by Dawn, Maira
Dylan slid his hand into hers as Wade announced to the kids that they were going fishing. Jesse’s face lit up. Sue Ellen was less thrilled but shrugged her acceptance. She’d had quite the stories to tell yesterday after cleaning at Smith’s. The girl would probably prefer anything to that.
Breakfast over, Dylan threw a few things into a backpack and checked his pants pocket for, at least, the tenth time that morning. It was still there, as it had been for the days and weeks before this today.
Dylan’s mouth felt dry as he waved Skye out of the house to hurry her along. His nerves had the better of him, and his muscles were so tight, he had to continually remind himself to relax.
“Dylan, what’s the hurry?”
“No hurry. Come on.”
Skye laughed as she tried to keep up. “Okay, okay.”
Once outside, Dylan shouldered his rifle and took her hand.
“Dylan, honey. Slow down.” Skye giggled. “I’m practically running to keep up with you. So, unless we aren’t going far…”
Dylan looked down and slightly behind him at her small feet as they raced beside him. He slowed, then stopped. Turning, he ran his hands along her arms a couple times as he scanned the woods, more out of nervousness than anything else. Finally looking at her face, he said, “I’m taking you somewhere special today.”
“I figured something was up. Where?”
“I don’t… I don’t have a name for it. It’s the place I go when—I don’t know—when I need to.”
A smile rivaling the sunrise lit up Skye’s face. “I would love to see it.”
She raised a hand to his cheek and stroked it, then pulled his head to hers for a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love ya too, darlin’. Now, let’s get going.”
Skye giggled. “Can I walk or am I running there?”
Dylan snorted. “I’ll slow down, you mouthy woman.”
She grabbed his arm and squeezed it as they laughed.
Except for the noises Skye made as they went through the forest, it was pretty quiet. A few birds called from time to time. Some squirrels passed the news that people had invaded their territory.
After a particularly loud crunch, Dylan reminded himself that Skye needed some more Be Quiet in the Woods lessons. She was failing miserably.
Seeing his look, as she crunched on another twig, Skye said, “Does it matter today?”
He smiled. “Nah. It doesn’t.” She couldn’t do anything wrong today.
Hopefully.
27
Of Course
As they entered the old forest growth, Skye’s demeanor changed. Dylan smiled. She felt it, the same way he did.
The ancient hardwoods closed around them, offering peace and comfort. He sighed, at one with this place.
Her footsteps slowed as she took in the tall cathedral of timber. Her breath caught as her gaze traced the ancient trees from their mighty foundations to the bare-branch canopy high above.
Studying the young saplings protected by the taller trees, her face brightened.
"Oh, Dylan! It's beautiful! It's more than beautiful. I don't—I don't have the words."
"I know." He did know. Words tended to fail him anyway, but here, to describe this, he had none. To know it affected her, that she felt it too, was enough.
"This is where you go when you leave the cabin?"
Dylan scuffed his foot. He wasn't here to discuss his sour moods. "Yeah."
Skye wrapped her arms around his. "I always worry so much about you when you're gone. Now I know I don't need to. This is a safe place. It's where I'd want to go."
Dylan looked down at her. He raised his hand to run his thumb across her cheek. He'd never thought about her worrying when he was gone. "I'm safe. I'm always safe."
Skye nodded and laid her head against his shoulder.
Dylan cleared his throat. Then did it again. This was even harder than he imagined it would be. Skye raised her head to look at him, a question in her eyes.
"Darlin'." He cleared his throat one last time. "Darlin', I been—I been rough and tumble my whole life. And I ain't sure I know how to be anything else. But I'm tryin'. I'm tryin' to do better for you.”
Skye moved toward him and took his face in her hands. "Dylan, I love you just the way you are."
He nodded. He knew that. It’s why he loved her so much.
Dylan took her hands and kissed each one. "Hush now. Let me say what I gotta say."
Skye tipped her head and took a small step back but close enough to still hold hands.
Dylan looked down at their entwined fingers, then up through the canopy of trees and asked for strength. Smiling, his gaze returned to the woman in front of him. "This thing between us—I need this to be done right. I want us to be a family, and for me, that means marriage."
Losing his nerve and annoyed his accent had grown thicker, his gaze darted to the ground and stayed there. "I never thought anybody’d want me for a husband. Maybe ya don't, but I'm hoping you do. With what's goin' on between us, I thought maybe..."
When he glanced up, her sparkling eyes encouraged him. "Darlin', I want you to be mine. You're my first thought in the mornin' and my last when I lay down at night. I don't breathe without knowing you're safe and happy. And I've found I like it that way."
Dylan pressed his lips together a couple of times. "I want you beside me now, beside me for all time. I'm probably messin’ this all up. But, darlin', Skye, will you stand beside me? Call yourself mine?"
A warmth had started in Skye as she'd stepped into this place. Dylan’s place. It was special. Both because of what it was and because of what it meant to him. As Dylan spoke, the feeling continued to grow until it filled every part of her, until it seemed as if her whole body glowed.
At some point, her breath caught. She hadn't realized it until he finished speaking, and she'd opened her mouth to respond. She had no breath to answer. She gasped and rushed into his arms. "Yes, I will. I do! Of course, I want you!"
