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

by Patty Campbell

  “I’m on my way.”

  Marla changed clothes, replaced the things in her overnight bag, and turned out the lights. It was full dark outside now, no moon. An icy feeling in the pit of her stomach sent chills down her legs as she was about to turn the doorknob. She put her eye next to the peephole, screamed and reared back when a shadow passed in front of it.

  “Marla?” A man’s voice. “Marla, are you there?”

  She yanked open the door. “Edwin, are you trying to scare me to death!”

  His back stiffened, his expression indignant. “Certainly not. Why would I engage in such a schoolboy prank?”

  Was this really the man she’d thought would be her forever after? She sighed and switched on the porch light. “I’m just leaving. What do you want, Edwin?”

  “I can only assume you’re rushing back to your unsuitable lover. Is it too much to ask for a minute of conversation?”

  She sighed and stepped back. “I’m on my way to Charlene’s for your information, but do come in, we might as well get it over with.”

  “Indeed.” He brushed past her.

  “Turn on the light in the living room. I need to let Charlene know I’ll be delayed.” She lifted the receiver and redialed Charlene’s number. After a brief conversation, she joined Edwin.

  “What do you have to say to me, Edwin?” She sat across from him, hands clasped tightly in her lap.

  “I’ve reconsidered my initial reaction to your indiscretion and I think we can repair the breach.”

  “My indes—?”

  “I accept the premise that I’ve been absent for long periods of time and may have been somewhat aloof and unaware of your physical needs.”

  “My phys—?”

  “I assure you, I’m fully capable of satisfying your needs. I’m willing to accept a position with my employer that will not require excessive travels. We need to spend more time together.”

  “Toge—?”

  “I’m quite aware that for a liaison to flourish, for your physical and emotional needs to be satisfied, I shouldn’t travel so much at this stage of our relationship.”

  “Our relation—?”

  “I’m fully prepared to accept your impropriety and my part in it.”

  “Your part?”

  “I do believe however, that it is incumbent upon you to fully explain your peccadillo with the construction individual. Who is unfortunately, handicapped.”

  “Handicapped!”

  “Your mother explained to me that the man was wounded in the lamentable war pursued by our politicians. I know you have a deep love for the country, and no doubt that’s what brought about your untoward lapse in judgment.”

  “My lapse in…?”

  “So to summarize, Marla, all is forgiven.”

  “Forgiven?”

  “I would like to resume our relationship as if nothing happened. I am in a far better financial position than the carpenter could hope to aspire, to support you in the future. I’ll give you time to think over my proposition, and I expect you’ll come to the realization that we are a good match.” He stood. “I’ll take my leave.”

  He did just that. Marla sat in stunned silence.

  * * *

  Charlene did a double take. “He said what?” She slapped a hand over mouth and fell back on the sofa laughing through her fingers and kicking her feet in the air.

  “Don’t laugh, Char. I’m ashamed of myself.”

  Charlene rolled on her side and propped her head in her hand. “Shame is such a colossal waste of time, sis. You are not perfect and all wise. Everybody makes mistakes.”

  “But I did disrespect him. The least I could have done is phone him or e-mail him when I started seeing Dwayne. Not let him find out by practically walking in on us.”

  “Marla.” Char sat up. “He never respected you. He’s one of those…I don’t know how to label them, but I sometimes have to have an accountant who works under me go over tax returns with clients like him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Men who think because I’m an attractive woman, I couldn’t possibly have a brain in my head. It’s insulting, but it’s their problem, not mine. All I have to do is look at the way they do business to know I’m smarter than them.” She patted the couch. “Come here you little sweetie.”

  Skip jumped up and wallowed in her baby talk and ear-scratching.

  “I’m keeping your dog.”

  “No, you are not.” How lucky she was. Her sister loved her little guy and was always available to babysit. “Get your own.”

  “Never mind, I’ll just borrow him once in a while.”

