~~~
Alex woke up alone to sounds of suppressed giggles somewhere in the house. It took only a second to remember where she was. Smiling, she stretched luxuriously. Spending the night with Dylan had been her way of telling him she was completely his, but somehow the words hadn’t been said. Nevertheless, she knew he was happy, and that he understood what it meant. She’d wait for the next time he proposed, which he seemed to do every couple of months, to say the words.
She got up, put on a light robe and wandered into the kitchen to see what was going on. Juan was the first to spot her, and his eyes grew big when he took in what she was wearing.
“Did you and Dylan have a sleepover?” he asked.
Alex looked to Dylan. “You didn’t tell them?”
“Uh, no. Didn’t know what to say,” he answered.
Alex rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, Juan. Is that okay?”
Davi’s eyes were big now, too, and he sent his brother an anxious look as everyone waited on Juan’s answer.
“Sure!” Juan said. “Can you make pancakes? Dad’s terrible at it.”
Alex noted his switch from Dylan to Dad. It had been happening more often, Dylan said. He didn’t know whether to encourage it or put a stop to it. Alex thought he should just let the boys decide. She smiled at Juan. It seemed the ‘sleepover’ wasn’t a big deal, which was just the way she wanted it.
“You bet. I’m a great pancake maker.” To Dylan, she said, “Move over, buster. I’ve got to get some pancakes going here.”
Dylan handed her a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with his, joining the boys. “There’s bacon in the refrigerator.”
After breakfast, they settled the boys to watch cartoons while they each took a shower and dressed for the day. Alex made the bed, and took a moment to consider how right it felt, to do this small domestic chore in Dylan’s house. A shadow crossed over her happiness for a minute when she realized there was still no solution to the Dodge versus Phoenix issue. They needed to talk about a solution to the problem before this could be permanent.
“Dylan, I need to spend some time with my dad. Did you have anything planned for the day?” She’d seen him duck into the closet with a towel wrapped around his waist, but he hadn’t come out yet. The quick glimpse she got of his muscular chest and arms made her consider following him in there, but with the boys awake, any fooling around couldn’t go very far. Tonight would be soon enough. Her question died on her lips as he came out, zipping low-slung jeans with a hand that also held what she assumed was a shirt. Her self-control wavered.
“Oh, did we forget to tell you? We’re supposed to be at your dad’s for barbecue this afternoon. I thought we could take the boys out to Cabeza Prieta and let them chase lizards,” he said. “We can take some snacks, and be back in time to get cleaned up for your dad’s thing.”
Alex thought it was a little odd that her dad hadn’t said anything about it, but that was fine with her. She hadn’t been to the wildlife refuge in years, but she thought the boys would enjoy the visitor center exhibits and the interpretive loop. “That sounds like fun. I didn’t bring a hat, though. Can I borrow a baseball cap?”
Dylan dived back into the closet and came out with a Park Service green bush hat with mesh sides. “Will this do?”
“Perfect, I’ll look like that Australian guy. What was his name, in that old movie?”
“What movie?” Dylan asked.
“You know, ‘That’s not a knife,’” she quoted, in her best Aussie accent. “This is a knife.”
“Indiana Jones?” he quipped.
“No, Crocodile Dundee,” she said, laughing now that she remembered. “I’ll look like Crocodile Dundee.”
“Furthest thing from the truth,” he said, plopping the hat on her head, and then knocking it off again as he kissed her. “You’ll look like the woman I love.”
~~~
Strolling along the interpretive pollinator path, with the boys racing ahead and his hand entwined with Alex’s, Dylan couldn’t have been more content. When he thought about what might happen later this afternoon, a frisson of nerves tingled the backs of his arms and made his vision swim for a second. Each time, he calmed himself with the assurance that Alex wouldn’t have spent the night last night unless she was ready for what he had to say.
