be in danger up here? Like Dale and his family were?”

“No, sweetie,” he says, sitting up straighter with a hint of pride in his eyes. “You’ll—we will all, be safe as can be up here.”

Grampa and Elsbeth continue asking Dad questions, not only wondering which of their friends are inside the perimeter or have left town, but a number of other things that Dad doesn’t seem to have answers for. A little while after I last spoke, I stretch my arms up and exaggerate a yawn.

“I’m sorry, I’m going to go check in on Mom then crash. Hey, Shorty,” I say, grinning at my kid brother who’s now taller than me. “Have you let Mom know you’re back?”

The momentary look of confusion on his face is quickly replaced by a sheepish look, and I’m glad he seems able to play along with my idea to talk somewhere privately. Because I know there’s no way in hell Dad is going to follow us to the cabin that Mom shares with Aiden—even if Aiden is on guard duty.

“No, it’s late and, well, I guess I should, huh?”

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