38. Duke
DUKE
I’ve never cared about any woman this much, not even my first girlfriend, Rosie.
And here I am, building Dallas a greenhouse while watching her three-year-old twins.
“Being a parent is hard,” I tell Sam.
He chuckles, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Yeah, man. I can’t even imagine doing it alone.”
“Is it crazy that I’m already thinking about proposing?”
His eyes widen before he slowly nods. “Yes.”
I laugh, turning back to nail another board up to frame out one of the windows.
“But you’ve always been hardheaded, and once you make up your mind, you typically don’t change it.”
“I made up my mind about her a long time ago. Before she was even divorced.”
“I know, but you might want to give her a little time to catch up.”
“Yeah. I guess. But how long?”
I can’t wait too much longer. I want a ring on her hand and for her and the boys to live here with me permanently.
“Maybe this whole baby-daddy situation needs a more solid resolution before you go talking marriage. The divorce is still pretty fresh.”
“There’s only one other way I’m going to ‘resolve’ that situation.” With my rope around that fucker’s neck.
Sam chuckles. “Yeah, I know. We just need time to see what he’s gonna do and let the sheriff stop sniffing around for more bodies. Has anyone talked to you about your whereabouts that night?”
I shake my head. “Too many people saw us shit-faced at Old Harry’s.
Holden said the sheriff talked to him, and told him the bones somehow disappeared.
A few people in town are pissed about the burning of Fleming’s body.
He was old-school Catholic and specifically said he didn’t want to be cremated.
But he has no kids or close living family to do shit about it. ”
“And no one suspected he was burned on top of Jed’s body?” He leans up against the wood-framed wall and crosses his arms.
“Warner thinks it’s all gonna blow over.
Our alibi is solid. No one saw us sneaking out of Old Harry’s, and if they did, it wasn’t enough time to burn two bodies since we all took turns.
No one knew it was Jed, so even though he’s been a missing person for years, he had no family willing to pursue it. ”
He smiles. “Damn. So, we’re in the clear? What about his bones being found on Redford Ranch?”
“I guess since they never got the DNA tested before they disappeared, they can’t charge us with anything. No body, no crime. Holden told them due to the size of the ranch, anyone could’ve trespassed and buried them. Could’ve been there for years. So if we do need to dig a new grave …”
“Yeah, you’re not doing that here. Moonlight is a much safer bet.”
This is why we’re best friends.
I turn to the sound of tires in the driveway. The twins run toward my sister’s Bronco.
They’re covered in mud, and they jump up into their mom’s arms as soon as she steps out of the car.
“Oh my goodness! Who are these filthy little mud people, and what did they do to my babies?”
“Cowboy is making you a surprise!” Dutton squeals.
“Mommy! Don’t look! It’s a surprise for you!” Dawson points toward me and the very hard-to-miss structure.
Dallas’s eyes find mine. She smiles shyly. “A surprise for me, huh?”
She studies the small building, clearly curious about what it could be. The sun is starting to dip down behind the clouds. I set my tools down and walk over to her. Dolly and Eden are getting out of the car behind her.
“You’re not supposed to look yet.”
“In that case, you should’ve hidden it better.”
“It’ll be done in a few weeks. Then you can look.”
“And I can’t know what it is until then?” She tilts her head to the side.
“Nope.”
“Fine, I won’t look, but I’m starving. I guess we’ll have to eat outside. Who wants tacos for dinner?”
The boys let out twin whines. “No! Chicken nuggets!”
“No, not chicken nuggets. You’re going to turn into one if you eat any more of those.”
Dolly laughs, coming up to hook her arm through Dallas’s. “I’ll help you with dinner.”
“We’d really love to take them for a couple of nights and give you a break.”
I stare at Sandy’s face. She’s wearing a pinched smile, and I can tell Dallas is struggling to interpret what it means.
And I’m pissed that she had the audacity to show up on my ranch without an invitation.
“I’m just nervous after … after what happened. Is Matt going to be there?” Dallas asks, arms crossed over her stomach.
Sandy shakes her head, her gray bob swinging. “No. I promise you that. Daren and I are planning to take them to the zoo and to the park, all their favorite places. We miss them.”
My throat feels tight. I know she doesn’t want them to take the boys, but she feels guilty for saying no.
Dallas has expressed to me that Sandy has been so kind. Sandy hasn’t said a single mean word to her, ever, even though her daughter has. She feels like it’s wrong to deny her a relationship with her grandchildren because of her son’s actions.
“Okay. I guess that would be okay. Just for these next two nights.”
Sandy beams, her brown eyes sparkling. “Thank you! We’ll text you to meet up in a couple of days.”
After packing up the boys’ clothes and shoes and bidding them goodbye, Dallas releases an exhale.