  “Char, did you leave my house because you thought it might be Dwayne’s wife calling and driving past?” She wondered whether or not to tell Dwayne about it.

  “I don’t know, but you said they had a blue car. I’m more comfortable in my own place anyway.”

  “Dwayne asked me to go to his mother’s Wyoming ranch in August. He’s planning to spend a few weeks there when he finishes his new job, and then bring Amber home.”

  Char’s eyes widened. “Weeks? Are you going?”

  “I told him I couldn’t possibly be gone that long. He suggested I drive up with him and fly home after a week. He’s got a lot of work to do up there, repairing fences and the barn roof. But it would be nice to spend some time with Amber and Kathleen. Did you know Miss Emmaline is there?”

  “Yes, Donovan told me. He’ll visit his mom when he gets liberty later this summer. He wants me to come with him. I’ll go and stay as long as he wants me to.”

  “What about your job?”

  “I’ll tell you something, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, including Dwayne. Do you swear?”

  “Have I ever told one of your secrets?” She put a mock expression of insult on her face and stared at Charlene.

  “No, but this the biggest secret I’ve ever told you. Do you swear?”

  She pinched her lips, rolled her eyes, and crossed her heart. “I swear.”

  “Donovan and I are engaged.”

  Marla sucked in a startled breath. “When did that happen? When are you getting married? Why is it a secret?”

  Charlene hugged herself, sheer joy on her face. “He proposed when we were in Coronado. We decided not to say anything until he makes up his mind about reenlisting, whether to make the Marines his career. We’ll set a date after that decision.”

  “Oh, Char. That’s wonderful, but it’s awful. He’ll be gone so much and in danger. How will you stand it?” The thought of Dwayne being sent to some foreign land where he might get killed made her sick to her stomach.

  “He’s applying for a stateside job. If he can get the drill instructor assignment he wants, we’ll move to Oahu. He’ll be stationed at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe.”

  A sudden sense of loss engulfed Marla. She and her sister had never lived more than ten miles apart all their lives. Tears sprang into her eyes.

  “Sorry.” She waved her hands. “I want to be happy for you, and I am, but Hawaii is so far away. I never thought we’d live so far from each other. Mom and Dad will be devastated.”

  “Oh, they will not. They still have you and the boys, and that’s what life is all about isn’t it? Leaving home, moving on?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “We plan to have lots of kids. Sil and Dadley will love being grandparents. Donovan wants a big family, like Dylan and Grace.” She stared at Marla. “Say something.”

  Instead of a verbal reply, Marla went to the couch, sat next to her sister, and hugged her. “All I want is for you to be happy, no matter where you live.” She leaned back and smiled. “You’re my favorite sister after all.”

  They changed into their pajamas and sat at the kitchen table to eat ice cream, just like they used to after their parents went to bed.

  Charlene said, “You haven’t told me whether or not you liked my thoughtful role-playing gifts.”

  “Dwayne did.” Warmth at the memory
of last night’s hotel stay spread through her body.

  “Yes, and?”

  She blushed. “At first I wouldn’t put on the maid’s uniform, but before the night was over, Dwayne forced me to.”

  Charlene’s spoon stopped halfway to her mouth. “He forced you?”

  “What could I do? He was my employer. I was a lowly maid who couldn’t afford to lose her job.”

  “I can’t wait to hear the details.” She leaned forward, elbows on the table and goggled. “Tell me, tell me.”

  “I’m not telling you any details, Char, but I will say you got your money’s worth. For both outfits. However, the only one that survived the night was the leopard print silk slip.”

  Charlene shrieked, put her hands over her mouth, and rocked back in her chair. “I knew it. I knew it.”

  “You knew what?”

  “I knew there was a part of you, you didn’t even know about. I’m unashamedly proud of myself.”

  Marla laughed. “And how did you know that?”

  “I was there when you were born, remember?”

  “What? You were only ten minutes old.”

  “I’ve always had super instincts. Don’t question me. Was I right or not?”

