Chapter 28
Thursday evening, inside her parents’ house, Marlie sat with Damon, her parents, and her brothers around the dining table.
And yes, all of her brothers just happened to be available for a family dinner they normally didn’t attend unless it happened on the weekend or celebrated a special occasion. Marlie glanced at Damon, aware of his amusement with the situation.
Her mother still wore her work uniform, no doubt by design. Her father watched his wife, clearly entertained.
“What are you intentions with my daughter?” Mona asked before they began eating.
Marlie covered her face with her hand, peeking through her fingers. Her brothers watched Damon, waiting for the answer. Her father just grinned.
“Actually, Sheriff—”
“Mona.”
“Mona, I’d like to know what her intentions are toward me. I have a bad a feeling she’s using me to get closer to my cats.”
Mona narrowed her eyes. “Cats? What cats?”
“Mom, really.” Marlie huffed. “We’re here for the food. Not an interrogation.”
“Zip it. I’m in charge of this interview.”
Will chuckled. Ed and Steve exchanged an anxious look, no doubt worried Damon might get offended and quit coaching them.
Reluctantly, Marlie opened her mouth to explain, but Damon beat her to it. “Well, Jeff had some kittens he needed help with, so I told him I could take two. But with my parents still healing from their car accident, I’m stashing the cats at Marlie’s place and watching them there.”
And sleeping over and “dicking her” to exhaustion every night. But Marlie had warned Damon not to mention any of that.
“Kittens? Aw. Any pictures?” Ed asked.
“She already named them.” Damon passed his phone to her brother. “One’s Larry, the other’s Bird.”
“Nice.” Will nodded. “I have the other siblings. I call them Wolverine and Sabretooth. You should see their claws.”
“Appropriate for you, you nerd.” Marlie studied him. “Jeff called you to ask for help fostering too?”
“Yeah. But I’ve been thinking of getting a pet for a while.”
“Oh? What do yours look like? Are they from the same litter?”
He pulled his phone out, ready to pass it, when Mona interrupted, “Hey. I’m the one asking the questions, here.”
Will sighed and put his phone away. “I’ll show you later.”
Mona took Damon’s phone and studied the kittens before passing it back. “Cute. So, let’s sum up, shall we? You’re friendly with Jeff. You’re fostering kittens at my daughter’s house as an excuse to spend extra time with Marlie. And you’re helping the boys win hockey games.”
“Yep.”
“And you’re here in town because you’re recovering from an injury and helping out your parents, who are also recovering from injuries.”
“Correct.”
Marlie wished her mother would get to the point so they could eat.
“You grew up in Hope’s Turn, your parents still live here, and your sister is currently serving in the military.”
“She’s a U.S. Marine.” He nodded. “Major Grace Sinclair. My folks are Leila and Mike Sinclair. You mentioned you knew my dad.” He paused. “Would you like their address?”
“Sure.”
Marlie sighed. “Mom.”
“What? It’s only right I know all about my daughter’s new not-so-secret boyfriend.”
Damon’s smile expanded, and he grasped Marlie’s hand, resting it top of the table. “Aw, love muffin. Our secret is out.”
Her brothers laughed, but her mother watched them with suspicion.
“Relax, Mona,” her father finally said. “Let the boy eat. He looks like he needs the calories.”
“Do I.” Damon studied his plate with clear hunger. “I’ve been working my tail off to heal my knee, and Morgan, my PT, isn’t making things easy after our massive victory on Saturday.”
“I don’t know that I’d say massive,” Marlie muttered.
Her father asked, “Morgan Asby? I saw him last year when I was rehabbing my shoulder. Skiing accident.”
“Skiing? Is that what you were trying to do on the slopes?” Will asked.
Irv frowned. “Respect your elders, boy.”
Damon laughed. “Man, that sounds just like my dad.”
“Oh?” Mona took a bite of food, so everyone started eating the homemade lasagna Irv had made. Silence reigned as everyone ate.
“Holy hell,” Damon swore. “This is outstanding.”
Irv flushed. “Thanks. It’s a new recipe.”
