Page 20 of Wed By the Lumberjack

Kai shrugs. “That’s Bucks for you.”

“Oh and by the way,” I pause and say casually, “if she mentions that she’s my wife, don’t correct her.”

Kai grabs the back of my shirt to stop me in my tracks. “Wait, what?”

“She thinks she’s my wife.”

“And you didn’t correct her?”

“Not yet. Look it’s a long story.”

Kai lets out a whistle. “Being dishonest never turns out good. You have to tell her.”

“I will, right after we go to the treehouse. I’m hoping it’ll spark some memories without ruining the night,” I say. “I think Douglas might have something to do with her running away.”

“Her dad?” Kai asks.

I nod and silence falls over us.

“At first wondered if it was an abusive romantic relationship she was running from, but I don’t think that’s it. Last night in her sleep, she said ‘Dad’ and she was squirming around like she was fighting off an invisible force. Then on the ride over, I think she may have thought of him again.”

“Damn,” Kai swears under his breath. “After all this time, that loser is still running her life.”

“But last I heard he was locked up,” Cole frowns.

“When did you hear that?” I ask. I hadn’t heard anything about the Foxes in ages. Given the way gossip flourished around town, I assumed that meant they’d left the county.

“We did some digging ever since Dixie’s crash,” Kai says. “They fled from Moonshine Creek to Whiskey City, Douglas’ hometown. Turns out that rumor about that ten thousand dollar debt at the Watering Hole was true.”

Whiskey City was four hours west and on the fringes of the county. No wonder we didn’t hear much.

“Seems like trouble followed Douglas there too, because shortly after arriving, he got into an altercation that ended in the other person’s death,” Cole says. “He got a life sentence. So how could he be related to Dixie running away now?”

My stomach sinks. That surely put a wrench in my theory.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. I don’t want to force her, but we need to get to the bottom of this.”

“And you need to tell her the truth,” Kai says sternly.

“I will. Just, let me handle it. If she mentions the marriage, just nod and smile.”

They all look uncertain.

“Look, I’m not saying I want you to lie for me. Just... let me handle it, okay? She’s already in a fragile state,” I say lowly, throwing a glance at Dixie through the windshield. She’s gazing at us all curiously, her hand curling around the door handle. I always open the door for her, and even in our short time together she’s caught on to this fact.

“It’s your funeral,” Kai says clapping me on the back. “But our lips are sealed.”

“Great. Now do you mind spreading the word to the Woods?”

Kai shakes his head. “No way. That’s your circus buddy.”

“And if you’d told me the Woods were coming, I would’ve prepared better–”

The sound of the truck’s door opening shuts me up.

“Kai? Cole?” Dixie calls as she comes around the truck.

“You remember us?” Cole smiles and I’m thankful none of them rush over to hug or touch her. Memory loss aside, a decade and a half has passed between them.

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