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Then Mom snaps, “Dolly? Fiancé?” Her eyes drop to my hands, cradling my belly, and her jaw drops open. “You changed your name, and you’re engaged and…pregnant? Very pregnant.”
I smile, and Wyatt slides his hand over mine, resting on my belly. I skip over correcting the bit about being engaged since he still hasn’t actually asked me to be his wife yet and say, “A new name for a new life. I met Wyatt at the truck stop—you know the one closest to the house? He let me hitch a ride. We got…close…and I decided to stay with him when his trip was up. He’s a good man. The best man I’ve ever known.”
“But…he’s so much older.” She leans in and whispers it like it’s a secret. She eyes him up and down, clearly in shock.
Wyatt snorts, and I giggle despite the seriousness of our conversation. “Yeah, but that doesn’t change how we feel about each other. I’m happy, Mom. We’re happy.”
She smiles awkwardly at first, clearly uncomfortable, but it turns sincere when she studies my face, seeing for herself how genuinely happy I am with Wyatt by my side. It must settle something within her because she takes his hand between both of hers and quietly says, “Thank you for taking care of her, Wyatt. I’ll forever be grateful.”
“I’ll always take care of her. You have my word.”
“Mom, you never answered my question. How did you find me?”
“I was your father’s emergency contact, and the Sheriff called me after…after everything that happened last night. He told me what your father had done and informed me that he…died. He also told me which hospital you were taken to and that you were ok. Frightened but unharmed. I had been staying at a hotel near the last truck stop you were spotted at, so I wasn’t too far away and drove through the night to get here. I’m so glad I found you, Dolly,” she finishes with a whisper.
Hearing her use my new name, I’m hopeful that we will both be able to leave our pasts behind for good and live this new, wonderful life together.
Chapter 30
Wyatt
It took a few weeks after Dolly’s mom flew back home for her house to sell. With her asshole husband no longer in the picture, she was able to pack up her life as soon as the paperwork was signed and move to Texas. We offered to let her move in with us, but she took up Mama’s sweet offer to move in with her until she gets settled in the area. Mama declared, however, that she never has to leave if she doesn’t want to because she’s tickled pink to have a live-in best friend.
Now, there’s only one last thing I have to do before our baby arrives—marry the love of my life and give her my last name.
I proposed to Dolly the night we got home from the hospital after the attack, slipping the ring on her finger as she slept beside me. I had been carrying around her engagement ring for months, having purchased it the day I dropped her off for her first shift at the diner without me. I wanted to propose to her that night but thought it might be too fast for her. So I put it off, waiting for a time when I thought she would say yes, but then we found out she was pregnant. I didn’t want her to think I was only proposing because she got pregnant, which was stupid on my part since that’s exactly what I told her I would do within days of meeting her. I was always planning on following through with my promise, but I was dumb for waiting so long, too scared of her saying no.
When the nurse tried to keep me away from Dolly at the hospital since we weren’t legally family yet, it really drove home what a colossal mistake it was for me to let my nerves get the best of me.
I figured Dolly might fight me on the engagement when she woke up with my ring on her finger, and I planned on fucking any arguments out of her if need be. Instead, she had rolled over and whispered, “Yes, yes, yes,” then straddled me, and we made love, sweet and slow.
It was one of the best moments of my life, and I took a picture of us cuddled in bed afterward, holding the phone far enough away to get everything I wanted in the frame. I had the sheet pushed low to reveal the beautiful curve of her rounded belly. Her hand was resting on my chest, the diamond engagement ring shining brightly on her left ring finger. There’s not an hour that goes by without me pulling out my phone to look at our picture and the radiant smile on Dolly’s face as we both stare into each other’s eyes.
* * *
Mama has a beautiful piece of property behind her house peppered with old, sprawling oak trees that I used to climb as a child. So even though it’s hotter than hell this time of year, Dolly insisted we get married outside, standing under the shade of the largest tree.
What my babygirl wants, my babygirl gets.
I adjust my tie for the hundredth time, unused to wearing suits, especially in this heat. I stand on the raised wood platform beneath the arch Jared, my best friend and Best Man, helped me build. He slaps me on the back, smiles broadly, and asks, “You ready, brother?”
I grin, rubbing my hands together, ready to get the show on the road and see my bride walk down the aisle. “I was ready the day I brought her home.”
He snorts. “Yeah, I know what you mean. It was the same for me with Violet. Best decision I ever made was locking her down as soon as possible. I couldn’t ask for a better life.” He subtly wipes the corner of his eye, getting emotional just thinking about his wife and how happy they are together.
I look out at all our friends and family gathered on the lawn. Granny shut down the diner for the day so Dolly’s coworkers could attend. Layla, the newest waitress at Granny’s, is seated next to Faye, the two of them giggling like school girls. I don’t miss the pink creeping up Harold’s face every time Layla catches him staring at Faye, which is about every three seconds.
A few of the guys I work with are here, too. Russell, my boss and the owner of Berenson Trucking, can’t seem to stop staring at the women either, though he only has eyes for Layla. When she turns her head, he quickly averts his gaze, and I wink when he catches me watching. I chuckle as his ears turn red, and he tips his head back and closes his eyes.
I spot Sheriff Gibson and his wife, Sheila, in the crowd, as well as several of the deputies and EMTs who were there the night of Dolly’s attack. I nod to the Sheriff, thankful for everything he did for us in the aftermath of the attack.
Davis, the fellow trucker at Berenson who took over my long-hauls, is also here, barely recognizable without one of his ball caps. Mama lit up like a Christmas tree when Davis wheeled his dad, Mr. Freeman, down the aisle to sit behind her in her place of honor in the front row. Mama and Mr. Freeman grew up going to school together, and I even heard rumors they were sweethearts before Pops came into the picture.
Mama twists in her seat, and Mr. Freeman leans forward in his wheelchair. They dip their heads toward one another and talk animatedly with matching smiles. I raise my brow at Davis. He also notices how friendly they’re being, and he smiles and shrugs his shoulders.
Mopping the sweat from my brow with the handkerchief I pull from my suit jacket, I start dancing from foot to foot, impatient to lay eyes on my woman. “Finally,” I growl as the violinist we hired picks up her instrument and starts her rendition of the classic wedding march.
Violet, Dolly’s Matron-of-Honor and best friend, slips through the French doors at the back of Mama’s house and begins her slow trek down the white aisle runner in her pale purple bridesmaid dress. She’s nothing but a blur as all my focus is zeroed in on the doors, waiting for my bride to appear.
