Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

D awson hadn't picked up Caroline, so he drove the streets from the church to her house, arriving only a few seconds after her sister pulled into the driveway. Judy burst from the backseat, and she launched into a skip as she headed for the backyard.

He eased up to the curb and watched as Caroline and Belle both rose from the car. Caroline looked toward him, her smile warm and wide and welcoming. Belle called something after her daughter, and she only threw a cursory glance toward Dawson.

"Lord," he said without moving his lips. "Help me through this afternoon." He wasn't sure why those words came from him, but they did. Caroline had not invited him to her house for lunch after church before, and Dawson felt like he was becoming a new person and they would be a different couple as he dropped from the truck.

"Hey," she said. "Belle and I were trying to decide what to make for lunch." She reached him as he stepped up onto the sidewalk. "And we need your vote."

He so didn't want to vote, especially if it was to break a tie between Caroline and her sister. But he simply said, "All right," as he took her hand in his.

"We've got some leftover King Ranch casserole," she said, and Dawson knew immediately that wasn't her idea. Caroline liked leftovers well enough, but she liked something special on Sunday. Then she'd eat that throughout the week if she had to. "Or I got out some hamburgers this afternoon, and we can grill those up."

Dawson took a few steps as they went up the driveway, giving himself a moment though he knew exactly what to vote for. Even if he hated hamburgers with a passion, he'd vote for them. "I think hamburgers," he said. "It's a nice day to be out on the deck grilling."

Caroline grinned up at him. "It is, right?"

"I can help put together all the toppings," he said. "Slice tomatoes, fry eggs, that kind of thing."

"Eggs?" Caroline led him to the side door that went into the kitchen, instead of going down the sidewalk to the front door. "You put eggs on your hamburgers?"

"Oh, yeah," he said. "My granddad did it, and I turned up my nose at it for a long time." He smiled and even laughed a little. "I can still remember the first time I let him put an egg on my burger." He smacked his lips. "One of the best things I've ever eaten."

"Well, then," Caroline said. "I'll let you fry the eggs." She opened the door and walked inside just as something started beeping. It took Dawson a moment to place the sound, and then he put the pieces together.

Belle had just opened the microwave, after it had beeped at her that it had finished reheating something. Caroline dropped his hand and said, "You're going with the casserole," in a dark, dangerous voice.

"I'm hungry right now," Belle said. "I don't want to cook." She barely looked at either Caroline or Dawson before she moved over to the sliding glass door that led out onto the back deck. She opened it and stepped out, obviously done talking.

Tension rode in the air, and Dawson took a look at Caroline. She wore a frown on her face, and it went way deeper than just the lines between her eyes. He wanted to put his arm around her and soothe her, but he wasn't sure she'd appreciate that.

"We could just go out," he suggested.

Caroline's attention flew to him. "What?"

"They don't want to eat," he said as gently as he could. "She doesn't want me here. Why go through the chore of cooking and cleaning up when we can just go out? Enjoy each other's company this afternoon. "

Caroline softened right in front of him, and Dawson eased her into his arms. It took her a moment to melt into him, but when she did, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of her hair. "After lunch, we can take a drive, get a drink, find a place to watch the wind."

"Watch the wind?" She lifted her head, her gorgeous smile aimed in his direction.

"It paints a pretty picture sometimes," he said. "I like a slow Sabbath Day afternoon."

"You'll have to get back and do your evening chores."

"Mm, yep," he said.

"Maybe I could come meet the chickens, finally."

Dawson leaned down and touched his lips to hers. "You've met them."

"Not your favorite ones," she murmured back, kissing him back a moment later.

True, his hens had been scattered the day Caroline had tried to meet them, as Dawson let them roam freely. "How does Marshland sound?"

"Sounds like a lot for a Sunday lunch."

"Does it? They have a great brunch buffet on the weekends."

"Yes, and it's expensive." She stepped out of his arms, and Dawson suddenly got what she meant by "a lot."

"Good thing I'm rich then," he said evenly.

Caroline had started to unpin her hair, and she froze, only her eyes moving over to him. "You are? "

He burst out laughing as he shook his head. "No, but that got you to stop, didn't it?"

Caroline gave him a dry look and continued removing the barrettes from her hair. "Marshland is too much." She walked away from him. "I'm going to go change."

"So I have to go in my church shirt and tie, but you don't?"

