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Wistfulness fluttered through me, this hope that had sprouted that I kept fighting not to allow my past experiences to taint.
Ezra shifted, rounding to my front and taking me by the hand. “Dance with me?”
Warily, I looked around.
Okay, so maybe one of the reasons I was hiding was because Ezra’s mother had shown an hour ago, just when the food was being served. She’d looked like she’d been physically floored to see me, even though she’d done her very best at remaining upright.
Ezra tugged at my hand. “No need to hide any longer, Little Trespasser. I already found you.”
The air rippled from my lungs on a wave of love, and Ezra walked backward as he pulled me out from the shadows. He led me beneath the twinkle lights that had been strung up between the trees that were just now blinking to life over the dance floor.
There were a ton of people on it, swaying in time with the slow country song the band played.
He led me to the center of the crowd, and he pulled me close, honey eyes on me as he curled me into those powerful arms. His heart pounded steady and hard, and I rested my ear on the strength of it, listening to the unwavering beat of the man who held me like I was a treasure.
A gift rather than a burden.
One to be upheld rather than trampled.
He shifted and tipped up my chin, that gaze intent. True. “Do you have any idea, Savannah, the way I love you?”
“I think I might be getting the idea.”
Affection flitted through his features, and he threaded his fingers in my hair and kissed me.
Kissed me in front of everyone.
In front of the town.
In front of his friends and family.
In front of his mother.
In front of his kids.
And that kiss was only broken by the squealing that suddenly sounded, and we broke apart to find Olivia on the dance floor beside us, clapping her hands and swaying in this gush of excitement that was so strong it nearly knocked me to my knees.
“Does this mean you’re my dad’s girlfriend now?”
Redness rushed, and I bit down on my lip, caught in a devastating swell of emotion.
As big and as beautiful as the man.
Ezra’s mouth tipped up at the side.
“What do you think, Savannah? You want to be my girlfriend?”
It was only partially a tease.
“I think I might like that.” It left me on a whispered breath.
Olivia ran forward and wrapped her little arms around Ezra’s leg, and she peered up at her father with this look on her face that blew me away. “See, Dad, I told you she might be lonely and needed us.”
And maybe it was the first moment when I recognized it, what this little girl had seen in me.
I’d been lonely.
Lost.
My battered heart missing so many pieces that it had never quite beat right.
Ezra looked at me. “And I think we needed her, too.”
“Are you sure about this?” Ezra looked between Paisley and his kids who were watching him with pleading faces, Oliver taking it so far that he had his fingers twined and his hands lifted in a prayer.
The movie they were watching on the lawn with a projector beaming onto a sheet was only halfway finished, and the kids had concocted a plan of spending the night.
“Totally. It’s not a big deal at all. I’m going to pop into town early to help Dakota unload some of the catering supplies, so I can definitely get them back to you in plenty of time to get them to school.”
“And it’s not like my brothers even go to real school, Dad, and I promise I’ll go to sleep by 8:30 or maybe just a half an hour late. And it’s my aunt and uncle and cousin’s house. It’s family so it’s not like it’s even really that fun.” Olivia was set on convincing her dad.
He chuckled. “Really?”
“Okay, fine, it’s my favorite place in the whole world and I really, really, really want to stay. Please!” Her hands were suddenly lifted in prayer, too, but she’d taken it a step farther and dropped to her knees.
Paisley laughed, her eyes going wide. “I don’t know how you’re going to say no to that.”
“Yeah, my daughter is a master at getting her way.”
“Then say yes!” Olivia peeped.
He chuckled again, shaking his head. “Fine. But I mean it, you’re asleep by nine, Livvie.”
“Yayyyyyy!” She popped back onto her feet and threw her arms around Evelyn. “I get to stay with you!”
“This is the best day of my whole life! Thank you, Uncle Ezra!” Both little girls turned to hug Ezra’s legs, and the boys threw themselves into the mix, too.
My chest clutched when they turned to me and did the same thing. “I’ll miss you, Miss Savannah, but I’ll see you tomorrow!” Oliver told me.
