Bartender's Beauty (Culpepper Cowboys Book 11) (5 page)

She blinked a couple of times. “Married? We’re getting married now?”

Austin frowned at her. “Have you already forgotten my plans to live under the monkey bars? I’m hurt!”

“No, but Kolby says you’re a terrible fisherman, so what will we eat?”

“The bar has lots of cherries!”

“That’s a plan. We’ll have to think on it.” She took another big drink of her water. “First, though, I need to get home so I can start making phone calls and make the funeral happen.”

The bell over the door to the bakery rang then, and a man walked in with a little girl who was wearing butterfly wings over a leotard and tights. The little girl rushed behind the counter yelling, “Mama! Mama!”

The woman Dallas had been told was Patience, dropped to one knee, embracing the little girl. “How’d it go?” she asked the man standing there.

“She’s fine. Just a summer cold. The doctor said to keep her home for a day or two.”

Patience wrinkled her nose at the man who was obviously her husband. “Ryan! You can’t let a sick little girl hug someone who is baking cheesecakes! Now I have to go and scrub down as if I’m preparing for surgery.”

Ryan didn’t seem upset at the scolding. “You can kiss me first, though, right?”

She laughed. “I can always kiss you first!”

Dallas watched the family together, her eyes misty. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized just how badly she wanted a child. Oh, she’d known that someday she’d have one. But she didn’t know it would have to be with Austin. Her whole world seemed to be centered around the man.

She didn’t say anything as she stood and gathered her trash to carry it to be thrown away.

Austin got up and followed her, carrying what was left and wondering what was on her mind. She waved to Felicity. “Thank you for lunch, my new best friend!”

Felicity waved excitedly. “We’ll have to talk soon! We’re open for breakfast every morning!”

Dallas smiled. “I’ll try to make it back!” She walked out to the truck and climbed into the passenger seat, buckling automatically. “Do you mind taking me home now?”

“I’m not only taking you home,” he reminded her. “I’m going to stay with you. I’m going to help you with the plans.”

She frowned at him for a moment before nodding. She needed the help. There was a lot to be done, and she wanted all remnants of her father gone from the house before school started.

Ten minutes later, they were at the kitchen table of the ranch house, and she was on her phone, calling first Brother Anthony. “Brother Anthony, this is Dallas Gustafson. I was wondering if I could ask you to—.”

“You want to get married this week, don’t you? You and every other woman in town. I don’t care how much this town loves those pretty little Quinlan girls, I’m not going to keep doing all these quickie marriages. You can wait a full week like a respectable young lady!”

“That’s not it, Brother Anthony. I’m not calling about a wedding!”

“I’m not doing a baptism for a baby if you aren’t married, Dallas Gustafson! You’ve been coming to my church since you were a little girl, and I know you know better than that.”

“No, Brother Anthony, I’m not pregnant. It’s not that at all.”

Austin was looking at Dallas with one eyebrow raised. “We can make that happen if you want,” he said softly, and Dallas swatted his arm.

“Well, what is it then? I’m an old man, and I don’t have all day to sit here on the phone wondering why people are calling me. Just spit it out!” Brother Anthony insisted.

“My father died earlier today. I would like you to speak at his funeral.” Was that the right way to put it? Did one perform funerals? Speak at funerals? Dallas had no idea.

“I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t know why you didn’t just tell me that to begin with!” Brother Anthony sounded exasperated with her. “You’re not wanting to have a wedding right after the funeral, are you?”

She sighed. “Brother Anthony, there’s not going to be a wedding. Just a funeral.”

“Sure there’s not. Tell the man sitting next to you that the funeral has to come first. Bodies don’t keep forever! We’ll do the funeral after lunch on Sunday. At one.” Brother Anthony hung up, and Dallas stared at her phone for a minute.

“He said to tell you that the funeral has to come before the wedding, because bodies don’t keep forever.”

Austin looked for a moment as if he was unsure what to even think of that, but then he threw back his head and laughed. “That man has some very serious issues, and that’s what I love about him so much.”

Dallas shrugged. “He sure does. I wasn’t even sure how to respond to that. Good thing he hung up before I could.” The rest of the phone calls she made weren’t as amusing for her. She made notes as she discussed everything with all the people she had to speak with.

