Chapter 40
Chapter Forty
ROD
Friday afternoon, the ranch house phone rang. I picked up. “Sterling Ranch.”
Warmth flooded my gut. “Your voice is music to my ears, babe. So what happened?”
“Mitzi took the settlement offer. Her attorney advised her to settle or risk getting nothing. The attorney, of course, got forty percent of the money, so he’ll smile all the way to the bank.
Mitzi netted three hundred thousand, all of which she’ll likely spend before the end of the year.
But we are free of Mitzi’s claims to the ranch. ”
“That’s terrific. I can't wait to hear the details. I’ll be waiting for you at Sam’s office.”
“See you in a bit.”
An hour later, I hurried to my truck and drove into town to meet Wyl and Sam. I stood on the sidewalk outside Sam’s office as they pulled up. Wyl bounded out of Sam’s car and made a beeline toward me. He looked different, but he grabbed me and wrapped me in his arms before I could figure out why.
“God, I missed you,” Wyl whispered.
I nuzzled Wyl’s ear. “I missed you, too, babe. Being alone is no fun.”
Wyl released the hug and tugged me toward Sam. “Let me introduce you. Sam, this is Dr. Rod Bonner. He’s the one I bent your ear about.”
Sam extended his hand. “I’m pleased to meet you, Dr. Bonner. Wyl is a new man since you came along.”
Heat rose into my cheeks as I shook Sam’s hand. I'm sure Wyl didn’t leave out many details. “I’m glad to meet you, Sam. And please, call me Rod.”
“Wyl talked the entire trip about Rod this and Rod that, although we did manage to squeeze in a few minutes for the Mitzi situation. And except for the scowl he gave her in the attorney’s office, a smile never left his face. He told me you got him through the events surrounding Walt’s death.”
“Well, I did what any partner would do.” I elbowed Wyl. “He makes me happy, too.”
“I’ll let you two head on home. Wyl, come by the office Monday to sign the settlement papers, and we’ll put this mess to bed.” Sam nodded.
“Thanks for all you did, Sam. I’ll see you Monday.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Rod. Take care now.” Sam extended his hand for a farewell shake.
“You too, Sam.” I shook Sam’s hand.
Sam entered his office while Wyl and I climbed into the Tacoma for the trip back to the ranch. I glanced over at him and realized what was different. His hair. It was short. “That surprise you mentioned in your email. Haircut?”
Wyl nodded. “Yeah. In my mother's tribe, hair was often cut when a loved one died. It’s my way of honoring Walt. I found a place in Dallas that would cut my braid and preserve it for me. I have it in my bag. We can send it to one of the hair donation organizations focused on Native Americans.”
Seeing the back of his head without the braid was different, but he was as handsome as ever. I reached for his head and rubbed my hand over the soft, short hair.
Wyl closed his eyes. “I love you rubbing my head, babe. I missed your touch.”
“My fingers love your silky hair, Wyl. And now you look like Walt.”
Wyl took my hand, kissed my knuckles, and smiled. As we drove west, the up-to-something smile on Wyl’s face told me there was more than the haircut and successful lawyer meeting in Dallas. “Okay, Wyl. What’s going on? You’re almost giddy. Marines don’t do giddy.”
Wyl waggled his eyebrows. “I had a thought, Roddy.”
“About what?”
“With the Mitzi thing settled, I figured we should go away for a weekend to celebrate.”
“Settled, huh? Do you think Mitzi will give up? She tried two different tactics. While neither worked, she doesn’t seem the type to walk away.” Rod said.
“Yeah, you make a good point. But we put legal cuffs on Mitzi, so we can ignore anything else she tries to pull.” At least, I hoped so.
I couldn’t imagine what else she could do.
Rod’s uncertainty stuck to me like glue.
If she were persistent, we might need to employ our own legal means of stopping her. But for now, she was stopped.
“Back to the weekend getaway,” Rod said. “I’m guessing you have a destination in mind?”
“I do. Your favorite opera, Don Giovanni, is in production now at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. I got us tickets for tomorrow night.”
I gasped. “Wyl, you got tickets to Don Giovanni?” My mouth hung open. “How did you know it was my favorite?”
“We studied it in class, remember? You mentioned it the day we listened to an excerpt. Are you up for a road trip?”
“I remember,” I stretched over for a brief kiss. “And yes to a road trip.”
“I booked us a hotel in Fort Worth. We can go tomorrow and spend the weekend together.”
