Page 39 of Wrecked By You

She nodded. “That would be great.” She continued to pull stuff out and put things away.

I noticed that the cupboard was bare, and her table was set with paper plates and cups and plastic forks and spoons. “You don’t have dishes?”

Her cheeks turned red. “I guess I didn’t really think through everything I would need when I invited you guys to dinner. I remembered that on my way home and went to the grocery store and bought some stuff. Sorry.”

I was humbled by her willingness to feed me and my kids’ dinner when she barely had anything. So many feelings bubbled up inside of me, and then I suddenly had the thought that maybe I should just marry her. We could build a house down the road from Noah. He’d told me that if I ever wanted to buy an acre of property for my own place, he would be willing to let me.

No. This was too soon. What was I thinking?

After she finished putting away all the groceries, cutting up the bread, and putting the salad out on little plates, I hollered at the boys to come back in.

They weren’t too messy.

Jason grinned and asked, “Where can I go wash up?”

Isla looked surprised and then pointed him down the hallway. “There’s a bathroom down there to the right.” She followed him down the hall, making sure he got there. Trent trailed along after them.

When they got back, we all sat at the table, and she clasped her hands together and asked, “Who wants to say the prayer?”

Both boys’ hands shot up.

Isla looked at me for direction.

I nodded to Jason. “Why don’t you go ahead, son?”

Trent pouted. “He always gets to.”

Jason smiled at him. “Just close your eyes.”

I cocked my eyebrow at Trent. He closed his eyes, and Jason said a simple prayer over the food.

When he finished, Isla’s eyes met mine, and she smiled. Warmth filled me. I was at home. This whole thing felt right.

She stood and said, “You want to come over and dish up your plates?”

The boys both stood, and she helped them dish up. Then she and I filled up our own plates.

We ate for a few minutes until I said, “This is so delicious. Thank you for having us.”

Jason nodded, speaking through a mouthful of spaghetti. “So good.”

Trent grinned at her. “Thank you. We don’t have a mom to cook for us anymore.”

I tensed, and I could see that Isla didn’t know quite what to say. She smiled. “I enjoy cooking, so I’m glad you came.”

I thought about all the things that would come out of my boys’ mouths about their mother sometimes. It wasn’t like we talked about her all that much. But sometimes they would say random things.

Jason took a drink of water. “Our mom went to California to try and be a movie star, but my dad thinks that’s just stupid.”

I knew my cheeks were on fire, but I didn’t want to correct him. It was true.

Isla nodded. “What do you think?”

Jason hesitated and then said, “I miss her.”

Trent said, “I was only two. My grandma says I don’t even remember her, but I do.”

Out of the mouth of babes. I was slightly embarrassed.