Cowboy Take Me Away(69)
“Still don’t see the problem.”
“Yeah? How about her family will be pissed, maybe pissed enough to permanently cut ties with her if she marries me. How about she’s young. How about we’ve only been together four fucking weeks.”
Cal shrugged. “You said yourself that she seems older than her years. Most people get married young—you’n me are about the only ones in our class that ain’t hitched. Doesn’t matter how long you have or haven’t been together. You’ll have deeper feelings for her if you wait another year to make it official? And not to be a jackass, but there are plenty of families in these parts that wouldn’t want you marryin’ their daughter either, so that family bullshit is another moot point. Quit fightin’ with yourself. Cowboy up and make her your wife or walk away.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that,” Cal repeated. “You ain’t one for half measures.”
“No lie there.” He rubbed his chin with the back of his hand, deep in thought. “I don’t know how to do this. Do I buy her a ring? Or does she go with me to pick one out?”
“Doesn’t Dad have Mom’s rings?”
“Yeah. But remember he inherited them from his mother. She made Dad promise her jewelry would go to the first girl born into the McKay family.”
“Damn. I’d forgotten about that. You bein’ the first one to get married won’t count.”
“Nope.”
Cal cocked his head. “Any money left over from the bank loan after we bought that section from Harvey Buckholz?”
“Since closing costs were less than we’d estimated…yeah. But I thought I’d use it to make the first payment.”
“Looks like you’ve found a better use for it.” Cal squinted at the sky. “Let’s pack it in for today. It’s hotter than a demon’s cooch out here anyway.”
Carson and Cal ended up driving into Rapid City for an engagement ring. He’d look cheap if he picked one with a little diamond chip. Carolyn was worth more than that. At the last store he found a round stone, the size of the end of a pencil eraser, in a platinum setting, that managed to be simple yet eye-catching.
“So when are you askin’ her?”
“Tonight.” Carson shot him a look. “You can make yourself scarce, right?”
“I suppose I’d better find someplace to live, so the newlyweds can have their privacy.”
“The Buckholz house ain’t in that bad of shape except for the broken windows and the critters that’ve moved in.”
Cal glanced at him sharply. “I thought you wanted that place.”
“It won’t be ready for me’n Caro. So I’ll stay in the trailer and let you have it.”
“We’d better measure them windows and order replacement materials straight away.”
They didn’t speak again until they’d passed by Spearfish. Sometimes they could jaw on all day; other days they’d barely speak two words to each other.
“You plan to ask Carolyn’s dad about marryin’ her?”
“And give him a chance to say no?” Carson shook his head. “After we’re engaged I might ask for his blessing. But I doubt he’ll give it.”
“Does that bother you? Or I guess maybe the real question is do you think it’ll bother her?”
Carson hadn’t considered that. “Shit. I don’t know.” He paused. “I hadn’t thought about how Dad will react either.”
“Good luck with that. I’ll be hidin’ in the barn during that yelling match,” Cal said.
“And to think I was gonna ask you to stand up for me.” He scratched his chin, as if deep in thought. “Charlie is a better bet than Casper for my best man.”
“Piss off. I’ll do it.”
He laughed. “Then if Dad’s an ass about it you better back me up.”
“Don’t I always?”
Since Carolyn’s family was aware they were dating, he could call her at home. Still, he was relieved when she answered the phone and not one of her brothers. “Wests.”
He smiled just at the sound of her voice. He was so gone over this woman. “Hey, sugar.”
“Hey yourself, cowboy.”
And yep, he heard that answering smile in her voice.
“How was your day?”
“Short. Yours?”
“Better than yesterday.”
“Good. What’s goin’ on tonight?”
“Not much. Supper is done. Mom had a rough day so she’s already tucked in for the night. Why?”
“Got time for me?”
He heard her move and in his mind’s eye he saw her twisting the phone cord around her finger. “Always. What did you have in mind?”