Dixie awoke in the early morning to Mac making slow sweet love to her. When they both were sated, they lay entwined, satisfied for the moment to hold each other and bask in the afterglow of love. Their growling stomachs finally forced them to abandon the bed in search of sustenance. Mac mentioned the gift basket. They feasted on fruit and cheese washed down with champagne and orange juice. Mac sucked on Dixie’s sticky fingers and she reciprocated in kind, licking the juice off his chin then returning to taste his lips. The food was quickly forgotten as they once again returned to passion’s promise.
It was late afternoon when they emerged from the room for a walk in the sunshine. From their height at the top of the hill, they could see people cleaning up the remains of the party at the park. Assuring the lodge staff that their stay was exceptional, Mac and Dixie headed back down the trail to the lawn to help with cleanup. Confident their assistance wasn’t needed, Mac and Dixie decided to drive to his parent’s house to open presents and visit with family.
“Since the lease on the house in Elsah is still active, would you mind if I got a roommate to share expenses?” Jamie asked Dixie after the gifts had been opened and exclaimed over. They were sharing dinner in the family’s old-fashioned kitchen on the farm.
“I’d have to meet any prospective roommates, but I think you can handle it until you start school this fall. You can decide then to stay here or live on campus.” Dixie was secretly relieved Jamie was looking for a roommate. She didn’t like to think of him alone with that vandal still on the loose.
“Well, you’ve met the roommate I have in mind. Sam and I discussed the possibility of sharing expenses last night at the reception.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to stare at Sam in disbelief. “I thought you planned to make the navy your career, son?” Hank Coalson asked quietly.
“I’ve decided I’ve been away from home too long. Seeing all of you again made me realize that it’s time I started thinking about a family. I’ve traveled all over the world, but this is where I want to raise my family someday. Besides,” Sam added with a grin at Mac, “something tells me that the owner of Coalson Construction is gonna be taking more time off, and somebody needs to fill in the gap, that is, if the offer still stands?”
“Well, hell yes.” Mac laughed and slapped his hand on the table. “Maybe a fresh approach is just what we need to flush out this vandal.”
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with you following Angel to her car last night, would it?” Ginny asked slyly.
Sam gave his mother a stern look and turned to Jamie. “Let me know when you want to get your stuff from Mac’s. I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
“Stubborn.” Ginny mumbled under breath.
That evening, Mac and Dixie help Sam move his clothing to the house in Elsah. Most of his personal belongings were being shipped from the naval base so there wasn’t much stuff to move. The group then grabbed the boxes Dixie had packed earlier and headed for Mac’s house. Refusing Dixie’s offer of coffee, Sam and Jamie left with a wave.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Coalson, but I believe we have committed a serious marital faux pas,” Mac said in mock seriousness. “Please follow me.” He grabbed her hand and headed for the door.
Once outside, he lifted her effortlessly in his arms and carried her over the threshold. Kissing her tenderly, he set her down on her feet, turning her around, his chest to her back. “Welcome home, Mrs. Coalson.”
Dixie took the time to scan the interior of the beautiful home as if seeing it for the first time, although she had been in and out of it for the past few weeks. Mac’s home was a definite reflection of his masculine taste. The foyer opened into a spacious living room done in navy and tan. An oak staircase in one corner led to the bedrooms above, while a stone fireplace flanked the opposite wall. Several French doors led out to a deck which offered a view of the river below the bluffs. The dining area and kitchen were to the left of the enormous room.
“I love this house, and I love you, Mac Coalson,” she stated, lifting her face up for his kiss. After a moment, she slipped out of his arms to put her things away.
Mac breathed a small sigh of relief. “You are finally here. Now this house finally feels like a home. And you, my dear, are finally all mine.” With a lecherous laugh, he ran after his new wife, chasing her around the house. When she allowed him to catch her, they made love on the beautiful braided rug in front of the fireplace. Dixie melted in his arms when Mac picked her up and headed toward the stairs to the master bedroom. Whispering all the erotic things he would teach her, Dixie proved to be an excellent student. Mac’s last thoughts before drifting to sleep were that they were together at last and nothing would separate them again.