“You made this?” Damon took another bite, chewed, swallowed, then said, “Will you marry me?”
Everyone laughed, and Mona finally cracked a smile. “He’s mine, fella.”
“Well then, Irv, can you teach Marlie so she can teach me? I’m not the best cook, but when I find something I like, I master it.” He slid a side-glance at Marlie, who did her best not to blush.
“Marlie knows how to make it. You just have to be really nice to her so she’ll cook for you.”
“Is that so?” He turned to Marlie with a frown. “I’m nice. I’ve been buying your meals, haven’t I? No lasagna for me?”
“Stop being a baby. When would we fit in a lasagna? Between the pizza and Thai food?”
“Or between the cheesecake and the chocolate soufflé.” He turned to Mona and Irv, who looked glued to the byplay. “Did you know your daughter is obsessed with sugar?”
“I know.” Mona sighed. “I’ve tried to get her to eat healthier, but it’s a losing battle.”
Steve muttered, “Everything with our mother is a battle.”
“What’s that, deputy?”
Steve wisely focused on his food once more.
Damon watched them as intently as her family watched him. ‘What’s that like, Steve, working for your mom?”
“She’s a ballbuster.”
“Ah, must be where your sister gets it from.”
“No kidding,” Irv said. He smiled at Marlie. “Such a compliment, honey.”
“Huh. I’m not sure about that.”
Mona glared at her, and Marlie had to laugh. “Oh, I see it now. That glare.”
Damon sipped his drink. “Nah. It’s the freckles. They sucker you into thinking you’ll be dealing with sugar and spice then pow. Right between the eyes with a punch that’s pure mean.” He grinned. “Just my type.”
Her brothers laughed. Will looked hard at Damon, sighed, and ate his food.
Her parents thought Damon had said something particularly witty because they convulsed into evil chortling Marlie didn’t appreciate. But at least her mother finally relented from her interrogation.
Dinner progressed nicely until afterward, when everyone stood to help clear the table. Steve pulled her aside. “Look, I’ll distract them while you grab him and run.”
“Oh, now you want to help?”
“Mom’s got that look. I don’t want her scaring him off before we play the Yetis on Sunday. And the Wolverines are the weekend after that. Then we have the playoffs.”
“Hmm.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, Damon asked me to go to a Portland game with him on the 20th, I think. Is that playoff weekend?”
“Seriously?” He gawked at her. “Can I go?”
“What? No. Heck, I’m not even sure I’m going to go.”
“You have to. Do you understand what this is? This is like if Steph Curry wanted to take me to a home game and I said no.”
“That would be a travesty.,”
“Yeah, a lot like you getting to go to a pro game with the Demon Sinclair.” He sighed. “I should be dating him.”
“I could put in a good word for you if you like.”
“Would you?”
She punched him. “You’re an idiot.”
“Still, don’t piss him off. And make sure you’re both back here for the 21st. Want me to verify times for you?”
“What? No. I don’t know.”
“I’ll work on it. Don’t ruin this for us.”
“I’m so glad you’re concerned for my well-being,” she said to his back.
Then Ed cornered her. “Look, do what you have to do, but we need Damon to stick around for our final game after Christmas. Playoffs are the weekend after. And a few guys from a rival architectural firm on the Avalanche have been bragging that they plan to take first place this year. No way can we let that happen. I hate those guys.”
She sighed. “I’m so glad everyone is worried for me and not about your stupid game.”
“Hey. Don’t blaspheme. Do I make fun of your stupid court and squeaky shoes and tiny hoop?”
“All the time.”
He ignored that. “Anyway. We talked to Damon the other night. He’s a good guy. And not just because he’s coaching us. He likes you. He respects you.”
She waited for it.
“And he promised us NHL playoff tickets!”
“Can he even do that?”
Will joined them just as she noticed her father dragging Damon deeper into the kitchen. Before she could save him, Mona sauntered over to ask about Marlie’s future with the potential serial killer with a dimple. Trust her mom to focus on the bruiser under all the smiles.
Good luck, Damon. You’re on your own.
