Free Dakota Home by Debbie Macomber Page A

know what you’re talking about,” she snarled back.
    â€œYeah, well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Every time you’re not with me, you’re with him.”
    â€œBelieve what you want.” The second’s delay in her response told him he’d guessed right. Merrily was with someone else. His gut contracted in a hard, painful knot.
    â€œYou can’t have us both,” he said angrily.
    â€œYou don’t know what you’re talking about,” she repeated. She seemed to be forcing the words from between clenched teeth.
    â€œDon’t call again.”
    â€œDon’t worry, I won’t.” With that, she slammed the phone in his ear.
    Buffalo Bob banged the receiver down with such fury it was amazing the telephone remained in one piece.
    That settled that. It was over.
    After tonight, Merrily would never come back. He stalked away from the phone, and then turned abruptly. He could punch in two numbers that would automatically redial the number of the last person who’d called.
    Buffalo Bob couldn’t let the relationship end. Not like this, not in anger. He shouldn’t have said anything, shouldn’t have asked about there being another man. If there was—although he prayed it wasn’t true—he wanted the chance to fight for Merrily. Wanted the opportunity to prove himself.
    He punched in the numbers and waited. Barely a second passed before he heard the phone ring. A deep sigh of relief eased the tension between his shoulder blades.
    Three rings, and no answer.
    â€œCome on, baby,” he urged, “pick up the phone. Let’s talk this out, you and me.”
    Five rings, no answer.
    â€œMerrily, dammit, don’t end it like this,” he said to himself.
    Seven rings, no answer.
    Eight.
    Nine.
    He issued an expletive that would’ve made his mother wash out his mouth with soap if she’d been alive to hear it.
    â€œHello.”
    Buffalo Bob was so stunned he didn’t know what to say. “Is Merrily Benson available?” he asked, polite as a preacher.
    â€œWho?”
    â€œMerrily Benson.”
    â€œListen, buddy, this is a pay phone outside a restroom.”
    â€œWhere?” Buffalo Bob demanded.
    â€œA bowling alley.”
    â€œI meant what city,” he said, losing patience.
    â€œSanta Cruz.”
    â€œWhere?” he said again, louder this time.
    â€œCalifornia.” Then the man hung up.

Four
    D ennis Urlacher had given a lot of thought to making peace with Sarah’s daughter. He just didn’t know how to do it. He’d made numerous attempts to be her friend, to gain her confidence. Each effort had backfired. Their relationship was worse now than it had ever been. Calla was belligerent, disdainful and downright rude to him. Because he loved Sarah, Dennis had taken everything the little brat dished out. No more.
    Sarah never had told him why she’d come to his house a week earlier, but Dennis had pretty much figured it out. She’d had a fight with Calla. He’d held her, made love to her and let her sleep in his arms while he watched her, treasuring every minute they could be together.
    Close to midnight, she’d awakened, flustered and upset that he’d let her sleep. He stood by silently while she’d hurriedly dressed, then he got dressed, too, and drove her home. They’d kissed, and she’d sneaked inside, almost as if they were both teenagers, fearing a parental confrontation.
    Dennis hadn’t seen or talked to Sarah since. That was her usual pattern. They’d make love and afterward she’d avoid him. He didn’t like it, but didn’t know how to break the destructive habit they’d fallen into.
    From his gas station, Dennis watched the school bus roll into town, which signaled that classes were out for the day. Buffalo Valley and Bellmont had come up with a plan that enabled each town to keep its schools open. The