Free Evermore by Brenda Pandos Page A

out, like…” I groaned. “She hates it when I sing.”
    “She don’t like your voice?”
    “No.” I let out a loud sigh. “When I persuade people.”
    “Aye.” He nodded. “You been doin’ a lot of that? Singin’, eh?”
    “Well, I kinda have to,” I huffed. “I mean, we showed up and they wanted to arrest us because the house burned to the ground and we took off without a trace.” I froze, remembering I wasn’t supposed to mention that. “Between you and me.”
    “You be workin’ yer magic with her parents, too?”
    “Well, yeah, when I have to. Like tonight when I ask her dad if I can marry her… that’s if she still wants me.” I glanced toward the house, watching the girls on the porch, an emptiness filled the pit of my stomach. “I can’t seem to do anything right.”
    “Does she be wantin’ her family’s blessin’ without the song?”
    “Well, sure, but…” I started. “He’s not going to say yes.”
    “How do ya know?” Badger scrubbed his bushy beard. “Yer not some chump. You got a good noggin on yer shoulders and ye love her. That’s all a dad wants for his daughter.”
    “He has a gun.”
    Badger busted up laughing. “Aye. Give him a chance, lad. You might be surprised.”
    Hearing him confirm what I knew I should do didn’t help my nerves. Off in the distance, I heard my sister scream. Badger and I looked toward Ash’s house.
    Badger smiled. “Aye, Tatiana’s here.”
    “Yeah,” I rubbed my sweaty hands down my pants, “I called in for backup.”
    “Smart man.” He raised a bushy brow and nodded appreciatively. “Looks like those girls be up to no good, though. I have ta admit, ye got yer hands full.” He smacked me on the back once more, making me stumble forward. “But yer house ain’t goin’ to be built on its own.” He guided me across the lawn, around my parents’ house, and stabbed a finger toward the newly poured foundation slab by the lake. “Actions always speak louder than words.”
    “That’s the cottage?” Eyeing the slab infused my confidence with a renewed vigor. This was really happening.
    “Aye. Yer Da did that yesterday while you be out schoolin’.” He gave me a hard look. “Listen to me, Son. A woman needs two things.” He raised a forefinger pointedly. “To know she’s the most important thing in the world to ya and ya’d die for her.” He raised another finger. “And second, a home. It’s easier being a mer to provide that, but right now, yer caught in the middle, tryin’ to make everyone happy — mer and human. Focus on Ash, and let the rest fall where it may.”
    Goosebumps stippled my skin as courage swelled inside me. I wanted to ask her dad. I wanted to ask him now.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Ash’s dad’s truck pull into the driveway. This was my chance.
    “Thanks, Badger!” I said, then took off running.
    “Aye, where you goin’?”
    “To show Ash how much I love her!”
    Badger laughed behind me as I ran down the road to her house.
    I reached the driveway, out of breath. “Mr. Lanski?”
    “Hey there, Fin.” His expression turned bewildered as he pulled his gear from the truck. “Am I late for dinner?”
    “No. I… uh, need to ask you something,” I said while following him into the garage.
    He set his boots and fireman turnouts on the floor. “Can it wait till after we eat? I’m starved.”
    I waffled for a minute as he walked past and retrieved a grocery bag from the cab.
    “No, it can’t,” I said firmly.
    Bill stopped and spun toward me. “Okay.”
    My chin jerked upward, my heart pounding. “I love your daughter, and I’d like to have your permission to marry her.”
    His brows lifted, and I clenched my mouth shut, my courage evaporating and leaving me in a desert of doubt. The urge to sing burned in my throat. Why would it matter if I did? It wasn’t like Ash was here to listen anyway.
    “You think you’re ready for that?” he asked.
    “Ready?” I stammered. My heart