Damon followed Irv into the kitchen for a quick rundown of the lasagna recipe. More like an excuse to question him without Marlie watching. A nice little father-prospective son-in-law chat, as Damon liked to think of it.
“Go for it,” Damon said when Irv finally stopped talking about pasta.
“I’m sorry?”
“You want to know what I’m doing with your daughter. Do I plan to use her, lose her, hurt her, etcetera. Should I even think of messing with Marlie in a bad way, you’ll crush me after your sons are done dismembering me and your wife buries my body where no one will ever find me.”
“Er, okay. Not exactly as I’d have put it, but sure. Let’s run with that.”
Damon smiled. “Marlie mentioned you’re an engineer. You’re a logical kind of guy.”
“I am.” Irv nodded.
And that had decided how Damon would play this parent-meet. He’d been thinking about it ever since Marlie had first mentioned dinner with her parents. Damon wanted to be forthcoming with her family. He’d start there and work his way up to their stubborn daughter.
“Well, logically, I just met your daughter last week. We clicked, because she’s a pretty firm and no-nonsense kind of gal.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“She’s super cute, smart, and aggressive. Like a badger or wolverine, but pretty.”
“Ah, okay.”
Damon grinned. “I like all those qualities in a woman. Plus, I’m a little afraid of her.”
Irv couldn’t hold back his smile. “Like I said, she’s a lot like her mother.”
“Marlie’s funny, snarky, and kind. I’m going to marry her one day.”
Irv blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”
“I figured I’d lay it all out for you. When Sinclairs fall, we fall hard.
I knew it the moment I saw her. But we’re new, so I kind of need to let her get to know me first. We’re taking it slow.
I don’t need her for anything but to be the stellar person she already is.
I can provide for her. I’ve got a great career.
Even if it ended today, I’m pretty set for life. ”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m not a liar or a cheat. My parents have been married for thirty—maybe thirty-two?
I don’t know. A lot of years. They don’t tolerate bullshit, and they raised me to respect women and be loyal.
I don’t have a harem of women. I’m too busy for all that.
But not for Marlie. I also have family in Hope’s Turn, so eventually I’ll be living here full-time.
“And is Marlie aware of your plans to marry her?”
“Hell no. That would scare her away. After that douche Ben and the other guys not worthy of her time, she’s a little shy of relationships. But I’ll change that.”
Irv studied him with awe. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Not at all. I’m confident I can give Marlie what she needs.”
“Which is?”
“A man who will cherish her, put her first, and always have her back because I’ll love her unconditionally.”
“This after knowing her for a week.”
Damon sighed. “I know. I sound psycho. But I just wanted you to know my intentions are honorable. I’d appreciate it if you let this play out though. No one can tell Marlie what to do. Certainly not me.”
“Or me.” Irv shook his head. “You do realize if she says no, she means no.”
“Hey, I might sound ridiculous, but I’d never go where I’m not wanted.
Besides, she really likes me. We have a lot in common.
And I think any woman as strong and tough as Marlie deserves a great guy like myself.
But at the end of the day, it’s her choice.
Not mine or anyone else’s.” To include her parents.
“You know, I think you mean that.”
“I do. I’d never hurt her, not intentionally. But hell, I’m human. I make mistakes. Not many of them though.”
Irv laughed. “As long as you respect my daughter’s wishes. You seem to know what you want. I just hope you realize there’s no rush on relationships. Giving it time is an option, you know.”
“Sure, I get that. I sound crazy, but I’m not. My biggest issue with Marlie is how to get her to realize she deserves love. And that you can’t shut yourself away just to avoid getting hurt again.”
“Wise words.” Irv raised his brows. “But proof is in the doing.”
“Exactly. I have nothing but time to show Marlie I’m the guy for her.”
“Good luck with that.” Irv clapped him on the back.
He hadn’t completely sold the older man on himself, but hell, he’d been in tighter spots before. And it was Marlie’s opinion that really mattered.
“I’m the goalie, Irv. Everyone knows we’re the ones you count on when you want a real win.”