“I can’t get over how beautiful your plane is.” Danielle loved every inch of it. She let her fingers squeeze the soft leather of the arms of the plush chair she was in. “I sometimes forget how rich you two are.”
Sitting next to her, Lance raised one eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. Rich or poor, I’m yours. Trust me, even if you had turned out to be the vagrants Carlotta thought you were, I would still have chosen to be with you.”
He grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Sweetheart, money is great, but you’re the one who brought me happiness.”
Sitting in another seat facing them, Chuck tossed a football at Lance. “Who knew you could be so sappy? What happened to the playboy jetsetter you used to be?”
“What about you?” He threw it back. “You’re the one who has started writing poetry for our girl, not me. Now that’s sappy.”
Chuck leaned forward and grabbed her hands. “For this one, I’m nothing more than a fool in love and proud of it.”
“I love you two very much.” She glanced over at her mother, who was fast asleep.
Lance touched Danielle’s shoulder. “Your mom is beat.”
“No wonder,” Chuck chimed in. “Yesterday was hard on all of us.”
“Yes, it was on many levels. I realize now that everything my mother did was only her way of trying to protect me. The wall I created in my heart is crumbling, but it is still quite large. Even though it’s going to take time to rebuild our relationship, I do want to.”
“Honey, this is a perfect time for us to talk to you about the future.” Lance’s eyes were full of seriousness and warmth. “Of course you know we want you.”
She smiled. “And I want to be with you.”
“Wilde is your home, which makes it our home, too.” Chuck leaned forward, placing his hands on her knees. “There’s a house just out of town that we are looking at buying for you.”
Lance touched her on the cheek. “For all of us.”
“What house?”
Lance smiled. “The old Wilde Mansion.”
Danielle remembered how beautiful the place was, though in need of a little updating. Jessie and Charly had taken her to see it once. “Pappy Jack owns that.”
Chuck nodded. “We haven’t met him in person, but Michael told us that he’s one of the sweetest gentlemen you would ever meet.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Mr. Wilde hasn’t lived in it since his wife died.” Lance put his arm around her shoulder. “Sounds like they had quite the romance.”
The sweet old man was one of her favorite customers. He loved coming into the diner between rush hours, and she loved hearing him talk about the wonderful life he’d had in Wilde. “I’ve heard lots of stories about Pappy Jack and his brothers and their wife, Carol.”
“Michael and Harry told him that we wanted to stay in Wilde with you.” Lance stroked her hair. “The old guy told Michael that if we were interested in buying his home, he would be happy to sell it to us. He said it was time it had a family in it again.”
“Sounds like Pappy Jack.” She couldn’t wait to give the man a big hug and an extra slice of pie the next time he came into the diner. “The place is beautiful. It sits on a hill with trees all around it.”
Chuck grinned. “Michael told us that Mr. Wilde is quite fond of you, Danielle.”
“And I’m fond of him, too.”
“We know that you are in the process of tearing the wall down between you and your mother.” Lance’s tone was gentle and full of understanding. “And we also know she needs protection since she’s going to testify against the cartel. So how would you feel if she lived with us for the time being?”
“It’s your call, baby.” Chuck’s sweet gaze gave her such comfort. “The whole town is ready to protect your mother. If you don’t feel comfortable with having her under the same roof, then we’ll make other arrangements.”
She kissed them both. “You guys think of everything. I’ve never had anyone take care of me before.”
Lance stated firmly, “Get used to it, honey.”