Chapter 1
"Mike, you dumb dog! Stop chasing the chickens! They're not chew toys!" The man with the hat vaulted out of his truck and strode toward the yard. Calling to a streak of gold fur, he stopped at the sound of laughter. "Laurie! If you think it's so funny, you try to get the chickens off the barn roof!" he groused, seeing his wife doubled over on the patio bench. "I'm sorry, darling, it's just watching you, oh you're so cute when you're worked up!" she giggled.
Rick changed direction and advancing on Laurie, picked her up and swung her around, "Cute, huh?" he challenged. "Yes, cute!" she repeated, then kissed him. Returning her kisses, he sat down in her seat and held her in his lap, as she leaned her head against his.
"How was the office, did you and A.J. finish that assignment for Captain Ron?" she asked. "Yes, darlin', and he insisted on paying our fees, too." Rick added, grinning at the thought of the check he and his brother had just deposited.
"Rick, I'm glad, now you and A.J. can go to San Diego for your camping trip with Towne. You guys have been working awfully hard and with Easter coming, you can have a nice long weekend before the crowds hit all the campsites." she replied. "Yeah, and what, Mrs. Simon, are you ladies planning while we're away?" he teased, stroking her hair.
"Well, besides a girl's night out at the strip clubs in Winslow, I thought we'd, Rick, stop, I'm kidding!" she yelped, as her husband started tickling her. "Strip clubs, huh, I thought Ricky was picking up a few bad habits recently!" he returned.
Winded from laughing, she wiped her eyes, then told him, "Seriously, Ian invited us to see a preview of the new tournament show, he gets to be the lead knight at the matinee. Robin is so pleased, coming after her midterms and all she really needs a break. I only wish Robbie could have gone with you guys, but the Chief promised to take him the next time he goes to hunting behind Lost Valley."
Holding her close, Rick sighed, "Sweetheart, I wanted him to go too, but he's in charge until Rob gets back from his Reserve duty. I'm just glad he'll be around, since your Uncles in Washington until Sunday. When do you leave for Las Vegas?"
"Not until Saturday morning, Ian was only able to book one night, but it's ok, I want to be home before the traffic gets bad," she told him. Just then Mike started barking and running in circles trying to get their attention.
"What's up, Mike, who's here?" Laurie asked the excited dog, who immediately raced ahead of them. As Rick stood up and set his wife on her feet, he saw their friend Rudy petting the golden retriever. Straightening up, he grinned and said, "That little guy sure makes you feel welcome, boy I'm glad Laurie got him for you, son."
"That makes two of us, Rudy, I'm glad to see you back, how was Washington?"
Rick asked in a relieved tone. The doctor put an arm around both Simons, "Stuffy, frustrating, like pounding your head against a wall. Other then that, cold. I guess I'm spoiled now, when we get snow it's a few inches, there 2-3 feet's a nightmare. As it is, Oscar's fighting a cold, I'm convinced it's the damp over there because he hasn't gotten sick once since he moved here."
"Well, Rudy, you just wait right there, I've got some menudo on the stove, one bowl of that and Oscar will be just fine!" Laurie promised, making a dash for the kitchen. Watching her enter the house, Rudy shook his head, "Rick, she never changes, sometimes I think she's Peter Pan!" Her husband laughed, "That's it in a nutshell, except she's prettier! You should have heard her earlier, she was howling over my trying to stop Mike from chasing the chickens. I really don't know what I'd do without her. I'm almost sorry I'm going camping this weekend, we've hardly ever spent the night apart and it feels kinda weird!"
"Well, don't worry, Oscar and I are coming to stay the night Friday then we'll drive Laurie and Robin to Linda's on Saturday, this way she doesn't have to take the jeep." the older man assured him. "We'll be around Sunday just in case she needs anything, so you and A.J. just plan on having a good time!"