  She flipped a spoonful of ice cream at Charlene. It hit her on the forehead.

  “Oh, you want to play that game?”

  “Uh, no, I don’t know what came over me.” Her response was too late. Charlene plopped a handful of peanut butter and chocolate on top of her head. And rubbed it in.

  Things went downhill from there.

  Except for Skipper. He had a great time running between and around the table legs licking up what landed on the floor.

  “Stop!” Marla covered her head with her sticky chocolaty hands. “Look at us! I have to take a shower, and Skip needs a bath. I don’t have any other pajamas. Mercy, Char!”

  “Not before you admit I’m just as smart as you are.”

  Marla peeked between her fingers. Charlene was poised to smack her with another dripping gob of ice cream.

  “OK. You’re just as smart as me. You’re smarter. Please stop.”

  “You started it.”

  “I did, didn’t I?” She pulled her pajama top away from her chest. “Ick.” Grinning at Charlene, she added, “It was fun though, wasn’t it?”

  They screamed with laughter and made ugly menacing faces at each other.

  “Oh, lordy, who’s going to clean up this mess?”

  Marla lifted Skipper off the floor and stood him on the table. “He can do some of it. Have at it, Skippy.”

  “If he pukes, you’re going to clean it up.”

  “So, what else is new? Grab the paper towels. We can get the worst of it, then do a better job after we shower.”

  Ten minutes later, Marla stood under the shower, Skip hugged to her chest. There wasn’t a hair on his little body that had escaped the ice cream fight. She’d never seen him so excited, and that probably wasn’t a good sign. She sighed and washed him from head to toe, not a huge task.

  Wearing Charlene’s robe, she returned to the kitchen and had most of the mess cleaned up by the time her sister came in. She tossed Char a wet towel. “Rinse this out and hand me that clean one. I’m almost done.”

  The doorbell rang. They stared at each other. Charlene shrugged and went to the door, Marla following close behind. She peeked through the peephole and jumped back, hand on her chest.

  “Is that Francine?” Char whispered.

  “Let me see. Yes, and that’s her husband behind her. I’m calling Dwayne.”

  “No, don’t do that. I’ll call the police. Those people are nuts. They scare me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Monday, Dwayne made phone calls, lining up future jobs, and then called on some previous customers to make sure there were no problems or complaints he needed to be aware of. He depended on referrals for future business. One disgruntled customer could be very bad news.

  At the end of the day, he stopped by Cluny’s location to see if he’d like company for dinner. He hadn’t spent much time with Cluny for the last several weeks while he’d been obsessed with Marla. They usually made it a habit for at least one guy’s-night-out every week.

  Cluny looked up from his desk. “Hey, Gunny, what’s up?”

  “How about a few beers and some pizza tonight?”

  “Yeah, right.” Cluny laughed. “We know the beer ain’t gonna happen, but pizza, I’m all yours.” He gestured to a chair. “I have a couple of phone calls to make. Should take less than ten minutes. You want to wait? Or you wanna meet at Angelo’s?”

  “I’ll wait.” Dwayne sat and picked up a tattered and greasy copy of Sports Illustrated. The magazine was published the previous year. He snorted with disgust and tossed it back on the table. Cluny gave him the finger.

  He’d been tempted to call Marla all day, but hadn’t. They both needed a little breathing room. She had business to take care of and so did he. She’d hesitated when he asked her about going to the ranch. It had rankled, but what did he expect? He sprang it on her out of the blue.

  “Where are you?”

  Dwayne’s gaze shot to Cluny who stood before him dangling his keys. He huffed his response, “Not here, that’s for sure. Ready?”

  They were halfway through their first pizza and pitcher of lemonade when Cluny asked, “So how’s it going with you and the boss lady?”

  Dwayne pressed his lips together and shook his head. “I’m in deep shit. I’m in love with her.”

  “What’s wrong with that? I wish I was in love with somebody.”

