Her family hadn’t been like his.After her Frannie B had died, there’d been no one who understood Dani.No one who’d seen the bond she had with her great-grandmother, and helped her through the grief.She’d said her siblings were much older and hadn’t been close.
Lawson couldn’t imagine.There were eight years between Burke and Jolie.Six years between Lawson and Jolie.Those were the same gaps as between Dani and her siblings.
Even before their parents had died, Lawson’s siblings had all been close.He’d always had fun playing with Jolie when she’d been tiny.So had the others.While Jolie was closest to Amber, that was probably age and gender based.
When Jolie had come home from school sad because someone had called her names at school, he’d helped her get through it.He and Burke had taught her how to defend herself if someone tried to hurt her.Knox and Amber had helped her find the words she’d needed to stand up for herself.
Letting her grieve by herself was unthinkable.
Six and eight years.In Lawson’s mind, there was no excuse for them not being close.
He knew he was lucky to have grown up with Burke as an older brother.Even as a kid, he’d been an excellent example of a good human being.Thoughtful, kind, brave, funny.
Dani hadn’t had that and had grown up to be an excellent human.
He wanted to share his family with her, include her, and ensure she never felt alone and unsupported again.
Lawson parked at his barn and went inside.He’d work on organizing for a while, then head over to her place.While he wanted to see her now, no way was he giving Dani the impression he didn’t think she could handle things on her own.
He didn’twanther to have to handle anything on her own.
Especially when it was the emotional minefield that was her family.
With a sigh, Lawson moved to the back of the barn.He’d pace off the area and figure out how to shift things to start that storage wall along the back.
The more he thought about Dani’s vision, the more he liked it.
“Bobby?You in here?”
Lawson grinned.He didn’t hear his army call sign often these days, but it always made him smile.“Back here, Alice.”
With his surname of Cooper, Nash’s callsign was Alice, after the rocker from the eighties.Or maybe the seventies.The name didn’t bug Nash, although when strangers heard it, they looked twice at the large, muscular man.No one outside the teams ever bugged him about it.
Nash grinned when he turned the corner.“It always boggles my mind when I come in here.So much shit.So little organization.”
Lawson nodded.“Trying to find a way to remedy that and give myself more room to work.”
Nash slapped him on the shoulder.“Which means you’ve decided to put down roots and stay.Good news.”
He didn’t need a moment to consider that.“I’m staying.”
Nash chuckled.“Said with such fierce determination that proves you’ve just realized you’re fully committed.Congratulations.”
Lawson laughed.His buddy was right.“Thanks.Did you need me for something?”
Nash shrugged.“Just saw the door open and thought I’d check in with you.Olivia and the kids are making cookies.Thought I’d head down to the cider cabin and see what I can do there.”
The cider cabin was only a few minutes’ jog to Dani’s.“I’ll come with you.”
Nash grinned again.“Can’t stay away from her?”
Lawson nodded.“She’s convinced there’s no danger, but the closer I am, the better I’ll feel.”
Nash’s face grew serious.“You’ve got excellent instincts, Lawson.If you think you need to be close, follow that instinct.”
He pulled out his phone to check.“She said she’ll let me know after she talks to her mother.She wanted to do it on her own.”
“But you’ll feel better when you’re nearby.Come on, we’ll grab Ford, and see what we can do about starting the cider cabin’s addition.”
