family dinner went as well as could be expected considering Evie sat beside him strung tight. As he sat at the table, her four brothers eyed Damon with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. He assumed their wariness was a heightened normal after what had happened with John, and he didn’t blame them. It showed him where Evie got her distrust from, but still, he had to admit he and his brothers would treat any guy that Bri brought home the same way, especially if the meeting was after she’d been hurt.
Evie’s mother, Sunny, had greeted him with a welcoming hug, and her father, Gary, Damon quickly learned was the silent type unless he had something to say.
“So, Damon, how’d you and Evie meet?” Lucas, the EMT, asked in between bites of the most delicious meatloaf and mashed potatoes Damon had ever eaten.
He could handle this softball question. “Evie’s best friend, Quinn, is engaged to my brother, Austin.”
Across the table, her mom looked surprised. “Oh, Evie, I didn’t realize Damon was connected to Quinn. You’ve been quiet about your private life. Ever since John—”
“Mom, we don’t discuss the prick,” Mack said.
“Language!” she chided him.
Evie’s father grunted. “Give me a minute with the son of a bitch.”
Ditto, Damon thought to himself.
She stiffened beside him. “Let’s not discuss John. I don’t want to lose my appetite.”
Beneath the table, Damon grasped her hand and squeezed tight.
Josh shrugged. “Okay, subject change. Damon, how do you think Emerson is going to play for the first four games of the season?”
Evie groaned.
Josh shot her an innocent look. “What? Is there a subject that is good?”
Deke grinned.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind talking about it.” Damon had expected these kinds of questions. “I think the kid’s got a decent arm and he’s going to try his best. I’m hopeful.”
“Good. We’re a Thunder family,” Gary said. “So we’re obviously happy to have you at our table.”
“I appreciate that.” He turned to Lucas and Deke. “What’s it like to do rescue?” he asked the EMT and firefighter.
With his question, Damon distracted them, and for the next half hour, they talked about various calls they’d gone out on, saves they’d made, and even Mack and Evie’s dad shared a few of their more interesting adventures.
After they finished eating, like his mother, Evie’s mom had trained her boys to help at the table, so over her protest, Damon helped clean up and bring everything to the kitchen. Before he knew it, they were sitting back down with coffee and dessert.
“If you don’t get a lead on John soon, I decided I’m going to move back home,” Evie said.
Damon hadn’t seen that coming. Neither had anyone else, because every man at the table put his fork down, including Damon. Suddenly her brothers began yelling at once. Knowing it would only hurt his cause, Damon remained silent, which didn’t mean he supported her idea. He wanted her where he could keep her safe.
Evie braced her hands on the table, rose to her feet, and yelled, “Quiet!”
Her brothers muttered complaints but did as she said.
“I can’t stay with Damon forever. He’s been great, but if things go as we hope, he’s going to be back to practice soon. I’ll be alone, anyway.”
He heard the excuse for what it was. She was definitely using all her self-protection skills to make sure she didn’t put her heart on the line. Well, tough shit, he thought. He was in this with her and he’d damn well have a say. Just not in front of her family. She deserved respect for her feelings and opinions on how to live her own life.
“Honey, I know you want to prove you can handle yourself, but John’s mentally ill. He’s a sick man and we don’t know what he’ll do next. I felt better knowing you weren’t alone,” her mother said.
Damon rose to his feet. “I think,” he said, hating every word that was about to come out of his mouth, “that Evie knows what’s best for her. What if she agrees to install an alarm at the apartment? Will that calm everyone down?”
The brothers and her father grumbled their agreement. “That would be a start,” Mack muttered. “I could sleep on your couch and—”
The look Evie shot her brother was deadly.
“Fine.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Would you agree to wait a few days? Give me more time to dig and try and find the rock John’s hiding under?”
Evie glanced around at her family and nodded, accepting the compromise.