When they’d finished the loop, it was time to find what shade they could and have their snacks, just enough to hold them over to the early barbecue this afternoon. Dylan excused himself and stepped away far enough to make a call to Wanda to see if she needed any help with the birthday cake, and to Lisa to make sure they were well on their way. The first call went fine, but he didn’t reach Lisa.
They must be out of cell range.
He left a message and then went back to the shady area. Davi was beginning to droop, having worn himself out running back and forth between Juan in the lead and the adults strolling behind.
“Think we should go try to nap until it’s time to go to your dad’s?”
Alex shrugged. “Do they usually nap?”
“Not really, but it’s hot and they’re worn out. I think it would be a good idea.” Dylan couldn’t think of a better way to kill a couple of hours than putting the boys down for a nap and lying down next to Alex for a while himself.
“I could use a shower. And I’d like to run over and say hi to Wanda,” Alex said.
Uh-oh, Dylan hadn’t anticipated that possibility. “Uh, Wanda went to Phoenix today,” he said, the first lie he could think of. Fortunately, it worked.
“Oh. Darn it, I haven’t seen her for quite a while. I guess Dad didn’t tell her I was coming.”
Alex seemed disappointed, but she’d get over it when Wanda turned up at the party. Dylan said, “Yeah, she’ll be disappointed to have missed you. But, aren’t you coming home for the summer as soon as this term is over?”
They’d discussed whether Alex would finish out her junior year over the summer, but she didn’t want to run out of the scholarship money before she had a chance to look for a job in Phoenix in September when she transferred to Arizona State. She’d taken a couple of classes for the first summer term, but had only two more weeks to go.
“Yeah, I guess it’s just another couple of weeks. I’ll live. Sure, let’s grab a nap with the boys, and then I’ll shower again. I’m all hot and sticky.”
Hot and sticky sounded divine to Dylan, whose libido seemed to have gone a little nuts in the last twenty-four hours. Maybe it was the anticipation of finally settling the future with Alex. He couldn’t have misread her signals, could he? He would know in a few hours. That electric tingle went down the back of his arms again.
Three hours later, Dylan felt rested, refreshed and excited beyond what a man his age should be over a surprise party. He loaded his little family into the pickup and headed toward Paul Ward’s house. Juan’s legs encroached into Davi’s space in the jump seat of the extended cab. Dylan realized he was going to have to trade the Silverado in on an SUV when Alex moved in.
Suddenly, they were there. Paul had tied balloons to the mailbox, so Alex knew immediately this was her birthday celebration. She clapped her hands and hugged Dylan first and then the boys.
“You guys! A surprise party? Really?” She was even more delighted when Dylan ushered her through the house and to the patio in back, where the rest of the guests were already assembled. “Nana! And Wanda, Dylan told me you went to Phoenix!” Alex greeted everyone with hugs and exclamations, especially her housemates, who’d made it in time, to Dylan’s relief. Then, she turned to Dylan. “You lied.” She punched him lightly on the arm, and he caught her hand and held her there.
“I couldn’t have you dropping in on Wanda. She was baking your cake.”
Dylan looked around at the assembled guests, all seated under the misting hose that Paul had installed under the patio cover. “Thanks for coming, everyone. I think we really surprised her.”
Everything was perfect. Alex was happy, the food was delicious, and even the tempera
ture cooled as the sun sunk further to the west and the long shadow of the house provided more shade. One by one or two by two, the guests departed as the afternoon became evening. The housemates were the first to go, since they had the furthest to travel. Then Ange and her boyfriend. Thurston hung around for a while, but left when he realized Wanda planned to stay later to visit with Alex’s Nana. She of course would spend the night at Paul’s.
When the party had wound down and everyone else was visiting quietly while the boys played chase in the twilight, Dylan drew Alex aside, away from the eyes of the other adults. Under a grape arbor, he sat on an old bench and pulled her down beside him, kissing her hungrily. When he sensed she was relaxed and willing, he pulled her close and took a deep breath.
