38
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 theydisappeared, 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?”
