“Oh, well…,” she says as she begins walking again. “that’s something, I guess.”
No,she’ssomething.
When we’re only a few feet from the porch, a light turns on and the front door opens, revealing Bruce Harmon, Isabelle’s father.
“What’s this?” he asks, crossing both arms. “Izzy?” Bruce Harmon is not a small man. He’s an inch or two taller than me and just as wide. Hard work has made the man strong, and good cooking, no doubt, has made him thicker than me.
“Daddy!” Isabelle says, giggling. “I went to Sisters with Rose.”
Bruce looks at me. “And Nash?”
“No.” She waves her hand around. “He was just there.” She turns to me. “Thanks for the ride home, Nash.”
“Oh, boy.” Her dad rolls his eyes as his daughter passes him. “You’re gonna be fun tomorrow.”
“I will be, Dad. I’m always fun.” She yawns as she pulls open the front door. “Night, boys.”
“Goodnight, Isabelle,” I say, turning back toward my pickup.
“What’s going on with you two, Nash?”
I shouldn’t have walked her to the door, but my dad would have been disappointed in me if I hadn’t. He raised me to be a gentleman, for the most part. However, propositioning her in my living room wasn’t very gentlemanly. Turning back, I take several steps closer to Bruce. I look at him for a minute or two, attempting to choose my words wisely.
“Nothing is going on, Bruce.”
“Uh-huh.” His arms are still crossed.
“She’s a family friend. I was just looking out for her tonight. When I saw her there, I drank water instead of beer so I could drive her home. I kept an eye on her beer intake to make sure she didn’t drink too much.”
Bruce nods and makes a humming sound. “Interesting. You do that with all the single ladies in town?”
“What?”
“Is it your job to be the protector of all the single ladies?”
“No, Bruce.” I step up onto the porch. He’s sort of pissing me off. “I’ve known her my whole life.” I’m about to say she’s like a sister to me, but he’ll see through that. “Isaac….”
Bruce releases a gust of air. “I get it.”
“Okay. Good.” I turn and step down one, then two steps to the sidewalk that leads to my truck.
“For the record, Nash….”
I turn back. “Yeah?”
“She’s a catch.”
I can’t think of a thing to say to rebut that comment. “She is.” Bruce is right. Sheisa catch. I’m just not ready to fish right now.
“You’re a good man, son. You always made your dad proud, Nash. That hasn’t changed.”
Shit.He went there.
“So, you and my daughter?” He runs his fingers through his short hair. “I’m just sayin’, I’d be proud to have you as my son-in-law.”
Holy fuck. “Bruce. It’s not—”
Holding up a hand to stop me, Bruce chuckles. “Too late. It’s already out there. You have my blessing.”
