Heart of a Marine (The Wounded Warrior Series Book 1) (4 page)

Her eyes met his. Was that remorse hovering in the gaze behind his smile? “Why? It’s a bad habit and bad manners. Can’t you manage to restrain yourself between eight and four?”

He leaned back and crossed his arms over his broad chest. The leather jacket made a slight chirp when he shifted. “There’s a big problem.”

“What? You’re unable to control your mouth?”

“No. It’s a problem because it’s true.”

“I think I’ve lost track of this conversation. What’s true?”

“You
are
beautiful and gorgeous.”

“Oh come on, Dempsey.” Marla tilted her head in the direction of her sister and Cluny McPherson. “Charlene is the definition of ‘beautiful and gorgeous.’”

“Hey, I’m not blind. I can see that, but women with her looks are a dime a dozen, Red. She can’t hold a candle to you.”

Marla knocked her fists on the table. “Oh, for…”

Dwayne raised his big hands. “OK, OK. We’re not getting anywhere. Let’s order dinner and pretend we like each other. I have to retreat at eight sharp so I can pick up my kid.” He held up the menu and raised his eyebrows.

His kid?
Marla opened her menu.
His kid?
Her shock at his comment was profound. She didn’t know anything about this man. Their families had been close all her life. How was it possible she didn’t know he had a child? She didn’t know much about his two brothers either.

John Dempsey, Dwayne’s father, and her dad had been boyhood friends, and as far back as she could remember John came and went like a family member. Even though the two men remained friends to this day, Silvia had taken such a dislike to John’s second wife that she refused to accept them as a couple. John’s infidelity had soured her on him. As a result, Marla had seen little of John’s three sons after the messy Dempsey divorce. The oldest and youngest of John’s boys chose to stay with their dad, but Dwayne had moved to Wyoming with his mother and remained there until he’d joined the Marines. Marla thought Dwayne’s younger brother was in the military, but wasn’t sure. His elder brother owned the only furniture manufacturing business in Spring Grove.

She cleared her throat. “I’ll order for myself, if you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind? Are you ready?” When she nodded, he signaled the waiter.

A few minutes of awkward silence followed after the waiter departed. She was aware of his gaze as she glanced around the room to avoid meeting his eyes.

A sudden burst of laughter she recognized as Charlene’s drew her attention. “They seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Dwayne’s gaze followed hers across the room. “Cluny’s a funny guy. Your sister’s enjoying him.”

Marla’s eyes searched the room for either of her brothers. As if sensing her thoughts, Dwayne said, “I saw those two blonde guys when they ushered the men into the dining room. They’ve been on the jobsite a couple of times visiting Miss Emmaline. Do you know who they are?”

“Yes, they’re my twin brothers, Harry and Barry. They met Miss Emmaline during Christmas break. She took a shine to them, and it was mutual. How is it you know her? She was living in the building when I bought it. She must be what? Eighty?”

Dwayne’s grin caused a fluttering sensation in Marla’s chest. He chuckled.

“I think she’s at least that. When I was about ten I asked her how old she was, and she wagged her finger in my face and said, ‘A lady who tells her age will tell anything.’ She used to be our nanny.”

Marla’s chin bobbed with surprise. “Your nanny?”

“Yep. Our mom hired Miss Emmaline when she decided to manage Dad’s office in his construction company. I think I was five at the time. Dylan must have been seven and Donovan about three.”

“I never knew that. I suspected there had to be a good reason why you wouldn’t agree to relocating her during the condo conversion.”

Dwayne grinned and leaned forward on his elbows. “Yes, the old gal moved out during our adolescent years. She’s like a grandmother to us.”

Marla’s heart flopped in reaction to his grin.
Down girl!

Obviously she could have asked Dwayne about the elderly woman when they worked out the contract for the renovation project. Why hadn’t she? Well, because she got so fluttery when they were in close contact her brain went mushy, that’s why. She’d been determined to keep their relationship strictly business.

Without realizing it, she’d come to adore Miss Emmaline herself.