*****
They had their first argument the next day. Mac wanted to take a few days off, but Dixie insisted he spend some time at the company. “The company needs your expertise now, and I want to settle into my new home.” She kissed him. “Besides, it gives me time to plan new and inventive ways to seduce you every night.”
“Baby, it doesn’t take much. We hardly made it past the foyer last night.”
He gave in because she was so persuasive with her kisses.
As the days of summer grew warmer, the daring escapades of the vandal increased, and Mac grew anxious about worker safety. “The sonofabitch has advanced from spray-painting walls to slicing electrical wiring out of breaker boxes and breaking expensive windows.” Brandon fumed at their weekly meeting.
“One of the backhoes had been tampered with, and two workers were injured when the scaffolding they were standing on mysteriously collapsed. When I checked, I located several loosened bolts on the structure.” Nick scowled.
“Even the simplest of jobs will take twice as long if workers became apprehensive about sabotage.” Mac slapped a sheaf of papers on the table. “The insurance company is getting more than a little upset with the mounting claims, threatening the company with cancellation of the policies. Dottie’s up to her ears in irate phone calls from homeowners wondering why their homes aren’t near completion.”
“Rumors are flying about why the company is the only one being targeted,” Lucky commented with a worried frown.
Mac became even more determined to catch the vandal. This was more than an inconvenience; it was getting damn dangerous to work at Coalson Construction Company. If this continued, workers would leave for safer jobs, contracts wouldn’t be filled. The company’s reputation would be in ruins.
The turmoil was not only costing the company financially, it was taking its toll on the men working there as well. Mac noticed that tensions were running high, and tempers flared as the strain of maintaining the long hours to meet the deadlines was felt. Many nights he and his brothers continued to work after their employees went home, determined to beat the clock-and the vandal-to finish a particular job.
Dixie and Ginny brought supper to the men and did what they could to help. Mac tried to talk them into leaving, his own apprehensions about the accidents making him fearful of their safety.
“I appreciate this, ladies.” He kissed his wife on the cheek. “But I prefer you stay home where it’s safe. We could get food ourselves.”
“Is this the man’s job versus a woman’s job argument again?” Dixie settled her hands on her hips. “Sorry, Mr. Macho, but I don’t know how to embroider and the laundry’s all done. You can’t expect me to wait quietly at home while you’re working like a slave.”
He looked to his mother for help but he should’ve known better. Hell, she’d probably driven them over here. Ginny gave him that “listen to your mother” look. “We’re family. You need help, we’re here. Go assist your father with that drywall.” She grabbed a role of wiring and went to find Sam.
Mac tried to reason with Dixie, but one look at the stubborn set of her chin, and he knew he was talking to a brick wall. With a resigned sigh, he showed her how to load the air powered nail gun.
Luck and good weather was on their side, and they finished the new homes just under the deadline with no other mishaps. Mac set up a professional security night watch until the owners could move in. This was a costly maneuver, but until this mess was cleared up and the man responsible behind bars, he thought it was the only way the company could protect its investment and alleviate the fears of the prospective buyers.
His father told him some concerned citizens had set up a village crime watch to report anything of a suspicious nature in or around the area. “Ben Yates even volunteered to help on his time off. The mayor and the village council are livid over the fact that no one can apprehend this person. Nothing like this had ever happened here. Some residents are afraid the condemned buildings from the flood could be a haven for criminals.”
Mac smiled. “You mean, Miss Juanita and Miss Maisy are armed and dangerous?”
Hank laughed. “Don’t underestimate those two. They aim low.”
Mac covered the front of his pants with his hands in mock horror. “Consider me warned!”
Hank shook his head. “I hope whoever is doing this falls prey to the old gals. I doubt there would be anything left of him to go to trial.”
Mac slapped his father on the back. “You and me both, Dad.”