She covered his lips, his face, and his neck with tiny pecks until he put his hands on her face and brought his lips to hers for a more earnest kiss.
"I've got somethin' for you.” Dylan dug into his pocket. He pulled out a ring and slid it onto Skye's finger.
When Skye saw it, her eyes widened. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, and she had seen a lot. A large rose-cut diamond encircled by leave-shaped emeralds.
"It's beautiful,” she whispered.
"You like it?" he asked uncertainly.
"Yes! Oh, yes, Dylan, so very much. It's—it's—oh, Dylan!" Skye threw herself back into his arms.
Dylan’s chest swelled. He’d done something good.
She’d said yes. He couldn’t believe it, but she had. She meant it too. He could tell.
He picked Skye up and swung her around, enjoying her laughter as it rang through the woods. Then he carried her to a fallen tree and sat, pulling her onto his lap.
Skye snuggled her head into his neck and studied her ring. "It's just so beautiful."
"I got it from the jewelry place between here and Fenton. That day I was scavaging out that way. It was looted, but there were some rings in the back room that got missed. Had a price on it I could never afford, but I reckoned that didn't matter anymore."
Dylan took her hand to study the ring. "I liked the leaves on it. It kinda reminded me of this old grove. Like how this place has been here forever. The leaves are gone now, but they always come back. Is that stupid?"
"No, love, I understand. It is perfect."
Dylan tightened his arms around her. "Say it."
"Say what?"
Dylan tipped her face to his. "Say you’re mine."
Her eye's brightened. "I'm yours. Skye Jackson is Dylan Cole's forever.” She kissed him. “Forever."
"I'm yours, darlin'. Body, heart, and soul."
They sat staring into each other’s eyes for a moment, soaking in everything those words meant.
"Sayin' it here
means more to me than anywhere else."
"I know.”
After a few minutes, Skye said, "We're getting married!"
"Yeah, well, I reckoned we already got the kids."
"And the house. Even the cranky in-law." Skye laughed. "I can't wait to tell them."
Dylan raised an eyebrow. "You wanna head back?"
Skye tightened her hold on him. "Not yet."
Dylan slid down the side of the log onto the ground and stretched his legs out in front of him, then heaved a big sigh.
Skye yelped a little as they bounced and laughed. "What’s that big sigh for?”
"I'm so glad that's done. I been workin' myself up about this for a long time now."
"Why? You didn't think I'd say yes? You had to know I would!"
"No, I didn't know for sure."
"Dylan! I tell you I love you all the time."
"Well, who knows what women are thinking? And I wanted it to be right for you. Somethin' you'd remember. I thought a lot about what I wanted to say."
"I loved it. I loved everything about your proposal."
Dylan grunted.
"What?"
"My accent is worse when I'm nervous. I try to clean it up some for you."
"What? Why?"
"You're not from the hills. You got all that book learnin'."
"Don't. I love your accent. I love the mountain man that you are." Skye scrubbed his beard stubble and pushed back his shaggy hair. "Scruffy and gruffy are apparently what I really, really like."
Dylan laughed at her. "All right, darlin'. Cause that's what you're gettin'."
28
End Up
Skye couldn’t take her eyes off her ring. It was just so beautiful. Who knew Dylan has such great taste in jewelry? This ring was just so unique.
And the proposal! So him and so perfect. It has been hard to get the words out to accept over the lump in her throat.
Skye stared at Dylan’s rugged face. Who would’ve guessed they would end up together? If bets had been taken over the summer, would anyone have been game enough to lay money on them?
A bemused smile hovered on Dylan's lips. “What’s so funny?”
“I was just wondering who would’ve guessed we would end up together.”
“Me. I woulda."
“No! No way!” She widened her eyes to tease him.
“Yes, way." He gave a decisive nod. "From the moment I laid eyes on you.”
Skye tipped her head. “And when, exactly was that?”
“A warm summer day as I stood leanin’ against the drug store’s brick wall. You came out of the coffee shop. Took my breath away. After that, I stood there every time I came to town.”
Skye laughed. “What? You spied on me.”
“Oh, you betcha, darlin’. Over and over again.”
Skye lightly slapped his arm. She vaguely remembered someone in the coffee shop saying something to her. “Dylan,” she whispered, “are you…? Are you the low-down, dirty skunk?”
He raised an eyebrow, and she explained about old Mrs. McCleary's warning. “Probably.” He laughed. “I been everything else.”
“I saw you! Well, not really because you were back in the shade, but I saw you.” She laughed. “I love that. I mean, it was probably better I didn’t know it at the time. But now that I know you and everything is so right, I love it that you spied on me.”
Skye wiggled in her seat. “How are we going to do this wedding?”
“Soon.” Dylan pushed her hair back and kissed the top of her head. “I just wanna be married. How we do that is up to you. But I did ask the judge to come back to marry us.”
“You did? Oh, that was a great idea.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want this thing to drag out.”
Skye had a finger to her chin, already mulling over possibilities. “I think I’d like the whole community there. If everyone pitches in with a covered dish, it should be doable.”
