Dave held his eyes. “Your mother, that woman . . . she was somethin’. Lance thought he won the Super Bowl, the World Series and the NCAA championship when he won her.”

“Dave—”

“She shattered him.”

Johnny shut his mouth.

“And I loved that man better than I love my own brother so it was hard to watch him destroy every woman that came into his life after that woman left it.”

“That’s not happening here,” Johnny said tightly.

“Johnny boy,” Dave murmured.

“My mother left my dad with two young sons and she didn’t look back, Dave. She never looked back. Not a one of us saw her again. And I don’t know why. Do you know why?”

Dave slowly shook his head and gave him the answer Johnny already knew.

“I don’t know why, Johnny. Your dad didn’t know why. He just came home one day to a note that you boys were with your grandma and all her stuff was gone. I think that’s part of why she haunted him. He never knew why.”

“Shandra made a choice,” Johnny replied. “My opinion, it was the wrong choice. But she left me for a reason and I knew that reason. What happened with my mother is not what’s happening here. I’m not haunted, wondering about whys. I let Izzy go when Shandra first told me she was coming back to town because I wasn’t done grieving what I thought was supposed to be my life. But it finally hit me that wasn’t what life had planned for me. Now I don’t know if all along it had plans for me to find a girl who’s got a way with wearing a dress and makes my blood burn with the need to take away the taste of whatever shit she’s obviously had to consistently eat in her life. What I do know is she’s what’s in my life now and while she is, I’m gonna take care of her.”

Dave just continued to look in his eyes.

“I mean, look at her, Dave,” Johnny said quietly.

Dave’s head turned so he could take in all that was Izzy.

“I don’t know what was in Dad’s head when he did all he did after Mom went away. If he was looking for her again and never found her. If some place inside him needed to be free if she came back. But Shandra’s back and Izzy’s on my grass with Margot, and knowin’ she’s gonna be right there to eat the food I cook for her makes me happy.”

Dave looked back to him. “You got a long row to hoe with this, Johnny.”

Johnny felt his brows snap together. “What’s that mean?”

“Everyone in town thinks that—”

Johnny looked to the meat on the grill, stating, “Everyone in town can go fuck themselves.”

“Boy,” Dave said low.

Johnny looked to him. “I don’t care what they think.”

Dave lifted his brows. “You think she might?”

“I know Izzy’s lived through a lot more than losing her mother and having a creepy ex-boyfriend. She hasn’t told me yet what that is, but you’re right. She wears it like a brand. So my guess is, she can live through a bunch of gossips in town intent on the romance of the decade playing out as they’d always hoped and Johnny and Shandra riding into the sunset. But the only person in my sunset right now is Izzy. If she’s under my care, I’ll make it so she doesn’t give a fuck either.”

“No offense but a son walks in his father’s footsteps,” Dave said.

“No offense taken, Dave, but sometimes that son watches instead then looks before he steps to make sure he doesn’t walk the wrong path.”

Dave nodded. “Gotta say, as much as it cut to lose him, I was glad he didn’t have to watch you lose Shandra. Now it hurts, knowing he’s not gonna see you get to the other side, finding Izzy.”

Johnny looked to the meat and grunted the understatement of the century, “Yeah. That cuts.”

“He would have liked her,” Dave said softly.

Johnny again turned eyes to him. “A person would have to be insane not to like her.”

Dave smiled.

“It’s getting close, Dave. Can you make sure the women are topped up on wine?” Johnny asked.

“Do that right now, son,” Dave replied.

He loped to the stairs and down them.

Johnny watched.

Then he shifted the chicken that was done to the top shelf and put on the steaks.

Margot, Dave and Addie were in the chairs back up on the deck.

Brooks was asleep in the middle of Johnny’s bed, surrounded by pillows.

And Johnny was on his ass on Izzy’s blanket. She was between his legs, resting her back against his chest. He had one arm around her, one hand up in both of hers and she was playing with it. The water wheel was splashing water gently not too far away and Ranger was lying on the blanket on one side, Swirl at their feet, Dempsey on their other side.

The man Margot raised knew he was being a bad host when most of his guests were up at the house and he was not.

Izzy right there, playing with his hand, Johnny didn’t give a shit.

Though he figured, Izzy and him right there, the rest of them didn’t give a shit either.

“Got plans next weekend, spätzchen?” he asked.

“I’m getting a horse to stable,” she answered.

“Shit,” he muttered.

He’d forgotten.

She wrapped the fingers of one of her hands around his and put them to her chest, turning slightly in his hold to look up at him.

“Why?”

“We missed a date to go camping.”

She’d been relaxed, wine, food, pie, good company.

Still, he felt her ease further into him.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“Take Mist back weekend after next, sometime in the morning. About twenty miles farther, there’s a great camping and fishing spot. We’ll drop Mist off and head out.”

She put her free hand to his chest and slid it up to rest it under his throat. “That sounds awesome.”

“You cool with hitting Home to have a few drinks with me after you have dinner with your sister tomorrow night?” he asked.

She nodded.

Johnny drew her up, slanted his head and bent his neck to kiss her lightly.

When he was done he didn’t go very far away when she asked, “Wanna come over for dinner one night next week?”

“Absolutely.”

He caught her smile in the waning light.

“Today was great, Johnny,” she told him.

Started out spectacular and it was arguable, but he’d argue it only got better.

“Yeah.”

“You have a way with meat,” she said.

He chuckled.

“Well, you do,” she affirmed.

“I’m a man raised by Margot, baby. I’m trying not to be crass.”

It dawned on her and she mumbled, “Oh.”

He pulled her up farther and gave her another light kiss.

Then he settled her back down, turning her so her back was fully to his chest again and he wrapped both arms around her.

“We’re probably gonna have to go soon.” She said it like she didn’t want to say it.

“Yeah.” He said that like he didn’t want to say it either.

“How’s Wednesday for dinner?” she asked.

“Works for me,” he answered.

She fell silent.

Johnny held her to his chest.

Into the peace, she said hesitantly, “You haven’t asked.”

“What?”

It took her a moment to say, “Nothing.”