* * *

Dwayne gazed at Marla and speculated on how she processed the information he’d just given her. He enjoyed the rare intimacy of their conversation. Her face relaxed, the double tension lines between her eyebrows nearly invisible.

He knew from the way she studied every construction detail and examined every invoice with a fine-tooth comb that she worried about financing for the project. She worked like a son-of-a-gun selling real estate every time she left the jobsite.

They’d finish on time and under budget. His small crew of former Marines were sober, hard-working men and excellent craftsmen. Dwayne ran a tight ship and took pride in the quality and reputation of his company.

Dinner arrived and they continued their relaxed conversation, keeping mostly to the subject of the renovation. Her frequent smiles and animated features contrasted with her usual all-business demeanor. She knew every aspect of the job down to smallest details.

Forcing himself to turn his eyes from her beautiful face, he glanced at his watch. “It’s almost eight. I gotta go.” He extended his hand. “I had a good time.”

Marla grasped his hand. “Me too. I’m sorry I was such a witch when I first sat down.”

He allowed himself to hold her hand for a beat longer than necessary. “No problem, Red. I was nervous as hell myself. Can I offer you a ride home?”

Avoiding his eyes, she slid her hand from his and swiped at a curl falling on her cheek. “No, thanks. I have my car.”

He stood and helped her with her chair, then draped her jacket over her shoulders. “I’ll see you through the parking lot.” He wouldn’t think of letting a woman walk alone to her car after sharing dinner.

Marla stopped just short of the steps leading to the parking lot. “Holy goats. It’s dark. They really should have more lights here.”

“Yeah, they’re leaving themselves wide open for a lawsuit.” He picked up her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. “Hang on to me. I have good night vision. Miss Emmaline used to claim I was part cat.”

Instead of protesting, she gripped his arm and stepped off the apron with him. The warmth of her touch shot straight to his bone marrow. The thought of putting her behind the wheel of her car and making sure she’d locked the door took a toll on his libido.

They reached her car. Their hands bumped as they both grasped the door handle. He tugged.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t unlock it.”

She dug to the bottom of her small purse and clicked the button on the key tag. The car chirped and the lights blinked.

Dwayne opened her door, and she slid behind the steering wheel. He thought of kissing her on the cheek, but stopped himself before she shut the door.

He tapped on the window. When she lowered it, he leaned in, “Start’er up and turn on the lights.”

“Why?”

“I want to make sure you’re OK before I take off.”

She turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. The lights went on automatically. “OK?”

He grinned and slapped the hood of the car. “You’re good to go, beau…uh, Marla.”

He nodded and headed for his truck before she had a chance to nail him with a glare.

What a babe.

* * *

Marla stared as he walked across the lot, the curious hitch in his stride more pronounced tonight than usual. Perhaps he had a hip problem or a bum knee. It didn’t seem to affect his ability to put in a good day’s work on the job. He personally supervised every aspect of the renovation.

He appeared so different tonight, dressed in a nice pair of slacks with an open-neck dress shirt beneath his bomber jacket. Every other time she’d seen him he’d been wearing worn jeans, a faded work shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a tattered baseball cap, and heavy boots.

Marla smiled and shook her head. She had to admit Dwayne Dempsey made one sexy male package. No matter how he was dressed. And she stopped right there. No way would she allow her imagination to wander in the direction of how he’d look undressed. But, did he have hair on his chest? What about tattoos?

Stop it, Marla. What are you doing?

Dwayne hauled himself up into the driver’s seat of his well-used, black pickup truck. He touched his forehead and grinned in her direction before he closed the door. Great goats! Had he read her mind?

He pulled out of the lot and turned right. She backed out and stopped at the exit to the parking lot. As she checked traffic to her left, the lights from the commercial section gave the night sky a soft glow in contrast to the near darkness of the residential area where they both lived.

She tapped her brakes when his truck bounced into the lot of the condos. What was he doing? The place was dark except for a few security lights to discourage after-hour intruders. He stopped in front of the chain link fence, spoke to the guard dog, Hercules, then let himself inside. Marla pulled over and turned off her lights. She glanced at the building and made out the faint glow of lights from Miss Emmaline’s apartment. He must be checking on her.

