Marla was quiet for a few moments then said, “Do you miss the military? Do you ever wish you were still on active duty?”
“Sometimes, but I’ve got different responsibilities now. Life has a funny way of playing dirty tricks. Sometimes the dirty tricks have a silver lining.”
Marla nodded. “Amber.”
“Exactly.”
That one word told her all she needed to know about his priorities.
They drove to the condos. “I’ve got to grab the paperwork and get to my appointment with the storage facility owner. I’ll be back in a couple of hours to take you home.”
“I’ll ask Cluny or one of the other men to drop me off.”
“See if Cluny has time. My guys are on the clock. We’re heading down the home stretch and they can see bonuses on the horizon.”
“Oh, I forgot about that. Silly me. I’ve had this persistent distraction for the past three days.”
“Hmm, wonder what that’s all about.” He gave her a quick kiss.
“Stop that! Somebody might see you.”
“I checked. Nobody’s around.”
They stepped down from his truck and entered the trailer. Cluny had the phone to his ear but nodded his acknowledgement.
Dwayne took the storage facility blueprints and file and immediately headed for the door. He leaned to whisper in her ear, “I’ll cook tonight. Come over about seven.”
“I can’t. I promised Rosie we’d go to dinner and a movie tonight. Can I come over after?”
“You have to ask?” He winked and, with a nod to Cluny, left.
She got a cup of water, sat across from Cluny, and waited for him to get off the phone.
He smiled and hung up. “Hey, looks like you got some sun. How was Coronado?”
She returned his smile. “Beautiful. We had a good time. The hotel is fantastic. Charlene and Donovan still have today and tomorrow to enjoy it. I need a ride home. Do you have time to take me?”
He pressed his lips together and took a breath through his nose. “No, sorry. I’m on my way to put out a small fire for a customer in the opposite direction. That’s who I was on the phone with. I can ask one of Gunny’s guys to take you, or if you can wait for an hour, I’m happy to do it.”
“I can wait. No problem. I’ll answer the phone and do some paperwork while I’m here.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Go on.” She rose to let him pass then sat in the chair he’d just vacated.
“Okay, thanks. My cell number is programmed into the phone if you need to call me.”
“Take your time. I’ve got enough to keep me busy.” She waved as he went out the door then picked up the phone to call Rosie and confirm their girlfriend date.
“That movie was hilarious,” Rosie said. “Pete and I’ll enjoy getting out more often. There’s no such thing as a sixteen screen stadium cinema in Buffalo. We have one small movie house that shows two movies a week.”
“How did you like the Mexican restaurant?”
“I loved it. We do have a couple in Buffalo, but when I told you coming here was like the big city for us, I wasn’t kidding.”
“It’s interesting to see my home town through your eyes. I’d love to see where you came from.”
“We’ll have to make it happen then.”
“I don’t see how.”
“Really? Your family and the Dempseys go back a long way. I’m surprised you haven’t visited that part of Wyoming before now.”
“The Danahers and Dempseys do have history, but it’s complicated. In any case, I hardly remember Dwayne’s mother. She went home to her family’s ranch when I was about twelve. I doubt she remembers me. My mother was very jealous of her.”
“What was that all about?”
Should she tell her? “Um, okay, I’ll tell you, but I’m invoking the girlfriend ground rules.”
Rosie waved her hand. “Goes without saying.”
Marla proceeded to tell Rosie the tale of her parents and John Dempsey. “Our dads, known as the Double D’s, have been friends since the Stone Age, even when they were both in love with my mother, Silvia.”
“That is complicated.”
“Yes, well when John fell for Kathleen Burwell and dumped Mom, Dad jumped in to pick up the pieces and she married him.”
Rosie’s mystified expression told her she needed further explanation. “It’s not like Silvia didn’t love my dad. It’s just that she thought she was ‘in love’ with Uncle Johnny.”
“Uncle Johnny?”
“That’s what the four of us kids have always called him. Sounds incestuous, doesn’t it?”
Rosie chuckled. “Well, if John were your uncle, I’d have to look askance at your relationship with Dwayne. What? Don’t look at me like that. Dylan told me.”
Was it front-page news? Marla groaned and came to a standstill. “I need ice cream.”
“Great. I’m in.”
They sat at a table outside the ice cream store. It was cool but still nice enough to enjoy the outdoors. Marla decided to admit what Rosie and everyone else seemed to know.
“Dwayne and I, we’re…seeing each other.”
“Mm hm.” Rosie picked a big chunk of Butterfinger out of her ice cream cup but said nothing else.
“Say something!”
“You having fun?” When Marla just stared, Rosie added, “You want out of it?”
“Yes to the first question, no to the second, but I doubt it will last long.” At the thought of breaking up with Dwayne, her heart squeezed painfully.
“Won’t last long? Why? You and Dwayne should be good for each other.”
“He has other priorities.”
“And those would be?”
“Amber is his number one priority, and she should be. He has a business to run, a payroll to meet, and responsibilities to his mother and the ranch. I’m way down on his list.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Do you think Dwayne can only sing in one key? We all balance dozens of balls in the air. Sometimes one thing takes precedence over another, but we manage, don’t we? Having a partner is high on the scale of what’s important.”
Yes, Rosie was right, but she wasn’t sure it was high on Dwayne’s list.
Chapter Nineteen
Marla rolled over and watched Dwayne