The last call she made was to her father’s lawyer. She reached his secretary. “This is Dallas Gustafson, and I need to inform you that my father died today.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Dallas. When would be a good time for Mr. Wells to meet with you to discuss your father’s estate? You’re the only person named in his will, so whenever is good for you is fine.” The secretary paused for a moment. “Mr. Wells would like to speak with you.”

There was a pause, and then a vaguely familiar voice. “I’m sorry for your loss, Dallas.”

“Thank you,” she said automatically.

“I know you don’t want to think about all this now, but when would be a good time to meet with me about the estate?”

“We’re doing the funeral on Sunday afternoon, so we could do it after the funeral? Or Monday?” Dallas really didn’t care; she just wanted it all to be over and done with.

“Is my grandfather officiating at the funeral?” the lawyer asked.

“Brother Anthony.”

“That’s my grandfather. I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Marcus Wells.”

Dallas’s eyes grew wide. “I forget what a small community we live in. I remember you.”

“Let’s just do it after the funeral, if you’re up for it. We can stay at the church or I can meet you at your house.”

“Is it all right if I have someone with me?” she asked, her eyes on Austin.

“Of course, Austin can be there.”

She blinked a few times. “How did you know I meant Austin?” Was there already that much gossip about them?

“You met my wife, Grace, earlier today. It’s all over town that you and Austin are an item now. You’ve been seen together in public one time.”

Dallas laughed. “I guess that’s true. Thank you. I’ll see you after the funeral. Let’s do it here at my house. I’ll be more comfortable.”

After she ended the call, she looked at Austin. “It’s all over town that we’re an item. There’s no backing out now. You’ll have to make an honest woman of me, or I’ll spend the rest of my life walking around in shame.”

“Okay. How’s next weekend?”

She shook her head at him. “Brother Anthony says if I’m a respectable young lady, I’ll wait at least a
week
to marry.”

“That’s ten days! I’m giving you extra time!”

Chapter Five

The next few days flew by in a whir for Dallas. Food started being delivered Wednesday evening, before Austin even had time to leave. It was obvious the many women bringing the casseroles and other food had all noted Austin’s truck in her driveway. Their names would be linked for a long time to come whether she wanted it or not.

At the funeral, there were more people than Dallas had expected, and she wondered how many were there to pay their last respects to her father, and how many were there to see if Austin sat with her for the funeral.

Through the service, he stayed at her side, an arm around her waist or her shoulders. She realized as they followed Marcus to her house that he hadn’t kissed her since Wednesday though. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d realized he had no feelings for her after all, and he was just helping her through the difficult time. They’d always been friends, and he could be slipping back into the role.

“You know you are free to go anytime you’d like.”

He frowned at that. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to babysit me. I can handle all this. I’d like you to be there for the reading of the will, but then you’re welcome to go do whatever it is you do when we’re not together and you’re not working.” She hoped he would stay beside her, but she needed to stay strong. Yes, he was there today, but she knew from past experience, she’d be alone again.

“Don’t push me away, Dallas. I just got you back, and I’m not letting you go so fast.” He gave her a warning glance as he parked the truck in her driveway.

She shrugged, getting out of the vehicle, her heels making her slightly wobbly on her feet. Her heels and utter exhaustion combined made everything a little hard. But it was so hard to sleep when you were racked with guilt. How could she not feel even a little bit of sadness that the man was dead? Why was there only relief?

She felt Austin’s arm come around her waist, holding her up. “Thank you,” she said softly, still not quite believing he was staying at her side.

“For what?”

Dallas smiled. “For making sure I don’t slip in my heels on the gravel. For staying beside me through this whole mess. For making me stronger because I knew you were there. For putting up with my messed up emotions.”

Austin pressed a kiss to her forehead while she opened the door. “I think I’ve told you before, I’ll do anything for you. You’re my girl, Dallas.”

“Did you know that even though both Austin and Dallas are in Texas, they’re almost two-hundred miles apart?” She asked, having looked it up in junior high, wondering about their names.

He shrugged. “But it’s just a road trip straight down one highway. Straight to my arms if we’re ever separated again.” He frowned. “I don’t think I’m going to let you get that far from me, though.”