“Alex, I love you. I don’t know how I could love you any more than I do. I know you want to finish school first and all, so I’m not going to pressure you. I want you to know I’ve applied for transfers to parks closer to Phoenix. If I get the transfer, and I’m sure I’ll get one of them, I’m willing to move the boys as soon as it happens. Closer to Phoenix, I mean.”
Alex stiffened in his arms, which he didn’t expect.
Am I making a mess of this?
Quickly, before she could ask a question or voice an objection and derail his intentions, he went on. “Would you, I mean, could you consider, maybe, moving in with us?” He held his breath, waiting for the explosion, but she relaxed again.
“Wow, Dylan, I didn’t expect that. I thought you wanted to wait at least a year to move the boys.”
She hadn’t answered his question, but she hadn’t said no, either. There was hope. He answered her implied question. “I’ve been talking to their counselor, and she said they’re doing fine. They haven’t established strong ties to the other kids in their class yet, since they came in late. She said if we could move in time to start the school year in a new school, it would actually be better to go now.”
“So, where are these other parks? How far from Phoenix would we actually be?”
She said we! That meant she was considering it, didn’t it? Dylan cleared his throat. “That would depend on which position I got. I have an interview next week with the Forest Service for Tonto National Forest, and I’d be able to work out of the Mesa office if I got that. Are you still thinking the Tempe campus?”
“Yes,” she agreed. “Dylan, that’s amazing! When will you know?”
“I should know by the end of July. Alex, if I get that one, we could live in between, and you wouldn’t have to worry about housing expense.”
“I’d want to pay my share,” she objected.
“We can work all that out. Just tell me you’ll consider it.”
“Of course I will, Dylan. That would be… wonderful.” A shadow crossed her face, and his heart hitched.
“What? You thought of a problem. What is it?”
“Nothing, Dylan. Well. Maybe something. I have to be free to pursue the stories I’ll need, for homework and my blog and whatever other reason I may have. I mean, I could get a job with the student TV station, or even a paying one somewhere. I won’t always be available to help with the boys.”
Even though he’d hoped she would be, Dylan could see her point. “I’ll figure that out. Other working couples deal with kids, so can we.”
“I like the sound of that. ‘Couple’. I love you, Dylan.”
This was better than he’d been able to hope, ever since she’d called him crazy for proposing to her last November. He still wanted marriage, but if she was willing to take this step and not that one, he’d take what he could get. Things were looking up in his world. He kissed her again.
“So, what do you say? Are you spending the night with me again?”
“Honey, I really need to spend tonight here, with Nana and Dad. I’m sorry.”
He understood. He didn’t like it, but he understood. She’d be back in two weeks, and maybe he could go to her next weekend. It would have to do. The important thing was that by September, she’d be with him every night. He could wait.
THIRTEEN
On Monday, Alex told her housemates that she’d decided to go back to Dodge for the rest of the summer, and revealed she’d be moving in with Dylan as soon as he got his transfer. Lisa and Natalie took the news in stride, saying they’d miss her, but they’d always known she was only there for a few weeks.
Alex had learned they were more than friends within days of moving in, and that Natalie’s parents owned the house and let them live there rent-free. It wasn’t as if the two girls would be in financial trouble when she left. In fact, the rent she paid financed one of their frequent Rocky Point expeditions each month. They told her it was too hot to go there through the summer anyway, and they’d have a new roommate when school started again.
Now the only things she had to do were finish her classwork and try to wrap up the story about Dawn. Sarah’s story would take longer, no doubt, but she could probably work on that one from Tempe once she was settled there. Before Monday was over, she went to the Gila River reservation to talk with Dawn.
Alex found Dawn in good spirits and willing to go out in her wheelchair in the late afternoon. Monsoon hadn’t begun yet, so it was hot, but the two Arizona-born girls knew how to stay hydrated and relatively comfortable. Dawn prattled on about her prosthesis, which was being made to specifications just for her and would be ready soon. Alex hated to ask her to remember the terrible days when she thought she might die in her car, but the story wouldn’t be as dramatic without that recollection. It turned out Dawn was eager to tell someone. Her parents couldn’t deal with the details, she said, and Jesse had stopped calling.
