Heart of a Marine (The Wounded Warrior Series Book 1)

by Patty Campbell

  Marla snatched it back. “For somebody who can’t breathe, you seem able to talk endlessly.” She snapped a shoo gesture with her wrist. “Go away. I have work to do.”

  “Not till you tell me who he is. Spit it out. I’m not moving.”

  Marla rolled her eyes. “OK, OK, his name is Dwayne Dempsey. He owns Big D Construction. I hired him to do the renovation on my condo project. Happy now?”

  Jessie’s face morphed in to a sly, slit-eyed smile. “And why is he bringing you flowers, huh?”

  “Because the project was successful?”

  “There are different ways to define success. Whatever ‘success’ you had on the project must have been spectacular. He sent those other flowers here too, didn’t he?”

  Marla grabbed her purse. “I give up.” She shoved her desk chair in and stormed past her co-worker, spun around, went back and snatched the flowers then flounced to the door. “I’ll be back when I get back.”

  She felt her face go hot when laughter and applause followed her out the door.

  At seven-thirty, her doorbell rang. She’d been pacing for an hour and was surprised there was any hair left on her head the way she’d been tugging and twisting it. OK, this was it. Now’s your chance to have it out with the big lout, Marla. Take a breath. Tell him exactly what you think of his unforgivable behavior. Let him have the full force of your anger and frustration. Teeth gritting hard enough to make her jaw ache, she tromped to the door and flung it open. “What!”

  Edwin Plimpton gasped and stumbled back. “I…”

  Mouth slack, Marla grabbed her throat. “Edwin, what are you doing here?” Color drained from his face. He looked as if she’d induced a heart attack. “Edwin?”

  He waved a hand. “Let me get my breath. You startled me.” He sucked in some air and let it whoosh out.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. Are you OK? You don’t look so good. Maybe you’d better sit down.” Great, she’d almost killed Edwin. The poor guy’s complexion went from death white to mottled purple. She extended a tentative hand. “Breathe, please, Edwin. You’re scaring me.”

  He shook his head and waved his hands. “I’m OK. Let me catch my breath. I thought we could talk, Marla.”

  “No, I, um, Edwin I’m…” Her eyes scanned the street for signs of Dwayne’s truck. “Tonight isn’t a good time for me.”

  “Are you expecting someone?” The pathetic look on his face nearly evoked affection for him.

  Without either of them having noticed his arrival, Dwayne strode to the porch. “She’s expecting me, aren’t you, honey?” He glared at Edwin, who actually shrank under Dwayne’s steely gaze. That had to be his Gunnery Sergeant glare. “You have business with my woman, Plimpton?”

  Edwin’s mouth opened, his lips moved, but no words came out.

  Dwayne slammed his hands on Edwin’s bony shoulders. “No? Good. Then I suggest you beat it.”

  Marla sputtered, “What do you—?” She cleared her throat. “Edwin, I’m sorry, this man, he…” She wished she kept a baseball bat by her front door because Dwayne could use a couple of good whacks about now.

  By way of answering, Edwin raised his hands, took a step back then another, and stepped off the porch. He scurried down her walk like a mouse outrunning a snake. She whirled on Dwayne.

  “You! You!” She felt her eyes grow big and hair prickle on the top of her head. About to explode, she stamped her foot, clenched her fists. Dwayne grinned. “Damn you, Dempsey!”

  He didn’t answer. Just stood there grinning.

  She crossed her arms, daring him to move. “This is your Plan B? Threatening my friends? Showing up on my doorstep uninvited? You are the most arrogant, the most infuriating, obnoxious, maddening…stop grinning! What is there to grin about?”

  The grin grew so wide it seemed to her his face might crack. Was he crazy? Why didn’t he say something?

  “Are you drunk? Say something, Dempsey, or I’ll turn the hose on you. I mean it!” She extended her arm and shoved him back, away from her door. “If you think you’re coming in here, you’re smoking funny stuff.”

  “God, you are magnificent, Danaher. I love you. Marry me.” And before she had a chance to react, he grabbed her upper arms and pulled her into a hard kiss.