“You’re not? How are you going to prevent it?” she asked, kicking off her shoes in the living room and proceeding to the kitchen table, which is where she thought they’d be the most comfortable meeting with Marcus.

“I’ve bought a huge supply of duct tape. If I sense you’re planning on running, I’m going to duct tape you to me.”

“Duct tape?” She shook her head. “You really have lost your mind.”

“Over you!”

Marcus came into the house, his briefcase in hand. “Are you sure you want Austin here for this?”

Dallas shrugged. “I really don’t care. Everyone knew my dad hated me, so there will be no new information.”

Marcus frowned, sitting at the table and pulling out a file folder. “Your dad was a difficult man,” he began, “but I don’t think he hated you.”

He carefully went over the will, listing everything that had been left to her.

Dallas was more than a little surprised at some of the information. There was the property there in Wyoming, of course, but it seemed he had property in Iowa, where her family was from as well. “The income from the rent houses will be yours, but you don’t really have to do anything for that,” Marcus told her. “He’s had a company managing those since you moved here.”

Dallas had often wondered how her father stayed afloat with his broken down cattle ranch that had so few cattle, and maybe that was the answer. He chose not to work much, because he really didn’t have to.

“He was a savvy investor as well. He’s got a large brokerage account that he’s left to you.” He named a figure that had Dallas’s eyes widen. She couldn’t help but wonder why he’d never mentioned it.

“He also left you a letter. He said to give it to you and tell you to read it when you’re alone.” He pushed a sealed envelope toward her, and Dallas flipped it in her hands a couple of times. She didn’t want it. She simply wanted this whole nightmare to be over.

Finally, Marcus stood. “That’s all there is. It’ll take a little while, but everything is going to be transferred into your name. You’re not going to have to teach anymore if you don’t want to.”

Dallas shrugged. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t teach. It keeps me sane.” She got to her feet and showed Marcus out. “Thank you for coming out here to talk to me. It was easier than me having to go somewhere else.”

“Your father didn’t hate you, Dallas.”

Her eyes met his steadily. “You weren’t there listening to the hateful things he’s said to me day after day, year after year. Think what you will, but I know the truth.”

Marcus simply nodded, before heading to his truck.

Dallas sighed as she closed the door behind him. “Are you hungry?” she asked. “We have more food in this house than I could possibly eat before it spoils. I’d be happy to send a bunch of it home with you.”

Austin caught her hand and pulled her into the living room to sit beside him on the couch. “Let’s talk future for a minute. Are you going to sell this house?”

“At least for this school year, I have a contract to teach here in Culpepper. I need to live somewhere.”

“My house is a five-minute walk from the high school.”

She frowned. “I’m not going to live with you, Austin.” He knew her and her morals better than that. She was almost offended that he even asked.

“I was kind of hoping you’d marry me. It doesn’t really have to be this week or next.” Austin looked down at his hands, obviously struggling. “I’ve just felt so much for you for so long, and now you’re home. I don’t want you to leave again.”

Dallas looked at him with surprise. “I just told you I have to stay for at least a year. I’m not going anywhere.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want you to marry me!” He sighed. “I’m botching this up, and I don’t mean to be. Every girl deserves a perfect proposal.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. “I even got you a ring, so I could do it right, and I’m messing it up anyway.”

“You got me a ring?”

“Of course, I got you a ring. Any nincompoop knows that you don’t ask a girl to marry you without a ring. Wanna see it?”

She nodded. “I’d love to see it.” More than anything, she wanted to know what he’d choose for her.

He opened the box and let her look at it, and she gasped with surprise. It was a large diamond, surrounded by tiny little blue stones. They looked like sapphires to her, but she didn’t know a lot about gem stones. “Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous.” She stared at it, and then up at him, wondering what she was supposed to do. He hadn’t exactly asked her to marry him, but she really wanted that ring…and his last name. “May I try it on?”

He nodded emphatically, pulling the ring from the box, and slipping the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. “It looks beautiful on you. Seems to fit.” He kept his face down, staring at the ring. “Are you sure you like it? Cuz I’d go get something else if you’d be happier.”

“Austin?”

He finally met her gaze. “Yeah?”

“I love the ring. Do you want to get married?”