“Okay, but when?”
Skye giggled. “I promise as soon as possible.”
“Tomorrow?” Dylan asked, a twinkle in his eye.
“The judge won’t even be here, and you know it. Whenever he can come back, we’ll have the wedding.”
Skye stood and held out a hand to Dylan. “Come on. I can’t wait any longer to tell them.”
Arms around each other, and heads together, they leisurely strolled to the cabin as they talked. Every so often, Dylan would raise his head to scan the area, but said he wasn’t worried. It had been weeks since any of the Sick had been this close to the community.
Even on the walk home, everything seemed perfect. A few shy deer crossed their path. Birds sang the most beautiful songs. A meandering groundhog nosed around its favorite grasses.
In such perfection, the thunderous, sharp crack of a rifle instantly stilled the forest. The echo rolled through the hills.
A bullet buzzed by as the rifle’s roar echoed back at them.
Dylan’s quick exhale stirred the back of Skye’s long hair. “It’s close!”
Dylan pushed Skye to the ground as another boom filled the air. Dylan stumbled and ducked, covering Skye. For a moment, his ragged breath fanned her neck.
Pushing her toward the trees across from them, his voice low and urgent, he said, “Go! Stay low!”
Stomach heaving in fear, Skye obeyed.
Rifle in hand, Dylan scanned the thick forest to their right. He couldn’t see anyone.
That’s where it must have come from. He scoured the area for a shadow, a glint from the sun, anything.
He put a hand on Skye’s hip, hurrying her along as she half army-crawled to the treeline. He had to get her to safety. A few more feet, and they would be there.
Dylan winced as he got into a position where he could turn and fire a shot at where the gunfire had come from.
Skye put her hands to her ears as he returned fire.
As the roar faded, she said, “Dylan! Maybe they were firing at the animals.”
“No. They weren’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know.”
The deer had scattered when they stepped into the glen. No one who knew anything about hunting would have tried for them. Most people don’t go for groundhogs when their cupboards were already full. And that shot was close. The second one closer. Whoever it was had directly shot at them on purpose.
“Dylan!”
“Skye,” he said as he raised his rifle again. “Be quiet.”
Dylan fired again and watched. Nothing moved. They may have already gone, but if not there could be more trouble ahead.
Turning to Skye, he took in her wide eyes and trembling body. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head yes as examined her to make sure. He put his hands to her face. “You’re okay, darlin’, you’re okay,” he murmured.
Dylan ran his fingers down her arms and took her cold, clammy hands in his large, warm ones. He studied them. Her light ones where almost engulfed by his darker ones. He brought them to his mouth and blew on hers, hoping to warm them. Then he tried, rather unsuccessfully, to control his breathing.
“Darlin’, you’re gonna need to go on back home now. Send Wade out here.”
“Why?” Her wide eyes looked at everything but him.
“Calm down now. I need you to be thinkin’. Go back to the house and get Wade.”
She zeroed in on him. “Why?”
“Don’t argue with me, girl, just go do what I say.”
Skye tried to focus, but her eyes, and thoughts, darted from one thing to another. Going from such happiness to this had her mind spinning. Would the gunman come back? Had they been waiting for them?
But most, importantly why did Dylan want her to leave him at a time like this? Normally, he would want her to stick close.
His last words echoed through her. Though they had been harsh, his gaze was not. They had been loving, and worried, and also filled with pain.
Panic seized her as she looked hi
m over. “Dylan?”
“I said go.”
She yanked open his thick, red flannel jacket. A couple of buttons flew. There was a second, blue flannel below it.
Blood soaked his shirt, turning it dark. She went numb and sucked in a breath. “No!”
29
Praying
Dylan ran his hand down her hair. “Don’t worry. I’ve been hurt worse’n this. Now, go get Wade.” Groaning, he stumbled back from his crouched position to his rear and sat.
Skye groaned with him. She wasn’t going to leave him here like this especially with some crazy gunman still out there. “No, I’m not—”
“Woman. Go get me help.”
Skye scanned the area. “It’s not far. You can make it. You have to try, because I’m not going to leave you. What if they are still here?”
“That’s why you should go. You’ll be quieter on your own. Keep your head down and move quiet like I’ve shown ya. Now go on.”
She knew what he was thinking, but now was not the time to worry about her safety. It was time to worry about his survival.
“Dylan.” Skye firmed her voice. “You are not hearing me. We’re partners. I’m not leaving without you. I am not.”
She took his rifle from him. “Give me some more ammo.” She took what he gave her and loaded the gun and slung it over her shoulder. “Do you think they’re still out there?”
“I think they’re gone. Pulled back anyway.”
Skye rechecked Dylan’s wound. “Then we’ve got to chance it. We can stay low enough, can’t we?”
“Should be able to.” Dylan’s face contorted as Skye helped him up. “Darlin’, I’d rather you just go.”
She sagged a bit with his weight. “You can work with or against me, but I have to say things are going to be bad for both of us if I have to drag you back home.”
Dylan snorted. “A little bitty thing like you couldn’t drag me back if ya tried.”
“Well, its a good thing I don’t have to try then.” Skye settled in under his arm.