Page 61 of Dairy and Deadly

“Not at all.” His voice was eager. “We can haunt your favorite Italian restaurant, then?—”

“No, thank you!” She shuddered. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not have to muscle our way through the Friday night crowd in Dallas.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “Tell you what. I’ll put in a to-go order and drop by there early. How does chicken parmesan, Italian salad, and bread sticks sound to you?”

“Like Heaven,” she sighed. “I can’t wait.”

“How soon can you be here?” Excitement grew in his voice.

“Couple of hours, depending on Friday rush hour.” Making a dinner date with him had proven easier than expected. “How about we aim for six o’clock?”

“It’s a date, sugar.”

The fatherly affection in his voice made her teary-eyed. It had been a long time since he’d been this sweet to her. “Can’t wait. I love you, Dad!”

He muttered that he loved her back, and she disconnected the call.

Caro clapped her hands, looking impressed. “I’m not the only one with a future in Hollywood if private investigating doesn’t work out for you.”

Ashley stuffed her cell phone in her back pocket and dabbed at her eyes. “It wasn’t all an act.”

Caro snorted. “I’m just going to take your word for it.”

“We have a love-hate relationship at the moment,” Ashley confided. “We were fine until he married my stepmom out of the blue.” It was one of the lowest points of her adult life. “I had my head buried in my work, so maybe I missed the cues. All I can tell you is, he was a grieving widower one minute and remarried the next minute.” She dusted her hands with finality.

Can Opener head butted her hands, coaxing her to get back to petting him.

“You’re such an attention hog.” She kissed him on his head again.

Caro watched the exchange with distaste. “So, what’s your plan?”

“As luck would have it,” Ashley spread her hands, “my stepmother and stepsister are on a cruise. Dad is ordering takeout. We’ll eat dinner at home, and I’ll segue the conversation to mementos that will undoubtedly send us on a trip to the attic.”

Caro’s eyes sparkled with approval. “A treasure hunt, eh?”

Ashley nodded. “If my mother had any files about the patent she applied for, you can rest assured my packrat of a father has them tucked away in some dusty chest.”

Thirty minutes later

“I’m going with you!”Johnny’s jaw tightened with determination as she rolled her overnight suitcase across the cozy living room.

“And jeopardize my investigation?” As well as leave the dairy farm with two fewer employees for the evening instead of one. “We can’t afford that. Put your PI hat back on and admit it already.”

“It’s not safe for you to be alone right now,” he insisted with a stubborn glint in his eyes.

It was true. “I’ll be back before you know it,” she soothed.

“Not true.” He stepped directly into her path, forcing her to halt. “I’ll be miserable every minute you’re away.”

“I’m only going to Dallas,” she reminded him with a chuckle.

“Without your favorite dairy farmer.” He hooked an arm around her middle, tugging her against him.

“Did I call you that?” She gave him a mischievous look. “I don’t remember calling you that.”

“In so many words.” He swooped in to claim her lips.

The angst of what lay ahead eased beneath the wonder of being in his arms. “Johnny,” she sighed, sliding her hands up his well-corded arms and locking them around his neck. “If this is your way of making sure I’m going to miss you, it’s working.”

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