“Marilee is out at the farm. She and Ma are putting the finishing touches on her wedding dress, and of course I’ve been banned from the premises,” he explained. “Bad luck to see the dress before the wedding and all of that nonsense. You’ll stay, of course?” he asked hopefully.
“I’d like too,” Micah admitted. “When is it?”
“On Saturday, and I won’t let Marilee delay it. I’ve waited long enough.”
“So have I,” Cara added, quietly coming out of the kitchen.
Micah opened his arms, and she flew into them, her arms wrapped tightly around him. She buried her face in his shoulder as he picked her up.
“I’ve missed you dreadfully, darling,” she whispered.
“No more than I’ve missed you, you naughty brat,” he replied, giving her a crisp swat on her bottom. “Don’t you ever run out on me again! We are a team.”
“Always and forever,” she softly agreed when he set her on her feet.
Micah held her to his side, where she nestled in as close as she could.
“I’m starving,” he finally said. “I feel as though I haven’t eaten in weeks. Where can we go for a steak?”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Cara replied with a smile. “That’s why I’ve put on my prettiest dress, even though this corset is killing me.”
“It’s lovely,” Micah acknowledged, taking in the lavender gown. “However, I believe I’d rather see you in just the corset.”
“Witt,” she scolded. “Remember where we are.”
Mead laughed and shook his head.
“Take him over to The Blue Bonnet,” Mead suggested. “Tell Laurie it’s my treat, sort of a celebration dinner if you will.”
“That would be lovely, Mead,” Cara accepted, stepping up to kiss Mead’s cheek. “You have no idea how happy I am to see this man,” she continued, slipping her arm through her husband’s. “Come on, Micah. I’m famished and Laurie Dixon is a marvelous cook. Perhaps when she sees me with another handsome man, she won’t try to poison me,” she teased.
“I hope you’re going to explain that remark.”
“Oh, I will. I have so much to tell you. Oh, Mead,” she called, pausing in the doorway. “Do you know if there is a decent bottle of wine behind that bar?”
“I believe I can come up with something,” he answered, grinning. “I’ll have it taken upstairs to your room while you’re at dinner.”
“You’re a darling,” she called out.
Cara being escortedto supper on the arm of a very handsome man seemed to make all the difference to Mrs. Dixon. Suddenly, the young woman who’d barely spoken to her was all smiles. Their meal was served promptly and cheerfully when Cara introduced Micah as her husband. Laurie seemed to let out a tremendous sigh of relief as her smile grew brighter.
“Well, that’s quite a different reception than the one I usually get,” Cara remarked with a laugh as Laurie returned to the kitchen. She sliced into her thick and juicy steak.
“How so?”
“Usually, I’m the very last customer served, and it’s always with an attitude. Honestly, the woman hates me.”
“Why should she? She doesn’t even know you?” Micah asked.
“I believe I’ve made things difficult,” Cara admitted regretfully. “You see, I thought I could make her jealous.”
“Excuse me?”
“I know, and I’m not proud of myself,” she whispered, leaning closer.
“What have you done, Cara Mia?” he asked sternly.
“You see, while conducting endless hours of research, I came across an old marriage certificate bearing the names of Florence Dixon and Lorraine Mahoney. At first, it didn’t connect. After all, I was looking for information about Floyd Dixon. Then I figured a man with the name Florence might not care for the ribbing he got and perhaps at some point began calling himself Floyd. If that was the case, and he’d married a woman named Lorraine, might she be called Laurie by friends and family?