Alex started by telling Dawn about her own ordeal. It was the worst thing ever to happen to her, except maybe her mom leaving, but she didn’t remember that. When she was done, Dawn was ready to open up.
“I didn’t know, Alex. Are you sure you can handle hearing this?” she asked.
Alex was touched. “Girl, if you can handle telling it, I’ll handle hearing it. I think you had a worse time of it than I did.”
“I’m not so sure,” began Dawn. “I thought I would die, but I never thought someone was coming back to rape me. I was sure they thought they’d killed me. It wasn’t really that bad, except it went on for so long. Of course, my leg hurt at first. All the windows broke when the car landed in the gulley, and I was always in the shade because of the overpass, so it wasn’t unbearably hot. I even had water, for the first few days. I always carry plenty.”
She stopped then, and Alex gave her some space by scribbling notes on her pad. “When did your leg stop hurting?” she asked, after a minute.
“I’m not sure. It was dark, you know, when it happened. I think I may have slept that night, even though my leg felt like the whole car had landed on it. I waited all the next day for someone to spot the car and get me out, and I tried not to drink too much water, because… well, you know. I couldn’t get loose to go to the bathroom. Eventually I had to just pee right there. After that, I drank enough water to survive, because my leg didn’t hurt anymore, and I knew if someone would just find me, I’d be okay. I guess it stopped hurting sometime during the first day.”
She seemed surprised by that. Alex knew the torment she’d gone through, and didn’t want to ask Dawn about her state of mind. Though she wasn't happy about it, she knew she had to for the sake of the story. Maybe it had been different for Dawn. So, she asked.
“Honestly, I did try to think about why someone would do that, and I tried to make myself believe it was an accident. But I couldn’t, you know, because they just kept pushing my car. I mean, I guess it could have been like someone had a heart attack and wasn’t responsible. Do you think it was that?”
“No, I don’t. There wasn’t any report of an accident along there that night. Whoever pushed you over recovered and went on their way.” Alex was certain of her facts; she’d checked.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. So anyway, I thought about that.
After the second day, I thought about how my parents would be sad.”
“Why didn’t you call them on your cell phone?” Alex asked. There should have been cell signal, as populated as the area was.
“Couldn’t find it,” Dawn answered. Between being hit and the car rolling over, my purse wasn't on the seat after I hit bottom. Then, when I tried to stretch to feel for it, it hurt my leg so much… I just gave up.”
“How did you feel when they found you?” Alex asked.
Dawn stared at her. “How do you think? Well, actually, at first I thought I was dreaming. When I realized the people were real, and someone was trying to pull me out, I screamed. I mean, I was so excited someone had found me, and that was part of why I screamed, but also because my leg was pinned. It hurt like hell. I think I passed out after that. Next thing I remember is being in the ambulance and then racing through the halls of the hospital on the gurney.”
Alex finished up her other questions and got Dawn home, then prepared to leave. Dawn stopped her with a hand on her arm. “We should stay friends now,” she said. “Maybe start a support group. For survivors, you know?”
Alex smiled. “I’d like that. I’m transferring to State next semester, but that’s closer to here than Casa Grande is. I’ll come and see you.” They exchanged phone numbers, and Alex left with a feeling that she’d made her first adult friendship. Since there was no evidence, she couldn’t put anything into the story about the speculation that the Patriots were involved. Dawn couldn’t even say why she and her mom thought so. For now, it would have to do.
Alex was determined to learn more about the group, though. If their agenda was to keep illegals out, what was their beef with Native Americans? Why would they have attacked Dawn, if her activism was nothing more than peaceful demonstrations to bring awareness of her tribe and the other small groups they considered relatives in this otherwise sparsely populated area of Arizona? It made no sense, and Alex couldn’t stand that it didn’t. There had to be a reason, and she had a little less than two weeks to find it.
Fatal Intent (Desert Heat Book 3) Page 8
