Chapter 1 #2
“Oh, nothing. Other than, while I’m more than happy to chat with you these days, you don’t seem to have too much on your mind when you call.” Dustin watched Charity slip inside the barn, undoubtably headed for the office where she was queen of all things admin related.
Probably best to ease this odd call to a conclusion if there was nothing urgent on Frank’s side. And considering mostly silence plus a few grumbles rose on the other end of the phone, urgent wasn’t an issue.
Perhaps another solution?
“You have time to come for a visit in the next while?” Dustin offered. “It’s slow right now for both our ranches, and the roads are supposed to be good. No storms, just crystal clear and cold.”
“I’d like that.” This at least came back firm and decisive. “I’ll give Tamara a call. Make sure there’s room on Tyler’s schedule for me to stop in to take him out ice fishing like I promised.”
An easy laugh escaped. “You spoil that kid like crazy.”
“He’s easy to spoil,” Frank said, sadness sliding into his tone as he added, “Finally figured out I could be a Grampa figure for him. It’s what my brother would have wanted.”
The mention of Dustin’s missing father was a faint pain these days, considering all the other men who’d built into his life for years. Including, oddly enough after a very rocky start, Uncle Frank. “He’d be proud.”
Dustin was still considering their change of relationship as he paced into the office to discover Charity on her tiptoes on a step stool. She wavered precariously as she reached above a filing cabinet.
He held back a curse, not wanting to surprise her into falling. He just stepped quietly behind her, arms stretched wide.
She gasped as her foot slipped. Arms flailing, she tumbled backward and landed in his arms.
“Wow.” Charity clung to his neck, eyes wide. “No idea how you got there, but thanks for saving my butt.”
“It's a nice butt. It deserved saving.” Willingly, he gave said butt a squeeze even as he pressed his lips to hers as he lowered her safely to the ground. “What were you risking your neck to grab? Let me get it for you.”
She pointed. “The picture frame is out of line. I tried to straighten it with a pole but that only made it worse.”
Dustin turned, and warmth pooled in his belly.
It was their annual family portrait, taken this past summer, with all the Stone family gathered at the main gate.
Instead of smiling at the camera, they were grinning at each other or outright laughing.
Arms around shoulders, babies in arms, everyone clearly connected.
He hopped on the stool and snagged the picture easily. “Why’s this way up there?”
“Not sure,” Charity said with a shrug. “Find a better spot, and we can relocate it. It’s a reminder of what family means—moving it wouldn’t change those facts.”
Dustin nodded as he glanced around. No better location shouted out, so he laid the frame to the side for a moment and turned to other topics. “Uncle Frank called.”
“Again?” Charity headed back behind her desk, twisting the computer screen enough he saw the ranch calendar pop up. “Things are quiet for the next while. Maybe you should invite him out for a visit. He might actually spill what’s on his mind face-to-face.”
“Brilliant woman.” Dustin grinned. “Already issued the invite.”
She stuck out her tongue. “You remember we have plans for tonight with Fern and Cody?”
“I do.” He eased a hip on the desk. “I do, I do, I do.”
Charity laughed. “You keep practicing like that, and when our wedding finally arrives, you’ll reel your vows off a half dozen times and your brothers will never let you hear the end of it.”
Which was the utter truth, but he didn’t care one bit. They’d been engaged for what felt like half of forever. “Still can’t get over the fact I proposed in July and when we started looking two months later, the following summer was already booked solid.”
Which was why Charity and Dustin had quietly set the date that had been well over a year out.
A year that was now six months and counting…
“We can never tease Tamara’s sisters for adding a wedding venue to their dude ranch.” Charity’s eyes danced with mischief.
“Waiting a little longer probably was a good idea, regardless. Gave the media more time to forget about us.” Dustin stood. “I need to get back to work, or Ashton will forget he’s mostly retired and start giving me punishment chores.”
“Mostly retired? Is that even a thing for someone like Ashton?” Her lips quirked for a moment before she pulled her expression into a serene smile. “He’s sixty-nine this year. You think he’d be ready to take more time off.”
Dustin enjoyed a hit of amusement as well. “Cee, you’ve got a dirty mind. I know what you were thinking a second ago.”
She pressed a hand to her chest and let her jaw drop as if shocked. “I’m not a twelve-year-old boy, amused at the mere mention of…numbers.”
They grinned at each other as Dustin stepped closer and leaned into her. “Nice try. Still got a dirty mind.”
She linked her arms around his neck and widened her eyes. “You like my dirty mind.”
“Damn straight.”
He pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her lips, bodies pressed tight as everything right in his world shone bright.
“Ahem.”
They jerked apart at the exaggerated cough from the door.
Charity’s cheeks flushed as one of the hands shuffled forward, a shit-eating grin on his face as he extended a folder toward Charity and winked at Dustin. “Tucker asked if you were done distracting the office manager, could you get your ass out to the arena? He’s waiting for you.”
“Nearly done,” Dustin drawled, zero regrets in his tone.
“You’re terrible. Go.” Charity waved him off with a laugh.
Dustin tipped his hat at her, grabbed the family picture, and sauntered off to work, his happiness tank filled to the brim.