I reached for Wyl’s shoulder and squeezed hard. “I can’t believe you got us tickets to the opera.”
“Ow…babe. The bitch-troll-from-hell is handled, and I want to spend time with my man. And Fort Worth is perfect.”
“Perfect for what?”
“Perfect for our first out-of-town trip together.”
Rod shook his head. “We’ve been to Kerrville. Isn’t that out of town?”
“That doesn’t count. That’s our second home.”
* * *
We enjoyed our usual buddy shower Saturday morning and then had a leisurely breakfast. It was after 10:30 by the time we prepared for our trip.
“I need to pack.” I rummaged through the clothes in my closet. “Do you remember where we put my suitcase?”
“You don’t need your suitcase. Everything is in the truck. We’ll take the Denali, and I’ll drive. Your job is to be chauffeured and be handsome.” Wyl pulled me into a hug.
“What about the breakfast dishes? We’re leaving a mess.”
“Stop worrying, Rod. Margarita will clean things up. We’ve got a drive ahead of us.
” He pushed me out of the bedroom, through the front door, and down the sidewalk to the truck, opening the passenger door.
“Make yourself comfortable, cowboy.” He offered me his hand, and I slid into the fine leather seat in the luxurious Denali.
Wyl fastened my seat belt and then made sure I was comfortable before closing the passenger door.
Hurrying around the truck, Wyl climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Ready to roll?”
I nodded. “Let’s go.” Wyl was up to something, but I had no idea what. “Why all the pampering?” I tried to weasel information out of him, but he remained coy and would reveal nothing.
The drive to Fort Worth took about four hours.
Including a stop for lunch, we arrived at the hotel at 4:00 p.m. and checked in.
Wyl had booked a concierge suite. A chilled bottle of champagne waited, and fresh flowers adorned the coffee table.
Wyl opened the champagne and poured two glasses, handing one to me.
“Here is a toast to the happiest couple in existence.” Wyl raised his glass. We clinked, then sipped the delightful nectar. Wyl took both glasses, set them on the table, then drew me into a kiss.
I loved Wyl and wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man. Maybe tonight after the opera, I would work up the nerve to propose. Being his real husband would be a dream come true.
“Let’s go grab dinner.” Wyl ushered me toward the door after our lips parted. “I understand this hotel includes a five-star restaurant on the top floor.”
“Wow. Do we need to change before dinner?”
“No, we’ll eat first. I have a limousine scheduled to pick us up at seven. The curtain opens at 7:30. We have a private box.”
Limousine? Private box? Concierge suite? Wyl spent a fortune on this trip. Rod reminded himself of their checking account balance, stopped worrying, and started enjoying the moment. They took the elevator up to the restaurant.
“Two for dinner.” The ma?tre d’ showed us to a private table with a spectacular view of the lights of Fort Worth. He pulled a chair for me, and I sat. He placed a napkin in my lap. He did the same for Wyl.
“Dr. Bonner and Mr. Sterling, enjoy your dinner,” the ma?tre d’ bowed before backing away.
We started with a martini. Tito’s, of course. Dinner began with a spicy chilled butternut squash soup. The entree was Prime Tenderloin, still mooing, with a potato-pepper medley on the side. The dessert was rhubarb sorbet. The food was unbelievable, as was being here with Wyl.
Back in our suite after dinner, Wyl went into the bedroom and began laying out our evening clothes.
I started to wonder if he was feeling okay.
I’d not known him to be this attentive. Starched jeans, white shirts with bolo ties, full-quill ostrich boots, silk sports coats, and white Stetsons completed our attire.
After getting dressed, we took the elevator down to the lobby.
Everyone eyed us as we strolled through.
The limo waited in the circular drive. The driver hurried around and opened the door.
Wyl offered his hand, and I took it and climbed in.
He followed, and we sat in the roomy cabin as the driver maneuvered the few blocks to the Bass Performance Hall.
The limousine stopped at the front entrance to the Performance Hall, and the driver hurried around to open the door. We climbed out of the limo, and several couples turned to gawk. I tugged at Wyl’s elbow and whispered, “People are looking at us.”
Wyl grabbed my hand and held on tight. “Let them stare, babe. They’re just jealous. We look damn good, and we’re Sterlings!”
We entered the performance hall and removed our hats. The usher escorted us to our private box. After a glance at the printed program, I explained the story to Wyl.
The lights dimmed, and the curtain rose.