  Marla shoved him. Sputtering again, she was unable to utter a clear response. The man was insane. Did he actually think he could walk right up to her front door, toss poor Edwin out, then ask her to marry him? As if nothing had happened between them in Wyoming? She had her pride. Dwayne was nuts if that’s what he thought.

  He released her and she immediately missed the warmth of his big hands, his lips. Her insides got all gooey and soft. Watery knees threatened to give way. She actually considered dragging him inside, pulling off his clothes, her clothes, and falling on the floor arms outstretched to reach for him. She got so warm in her girly place she feared for an instant she’d wet her panties.

  Dwayne brushed his finger down her cheek, took a step back, then another. “I’ll see you around, Red.”

  He left. He actually left her standing there all melty and wide-eyed, staring at his butt as he walked away from her. She heard his truck fire up, and continued to watch when he drove past the house.

  Down the street.

  Around the corner.

  Away.

  Three weeks later, he hadn’t called, hadn’t sent flowers. She’d been tempted to cruise past his house to see if he was in town. What game was he playing with her?

  Marla spent a lot of time reading books, working on her rose bushes, hustling for listings, puttering around the condo office, calling on her tenants to make sure they were happy with their new homes, ready to sign new leases, had no problems.

  The afternoon before Halloween she visited Miss Emmaline, her new building manager. Where the old woman got all her energy was a mystery. She’d been thrilled when Marla had asked her if she’d be interested in handling tenant inquiries and concerns and collecting rents. “You got yourself a manager, young lady,” she’d said. “I’ve got no interest in sitting around waiting for the Grim Reaper.”

  Marla knocked on Emmaline’s door. Amber opened it, shrieked, and threw herself at Marla nearly knocking her over. “Marla! Miss Emmaline, it’s Marla.”

  Surprised at how much Amber had grown over the summer, Marla released her and held her at arm’s length. “You’re so tall. When did you get so tall?”

  “That’s what Daddy said. He told me to slow down. I’m seven. You missed my birthday. Auntie Silvia bought me Cinderella pajamas and sparkly Scrunchies for my hair.” She turned and pointed to her ponytail.

  To hear her mother referred to as Auntie Silvia startled her, but of course, when Char married Donovan, Amber’s uncle, she became her aunt, and Silvia her great-aunt. She blinked. She was Amber’s aunt too. Why hadn’t her mom said anything about the child’s birthday? Didn’t she know how much Marla loved her—Dwayne or no Dwayne?

  She let Amber drag her inside Emmaline’s apartment. “I just realized something. I’m your Auntie Marla.”

  “I know.” She wrinkled her freckled nose. “I’d rather have your for my mom, though.”

  Leave it to kids to say exactly what they were thinking. Racking her brain for an answer, she was saved by the arrival of Emmaline. “Come in, dear. We were just sitting down for afternoon tea. Please join us.”

  “I’d love to.”

  Still holding her hand, Amber led her to the kitchen. The table was set with a Cinderella tea set and a plate of sugar cookies in the center of the table. “This looks great, Amber. Is this your tea set?”

  “Daddy bought it for my birthday. Miss Emmaline and I have a tea party whenever she babysits me. Daddy said tea parties are rilly not for grown men. So I leave my dishes here.”

  Bursting with curiosity about why Dwayne had left Amber with Emmaline this afternoon, and where he was, it was all she could do not to ask. They sat at the table. Marla admired Miss Emmaline’s hand-c
rocheted table cover. Amber poured tea as pale as water. She set down the pot and passed the cookies to her.

  “We made these cookies when I got here from school today. They’re still warm. Miss Emmaline has a rill old recipe for sugar cookies. It has sour cream in it. Taste one.”

  Marla took a bite of the big soft cookie, moaned with pleasure and rolled her eyes. “Mmm, so good.” She definitely had to have the recipe.

  The three of them sipped tea and nibbled cookies like proper ladies. Uneasiness began to nag Marla. Dwayne might show up any minute. Tomorrow was a school day. Surely he wouldn’t leave Amber here too late.

  “Um, I think I better go. I, uh, I have a couple of errands.”

  “Don’t you want to wait till Daddy gets here? He went to get something special for Halloween.”

