The Unwanted Runaway

Thanksgiving

Denton’s POV

"I can't believe it," I mutter to myself in disbelief. "I actually slept until 9:30." I glance at my alarm clock again, shaking my head. I let out a big yawn and stretch, feeling my bones pop. This is definitely not my usual routine as I am an early riser, usually up before dawn.

I get out of bed and quickly get dressed before heading to my parents' house. As I enter, I am greeted by the warm embrace of my family - my sisters, their spouses, my brother, and my cousins. It's definitely a full house for Thanksgiving.

I scan the room for, Anna, and make my way straight to her room upstairs. Knocking on the door, I realize that I thought I was sleeping late, but she's still passed out. I decide to let her sleep and turn around, only to be startled by, Evan and Carter, standing behind me.

"Oh, Fruck “ you guys scared me," I scold them with a calm but slightly annoyed tone. Not wanting to wake up Anna on the other side of the door

"Not cool, what the hell?"

Both Evan and Carter chuckle at my reaction. "Carter, hey man, remember our conversation last night?" Carter starts. "Well, I just told Evan about it and he informed me that Anna took one of the ATVs into town. He went to pick her up and noticed that she had a gun with her."

I look at Carter, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Denton," Carter's voice was grim as he spoke, his tone reflecting the seriousness of his thoughts. "Something spooked her last night, made her flee to town without even asking for a ride, and buy a gun." He paused, deep in thought before continuing. "I hate to do this, but I need to go through her things, find that thumb drive, and check her phone."

Evan, clearly concerned, asked what time I planned on leaving in the morning with Jason and Anna. I replied with a nonchalant shrug, "Around four-ish."

Carter's expression softened, almost as if he could read my mind. "Since the moment I saw her walking on the side of the road, I knew she was hiding something, running from something. We all did, which is why we decided to help her. But you, Denton," his voice turned accusatory, "you're the one who hit her with the car door, the one who fell in love with her. Does she even know?"

I shifted uncomfortably, my heart racing at the mention of my feelings for her. "Not yet," I admitted, "but I was planning on asking her out after we got back from delivering those Colts in Kentucky."

Evan couldn't help but interject with a joking tone, "Damn boy, you move on quick."

Alright guys, let's make our way back downstairs and truly soak up this holiday with our loved ones," I stated, my tone filled with excitement and warmth. As we made our way down the stairs, Carter spoke up, "So, are you gonna let her sleep?" I nodded, "Yeah, she's clearly distressed and we can address it later."

We reached the kitchen and were greeted by the sight of my sisters, Nikki and Christine, and my mom hard at work preparing our Thanksgiving feast. "Looks like more of a late lunch, early dinner," Carter commented, to which I replied, "That's just the tradition we've upheld for generations."

Christine glanced over at me and remarked, "Hey bro, heard you finally cut off that money-sucking psycho. Now you're smitten with a drifter?" I shook my head, "She's not a drifter, just someone who's had a rough go of it. She's been a huge help here on the ranch, working in the orchard, greenhouse, and with the horses. And she's a hard worker, unlike some people." I shot a pointed look at Christine.

My mom turned to Evan and asked, "Did you find out why she went into town last night?" Evan nodded, "Yeah, but Carter's gonna help me handle the situation with Moss. I'd rather not know the details." The ladies turned back to their tasks in the kitchen, and I took a seat at the table.

I noticed Carly's twin daughters, Quinn and Robbie, both glued to their phones. "Now, now, no time for social media and t****k," I scolded, "Why don't you help out the family?" They both let out a sigh, "We'll just get in the way, and we already have to help at grandpa's restaurant a lot ." Just then, my aunt Casey and cousin Carly walked in. "Girls, if you're not gonna help, you can leave the kitchen," Aunt Casey said sternly. The girls quickly said sorry Gram and got up and left, excitedly chatting about something.

Amidst the chaos, I couldn't help but feel grateful for my family and the love and tradition we shared. This Thanksgiving was sure to be one for the books. Specially since everything that’s going on now.

After devouring our absolutely delicious Thanksgiving meal, I eagerly offered to lend a hand in the kitchen. But Ma gave me a look that screamed, "Who are you and what have you done with my lazy child?"

I couldn't blame her though. It had been over two years since I last lifted a finger to help with the post-meal clean up. because Sarah always wanted to show up right before dinner was sit on the table and leave the moment we finished our plates. She wasn’t one for cleaning that’s for sure and I just folded her flow. But hey, better late than never, right?

Ma couldn't resist making a joke out of the rare occurrence. "Alright kiddos, you heard it here first. Uncle Denton wants to join in on the clean up crew. Plates, please!"

Lily, EJ ,Timmy, Tommy,, Robbie, and Quinn all eagerly handed me their dishes, laughing along with the adults at the table. I couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but also grateful for the kids' enthusiasm. "Thanks, guys," I grinned, quickly gathering up the plates and making my way to the sink.

Meanwhile, the adults were still chuckling at the unexpected turn of events. Who knew my offer to help in the kitchen would cause such a stir? But hey, anything for some good laughs on Thanksgiving.

Brooke descended the stairs with determination, her tone serious and her voice filled with concern. "Hey Rose, I noticed that Anna's plate was untouched. I knocked on her door, but she doesn't want to eat. She said she'll leave after she's back from Kentucky. She's grateful for everything we've done for her, but she feels like she's causing trouble."

As I listened to Brooke relay this information to my mom, I couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. I knew I had to talk to Anna during our trip to make her feel comfortable. I didn't want her to leave, that was for sure.

After helping the ladies in the kitchen clean up, I stepped outside onto the back porch. My brother-in-law Dave was playing football with his three-year-old sons, Timmy and Tommy, while little Lily cheered them on from the sidelines. As , I noticed EJ sitting at one end of the swing so I decided to settled onto the swing next to him . EJ had tears in his eyes. I asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing, Uncle Denton," he replied. "I just wish Seth hadn't hurt me so badly. I want to play football with them."

I immediately had an idea. "Hey, there's a soccer ball over there. Why don't you grab it and we can play together? We can even ask your dad and the other guys to join us."

But EJ declined, saying he was okay. I tapped his knee and motioned for him to follow me down the steps. As I walked past the Dave and his kids playing football, I noticed Carter standing by his pickup, talking on the phone.

Carter glanced up from his phone, his eyes scanning the darkening sky. He turned to me and asked, "Are you heading home now?"

I nodded, his voice tired as he replied, "Yeah, I have to wake up early tomorrow."

Curiosity getting the better of him, of me so then asked, "Who were you on the phone with, Carter?"

Carter's expression turned grim as he replied, "I have to go myself. Some drunk locals caused chaos at the wildlife sanctuary. But the good thing is, they were caught on camera."

I chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, have fun with that, Carter. Goodnight."

As I bid him farewell, I trudged towards my home. The chilly air nipped at my cheeks, and I couldn't wait to turn up the heater and crawl into bed. Tomorrow would be a new day, and I needed all the rest I could get.