The Four Stages of Loving Dutch Owen - Debra Kayn Page 0,65
time with her friends without him ruining it by confusing her more. "How are you guys doing tonight?"
"Perfect." Alyssa squeezed on King. "Thank you so much for asking us to come."
"Not a problem." He sensed Marla Marie glance at him with a frown. He hadn't told her what he'd done.
"So, we have some news." Alyssa grinned. "King and I found a house to rent. We're going to move in together."
"That's great." Marla Marie hugged her friend. "I'm so happy for you. For both of you. Where is it?"
"In Bellevue, about two blocks from my parents' house."
As they talked about everything they'd need to get and the dates when they were moving, Dutch lit a cigarette, detached from the conversation. These were Marla Marie's friends.
His home was the open road, and for the first time, he was reluctant to leave.
As Marla Marie talked, she slipped her fingers into his hand. He held on to her. She had no idea she'd fallen back on old habits, and he wasn't going to bring attention to her reaching for him.
"Oh, I ran into Rachel at the clubhouse when I went to meet King before we headed over here." Alyssa dug in her pocket. "She mentioned you left this on the dresser when you moved out and wanted me to give it to you. She thought you might be missing it."
Alyssa held out her hand. Marla Marie was handed the bracelet he'd given her years ago, and she always wore around her ankle until she started to go to visitations at the prison. They wouldn't allow her to wear jewelry, and he remembered her being upset about leaving it at home.
Marla looked up at him. His gut tightened. She better not try and give it back.
Realizing she still held his hand, she let go of him and put the bracelet in her pocket. "I hate to do this, but I need to go back to work. Are you guys riding back tonight, or do you want to come to the house and stay. There's a couch. I can give you a blanket."
"Falcon's letting us crash upstairs. We're going to get out of here early and hopefully miss the traffic," said King.
"Oh, okay." She walked toward the door. "I'll catch up more through the night when I can. I want to know everything that's going on with you."
Alyssa followed her, taking King with her. He stayed outside.
Happy that Marla Marie had her friends around her when she needed them, he exhaled slowly. There was a place for him in her life, but she'd need to see that for herself.
The time crunch on his travels was winding down. He could only hope that she looked forward to him returning and wouldn't give up on him completely.
The door reopened, and Marla Marie walked back to him. Standing in front of him, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. He cupped the back of her head and closed his eyes.
This was his girl. The one who always understood what he was going through.
There was no rushing her through accepting his love. She'd do it when she was ready.
Part Six
"Do you know how much I love you?"
Chapter 29
MARLA MARIE MOPPED the small kitchen in her house and set the broom by the back door in the bucket. All her nervous energy made it impossible to sit around. Dutch had promised to return in eight days, and it happened to be her day off.
She had no idea if he'd show up or if he'd decide to keep riding and stay away.
The nine days he'd stayed in Moses Lake and hung around the pool hall, upturning her life, had made all her insecurities come to the surface.
She wanted to believe him when he explained that it was never his intention to leave her permanently, but she'd also believed her mother every time she left the house, promising to return.
Looking around the clean room, she sighed. Maybe it wasn't smart to move back here to the place that held all her memories of the time when she was left on her own.
She swallowed, knowing that wasn't true. There was one good memory, and that was when Dutch stole her.
He'd changed the course of her life.
She couldn't imagine not having him by her side, loving her.
But, she'd put him through hell since he returned to her. Testing his every word, paying him back for all the pain he'd caused her. Denying him when all she wanted was to be with him.