I rub her arm. “You’re gonna be okay. We have a fun weekend ahead. We have the showdown, remember? And we’re gonna kick ass.”
She nods, lowering her lashes. “I know. I’m ready. It’s going to be fun. I need a drink.”
We practiced for the showdown all day yesterday. Dallas had no choice but to agree to be my partner now that we’re officially dating. Plus, I pointed out that if she wouldn’t do it, I’d have to ask another woman, which she really didn’t like.
She’s looking absolutely stunning in a tight black halter-top minidress and red lipstick. Her black boots and fishnet stockings are the perfect addition to the outfit, although I could do without the leering eyes following every single one of her steps.
I grab her waist, pulling her up against me. “You’re driving me wild with these hips tonight, Mamas.”
She smiles, tilting her head back. “It feels good to have fun with you. I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun.”
The best part about our relationship is that we’re not just sleeping together and we’re not just dating.
We’re friends too. We have fun, we laugh, and we enjoy being around each other more than anyone else.
We dance the first number on the floor with the other nine couples. I dip her back as the song ends, the cheers from the crowd booming around us.
I pull her up and press a kiss to her lips. The applause grows louder.
“I think we have a favorite! Let’s hear it for one of our own! Dallas Hayes, a bartender here at Lucky’s Pub, is competing tonight! Isn’t she killing it?”
The crowd roars with approval for Dallas. I notice the man she went out with, Scott, watching from the sidelines. He lifts his glass to me, nodding in a way that I fully interpret as him letting me know I’ve won some kind of prize.
Yeah, I know that, buddy.
Grady and Jo step up near us as the next song starts.
Grady winks at me. “You piss me off—you know that, Redford?”
“Why is that?” I ask.
“You barely ever practiced, and you’re about to win this shit.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“Sorry I’m so damn talented at everything.”
Jo shakes her head, winking at Dallas. “Remember when I had to force you to dance with him?”
Dallas nuzzles my chest. “Yeah, I remember.”
“You got anything to say to me?” Jo asks, raising a brow before Grady spins her around.
“Uh, thanks, babe! I owe you one!” Dallas says.
“You can be in the wedding. How’s that?” I add.
Dallas’s eyes widen, and she gapes at me. “Um, what wedding, mister?”
I raise a brow. “Ours.”
She blinks at me, chewing on her lip. “When is that happening?”
“As soon as you’re ready, Mamas. I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d let me.”
She coughs suddenly, bending forward like she’s having trouble catching her breath. “I—we haven’t even been together for a month. We haven’t even said I love you to each other.”
“I said it.”
She tilts her head. “You were drunk. That doesn’t count.”
“Well, for the record, I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you.”
I spin her around, dipping her back and pulling her underneath my body before lifting her to an upright position. She gasps, fluttering her lashes at me.
“Don’t you ever do that again, Duke Justin Redford! That was mean!”
I lick my lips, smirking. “How is telling you I love you mean?”
“Because you didn’t give me a chance to respond!”
“Well, here’s your chance.”
She shakes her curly blond hair, exhaling dramatically before settling her emerald eyes on mine.
“I love you too,” she whispers. Her voice is so soft that I can barely hear her over the crowd.
“Damn, I thought you’d never say it.” I can’t stop smiling.
My heart feels like it’s too big for my chest.
I draw her closer, wrapping my arms fully around her. “You know, I’ve been after you for years.”
“Oh, trust me, I know. And you thought I was still married the first time we hooked up.”
I press a kiss to her ear. “You’re right, and I didn’t care.”
“Cheating is horrible.”
“Yeah, but if anyone deserves to get cheated on, it was him.”
The smile melts off her face. I nuzzle the side of her neck, feeling overwhelmed with how much I actually am in love with her, even more so now that it’s out in the open. Fucking finally.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just scared of what’s going to happen.”
“You didn’t have to let her take them. Why did you?”
“I just … I felt guilty, keeping them from her. She’s been nothing but nice to me.”
“Has she acknowledged what a piece of shit her son is for what he’s done?”
I can feel her shake her head.
“Well, that’s not very nice behavior.”
She pulls back, her gaze searching mine. “So, you don’t think I owe her anything? You think it wouldn’t be wrong for me to deny her a relationship with them?”
I debate on my response carefully. I’m not a parent, and it’s hard for me to weigh in as a neutral third party with all that’s happened.
“I think as a mother, you have a right to determine who’s a positive in influence on your children and who should be in their lives.”
A heavy sigh escapes her. Her fingers intertwine with mine, and she presses her forehead to mine. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For validating me. For helping me through this nightmare. For not abandoning me when it got really fucking hard. I know I’m not always easy to love.”
“Oh, baby, you’re wrong about that. Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”