  “Um, no, I can’t.” She stood. “Thanks you for the tea and cookies. I really have to go. I, um, I can let myself out.”

  Eyes downcast, Amber said, “OK, but I know Daddy wants to see you.”

  Oh yeah? Well, he hadn’t made any attempt to see her for the past three weeks. She didn’t know what she’d do if she bumped into him now. She made quick exit.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  “Trick or Treat!”

  Marla opened her door for the umpteenth time holding a large bowl of wrapped candy for the neighborhood goblins. She’d barely had a chance to sit since she arrived home at five. Nobody was there. “Hello?” She stepped onto her porch and checked the walk in both directions. “If you want candy you have to show me how scary you are.”

  It was full dark now and she didn’t see any children near her neighbor’s doors. She’d definitely heard a child’s voice. “Are you playing tricks on me?”

  Silence.

  Shrugging, she turned to go inside and kicked a picnic basket with a note taped on top. Not at all sure she wanted to check the contents she stood still then turned her head to check both sides of her porch. “What the—?”

  She reached for the note and snatched her hand back when the basket shifted. Sidling past it, she stood in the relative safety of her doorway. She took a breath and yanked the paper off the handle. The note was written in childish cursive.

  Hello, Marla Danaher. I don’t have a mama. Will you be my mama? My name is Dandy, but you can call me DD.

  A barely audible whine sounded from the basket and it wobbled again. Marla’s heart pounded. A dog? Had someone left a dog on her porch? She knelt down, and with a trembling, tentative hand, lifted the hinged lid. A Yorkie puppy stared at her with imploring eyes far too large for its bitty head. It stood on its hind legs and pawed the air with a tiny foot.

  Marla’s hands flew to her face but couldn’t stifle her sob. She blinked back tears, lifted the pup from the basket, and hugged it to her chest. “Oh, you sweet thing, you sweet adorable baby.”

  Eyes damp, she hugged the tiny creature whose little heart tapped rapidly against her collarbone. “Oh, you precious baby.” A miniscule tongue lapped her chin and the small body nearly wriggled from her grasp.

  Holding the pup in both hands, she lifted it level with her face. “Hello, Dandy DD. Would you like to live in my house?”

  Marla stood and kissed DD’s nose. “You can come out now, Dempsey.”

  Rustling of the large bush at the corner of her house gave away his hiding spot. Amber, dressed as Cinderella, blond wig and all, stepped into the light first, followed by her dad.

  Amber bounced on her toes. “Do you like her, Marla? She’s rilly cute, isn’t she? Will you keep her?”

  Marla nodded and met Dwayne’s gaze. Neither of them spoke. One corner of his mouth twitched a brief smile, and he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his heavy work pants. He mouthed, I love you.

  A Ping Pong ball-sized lump formed in her throat. She pressed her lips together and told herself to breathe.

  Amber reached for the dog. “Can I hold her?”

  By way of answer, Marla put the pup in her outstretched hands. Amber sat on the top step and cradled DD in her lap.

  Dwayne took a step, removed his hands from his pockets, and held them open. The motion was a question. Marla answered by stepping into the circle of his embrace. He nearly crushed her. No words were exchanged. She merely rested her forehead against his neck and breathed his wonderful scent of soap, sweat, and newly sawn wood. The scent no longer detectable on her pillows.

  He took a deep breath. “I’m so lousy at this, Red.”

  She smiled against his neck. “I know.”

  “Damn, I want you so much. Please find a way to forgive me, before I hang myself.”

  She tilted her face to him. “I’m working on it, Dempsey.”

  “That’s all I ask, Danaher.”

  “Trick or treat!” A couple of stragglers came down her walk. Amber slid the bowl of candy to the step, reached in and took a handful for each kid, and dropped the treats in sagging pillowcases. They happily accepted the mini-Milky Ways, grinned, then patted DD’s head.

  Dwayne whispered close to her ear. “I have to get Amber home. Tomorrow’s a school day. Please say I can come over tomorrow night. Rosie and Pete offered to keep her for the weekend.” He tightened his arms and ran a hand into the back of her hair. “Please, honey. I’m begging you. I’ll get down on my knees if I have to.”