She simply threw a grin over her shoulder and kept going, leaving Dawson standing in her kitchen alone. He moved over to the glass doors that showed the outside, and he found Belle sitting on the top step, looking out into the yard. He couldn't see Judy anywhere, and his pulse sped as anxiety bled through him.

He didn't want to cause tension between Caroline and her sister. He didn't want them talking about him later, which he knew Caroline would do. She had a strong mind of her own, which he normally enjoyed just fine, and she wouldn't let Belle walk all over her.

Feeling a little outside of himself, Dawson slid open the door and stepped outside. Belle twisted to look over her shoulder, and she'd clearly been expecting Caroline. Surprise shot across her face, and she got to her feet, something he felt certain she wouldn't have done if her sister had come out to check on her.

"Hey." Belle set down her empty container and hugged herself.

Dawson slowed and stopped a good distance from her. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that we're gonna go out for lunch."

"Oh." Belle looked past him, her gaze coming straight back. "Okay."

"You won't have to hide out here." He gave her a smile. "I'm sorry I make it uncomfortable for you."

"You…don't."

Dawson gave her the kindest smile he could. "I know I do, and it's okay. I know me and Caroline just aren't something good for you right now." He stuck his hands in his pockets, his voice about to give out on him. He wasn't even sure why he'd come out here. He didn't know Belle; he only knew what Caroline had told him.

He cleared his throat. "I just wanted you to know we'll be going in a couple of minutes." He took one step forward and then rocked back again. "And I just want you to know I sure do like your sister." He ducked his head, his feelings too heavy for his neck to stay straight. He nodded a couple more times, his eyes glued to the wooden decking. "All right. That's all."

Dawson turned and did his best not to flee as fast as possible. Back in the air conditioning, he took a deep breath and blew it out as he continued through the house to the living room. Thankfully, Belle didn't follow him inside, and Caroline came down the hall only a minute later.

"Ready?" she asked brightly.

He got to his feet. "Yep. Ready. "

"Let me just tell Belle we're going," she said, turning toward the back door.

"I told her," Dawson said.

Caroline spun back to him. "You did? What did you say?"

"I told her we were going out to lunch." He silently begged her not to go talk to Belle right now. She didn't need the mental load, and he just wanted to go.

Her gaze wouldn't leave his face, and Dawson once again ducked his head. "She said it was okay."

Caroline took a breath, and he looked up as she came toward him. She'd arranged her face into one of determination. "Okay," she said. "Then let's go." She unlocked the front door and went out first, leaving Dawson to follow her.

And follow her, he did—with a tiny smile on his face. He had a feeling he'd follow her anywhere, and he could only hope and pray that he could take some of her burdens every now and then, just as he had by telling Belle they were going to lunch.

Once they'd gotten in the truck, and Dawson had pulled away from the house, Caroline tapped on her phone and said, "I think I found the perfect dress for Link and Misty's wedding."

"That's great," he said. "Do I get to see it?"

"It's not my wedding dress," she said, turning her phone toward him. "So of course you can see it."

Dawson did his best to look at the dress while driving, and he managed to get the gist of it. "Pretty," he said. "You're always stunning in flowers."

Caroline smiled and looked at her phone. "I do like floral patterns."

Dawson liked them on her, that was for certain. She sighed and tucked her phone away, but she didn't say anything. Dawson let the silence permeate the space between them, because sometimes it said more than words could. Plus, he liked that they could ride along in silence and not have it choke them.

He thought of another meal they'd shared in near-silence, and it hadn't been nearly this relaxed. This calm. This peaceful. Their breakfast in the diner from months and months ago now made him smile, and it also painted a picture for how far they'd come in their relationship.

Dawson reached over and took her hand in his, once again maintaining the silence. Caroline squeezed his fingers, and Dawson squeezed back, hoping to let her know that he was okay with where they were.

After all, it wasn't even May yet, and they still had a long way to go to get through a full year—and a road trip.

Dawson watched Caroline walk toward him as he tightened the buckle on his saddle. April came from the other way, leading her saddled and ready horse. "Uncle Dawson, Grandma wants me to go get the food. "

He tore his eyes from his girlfriend. "Okay, just throw the reins over the post there."