  “Are you kidding me? You get more women than any guy I’ve ever known. I don’t know how you keep them straight.”

  “Not the same. I was in love once, it was great.” He grinned. “The sex is a shitload better when you’re in love.”

  “When were you ever in love? And how come I didn’t know about it?”

  “Remember Esther Grossman?” Cluny gave him a sly smile and waggled his eyebrows.

  “You played hide the salami with Esther Grossman?” Cluny was a wellspring of surprises. How had he not known this? They’d hung out together since tenth grade. Esther Grossman was the hottest girl in senior class. Every guy in school wanted to get in her pants, including him.

  “Oh, yeah.” Cluny’s expression was priceless.

  “What happened?”

  “Her papa married her off to a nice Jewish boy when we were doing our first tour of Iraq. The next time I saw her,” he held his hand out in front of his stomach, “she was out to here. Broke my heart, Esther did.”

  “I’ll be damned. How come you never told me?”

  “I’ll give you the low down on Esther if you share the dirty details about you and the boss lady.”

  “No way, pal. Esther is ancient history, Marla is now.”

  “Hell.” He grinned and threw down his napkin. “I’ll tell you anyway.”

  For the next hour Cluny regaled Dwayne with colorful details of his sexual exploits with the sultry Esther Grossman.

  Every now and then Dwayne would rear back and say, “No!”

  Cluny grinned, nodded, and added another sensational detail.

  * * *

  Rosie gasped. “Oh, my gosh! How long did it take the police to get there?”

  “A sheriff’s patrol car was making nightly rounds a couple of blocks away,” Charlene said. “Those nitwits were still pounding on my door when they pulled up with their lights flashing.” She shook her head and snickered.

  “Wow. What did they say when they were caught red-handed?”

  Marla sighed. “They weren’t actually doing anything illegal. Luke told some lie about looking for a guy named Homer Wilson, said he wrote down the wrong address.”

  “The deputies weren’t buying that,” Charlene said. “Especially after Marla spoke up and told them Homer Wilson didn’t live at her house either.”

  “It was obvious to the deputies they knew Char and me. And t
he fact they look like your average mug shot didn’t help their case.”

  “Were they arrested?”

  “No, they were warned to leave the area, unless they had a permanent local address. Otherwise they’d take them in and run a check on the Wyoming license plate and Luke’s parole status. From the look on his face it was pretty clear he knew he could end up back in jail.”

  “Yes,” Charlene added, “they left fast after that.”

  “Does Dwayne know?”

  Marla shook her head. “No. I was afraid of what he might do.” The thought of those two people ever having access to Amber was too terrible to imagine. What must Dwayne be going through?

  “Lordy, sis, he might find out. Isn’t it better if you tell him? You can’t keep something like this to yourself.”

  “I know. I’ll tell him. I will, but I don’t want him to go after them. What good would that do him or Amber? I’ll tell him. I promise.”

  Rosie patted her arm. “I’m sure you’ll know when the timing is right.”

  “First I need to talk to him about going to the ranch. I saw hurt in his eyes when I hesitated. It’s…he surprised me when he asked. Instead of saying I had to think about it and make a plan, I said I couldn’t possibly be gone that long.”

  Charlene shook her head. “Just call him. Men aren’t like us. They get over things faster. He probably shrugged it off.”

  “I would like to go. I just wasn’t prepared to answer when he sprang it on me.”

  “She’s right,” Rosie said, nodding in Charlene’s direction. “Tell him you’re looking forward to going, and then mention the incident with Francine and her husband like it was no big deal. If he thinks they scared you, he’ll have blood in his eyes.”

  About eleven that night, Marla picked up the phone and called Dwayne.

  He answered on the second ring. “Hey, Danaher.”

  “Hey, Dempsey.” When she didn’t answer him immediately, he said, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, except my willpower failed. That’s why I called.”

  He chuckled. “I’m glad you did. My willpower lasted about three minutes longer than yours, honey.”