Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“Might as well leave a week’s worth of clothes at our house. I see that happening a lot,” Holt spoke up from the kitchen table.

Jessie was considering the idea when Logan came to her, holding an armful of gifts.

“You said I could give them out when they’re done eating. Sutton’s finished.”

“Go ahead.” Jessie straightened as Logan gave the presents out to Dustin, Rachel, Greer, and Tate.

Tate took the last present. “You and Dustin already gave us our gifts.”

The family had opened their presents when they had come to her apartment for Christmas dinner.

When the children had grown hungry after opening a few of theirs, they had eaten then let the children finish unwrapping their presents.

“This one is from me. I hope you like them.” Jessie anxiously watched as they opened the gift boxes, each of them pulling out a quilt.

“Holly gave the quilts that Diane destroyed to Sutton to fix, but she wasn’t able to. When she found out that my mother was the one who taught your mother to cook, she figured she might also have been the one to teach her to sew. The ones that Dustin and Greer are holding are the ones I fixed. I fixed them as best as I could. Tate, yours is a quilt I made for your baby. I made you two, Rachel. One for Ema, and one for your baby. I gave Holly Rosie’s last night. She put it in the cedar box at the house. She wants to save it for when Rosie is older.”

Greer carefully folded his, not saying anything. He didn’t have to; his gratitude was in his eyes.

“Jessie …” Dustin had to start twice to get out what he wanted to say. “Ma and Pa never had much. When they died, Pa left us the house, and Ma left us the quilts. That was all they had to leave. When Diane destroyed these quilts, it was like losing her again. Thank you for giving us a part of her back.”

Jessie took the quilt and folded it, laying it down on his lap. “That wasn’t all they left you. They left you something money can’t buy and no fingers can patch together. They gave you a foundation. You could always count on each other, and each of you has done your part to build on that and share that legacy with not only your children but others like me who will always be thankful that you allowed us to be a part of your life.”

“I don’t know about that,” Greer said, getting up and patting his belly again. “Rider’s already complaining about how bad his back is and trying to get out of helping with the granite. Mag, I told you that turkey leg was mine ….”

Jessie rubbed her cheek against Dustin’s hand when he cupped her cheek, seeing him mouth, “I love you.”

Jessie turned her mouth into his hand, kissing his palm, and then linking their fingers, she rested their hands on his lap.

The private moment was broken when Ema took a running jump onto his lap.

“My Dusty.”

Jessie smiled watching Dusty tickle Ema, then seeing him stop and stare at Rachel.

Jessie turned her head and saw why.

That Rachel was remembering the baby she had lost was evident in both her and Cash’s expressions.

“Rach, what would you have named your daughter?”

Jessie was surprised at Dustin’s question and his strange expression when it was so obvious that Rachel had been thinking of her.

“I was going to call her Noelle.” Rachel raised pain-filled eyes to Dustin. “Why?”

Dustin grinned at the whole room, lifting a brow at Jessie.

Understanding what her husband wanted to do, she gave him a misty smile.

“Jessie and I are expecting, and if it’s okay with you, we’d like to give our daughter her name.”

Rachel laughed, wiping her tears away with one of the quilts.

“I think she’s been alone with Ma and Granny long enough. What do you think?”

Rachel laughed, bringing the joy back into her expression and everyone around her. “I think so, too.”

Epilogue 2

Dustin waved at Holly as she backed out of the driveway to go to church with Rosie and Logan. Looking at his watch, he knew he had to hurry to make it on time.

Rushing back inside, he quickly got dressed in the black suit that he had hidden in the closet the day before when everyone in the house was gone. When he was dressed, he went to the mirror.

“Damn, you look good.” Adjusting the bowtie at his neck, he was satisfied. He gave himself a wink before rushing out the other door that led into the backyard.

He had to hurry. Jessie had left early this morning with Noelle, telling everyone she was going to visit her brothers.

He didn’t stop rushing until he came to a stop at his and Jessie’s tree.

“What took you so long?”