Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“Ithink it’s a good offer,” Sully said a few days later, looking at the page the realtor had faxed to Charley regarding her Old Colorado City property.
“I do too.” Charley nodded, standing next to him.
With a cold rain threatening to ice the roads and plans to go to dinner at the Lodge, Sully had driven her to Pretty Petals.
He was back now as she closed for the day.
“I consider myself lucky to have any offer considering the body of the woman who initially escaped the Cave Killer was found in a cave near my property.”
“I say accept this offer and be done, Charley.”
“Yes, I agree. It’s not the full asking price but close enough.”
“Right, and the buyers are paying cash. That’s a plus.”
“I told my realtor I’d meet her tomorrow afternoon if the offer was acceptable. So, I’ll do that and sign whatever paperwork is needed to make this a quick, done deal.”
“Sounds good.” Sully smiled in relief. He’d be glad to have Charley’s ties cut to the property where she’d been attacked, and her mother murdered. “Both of our stores will be closed tomorrow, so I’ll go with you.”
He grabbed her hand, and they were off in his four-wheel drive Jeep to have dinner at Coopers’ Lodge.
To their delight, they ran into Cash, Tracy, Carly, and Dalton there.
The Coopers had just arrived and waved them to a big, round, cushioned booth.
As the baby slept, Carly, sitting in a booster seat between Tracy and Charley, told them exactly how much he weighed and how many inches he’d grown since birth.
“Dalton will talk soon,” Carly assured them.
“Since Dalton can’t hold up his own head yet, it may be a while before he’s talking, Sis,” Cash said to his daughter as he and Sully sat at outside ends of the booth facing each other.
Carly wasn’t too sure about that. Charley hugged her, and everyone laughed. Charley told them about the potential sale of her shop and duplex. Cash and Tracy agreed it was a good offer. Sully added that they planned to meet with the realtor the next day to make it official.
After a delicious dinner, they bid the Coopers good night.
From the Lodge, Sully drove straight home to his ranch.
As usual, the remainder of the evening flew by.
Sully could hardly recall, nor did he want to remember how the days and nights had often dragged before Charley burst onto the scene and changed his whole world. He was one lucky man.
They went to bed, made love, and when he’d awakened, she was in his arms just where he wanted her.
From bed, on that lazy Sunday morning of December thirtieth, Sully saw snow lightly falling as Charley soundly slept.
It was his opportunity to surprise her with breakfast. He slipped out of bed without waking her.
Wyatt followed him through the house, and Sully let him out the side door.
The snow covering the mountain tops in the distance was beautiful.
Winter had arrived, and with the temperature dropping, Wyatt soon scampered back into the warm house.
He ate breakfast and with a dog biscuit, took off to his bed in the master bedroom.
“Well, lookie there, Wyatt,” Charley said twenty minutes later, as she and the puppy walked into the kitchen. “Your dad is making us breakfast.”
“His dad?” Sully laughed, turning to face them. “You know that makes you his mom.”
“I know,” Charley giggled and scooped up the puppy.
“Don’t let Wyatt fool you about breakfast. He’s already been fed, gone outside, and had a dog biscuit. This breakfast is just for you and me.”
“Mmm, what are we having?”
“Pancakes and scrambled eggs.”
“Yum!”
They ate at the quartz island and cleaned up the kitchen together.
Then it was a race to the master bath, and Sully let her beat him into the shower.
Charley turned on the water and pulled him into the hot spray with her.
The shower took longer than usual. Damn, it was a pleasure to wash Charley’s sensational body from head to toe and have her wash his.
Her hands found his hard length, and Sully closed his eyes in sweet ecstasy before turning off the water.
“Ready to go?” Sully called in the foyer. Charley’s appointment with her realtor was more than an hour and a half away. But he was allowing extra time to get there due to the worsening weather conditions. Snow now blanketed the ranch.
“Coming,” Charley replied, and from the master bedroom came hopping into the hallway on one foot.
Stopping to tug on her other red boot she then jogged to him.
She pulled on red gloves that matched her red toboggan-style hat decorated with snowmen and a white pompom on top.
The set had been a Christmas gift to her from Sully, and he thought she looked adorable.
On the same page, as usual, she’d given him black leather gloves and a wool scarf to match his black cowboy hat and black leather jacket. “Ready to go.”
Grinning at the gorgeous girl whose trademark long, loose brain hung down her back, Sully stood with his hand on the doorknob as his cell rang. He answered the call and frowned. “No, problem, Dad. I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong?” Charley asked when he’d put his phone in his pocket.
“Dad slipped on a patch of ice and thinks he may have broken his right ankle.” Sully rubbed his forehead. “He can’t put weight on it to get to his car and needs to go to the ER.”
“Sully, go see about him,” Charley urged as Sully glanced at his new smart watch. “I can drive myself to Old Colorado City and sign the paperwork.”
“I don’t want you alone in Old Colorado City.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll be with Margo, my realtor.”
“Yes, but the realtor’s office is right up the street from your property.
” Sully knew that’s why Charley had chosen the woman, as the realtor had often purchased flowers or plants as thank you gifts for her buyers and sellers from Charley’s shop before it had closed.
“Tell you what, let’s go get Dad. We’ll drop you off at the realtor’s office, and I will take him to the ER.
You call me the second you’re done, and I’ll come back for you.
By that time, Dad might be done too. If not, it won’t matter because you’ll be safely back with me, and we can pick Dad up from the hospital together. ”
“Sounds like a plan.” Charley gave him a sharp nod of her head. “Let’s go.”