Friday morning, Rick woke up with the smell of coffee near his nose. Without even opening his eyes, he smiled and said "Good morning, sweetheart." He turned and blinked to see Laurie standing next to him, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. "Good morning, darling," she bent over and kissed him, then putting the beverage down on the bedside table, she climbed back into bed and snuggled in his arms. "I'm going to miss waking up with you next to me
this weekend," Rick whispered, stroking her face.
"Me, too, "she returned, kissing his hand as it touched her lips. He cupped her face in his hand, returning her kisses. "Laurie, I want you to promise me no horseback riding by yourself or trying to do chores in the barn without Robbie or Robin around, ok?" She nodded. "Yes, Rick, I promise. I really don't like riding without someone else around anyway. Robbie promised to stop by on Sunday and fill up the feed bin; I think everything else can wait until you guys come back. What time are you starting for San Diego?"
"Our last client is at 11:30 this morning, A.J. and I will hit the road then so we should be in San Diego by dark. Speaking of hitting the road....", he gave her another kiss then sat up and sipped his coffee, as she got dressed.
Seeing Rick out to his truck, Laurie was teasing him about all the tall tales he and A.J. would bring back from this spring's "expedition". Suddenly she stopped laughing and threw her arms around him. "Darlin', what's all this? I'll be back on Monday.", he asked, feeling her trembling against him.
"I don't know, just hold me for a moment, Rick, please", she whispered. He embraced her and kissed her, then felt her shaking stop. "I'm sorry, Rick, don't mind me, just had a funny feeling.", she raised her face and smiled. Relieved, he kissed her then told her, "Remember, I'll have my transmitter on, if you need anything you call me, ok?"
"Don't worry, darling, you go and have a good time and no falling or getting bit by something, I want you and A.J. to come back in one piece, capice?", she replied, handing him his thermos. He climbed into the vehicle then leaned out and kissed her again. "Capice, sweetheart. I'll try to call you when we're on our way. You mind Oscar and Rudy now, hear!"
Pulling out, he drove out the gate honking, as Mike stood next to Laurie and barked until Rick rounded the bend.
"Mike, you dumb dog! Stop chasing the chickens! They're not chew toys!" The man with the hat vaulted out of his truck and strode toward the yard. Calling to a streak of gold fur, he stopped at the sound of laughter. "Laurie! If you think it's so funny, you try to get the chickens off the barn roof!" he groused, seeing his wife doubled over on the patio bench. "I'm sorry, darling, it's just watching you, oh you're so cute when you're worked up!" she giggled.
Rick changed direction and advancing on Laurie, picked her up and swung her around, "Cute, huh?" he challenged. "Yes, cute!" she repeated, then kissed him. Returning her kisses, he sat down in her seat and held her in his lap, as she leaned her head against his.
"How was the office, did you and A.J. finish that assignment for Captain Ron?" she asked. "Yes, darlin', and he insisted on paying our fees, too." Rick added, grinning at the thought of the check he and his brother had just deposited.
"Rick, I'm glad, now you and A.J. can go to San Diego for your camping trip with Towne. You guys have been working awfully hard and with Easter coming, you can have a nice long weekend before the crowds hit all the campsites." she replied. "Yeah, and what, Mrs. Simon, are you ladies planning while we're away?" he teased, stroking her hair.
"Well, besides a girl's night out at the strip clubs in Winslow, I thought we'd, Rick, stop, I'm kidding!" she yelped, as her husband started tickling her. "Strip clubs, huh, I thought Ricky was picking up a few bad habits recently!" he returned.
Winded from laughing, she wiped her eyes, then told him, "Seriously, Ian invited us to see a preview of the new tournament show, he gets to be the lead knight at the matinee. Robin is so pleased, coming after her midterms and all she really needs a break. I only wish Robbie could have gone with you guys, but the Chief promised to take him the next time he goes to hunting behind Lost Valley."
Holding her close, Rick sighed, "Sweetheart, I wanted him to go too, but he's in charge until Rob gets back from his Reserve duty. I'm just glad he'll be around, since your Uncles in Washington until Sunday. When do you leave for Las Vegas?"