Austin grinned, grabbing her and pulling her close. “When?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know! I just buried my father. How long should I wait to marry?”

“At least an hour or two, probably. Call Brother Anthony. It’s been that!”

“You’re crazy. We can’t just call Brother Anthony and get married right after burying my father!”

“Why not? He hated me the same as he hated everyone else in the world. It’s not like it would matter to him in any way.”

She bit her lip. “True, but I can’t just marry you the same day as his funeral.”

“Tomorrow?” he asked. He caught her face in his hands, looking deeply into her blue eyes. “Dallas, I want you to be my wife. For so many reasons. I want you to be my lifelong companion, but I also want you in my bed. Face it, I’ve had the hots for you for a really long time, and I want to make love with you. Yesterday would not be soon enough.”

Dallas blushed. “I…how on earth am I supposed to respond to that, Austin?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just had to say what was in my heart.” He put his hand over his heart as if he’d just professed his undying love, instead of announcing that he wanted to have sex with her.

She shook her head, trying to stifle a giggle. “School starts in three weeks. It would be easier if I married before, because then I don’t have to change my name in the middle of the school year.”

“And it would be better if you got used to being a wife as far before schools starts as possible. You’re going to need to learn how to iron my shirts just the way I like them, after all.”

Dallas raised an eyebrow at that. “You know I’m never going to iron one of your shirts, right?”

He shrugged. “It was worth a try. How about you marry me as soon as possible so you can take me out of my misery and help me to become the man I’ve always wanted to be?”

“Why do you need help? You seem pretty darn terrific to me.”

He took her shoulders, pulling her close. “Yeah, but I want permission to kiss and…you know…”

“No, what?” she asked, batting her eyes teasingly.

“I want to be able to…”

“What?”

“Well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you!”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re just being difficult now.”

“It’s my job.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. “I’ve missed being able to do that this week. We were always together, but I didn’t want to distract you from the important stuff you needed to do.”

She made a face. “If you didn’t already have a ring, I’d think you were marrying me because of my property in Iowa. Everyone wants to own property in Iowa.”

“Not me. I’m happy right here, owning property in Wyoming.”

That made her think. “So do you want me to sell so we can live in town? At your place?”

“I honestly don’t care. If you want to live here, we will. I’ll just want to hire someone to run the ranch, because it seems a waste to do nothing with all this land.”

“I don’t know what I want. How long do I have to think about it?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Who’s been running things this summer?”

“Marcus has been paying someone to keep an eye on things.”

“That makes a lot of sense.” He kissed her again, more lingeringly this time, his hand stroking along her back. “Marry me.”

“I will. When is the only question.”

“Today?”

She shook her head. “I would feel guilty for that. It would be like dancing on his grave.” Their relationship had never been good, but she couldn’t do that.

“Tomorrow?”

“If I say no to tomorrow, are you going to ask about Tuesday? And Wednesday? And Thursday?”

He shrugged. “Probably. Is that a problem?”

“Let’s get married tomorrow then. You arrange things with Brother Anthony, because I’m not sure I can survive another phone call with the man, and I’ll figure out what to wear. Will you mind if I just wear a nice dress? Wedding dresses will slow things down.”

“I don’t care what you wear to the wedding as long as you’re in my bed naked on the wedding night.”

She blushed, pushing against his shoulder. “What about birth control?” she asked. “Getting married that quick, we’re going to need to talk about it.”

“I don’t care either way. I want kids, and I want them as soon as you want them.”

She nodded. “Let’s not worry about that then.”

“We’re going to add to the Culpepper baby boom.”

“Culpepper baby boom?”

“It started with those Quinlan girls. Lots of babies on their way now.”

Dallas frowned. “Sounds like the Quinlans shook everything up around here.”

Austin nodded. “They did, but I think it’s for the best. It was time we all got out of our rut of being upset about the stupid underwear models. Did you know Allen was married to one of the girls who ran off with one of them?”

“That’s crazy! Why would she run off with an underwear model when she could have Allen?”

“I have no idea. He said that when Felicity first met him, she thought he was one of the underwear models, and she wanted to go looking for a photograph.”

Dallas laughed at that. “Maybe you were one of the underwear models. You sure have the body for it!”

“Have you been looking at my body?” He gave her a shocked look.