Page 19 of Wed By the Lumberjack

“Will we?” she asks tentatively. “I mean, have we talked about it?”

“We haven’t. I want a truckload of kids but that’s easy for me to say seeing as I don’t have to carry them.”

“I used to pretend that I had five children,” she says with a sheepish grin. “I’d line up my stuffed animals and pretend. The elephant was the oldest. The crocodile was the middle child and the youngest was a... crocheted octopus.”

I’m already fully aware of this and so are my cousins who must’ve remembered Dixie’s obsession with the little octopus– despite her embarrassment over it at age twelve– because I found it perched on the kitchen table while Dixie took her shower last night.

Following the doctor’s orders of gentle reminders, I placed it on the–

“INK!” Dixie’s eyes light up as she grabs the stuffed animal dangling from the rearview mirror. “Gran crocheted Ink for me when...” she trails and shakes her head. “I can’t remember when, but I know Gran made him.”

I’d hoped with her staring at Ink for nearly two hours during the drive, a memory would spark.

“Dixie,” I say grinning at her. “You just had your first memory.”

She looks confused for a second before a smile stretches her lips as she runs her fingers through Ink’s multicolored tentacles. “Hey... I guess I did, didn’t I?”

“Do you remember why you wanted so many?”

She thinks about it. “I think it’s because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do a better job.”

“A better job than who?” But I already know.

She frowns at the octopus and squeezes a tentacle. “I– I don’t know...”

Despite her words, I swear I see something flash in her eyes as she looks into the rearview mirror, and sticks her thumbnail between her teeth.

Should I ask her about her Douglas outright? I didn’t want to push her too hard, but the octopus had worked so maybe bringing up Douglas would too. On the other hand, if it did, did I really want to risk upsetting her before the gathering? And the doctor warned me not to stress Dixie out.

As we drive onto Buckee’s ranch, we’re greeted by a slew of other pickups that immediately make my heart rate soar. It’s not just the Foresters that have come to see Buckee, but the Woods family too.

The women are all gathered inside the screened-in porch setting a massive picnic table while the men are crowding the grill a good football field away for Buckee’s sake.

Damn. Under any other circumstance I’d be glad to see the Woods. Problem is, while they all knew of Dixie’s condition, none of them knew about our bogus marriage.

So far I’d only told Cole, and I’d planned to give Ash and Kai a heads-up now. But how am I going to secretly explain the situation in front of Dixie to over eight extra people?

Before I can get Dixie’s car door open, Cole and Kai ambush me.

“Does she remember anything?” Cole whispers, his dark brown brows knitting as he tries to see over my shoulder and into the truck.

All three of them texted me regularly for updates, but I declined any visits until now. I know they’re just as much friends with Dixie as I am, but I want to take things slowly, including reintroductions.

So much for that idea, I think as I gaze at the pickups again.

I shake my head. “She doesn’t, but she just got a small memory back on the ride over. I’m hoping if she sees you guys and the treehouse, it will spark more.”

“Good, that’s progress,” Cole says with a nod as I walk around the truck to Dixie’s door.

“Where’s Ash?”

“Picking up Buckee still. He says they won’t be here for almost an hour so we can go ahead and eat without them.”

I’m about to protest when Kai lifts a finger.

“At Buckee’s insistence. He says it’s rude to keep guests waiting.”

“But it’s his party.”

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