Sunshine Valley

More straight talk

        “Do you want a long engagement or a short one?”

     He kissed her, “wanna get married now?”

     “How do you want to do our finances? Separate or joint?” She asked.

     “I assumed it would be joint. Isn’t that how most couples do it?” 

     “I guess that is tradition.”

     “How did you and Doug have it?”

     “Everything was separate. We were also business partners. It made it easier.”

     “Your house or mine?” He teased. 

     She pointed upwards, “you just?” She paused, “yours unless you want to move the barn?” She answered playfully.

     “Do you want to move all your security measures? Or get new ones?”

     “A little of both.” She curled her lip, “am I expected to get a respectable job to be the sheriffs wife?”

     Dillon stopped just staring at her. “What?”

      “You know people are going to say ugly things about what I do. Would it be easier for you if I got a regular 8 to 5?”

     He caressed her cheek, “let them talk.” Then kissed her.

 

     “Dillon, “ she sighed. “I’m not so much that girl you knew. Sometimes I wonder where she went. Other times,” she shrugged. 

     “I know I’m not the same little boy you left behind.”

     She smiled, “dad is so proud of you.”

     He blushed, “he’s told me a couple times.” There was a slight pause, “If I may ask, what kind of business did you two do?”

     “Doug is a computer genius. He could write software like you and I breathe. But he couldn’t sell it. That’s what I did. He could create and I would sell. A product isn’t any good if you can’t unload it. So we decided to split everything 50/50. He did his thing. I did mine. Everything was split. The bills and the income generated by his products. One day he announced that he was done. Burnt out. And I understood that. A friend more of his than mine, was talking him up about investing in this great start up. I was worried. He knew nothing about this new business. And I wanted no part of it. He liquidated everything he could get his hands on to invest. I started my little venture talking to people.”

     “How did it go?”

     “I have no idea. I was kept in the closet.” She smiled. Dillon knew she was trying to get past the hurt, making a joke like that. It stung him. “Wait just one minute sir,” he raised an eyebrow. “Am I living up stairs and you down, if I can do anything I want up there?”

     He laughed, “heavens no. You need office space. And whatever else you want.”

     “Just wondering,” she pouted.

     “I’m gonna wrap you in my arms every night you will let me.”

Sunshine Valley