CHAPTER 8
Marla had thought she was happy before Pete had entered her life but now she couldn’t imagine life without him. She trusted him, made love to him, cooked for him and, yes, even loved him. All with a new feeling of completeness, as if Pete were her other half. Even her customers were happy to see Marla was now thriving with a new vibrancy and enthusiasm she hadn’t had before. Of course everyone knew it was because Pete and Marla were now an ‘item’ for the town gossips. Betsy beamed with happiness for Marla, even encouraging her to take some time off to be with Pete. They were, for all intents and purposes, living together now. The dogs listened to his commands, sometimes even obeying them if they felt like it. Ever since the incident with her fake husband, Brett Noble, no one had come sneaking around the house and as far as Marla was concerned the case was closed. Knowing Pete as she now did he would never let it go, not until he had some answers.
One thing Pete was sure of was his feelings for Marla. Every time he thought of her his heart began to beat faster with happiness and excitement. Never in his entire life had he been this happy. Marriage to Alexis had always been work, sacrifice, and a series of constant misunderstandings. Marla was Alexis’ polar opposite, and that suited Pete just fine. Despite all Marla had been through in the last three years she had a positive attitude toward life, literally making lemonade out of the lemons life had handed her. Her business thrived because of her creativity and insistence on excellence, along with her high expectations for the products she used to create those goodies.
But the biggest asset she had was herself. People loved her and she loved them, her eyes radiating her feelings like a mirror to her heart. She was pure, good, giving and caring, with love to spare. He was crazy about her. Head over heels in love with her. In bed she was a totally adventurous goddess, both giving and receiving. Pete had heard about relationships like theirs but never expected it for himself. He thought happiness was for other people, sort of a club that he wasn’t allowed membership in. After his marriage he had lost all hope of ever being in love again, but God was kind and good and had given him a second chance with Marla. This time he was determined to do things right. He never wanted their relationship to become complacent or laborious, not that he wasn’t willing to work at it, he was, but he wanted a balance between give and take. He never wanted to take advantage of Marla and never wanted to be taken for granted.
With Alexis it had been completely one sided, he gave and she took, and took until she had almost sucked him dry. After that relationship was over he had almost dried up and blown away, the only thing that saved him from total destruction was moving to Wynott, and Marla. Heck, he had even gotten used to getting up at four thirty every morning, although he still had a ways to go before he was happy about it. Marla was good about toning down her morning cheeriness until after he’d had at least two cups of coffee and one of her pastries. He had even started helping out around the bakery, mostly lifting and toting the heavy sacks of ingredients. Both Marla and Betsy made sure they showed their appreciation and Pete knew it was never expected of him or taken for granted he would just do it. He was always asked nicely for a favor, never ordered to do something. He liked that.
When Pete shook himself from his thoughts he was surprised to see Marla approaching his desk with a basket in her hand.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Pete asked, more than a little uncomfortable that his personal life was walking into his professional one. Dillon, the asshole, would have a field day with this little gem of information.
“I finished a little early and decided to bring you some lunch, leftovers really. Is everything okay? You look a little, like, embarrassed. Does it bother you that I came here?” Marla sensed his hesitance but didn’t know what to make of it.
Pete scanned the room before answering her. “No. It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting you and you shouldn’t be wandering around town alone.” His reply was nervous and stilted, so unlike the man he was at home.
“Really Pete, it’s been so long since anyone’s bothered me I really think they just gave up. I’m perfectly safe now. Here, take your lunch, I have to get going.” Marla couldn’t get out of there fast enough to suit herself. Pete was acting strange and everyone was staring at them. Marla was tempted to turn around and make a funny face at everyone, but decided that was juvenile and beneath her. Given the circumstances, she didn’t dare give him a kiss goodbye. She turned and walked quickly out the door. Marla inhaled deeply once she was out in the fresh air. How did Pete work in an environment like that? Yuk!
She changed direction and decided to head home, round up the dogs, and take a hike to her favorite spot by the river. A little alone time was what she needed and the dogs could use the exercise. Out of consideration she left Pete a note on the kitchen table telling him she went out with the dogs and that she’d be home by dinnertime.
Feeling the warmth of the sun on her face rejuvenated Marla like nothing else ever could. She wasn’t a typical sun worshiper who cared about her tan. She just enjoyed the brightness of natural light and the heat it generated throughout her body. Tan lines were the least of her concerns and she was a faithful sunscreen user, but that didn’t stop the freckles from springing from her skin after exposure from the sun. She never understood that phenomenon and it only occurred across the bridge of her nose, weird when you thought about it.
Larry, Curly and Moe romped around the woods on either side of the trail, never letting Marla get out of their sight. Curly, being the smallest, had to be watched for signs of fatigue or he’d run himself right into exhaustion and dehydration trying to keep up with the bigger dogs. He usually made it to the river all right but Marla carried the tired little canine back in her backpack. He always seemed grateful to Marla for not making him look bad in front of the other dogs, insisting she needed to hold something. Marla took a seat on her favorite boulder and watched the dogs enjoying the shallow water of the river, Moe simply lying down in it to cool off as quickly as possible. Having no children of her own, these dogs had become her children and she loved them with all her heart. They were worth every bit of trouble they had ever caused her while they came through puppy puberty. One thing was for sure, they were every bit as funny as the stooges they were named after.
Marla was startled out of her revere when she heard Pete behind her.
“What the hell are you doing here by yourself?”
“Well after our interlude at the station I got the distinct impression that you wished I’d disappear. Besides, I’m entitled to a little private time and I don’t owe you an explanation. You don’t own me and I’m perfectly safe here. Plus, I left you a note, which I think was very considerate of me.” Marla turned her back to Pete, pretending to watch the dogs, arms crossed tightly across her chest. His angry attitude had immediately put her on the defensive end of the conversation.
“Look, I’m sorry if I offended you back at the station. I just can’t stand everyone knowing our business like that,” Pete tried to explain.
“No, I think it’s more like you don’t want to be teased. When are those guys going to grow up? Most of them are married anyway so I don’t see the big deal here. I certainly won’t be making that mistake again.” Marla felt Pete’s arms surround her, pulling her to his chest as he kissed her neck. Marla could feel the building erection press against her as he kissed his way up her neck to her ear, lingering there and nibbling whenever the mood struck.
“Forgive me?” Pete asked seductively. “Let’s move behind this boulder and I’ll show you how I feel about you.” Marla chuckled as she moved with him, passion stirring her smoldering mood into fierce fires that only Pete could put out. They made fast and furious love while the dogs played in the water, not because they were afraid of getting caught but because they couldn’t contain their passion. When they lay back on the rocks, sated and exhausted, they held hands as they caught their breath.
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?I love nature, don’t you?” Marla enthused. “I think I’d love camping, too. If I knew how to drive I’d live out in the middle of nowhere in a small cabin surrounded by woods.”
“I could teach you how to drive but you wouldn’t be able to get a license without a birth certificate.”
“Then there’s no point if I can’t use it. I think I know enough to be able to drive in an emergency if I had to.”
“Could you even get a long weekend off from the bakery if we went camping?” Pete asked doubtfully.
“I’m sure they’d muddle through somehow. Betsy’s been bugging me to take some time off. I’ve never taken a vacation since I’ve come to Wynott.” Marla opened her eyes and noticed that it was getting late. “We better get moving, it’ll be dark soon.”
They walked back in silence, holding hands and enjoying the quiet and solitude. Both of them liked the fact that they were comfortable enough with each other to not feel awkward with the silence.