“This soon?” She turned in Dwayne’s arms and faced him. “What about her job?”
He grinned. “She quit yesterday. She’s all mine now, twenty-four-seven.”
“It only takes a couple of days to drive there.” A pang of separation stabbed Marla’s heart. Charlene. Leaving.
“I’ve got thirty days before I have to report, so we’re going to make a honeymoon of it. She wants to see Bryce Canyon and Zion Park.” He took Marla’s arm. “Come here, my future sister-in-law. Give us a kiss and a hug good-bye.”
She hugged Donovan and kissed him. “I hardly know you, Donovan. Charlene has kept you all to herself. She never did like to share.”
Dwayne said, “I don’t like to share either. Enough with the lovey dovey, little brother.”
She smacked his shoulder. “Dempsey, you’re not jealous of your brother?”
“I’m jealous of everything on two legs, Danaher.” He took her hand. “We’ll walk you to the car. Where’s Charlene?”
“Saying good-bye to her co-workers. We’re packed and ready to roll.” He waved to their respective parents and led the way through the house to find Char.
Marla put on a happy face when they said their good-byes. She and Dwayne stood arm-in-arm and waved as their car disappeared down the quiet street, but her heart ached.
Chapter Thirty
Amber galloped her horse on the dirt road to meet them when Dwayne’s truck crested the last hill on the ranch road. He couldn’t hear her, but it was apparent she was yelling, “Daddy!”
“My god, will you look at her ride that little mare.”
“Your mom turned her into a cowgirl all right. She looks like she’s grown a foot and she’s as brown as a beach bum.”
He lowered his window.
“Daddy! Marla! I saw the dirt cloud on the road, and I knew it must be you.” Her broad grin gleamed in a rosy, freckled face. “Everybody else is already here.”
His heart swelled with pride. She sat a horse like she was born in the saddle. “We got here as soon as we could, squirt. Did you miss me?”
“You’re rilly silly, Daddy, a’course I did.” She leaned close to Dwayne’s window. “Hi, Marla. Skipper! Oh, he’s so cute. I can’t wait to hold him.”
Dwayne rubbed the mare’s nose. “Turn this lady around and head to the house. We’ll follow you.”
Amber turned the horse and galloped away, leaving a trail of dust floating on the road.
“Dwayne, she’s so grown up. I can’t believe how much she’s changed since June.”
He raised the windows and moved slowly down the rutted track. “Yeah, next thing I know I’ll be walking her down the aisle.”
Marla laughed. “Why don’t we get her through middle school, high school, and college first?” She placed her hand on his arm and gave him a comforting squeeze.
Her use of the word “we” resonated in his brain. “You’re right. There’s a lot of time yet but being away from her for more than two months makes me realize how precious my time with her is.” Her hand loosened. Had he said something wrong? He stopped the truck.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, Danaher, I felt like kissing you.” He put his hand behind her head and pulled her close. “I love you. Don’t forget that.”
She relaxed into the kiss and he felt her lips smiling beneath his. “I love you too, Dempsey.” She pulled back and met his gaze. “It scares me how much.”
“I know the feeling.” He put the truck back in gear and proceeded on the road. “Look at that mob. She wasn’t kidding, everybody is here.”
“Where did your mom put everybody? How many bedrooms are in the house?”
“Six. Don’t worry. There’re plenty of beds. We might have to get in line for the bathroom though.” He laughed at the wide-eyed look she gave him. “In emergencies we can use the outhouse behind the barn.”
“We?” She crossed her arms. “I’m really good at holding it, Dempsey. I can hold it for hours.”
He pulled to a stop, and they were surrounded by his extended family and some of the ranch employees. This could turn out to be the best ranch vacation ever for the Dempsey tribe.
Charlene was first to reach the car. “Sis! You’ve got to see my wedding dress.” She reached through the open window. “Give Skippy to me. Hi Dwayne, come on you slowpokes. We’ve got so much to do by day after tomorrow.”
He feigned ignorance. “Why? What’s happening?”
Char gave him the evil eye. She smiled at Marla. “How can you stand him?”
Dwayne climbed down from the driver’s seat and embraced his mother first. “Mom, thank you for taking good care of my baby.”
Amber pushed herself between them. “Make a Amber samich.” She put her arms around his and Kathleen’s waist and they squeezed together until she squeaked.
He picked her up. “Whoa! I can barely lift you. What has my mom been feeding you?”
“Cookie feeds me. She telled me your favorite things to eat, and I like all of them.”
He hugged her tight. “I missed you so much.”
“Put me down, Daddy. I want to give Marla and Skip a hug.”
Reluctantly, he set her on her feet and watched every step she took to the porch where Marla was surrounded by his family. Dylan introduced her to Cookie and Arturo, the couple who’d been living at the ranch as long as he could remember.
Kathleen leaned against his arm. “How are things going between you and Marla?”
He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. “I’m in love with her, Mom. I want to marry her, but there’s so much going on with Charlene and Donovan, and my worry over when Francine might meddle again, I’ve decided to wait a while before I pop the question.”
“She’s certainly attached to that little dog.”
He grinned. “Charlene told me if the mutt and I were both drowning, Marla would jump in to save Skipper.”
Kathleen chuckled. “She was joking.”
“Sometimes I’m not so sure.”
“If we get a few moments alone later today or tomorrow, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Whenever a woman
