“You weren’t that bad. At least you didn’t seem to be restraining yourself from using fists like I was. We can watch over the place from next door. If they’re gone at noon, we can check on her during lunch. Think the gift for her was in her mail?”
“Damn, that’s right. I think this is not the best timing for that gift.”
Chris ran his hands through his hair before putting his hat back on. “Yeah. Shit, meet fan.”
* * * *
With shaking hands, Gwen poured herself a cup of coffee, sighing when she couldn’t even get the sugar into the cup without spilling half of it. “Calm down, Elmer Fudd,” she whispered to herself. Saying that brought Chris to mind, which calmed her heart rate considerably. Even in his absence, he was her woobie. “The sooner we get started, the sooner we can be done.”
On the porch, she called out to Roger and her dad. When they came around from the truck, she hugged her dad and greeted him and then said, “Thank you for giving us a chance to eat and get the day started.”
Roger’s jaw was set in a hard line but he nodded as they followed her back to the house. After offering them fresh coffee, she led them into the spacious living room which doubled as a den. The walls were lined with bookshelves and mounted deer and elk antlers. They settled into the couches with her sitting on a loveseat opposite of her dad and Roger.
Her father placed a large box on the coffee table between them and said, “Sorry about the delay in getting your mail to you, sweetie.” He glanced at Roger as he spoke. “If I’d known it’d take so long to come see you, I’d have shipped it all to you sooner.”
For the time being, she ignored the box, preferring to stay focused on the conversation at hand. Careful to keep open body language, Gwen said, “Roger, can you tell me why you showed up like this out of the blue, at this hour?”
“I was suspicious.”
“Suspicious of what? I’ve been ranch-sitting Wilbur Wilson’s place for the last two months. You know where I’ve been the whole time.”
“It’s not where you’ve been that I’m suspicious of.” He nailed her with his laser-blue eyes. She’d always thought he had interestingly colored eyes. Now they seemed more like ice chips.
“You’re suspicious of Julián and Chris?”
“Exactly.”
“Roger, with all due respect, I’m a big girl.” She carefully modulated her tone as she continued. “I spend time with whoever I want to and have for years. I don’t understand.”
“I’m perfectly aware you’re a big girl, Gwen.” He glanced at her father who looked ready to crawl under the couch and hide. “Harold, maybe this would be easier if I talked privately with Gwen.”
“Uh, sure. If that’s okay with Gwen.” He looked pleadingly at her and she nodded. “I’ll just be in the kitchen, getting another cup of coffee.”
Sure, so you can get even more nervous. His doctor had warned him to lay off the caffeine and he must not have been listening.
Roger sat forward and clasped his hands. “I figured you’d rather hear what I have to say without your dad present.”
“Why?”
“He’s worried you’ll be mad at him for matchmaking.”
Gwen’s eyebrows shot up and her jaw went slack. “I’m sorry. What?”
“Matchmaking. I want to marry you, Gwen. I can give you a good life. Take away all your worries about losing the ranch. I let you stay out here so you could feel like you were doing your duty by your family, even though I had a feeling you were sowing wild oats while you were at it. I’m willing to forget all of that. This is why—”
“Wait. You let me stay out here?”
“Maybe that’s the wrong word choice. I didn’t push you harder to come home, or come out here sooner because you said you needed time. We had time to spare but we’ve gotten down to the wire now. The ranch is being auctioned later this week, and I need to know one way or the other.”
Her heart jumped in her chest. “Need to know what?”
“I need to know if you’ll marry me. You can stay retired. You can keep your ranch and raise horses, or train them, or do whatever you want to do. But you could do all that as my wife. You can leave all this mess in Texas behind and make a fresh start with me, Gwen.”
The only mess she knew of was in Colorado. Texas had been a refuge from it.
She slumped back against the couch in shock. “I wish you’d mentioned this in one of our phone conversations or on Skype.”
Roger raised an eyebrow. “I know I’m not the most romantic man, and it has been a few years since I had a woman to take care of, but I do know that over the phone or on one of those Internet video chats isn’t the most romantic way to propose.”