Page 125 of Burning Embers
A large man smiles widely at first me and then Jake. He has long hair that cascades nearly to his waist, the strands a dark-red color. A leather jacket encases his broad shoulders, but the badass look is juxtaposed by his light-brown cowboy boots.
I don’t think; I just react.
Without second-guessing myself, I grab the largest steak knife and hold it at the ready. Fear twists in my gut.
Who is this man?
What is he doing in the house?
“GERRY!” Lissa’s high-pitched voice precedes the girl herself racing into the kitchen and throwing herself into the giant’s arms.
He laughs boisterously and spins her around, quite literally taking her feet off the ground in the process.
“How’s my little missy doing?” His voice is deeper than any I’ve ever heard before, a raspy baritone.
Lissa begins talking a mile a minute as Jake jumps from the counter and pulls Gerry into a hug. Gerry pats Jake on the shoulder and then pushes him back to get a good look at him.
“Damn, kid. You grew five inches since I last saw you. You’re nearly as tall as me.”
“Or maybe your old age is making you shrink,” Jake retorts with a grin.
He steps away, and Gerry finally turns towards me.
He has smiling eyes. They crinkle at the corners and burn with a jovial light that has my muscles loosening and my tension receding.
“You must be Izzy!” Gerry extends his arms as if he’s going to give me a hug, and I instantly tense again.
Fortunately, Hale arrives before I can do something I’ll regret.
Like stab my foster dad.
“Ger!” The older man pulls Gerry down into a short but passionate kiss.
When he pulls away, there’s so much love in his eyes—inbothof their eyes—that I almost feel as if I’m intruding.
And it also reminds me that I’m still holding the kitchen knife.
Oops.
I sheepishly drop it back to the counter as Hale turns to me with a beaming, lovesick smile.
“Izzy, this is my husband, Gerry. Gerry, this is Izzy.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gerry says in that rough, grating voice of his.
But despite how terrifying he sounds, I sense nothing but sincerity from the older man. His smile is wide and genuine, and his eyes seem to twinkle with his amusement.
“Izzy started dinner for us,” Jake interjects.
Hale beams at me as Gerry claps his hands together.
“Perfect! You guys can all catch me up on what the hell has been happening over dinner.”
One thing I learn pretty quickly—Gerry is loud and boisterous. He laughs often and is always quick to tell a joke or a cheesy pun.
I like him. A lot.
As I retire to my room for the night, my phone begins to buzz in my back pocket.