She did, and then April started toward the house. She saw Caroline too, though, and she detoured toward her. Dawson once again couldn't tear his eyes from the woman who'd crowded into his waking hours, infused herself into his morning running, and followed him into his dreams too.

She smiled at April, said something to her, and listened as Dawson's niece spoke back to her. Dawson liked watching them, as Caroline had a way with kids and teenagers too, whether she could see it in herself or not.

When Caroline looked over to him, he busied himself with the saddle that was already ready.

"Hey, baby." Caroline took a couple last steps to him, running her hand down Architect's nose before switching her attention to him. "You're going to be gone for three days."

He grinned at her, a chuckle coming from his throat as something really warm settled in every nook and cranny of his body. "Are you saying you miss me already?"

Caroline's head bobbled, like she might be saying yes and no at the same time. Dawson laughed, and he moved closer to her. "I miss you like crazy," he whispered. "So kiss me while we're alone out here, because my brother and niece are going to be back any minute. "

He snaked his hand up her arm to the back of her head as he guided her mouth to his. He sank into kissing Caroline, as it felt so natural and so good and so right. He sure hoped she felt like this kissing him, and he hated that he'd be gone checking the herd for the next three days.

The warbling of chickens entered his awareness, and Dawson broke the kiss. He stayed close to Caroline, existing inside the comfortable bubble they'd managed to create.

"What's this one's name?" Caroline asked, her voice soft, almost muted.

Dawson turned toward his beloved hens. He found Rusty, his big rooster with them, and they made him so happy. "Well, here we've got Lulu, Peach, Pearl, and Ruby." He looked back to her. "My favorites, finally."

"With Rusty."

"Seems they're palling around together."

"I can't believe you just let them run around like this."

"They're free range," he said.

"But you don't eat them."

Dawson chuckled, as they'd had this conversation before. "They like it, baby." He pressed another kiss to her forehead. "You'll babysit the owls for me while I'm gone?"

She leaned into him as she wrapped her arms around him. "Yep. "

"Okay," he said. "Duke's kids are going to feed my chickens. I suppose I can survive away from this place for a few days."

"You'll be fine."

He wanted to protest that he wouldn't be, that he craved routine and disrupting it bothered him more than he'd told her, but he stuffed the words back down his throat.

"I've got the food," April thankfully called, and Dawson stepped away from Caroline. Brandon brought his horse around from the side of the stable too, and the three of them would stay together for the next few days while they journeyed out into the hills to check on their cattle and dogs.

"Load us up, missy," Dawson said. He whistled for Ruffin, and the dog perked up from where he lay in the shade. "Let's go, buddy."

Brandon swung into the saddle, and April collected her reins after putting the food in Dawson's saddlebags. He'd made himself several sticky notes for what needed to be done when he returned, and he'd done all of the required items before this trip.

"All right," he said. "We're headed out." He turned back to his horse only to find Caroline pulling her hand back from his saddlebags. His eyebrows went up, his curiosity off the charts. "What's goin' on here?"

"Nothing," she said airily.

"Did you put something in or take something out?" He peered at her hands, but she'd folded her arms. "I need all the stuff I put in there."

"I didn't take anything." She watched him with that familiar fire in her eyes.

Dawson grinned at her, because those eyes mesmerized him more than anything. "Caroline?—"

"Just look when you get there," she said. "Okay? Please? I don't want you to see it right now."

"All right," he drawled. "Is this something I should try to open when I'm alone?"

"Not necessarily."

"My niece is fourteen," he teased. "You sure?"

Caroline huffed out her breath and then finally smiled. "Maybe the note."

"Oh, there's a note?"

"Are you going to flirt all day?" April asked from atop her horse as she shuffled it closer. "Or are we going?"

He looked up at her, catching her impish grin before she flattened it. "We're going," Dawson growled. He took a quick step to Caroline and swept his arm around her as he kissed her cheek. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Have fun," she said. She raised her hand to April. "You keep him in line, okay?"

April grinned at her. "Yes, ma'am."

Dawson worked hard not to roll his eyes as he swung into his saddle. "All right," he said. "Lead us out, you."

April threw him a grin and swung her mount around to do just that. Dawson couldn't wait to get out into the wilderness and bask in the Texas sunshine. He couldn't wait to let the wide sky above Three Rivers cleanse his thoughts and remind him of who he was.

And he absolutely couldn't wait to see what Caroline had snuck into his saddlebag.