"Do some fast talking there. I want you both to be very happy."
He had no idea how to ask someone to marry him. He bit his bottom lip and then asked, "Alice, how did you know that you wanted to marry John?"
"I've been in love with him all my life. Once we were actually together, it was easy to say yes. Are you going to ask Vicki?"
His heartbeat thrashed in his ears. He'd not tell Alice. He should ask Vicki first. "Bye, sis."
"That means you are."
He shook his head as he turned off the highway and returned to the side road that took him home. "Bye."
"Good luck. I'll be praying for you both."
Luck had brought Vicki to him. It was up to him to ask, and he flashed to planning exactly how he'd do so. Adrenaline pumped in his veins as he made his way onto the ranch. Vicki made the sun shine in his life. The question of why she might leave raced in his head.
If she married him, then she'd have his heart. He inhaled and crossed his fingers that it was enough. Then he parked the car. He was home. It was time to set the scene.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Vicki waited in the living room, and their daughter listened to her music. Colt had taken a long time at the hospital this morning. Vicki read a book, and wondered if her daughter might like piano lessons, as she seemed to love music. If so, Vicki would find her one.
Today had to be her last day here, if she intended to keep her heart strong. Her shoulders threatened to cave in, and her eyes would water if she thought that Colt might not love her. She'd have to be strong. Clara was a reason to stay, but that shouldn't be enough. She'd not push Colt if he wasn't ready for a relationship, and she had to protect her heart.
A knock at the door sent her heartbeat into a race. Vicki stood and told Clara, "I'll be right back."
Her daughter's head bopped, and Vicki hoped she’d heard her.
A few seconds later, she returned to the living room. She'd not sign Colt up for a church that came to the front door.
As Vicki stared at her daughter, Clara gazed at her with her big blue eyes. "Okay, and Mom, we're going to have to work on making you more sexy so you can marry Daddy."
Marriage without love wasn't possible for her, not that Clara would understand that. Vicki stared at her green tee shirt and sweats. "You don't like this outfit?"
"I'll pick out something for you to wear so Dad notices you." Clara scratched her head. "Then he can't resist you."
Dress-up was a fun game. Clara jumped out of her chair. Vicki nodded. "Okay, pick out my outfit, Clara."
If clothes kept Clara happy, Vicki had nothing to say. Her daughter walked past her and headed toward her room. Vicki smiled then and went to her room to pack her items.
To keep Clara happy, she'd wear just about anything, including a circus clown outfit.
Once she had everything ready, Vicki went into the kitchen and retrieved chicken pieces so she could make them lunch. No one must see that she'd break into a million tears and create a river from her sadness. Then she started the coffee pot. Colt hadn't come home from work to grab a morning cup and then head out again.
She swallowed and refused to think she would miss simple routines.
Clara came out of the bedroom. "Hurry, Mom. Change before Daddy sees you."
Vicki turned on the oven, wiped her hands on her sweats, and marched back to her room. She danced into the room and sang, "Gonna get pretty."
Clara wrinkled her nose. "Don't sing for Dad, Mom."
In the room, Vicki blinked. Her daughter had picked out a black designer glitter dress she’d worn for New Year’s once, two years ago. "Where did you find this?"
"At Aunt Alice's," Clara told her. "I took it from her to give it to you."
"I'll be sure to thank her later." Vicki kept the smile on her face then took her tee shirt off. "Can I wear my bra?"
"Mom, be serious. This is important."
"I see. I'm sorry." Vicki shook her head and then picked up the dress to tug down over her head. With the dress half down, she tugged off her bra and tossed it on the bed. Finished, she shook her hips. "Isn't this overkill for lunch?"
Clara giggled.
Outside someone slammed a car door, and Vicki's skin jumped. Today she'd tell Colt goodbye. She glanced out the window and told her heart to stop racing.
"It's one of Dad's workers on the farm." Vicki offered her hand and waited for Clara. Clara reached up and then they walked out together. "Okay, let's get to making lunch. Didn't Grandma ever tell you that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach?"
"No. Is it?" Clara's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. "Mom, we have to cook an amazing lunch."
"Don't worry about that. I was joking." Clara tugged her toward the kitchen. "No matter what, your dad and I will always be in your life."
Once in the kitchen, Vicki directed Clara to the toast and to set the table. She stirred the last bit of eggs to bread the chicken and heated up a few leftover vegetables and mashed potatoes from last night's dinner. A few minutes later, she hunched over and used the spatula to finish scraping everything into serving bowls.
Behind her she heard Colt voice call out, "Princess, I'm home."
No, she wasn't ready for him. The scent of oranges and oak wafted in the air. Vicki straightened her dress that was too short. Her face heated and she glanced at him near the door. His gaze went up and down her body, which made her warmer, everywhere. "Let's eat, Colt."
He wiped his feet outside on the rug again, and then proceeded inside. He mussed Clara's hair, but his gaze never left Vicki. She prayed she hadn't blushed all over her body, but it was possible. She finished with everything on the table.
Colt brushed past her, and she tingled from their momentary contact. Then she sat and told him, "We're going to have to talk after lunch. Don't run off."
Colt sniffed the food and she waited for his comment. He said nothing and served the food. "My mom will be here soon to take Clara for the rest of the day. It will be just the two of us, so we can talk."
He must know that she intended to end their time together. Her neck tightened. Clara might not understand yet. Perhaps their talk was better one on one. She'd return tomorrow and see Clara every day. Vicki nodded and served food to her daughter and Colt. His big, sexy eyes stared at her. The air conditioner had to have broken, because she was hot. "Let's eat, unless you think it's poisoned."
"I'm impressed, Vicki. I didn't know you had it in you."
She shook her head and waited for him to take a bite. He smiled at her, and then she ate.
#
After cleanup, Vicki told them, "I'll go change now."
"No, Mom." Her grandmother's car roared into the driveway as Clara said, "You're pretty as you are. Let's go greet Grandma."