I gazed at Wyl as he became absorbed in the opera performance, drinking in the striking features of the handsome man I loved.
How had I been so lucky to have him walk into my classroom four months ago?
It didn’t matter. We’d been through a lot in those four months, but our mutual love helped us overcome those hurdles. I turned to watch the performance.
When Act One ended, the lights brightened as intermission began.
“Wow, this is amazing.” Wyl smiled at me. “I’m glad you gave me a brief overview of the first act. I understood what was happening, and the English translation on the teleprompter above the stage helped me understand the lyrics.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, babe.” I smiled and winked at Wyl.
Wyl leaned over like he intended to whisper something, but blew in my ear instead. Shivers went down my spine. I couldn’t wait to get him back to the hotel after the opera. My body was craving his. I refocused and gave Wyl a synopsis of the second act.
The lights dimmed, and the curtain rose. Wyl once again became involved in the performance. Despite my love of Don Giovanni, I thought of nothing but Wyl’s breath in my ear.
When the opera ended, Wyl asked, “Are you ready to return to the hotel, cowboy?”
“Boy howdy!” I couldn't wait to get him naked and in my arms.
The limo waited at the curb with the door open. As we rode to the hotel, Wyl leaned close, “Honey, experiencing Don Giovanni on stage is unbelievable. I always thought opera was dull, but you helped me understand it through your class and comments tonight.”
I didn’t remember much about the performance. My main attraction held my hand beside me in the private box. “You picked my favorite opera,” I whispered in Wyl’s ear.
“I know,” Wyl said. “I pay attention to what my soulmate likes.”
I shivered with anticipation as the limo pulled into the hotel’s circular drive near midnight. In the elevator to our suite, Wyl was giddy. Something was up.
“What’s up with you?” I asked. “You’re acting like a little kid on Christmas morning.”
“Oh, nothing.” Wyl grinned.
On our floor, Wyl dragged me down the hall to our suite.
“You’re scaring me. Do I need to call a doctor?” I touched my palm to Wyl’s forehead. “Are you okay?”
Wyl unlocked the door and shoved me inside. “I’m fine. Give me your jacket, kick off your boots, and sit, and I’ll bring us a brandy.”
“Brandy sounds wonderful, babe.”
What was he up to? I removed my jacket and boots and settled on the soft leather couch. This was an excellent time to ask him to marry me. My insides trembled. Could I ask him?
The dim room lights and the soft glow of the gas fireplace set a romantic mood.
Wyl set the snifters on the coffee table, the amber liquid catching the yellow glow from the fire.
He knelt in front of me. My heart pounded.
What was he doing? He took my hands in his.
“Um… I wanted to do something special for your Christmas present.”
I gazed into Wyl’s grey-green eyes. I trembled and hoped he couldn’t feel it. I leaned forward, waiting. The light from the fireplace made his face glow. Then, a tear rolled down his cheek.
“Damn…” he sniffed and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.”
My hands began to shake. What would bring Wyl to tears?
Wyl paused as if searching for the right words. “Rod, you mean more to me than life itself.” His voice shook. We were a combined mess. “You made me so happy these past few months.” His voice cracked. “I love you so much that mere words are not adequate.” He paused again and took a deep breath.
I held mine. At least it sounded like he wasn’t breaking up with me. Why did that pop into my head? “What is it, Wyl?”
“Rod Bonner, will you honor me by becoming my husband?”
Time stopped. Hearing ceased. The world started spinning. A lump formed in my throat, and my vision shimmered.
Wyl waited for a response, face frozen in expectation.
I nodded. Speech failed. No words could convey my feelings. I released Wyl’s hands and opened my arms.
Wyl settled on the couch and pulled me to him.
“I love you so much, it hurts,” I choked out. “Yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes, I want to be married to you more than anything.”
Wyl leaned back to gaze into my eyes. “You do?”
With both hands, I grabbed Wyl’s face. “Yes, and I'll say I do later.” I half-chuckled. “I hoped to work up to ask you tonight.”
After an emotional pause, Wyl uttered in a quivering voice, “I want to be bound to you by law.” He gasped, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I want what’s mine to be yours and what’s yours to be mine. I don’t want anybody to take anything away from us.”
“I want the same thing.” I choked on tears again, then sniffled. “Being married to you is a dream come true for me.”
I pulled Wyl into a seal-the-deal passionate kiss. Whatever lay ahead, we proved we could handle it together.
THE END