River Queen (42 page)

Roseann, Leah, and Carley were all still up in Roseann’s stateroom. Caesar, Libby, and Robbie were working in the galley. A delicious aroma of bacon came floating out on the deck. “Nobody’s sleepy, and everybody’s hungry,” Julienne said lightly.

“I didn’t realize until I smelled that bacon that I’m starving,” Dallas agreed. “It has been one long, hard night.”

“You know,” Julienne said slowly, “I think that this was a great and mighty thing that the Lord gave us. Not winning the race and winning the money, but helping those people, the survivors. That was a great and mighty thing.”

“I think you’re right.”

The two stood in easy silence for awhile. Then abruptly Julienne turned to him and said, “I think I’d like to get married.” She said it as calmly as if she had said, “I’d like to have a drink of water.”

Dallas stared at her and then began to grin. “When would you like that?”

“Mm, I don’t know. Tomorrow, maybe?”

“Anybody in mind for the groom?”

She reached up, put her arms around his neck, pulled his head down and kissed him. “You’re the candidate in the lead right now.”

They kissed again, a long lingering kiss full of promise to both of them. Finally Dallas lifted his head and said, “I don’t even know what exactly you’re expecting from a husband.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I wrote down a list. Here it is.” She reached into her pocket, pulled out a soggy piece of paper, and handed it to him.

He looked at it and said, “Julienne, this is a very important document, and I can’t read it at all. So now what do we do?”

She laid her head against his broad chest and then said, “I’ll tell you what it said. It said the man I marry must love me with all his heart and must never leave me.”

He lifted her chin and said somberly, “Julienne Ashby, I love you with all my heart. I have for a long time, and I thank the Lord that I can tell you now. I promise you, I’ll never leave you. I promise you I’ll do my best to be a good husband, and a good friend, to you for all of our lives.”

“Finally, finally, the man I’ve been longing for all my life. Thank You, Lord.”

Dallas said, “Amen.”