Page 72 of Dairy and Deadly

“He might’ve said something,” Johnny admitted, “but this is over the top.” He couldn’t imagine how much the food alone had set her back.

Caro merely rolled her eyes.

Ashley stepped forward to hug her. “We don’t know how you did it, but you pulled off our dream wedding.”

Caro sniffed. “You’re way too easy to please, sweetie.” But there was no guile in her voice.

“We didn’t want anything fancy,” Ashley said quickly. “This is perfect.”

Caro’s eyes glowed with pleasure. “I’m glad you like it.”

More than anything, Johnny was glad to see the two women were finally thawing out with each other.

Naturally, they snuck in a quick huddle about the case. Technically, Ashley started it, which made Johnny grin.That’s my girl!

“My stepsister said something about Martin being back on the market,” she confided in a low voice to Caro. “I’m not sure if that means he’s back at the law firm or what. It might not hurt to check.”

Caro’s lips tightened. “Consider it done.”

Ashley gave Johnny a sideways look. “Please don’t read anything into what I’m about to say next, but it struck me as odd the way Blaire kept dragging the conversation back to Martin.”

“How so?” Caro pressed.

“It was just a turn of phrase here and there, and my stepmother said something about how the three of them go way back.” Ashley shook her head. “It’s possible they were just trying to get under my skin, something they’re very good at doing. The only reason I’m mentioning it is because I wasn’t aware they’d met my ex before moving to Dallas.”

“I’ll look into it,” Caro promised. “You, on the other hand,” her voice grew firm, “don’t need to do anything besides be married for the next few days.”

It was in that moment that Johnny was finally able to picture her and Clint finding some sort of future together.

One week later

Due to thedanger festering around them, Johnny didn’t think it would be wise to whisk Ashley away on a honeymoon just yet. He hoped she wasn’t too disappointed.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised. “Just as soon as we wrap up the case.”

“I know you will.” She slid her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. “All in God’s timing.”

They were standing on the back porch of the farmhouse, something they enjoyed doing every evening at sundown. There was something inherently peaceful about gazing over the acres of pasture that seemed to roll straight into the skyline. It was here that they came to spin dreams together about the future.

“I’m gonna screen in the back porch before the mosquitoes hatch.” It was the middle of March, so he needed to get cranking on the project soon. Clint had promised to help him.

“When are you going to find time for that?” Ashley snuggled closer to him.

“I’ll make time, babe.” There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. He nuzzled the soft skin against the side of her neck, adoring the way she fussed about his busy schedule. It had been a long time since he had someone in his life to worry about him like this.

“You never sleep,” she grumbled.

“That’s partly your fault,” he teased and felt her answering blush against his lips. The fact that they’d settled so quickly into a real marriage felt like one of the biggest miracles of all.

“You’re equally to blame.” She yanked a strand of hair on the back of his neck, making him snicker.

“So guilty.” He couldn’t have been happier about how compatible they were. They wanted the same things, including a family of their own. After losing his first wife in childbirth, though, he found himself teetering between hopeless longing and sheer terror over the thought of Ashley becoming pregnant.

She was tougher than she looked, though. If God saw fit to bless their marriage that way, he was confident she could handle it. All of it.

After a pause, she informed him quietly, “Caro called me right before you got back to the house.”

“Uh-oh.” He mentally braced himself, since Caro rarely seemed to have good news.

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