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“You don’t want our approval?” Larry teased.
“I saw it tonight when Mom threw her arms around him. I also heard it the night Luckey ate dinner with us and you said, ‘Your Ranger is the reason why they’re still legendary.’”
Ally dashed out of the room and up the stairs to get her purse. There was no time to primp. She worried he’d gone to headquarters, but since it was Sunday, he might have gone home. She hurried out to her car and headed to his house, taking the chance that he might be there.
On the way she debated phoning him. But he might not pick up when he saw the caller ID. Ally decided it would be better if she didn’t. Maybe the element of surprise would work in her favor. If he did answer the phone, he’d probably tell her this wasn’t a good time. She’d never forget the foreboding look on his face after their discussion at his father’s party.
There was only one thing she could do to take that look away and that meant showing him in person how in love she was with him, how she couldn’t live without him.
His car wasn’t visible when she pulled into his driveway. Had he parked in the garage? She drove around to the barn. His truck and trailer were there. She got out and walked inside the lofty structure. Persey nickered, drawing her over to his stall.
“Hey there, Persey. Did you have fun yesterday?” She rubbed his forelock and he nickered again. “Silver loved the party and didn’t want to go home. Neither did I.” Ally pressed her head against him. “I wish you could tell me if Luckey’s home.”
“He’s home,” said a deep, familiar male voice.
She spun around, glimpsing his tall silhouette in the semidarkness. She whispered his name.
“Why didn’t you ring the bell?”
Her breath caught. “I didn’t know if your car was in the garage, so I—I thought I’d look here first,” she stammered.
He didn’t make a move toward her. “Have you come on official business?”
“Official?” Her voice practically squeaked.
“Something to do with the case? Something your folks thought I needed to know?”
“Yes,” Ally answered in a burst of inspiration. “In a way this is official.”
“You should have saved yourself the trouble and phoned me instead.”
She stuffed her hands in her back pockets. “What I have to say should be said face-to-face.”
“Go ahead,” he replied, after shifting his weight. “I’m listening.”
He wasn’t making this easy. “I came to tell you I’m in love with you, Luckey Davis with an e, and I don’t want to live without you.”
Lu
ckey stood there like a block of petrified wood. “In other words you’re telling me you’ll marry a man who already has a target on his back.”
“A very wise man told me we’re all living targets, but you have to get on with life and embrace it to the fullest for the time you’re given. So, yes!” she cried in a tremulous voice. “I want to be your wife no matter when your time is up.”
His eyes narrowed on her features. “That’s quite a change of heart within the last twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, I jumped the gun by bringing up marriage. Now I’m the one having second thoughts.” His words stabbed her like a dagger.
“Because I didn’t say yes immediately?”
“No.” He sounded as if he meant it. “Though your silence hurt in ways you’ll never know, I got a taste of what you were feeling when you entered the orphanage to bring Shan out. Anything could have happened to you during that sting, something I hadn’t anticipated that could have ended your life prematurely.”
“But nothing went wrong, Luckey, and—”
“And nothing!” he interrupted. “Until I saw you drive up to your parents’ home with Shan, I couldn’t breathe. During that time while I waited for you, I imagined all the horrific things that could have happened to you. I suffered the way I’m sure my ex-wife suffered when I walked out the door every day. I never understood it until I realized you might not make it home.
“Since that moment I’ve had time to think. I should never have let you talk me into allowing you to go inside the orphanage to talk to Shan. I’ve regretted it ever since. The only reason my boss was willing to let me use you to help her escape was because you translated the writing on the cheongsam and were deeply involved in the case. But from now on you’re out of the whole thing.”
Ally started to tremble. “So what are you saying? That you don’t want to see me ever again?”
“Want has nothing to do with it.” His wintry voice had a debilitating effect on her. “I can’t do my work when I’m worried about you.”
