Page 19 of Big and Bold
She smiles broadly at me. “I like that.” She leans toward me and puts her hand on my thigh and squeezes. “Can you drive faster?”
I push on the gas. We make it home with a trail of dust behind us, but as I get closer to the house, I slow down. There’s a strange car parked next to the house, and a pit forms in my stomach. It looks expensive. The car is all black, and the windows are tinted.
Annie is looking at me instead of ahead, so I nod out the window. My voice sounds like I’m trying to swallow gravel. “Anyone you know?”
She looks in front of us, and her eyes widen. At that moment, a man gets out of the back of the car, and I swear the last two weeks flash before my eyes. It’s all about to end, and I’m about to lose the love of my life… again.
Annie pulls her hand from my thigh and sits up straighter. I turn cold all over and grit my teeth. It feels like it takes minutes to get to the house when it’s mere seconds. I park the truck, and Annie gets out without even looking at me.
I grip the steering wheel and want to scream, but I hold it in and get out of the truck. Slowly, I walk to stand next to Annie. The man in front of us looks me up and down, and I can feel his disgust.
Annie is the first one to speak. “Hey, Dad.”
I knew it was him. I’d seen the pictures, and everyone knows who Richard Johnson is. He owns the largest gas company in the US, plus he’s been on the news a lot lately because of his adulterous behavior.
“Anne, it’s time for you to come home.”
I tense and suck in a breath. This is it. I’m about to lose my wife… again. I take a step forward and hold my hand out. “Hello, Mr. Johnson. I’m Dustin Clay, Annie’s husband.”
He looks down at my hand but never offers his. He just stares at me, tight-lipped.
“Father, what are you doing here?”
He opens the back door of the town car. “I’m here to take you home.”
She reaches for me then, threading our fingers together. “I am home, Dad.”
Instantly the man’s face turns red. He throws his hand up, waving it around, gesturing to my land. “This is a hovel. You’re above this, Anne, and I’ve given you time to get it out of your system.”
Annie doesn’t say anything, and her dad continues. “Look, I get it. I’ve gone slumming before, but I sure didn’t marry into it. Now this is ridiculous, and I’m taking you home.”
Annie leans into me and points at the ranch house. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home. This is my husband.”
Her dad snarls his nose. “He’s a cowboy.”
She looks up at me, and I can see the absolute love on her face. “I love him, Dad, and I’m never leaving him.”
I cup her face and lean our foreheads together. “I love you, Annie.”
She smiles. “I know.”
I put an arm around her shoulder and pull her to me, giving her a nod to let her know it’s going to be okay. Finally, I look at her father. “Mr. Johnson, I love your daughter. She’s my wife, and she’s not going anywhere.”
His hands tighten into fists. “She’s my daughter.”
I nod. “Yeah, and I want you to know that you’re welcome here anytime you want… as long as Annie wants you here.”
He tips his head to me and points his finger into his own chest. “You’re telling me where I can and can’t go?”
I nod. “Yes, sir. When it comes to my land, with my wife, I am.”
The man starts to stutter. It’s obvious he’s not accustomed to anyone standing up to him, and he gestures to me. “You… I … This is not…”
I take a step toward him. “Annie will not be going anywhere.”
He flicks his eyes to Annie. He doesn’t look at his daughter with love; he looks at her like he’s her owner or something. “Anne, you can’t…”
She shakes her head. “I’m not going anywhere, Dad. I’m staying here with my husband, and if you’ll excuse us, he just won the bulldogging championship in the Jasper Classic, and we need to celebrate.”