"Not until Saturday morning, Ian was only able to book one night, but it's ok, I want to be home before the traffic gets bad," she told him. Just then Mike started barking and running in circles trying to get their attention.
"What's up, Mike, who's here?" Laurie asked the excited dog, who immediately raced ahead of them. As Rick stood up and set his wife on her feet, he saw their friend Rudy petting the golden retriever. Straightening up, he grinned and said, "That little guy sure makes you feel welcome, boy I'm glad Laurie got him for you, son."
"That makes two of us, Rudy, I'm glad to see you back, how was Washington?"
Rick asked in a relieved tone. The doctor put an arm around both Simons, "Stuffy, frustrating, like pounding your head against a wall. Other then that, cold. I guess I'm spoiled now, when we get snow it's a few inches, there 2-3 feet's a nightmare. As it is, Oscar's fighting a cold, I'm convinced it's the damp over there because he hasn't gotten sick once since he moved here."
"Well, Rudy, you just wait right there, I've got some menudo on the stove, one bowl of that and Oscar will be just fine!" Laurie promised, making a dash for the kitchen. Watching her enter the house, Rudy shook his head, "Rick, she never changes, sometimes I think she's Peter Pan!" Her husband laughed, "That's it in a nutshell, except she's prettier! You should have heard her earlier, she was howling over my trying to stop Mike from chasing the chickens. I really don't know what I'd do without her. I'm almost sorry I'm going camping this weekend, we've hardly ever spent the night apart and it feels kinda weird!"
"Well, don't worry, Oscar and I are coming to stay the night Friday then we'll drive Laurie and Robin to Linda's on Saturday, this way she doesn't have to take the jeep." the older man assured him. "We'll be around Sunday just in case she needs anything, so you and A.J. just plan on having a good time!"
Friday morning, Rick woke up with the smell of coffee near his nose. Without even opening his eyes, he smiled and said "Good morning, sweetheart." He turned and blinked to see Laurie standing next to him, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. "Good morning, darling," she bent over and kissed him, then putting the beverage down on the bedside table, she climbed back into bed and snuggled in his arms. "I'm going to miss waking up with you next to me
this weekend," Rick whispered, stroking her face.
"Me, too, "she returned, kissing his hand as it touched her lips. He cupped her face in his hand, returning her kisses. "Laurie, I want you to promise me no horseback riding by yourself or trying to do chores in the barn without Robbie or Robin around, ok?" She nodded. "Yes, Rick, I promise. I really don't like riding without someone else around anyway. Robbie promised to stop by on Sunday and fill up the feed bin; I think everything else can wait until you guys come back. What time are you starting for San Diego?"
"Our last client is at 11:30 this morning, A.J. and I will hit the road then so we should be in San Diego by dark. Speaking of hitting the road....", he gave her another kiss then sat up and sipped his coffee, as she got dressed.
Seeing Rick out to his truck, Laurie was teasing him about all the tall tales he and A.J. would bring back from this spring's "expedition". Suddenly she stopped laughing and threw her arms around him. "Darlin', what's all this? I'll be back on Monday.", he asked, feeling her trembling against him.
"I don't know, just hold me for a moment, Rick, please", she whispered. He embraced her and kissed her, then felt her shaking stop. "I'm sorry, Rick, don't mind me, just had a funny feeling.", she raised her face and smiled. Relieved, he kissed her then told her, "Remember, I'll have my transmitter on, if you need anything you call me, ok?"
"Don't worry, darling, you go and have a good time and no falling or getting bit by something, I want you and A.J. to come back in one piece, capice?", she replied, handing him his thermos. He climbed into the vehicle then leaned out and kissed her again. "Capice, sweetheart. I'll try to call you when we're on our way. You mind Oscar and Rudy now, hear!"
Pulling out, he drove out the gate honking, as Mike stood next to Laurie and barked until Rick rounded the bend.