Page 103 of She Wolf

After I’ve hugged and kissed him, I make my way back over to my beach bag and lift out my wallet.

“What ya got there?” Gunner’s sexy hushed voice fills the space around me.

“I think this is magical paper,” I say through teary eyes, clutching it to my chest.

“I’ve never felt so overcome with happiness in my life. I finally have everything I have ever asked for. Look at their faces,”

I say pointing to my brothers making sure to include Theo and Troy. “Look at how happy and content Jack is. And then there’s me, I have you and I love you so much, I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest. You ever feel like that? Like you can’t believe the life you're living?”

He presses his forehead to mine, wrapping his arms around me. “Every goddamn day. Every time I hear those words fall out of your pretty mouth, every time I look into that little boy's eyes, and every time I lace up, I thank God for my charmed life.” He kisses me, taking sips from my lips like he can’t get enough of me.

The sun is lowering now, basking everything in a hazy golden hew. He pulls me into his chest and kisses me on the head.

And then after eating a beautiful feast of shellfish and grilled fish with salad, wild rice, and a huge dessert we turn the music up and hold an impromptu party for Jason.

My dad makes a big speech and when he’s finished, pulls me aside.

“Peach Pie, come take a walk with me.”

“What a night, hey?” I say falling into step with my dad.

“Tonight is one of the best nights of my life,” he says. “It’s right up there with marrying your mama and welcoming all my babies into the world.”

“Aww, you’re getting all mushy, Dad.”

“I am and I don’t care. Do you know what it’s like for a man to bring five kids into the world and not know what the hell he’s doing?”

“I doubt that. You’ve been the best dad any of us could have wished for and I know Theo and Troy would say that too.”

His eyes get glassy at my saying that. It’s always hard for him, knowing he had to help raise his brother’s kids without him.

“I have a secret though,” he says.

“Oh, yeah?” I ask playfully.

“Yes.” He straightens up. “I’m most proud of you.”

“Me, why? They’re the go-getters, the elites, the ones who made something of themselves, even Troy,” I joke.

My dad stands firm. “They haven’t raised a son as remarkable as yours. They haven’t protected and shielded a child from a man who promised to love him and didn’t. Haven’t lived the life you’ve endured these past few years.”

“Dad—"

“No Coralie. I’m sorry for not doing a better job of protecting you from him, for failing you. And I won’t really ever know what you’ve been through, but if you want to tell me I’ll always be here to listen. Now or in the future.” He takes both my hands in his big strong ones. “And I understand why you felt you couldn’t tell us or leave, I just wish you would have.”

“Frankly, Dad, I was scared of what you or one of the boys would do. I can’t see you being very level-headed or mission focused knowing the things he was saying or doing. You were in the middle of a war up until two years ago.”

He sighs and I know it’s weighted. I know it probably hurts that I didn’t tell him the truth, but I stand by my reasons. My family are not brutes by any stretch of the imagination but in this case, I know I was being their protective force.

“I’m not now, Coralie. I’m here one hundred and ten percent. My only mission from now on is your mama, Maylene and you kids. You’ll always be my baby girl but I’m glad you’ve found someone who loves you as much as that man does,” he says of Gunner.

“He does, doesn’t he?” I boast.

“I doubt it will be long before he and I are having a serious conversation, if that’s what you want for your future of course.”

“It is. It sooo is. But don’t be too hard on him, okay? You know Gunner’s a good egg.”

“Well, these things have to be done properly. He at least needs to sweat it out a bit.”

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