After a few minutes, Dwayne stepped out the front entrance carrying a sleeping child. The girl stirred and Dwayne’s big hand stroked the kid’s back and he brushed a kiss on her hair. He spoke to the big malamute again, closed the gate, and snapped the padlock. Holding the child securely, he opened the passenger door and with gentle care lowered the sleepyhead onto the car seat. He fastened the seat belt, and Marla saw the little girl smile. He kissed her and rounded the car to the driver’s side. Her heart clenched at the adoring look the little girl bestowed on her daddy.

Marla waited several minutes after he left before she started her car. She didn’t want him to think she’d been spying. She wasn’t really spying was she? She’d just stopped to see why he had returned to the jobsite after hours. It made sense now. Miss Emmaline had been taking care of his little girl while they were at dinner.

She’d find an excuse to talk to Miss Emmaline. See if she could learn something about him. Why was he a single father? Where was his wife?

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning, Marla had appointments to show a couple of houses that promised to be good prospects for the buyers she’d been working with. The heavenly aroma of fresh-brewed coffee surrounded her when she stepped inside the local Starbucks. She’d allowed enough time to order her café macchiato and find a nice table with room to spread the property photos and the pertinent information about the school districts.

Her clients, Pete and Rosalie Wyland, arrived shortly after she sat. “I have a couple of very nice properties to show you this morning.” Marla indicated the photos.

She explained the pros and cons of both properties, the proximity to schools and the zoning.

“It sounds like there’s a lot to like about both places. Shall we get started?” Rosalie stood and settled the strap of her large purse on her shoulder.

Hours later, Marla dropped Pete and Rosalie off at Starbucks where they’d left their car. “See you in the morning?” She asked.

“We’ll go over all the details this evening.” Pete nodded. “We’re prepared to make an offer once we decide.”

Marla flashed a bright, confident smile. “If you need any other information or have questions, please feel free to call me at any hour. You have my cell number and it’s always on.”

The couple nodded and waved when they reached their car.

Marla’s cell phone vibrated in her jacket pocket.
Mother,
blinked the caller ID. “Hi, Sil. How’s tricks?”

“What am I going to do with your father, Marla? The man is impossible. I can’t take it anymore.”

Marla had heard these words often for the last quarter century. Somehow her mother had managed to “take it,” whatever the crisis de jour happened to be.

“What’s he done now, Mom?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m just about to explode this time.”

“Shall I hang up then?”

“No! I need your help. Why would you hang up on me?”

“Sil, you just told me you didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Never mind what I said. You’re as bad as Bradley. I don’t know why you didn’t take after my side of the family.”

Thank the angels for that.

“Are you going to tell me what Dadley’s done that’s so impossible? Or are we going to go around in circles, Mom?” Marla immediately regretted her words when she heard what sounded like a sob on the other end of the line. “Mom? Talk to me.”

“Charlene just got here. Can you come over?”

“Char’s there? Why?”

“I called her.”

“Isn’t she supposed to be at work?”

“She doesn’t work on Saturday, Marla. Do you think I’d call her from work?”

As you’ve done so many times in the past?
It was a wonder Charlene could hold onto a job, as often as Silvia called her with some kind of trivial crisis. “I’m on my way. The sun’s over the yardarm so have an early cocktail and relax. I’ll be about ten minutes.”

The minute she pulled in the driveway, Charlene stormed out the front door of their parents’ house, her scowl black as the clouds of a pending thunderstorm.

Marla set the brake and stepped out of her car. “What’s the matter?” Maybe it
was
something serious this time. Her neck prickled.

“I am so mad at you I could spit! This time you’ve gone too far, Marla. You’ve ruined everything.”

Marla took a step back. She’d never seen Char so angry. “What have I ruined? What have I done? You’re scaring me.”

“You told Dadley about the surprise party the boys and I are planning for his birthday, that’s what. Now Silvia is a basket case because he told her he wouldn’t show up unless Johnny and his wife were both invited.”