  She stroked his cheek. “Kiss me, and make it a good one, Dempsey.”

  “My pleasure, Danaher.”

  His kiss was a good one. In fact it was a great one. She didn’t want it to end. Light as a feather, she was ready to float away.

  Amber muttered, “Everybody in the whole world can see you. You’re rilly embarrassing me.”

  Dwayne dropped his arms but didn’t take his eyes off Marla’s. “Give DD to her mama, squirt. It’s almost your bedtime. We’re outta here.”

  Amber got to her feet and held the puppy up. With trembling hands, Marla took it and pressed it to her cheek. She directed a pointed look at Dwayne’s eyes. “Um, DD?”

  “Danaher and Dempsey?”

  He pecked a quick kiss on her forehead then on DD’s head while sliding a surreptitious hand across her derriere. “See you tomorrow, Red.”

  * * *

  Every cell in Dwayne’s body vibrated at the thought of winning Marla back, of having her in his bed again, but not just that, having her in his life. In their life. He wanted a wife, and he wanted more kids. At least one kid with Marla. She’d be a great mom, a dream-come-true wife and partner. How could he have screamed at her like that? Why should she forgive him?

  He glanced across the cab of the truck. Amber carefully sorted through her plastic pumpkin filled with candy. She chose some of her favorites, opened the console and dropped them inside. “These are special for you, Daddy.”

  He grinned and rubbed her neck. “Thank you. Is that my reward?”

  “Yes. Marla rilly likes DD, and she said you could come to her house tomorrow night. I think Plan B is working.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Are you going to have a sleepover over with Marla tomorrow?”

  Holy shit, did his kid miss anything? He sucked in air between his clenched teeth, patted her head and answered, “If she’ll let me.”

  “Don’t mess up, Daddy. We might not get another chance.”

  A cough of laughter erupted from his throat. He pulled into their driveway and switched of his engine. “I’ll do my best, squirt. We need a woman in our family. And Marla is the only woman I want.”

  She nodded slow and deliberate. “You know what, Daddy?”

  “What, sweetpea?”

  “I think I’m getting too old for Cinderella.” She brushed her hands across her sparkly costume. “I want to go shopping for clothes at Justice.”

  He rolled his eyes. “We had this discussion before. I’m not paying forty-five dollars for a skirt or thirty-five dollars for a T-shirt for a seven-year-old child.”

  “I’m the only one in my class who doesn’t get to buy clothes at Justice
.” Her bottom lip stuck out far enough for a bird to sit on it.

  “How would you know that? Every girl in school wears the same school uniform every single day.”

  “They telled me!”

  “It’s out of the question. End of discussion.”

  “You’re mean!” She crossed arms over her flat chest and kicked her feet under the dashboard.

  All of a sudden he longed for the endless evenings watching Cinderella DVDs and reading every Cinderella book ever published. He was deep in Shit Lake and had a huge hole in his boat.

  Patience, all he needed was patience.

  “Who are you, little girl, and what did you do with sweet Amber Dempsey?”

  “Very funny.” She rooted around in the console and removed all the candy she’d given him and threw it piece by piece in the pumpkin. She scowled, yanked the car door open, jumped down, and stomped to the front door.

  He whooshed out a sigh. “Whatever.”

  * * *

  Marla set DD back in the basket and carried it to the kitchen. Dwayne had put a small bag of puppy chow and a chew toy in with her. Maybe she was hungry? She lifted her out and set her on the kitchen floor, where she peed a puddle the size of a small lake.

  Oh joy.

  “OK then, DD. We start potty training.” A handful of paper towels and a spritz of Nature’s Miracle took care of the immediate problem. Marla gingerly held the sopping paper towels then shoved them through the doggy door and pushed DD through after them.

  She waited a few seconds, opened the door, and stepped outside. “This is the doggy potty, DD.” Strolling across the yard, the Yorkie prancing behind, Marla gave her plenty of time to sniff and explore. DD got a big whiff of the wet towels once they made the entire circuit. Marla nudged them off the stoop with her foot, held DD next to them and said, “DD’s a gooood girl. Good girls pee out here, OK?”