Quick-Draw Cowboy

So now the cute, little redheaded pastry chef with the sparkling eyes and the heart-melting smile wasn’t his only excuse for hanging around Winding Creek.

“You think we have time to saddle a few horses and race out to the swimming hole like old times?” Tucker asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Pierce said. “I’m banned from seeing my bride until the wedding and it’s not going to take me long to shower and struggle into the monkey suit.”

“Now you’re talking,” Riley said.

The three Lawrence brothers racing on horseback once again. This was as good as it got.

Chapter Four (#ubff44259-7ca8-5502-955e-235c7d34c854)

Riley stood with Pierce and Tucker a couple of yards to the left of the flowered arbor, where the minister was patiently waiting.

Guests had been arriving for the past half hour or more, filling up the rows of folding chairs.

Riley recognized very few of them. “You must be giving away a new tractor to draw this many people.”

“And to think this started out as a small family wedding,” Pierce said.”

“You’ve only been back here on a permanent basis since Christmas. Do you even know half these people?” Tucker asked.

“Not many, but Esther knows them all. Once she got involved in the plans, the size of the wedding at least quadrupled. We didn’t have the heart to reel her in. The busier she is, the better she does with handling the grief over Charlie’s death.”

“This must have cost a fortune,” Riley said. “Did you win the lottery and forget to tell me?”

“Nope. But this is Texas. You have a shindig, everyone chips in to help. The only food we had to furnish were the briskets that I smoked myself. And the booze, of course, though not even all of that. Some old friend of Charlie’s I’ve never even seen before dropped off a few cases of beer today.”

“They’ve been bringing in food for a good hour,” Tucker said. “I guess we’ll find out who the best cooks in the area are.”

“None better than Esther,” Pierce assured them, “though I doubt you’ll find a bad dish in the bunch.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to try them all,” Tucker said. “You lucked out with the weather, but what were you going to do if it rained? If I remember correctly, this area turns into a giant mud puddle with every shower.”

“We had the option of moving the affair to the new community center next to the high school. The folding chairs and tables belong to the center anyway. The portable dance floor, too, though I had to rent it. Cost me a whopping twenty-five dollars.”

“And all the lights you’ve got strung through branches and around poles?”

“Those I bought and Esther’s part-time wrangler, Buck, and some of his buddies set them up.”

“I didn’t buy a wedding present,” Tucker said. “Figured if there was something you needed, you already had it. Why don’t I throw in some money to cover the cost of the reception tent?”

“Appreciated, but not necessary. One of Charlie’s good friends, Harvey Mullins, has a son in San Antonio who rents party supplies.”

Harvey had insisted on providing the tent with no charge for it, or for putting it up and taking it down. He said Charlie had helped him rebuild his barn last year when lightning had hit and he was glad to do something to repay the favor.

“Sounds like this is a community affair, so who do I see about filing a formal complaint?” Riley quipped.

“File thirteen is behind the woodshed. What are you complaining about?”

“This straitjacket I’m buttoned into. Shirt’s so stiff I can barely move.”

“I couldn’t get Grace to budge on that, but she did agree to our wearing our cowboy boots as long as we had then cleaned and shined.”

“What a woman,” Riley said. “All heart.”

“The real question is, does she have a friend for Riley?” Tucker said.

Thankfully they didn’t get to finish the conversation. The music started and they were motioned into place by the minister.

Riley watched as someone he didn’t recognize escorted Esther to her seat. He wasn’t sure if Esther was acting as mother of the bride or mother of the groom, but she was smiling and dabbing at her eyes at the same time.

He knew what having the Kavanaughs take them in for ten months after their parents died meant to him and his brothers. He guessed he never fully realized what it had meant to Esther and, no doubt, to Charlie. From now on, he’d see that he kept in closer touch.

He flashed Esther a smile and looked over to see if Pierce was starting to panic yet. Nope. The man had ice water in his veins. Must be all that SEAL training.

When Riley looked up again, Dani was walking down the makeshift aisle between the rows of folding chairs. The wow factor sent his head spinning. She’d been cute and witty in the bakery. She was absolutely stunning in a brilliant green dress that set off her gorgeous eyes.

Damn, he even liked the way she walked. She didn’t glide or prance like some haughty mare. She just walked, like a gal who knew who she was and what she was about.

Would be right interesting to check her out a little further, find out if she was as authentic as she seemed. If he hung around awhile, they could have some good times before he hit the road again.

Horseback riding up to the gorge at Lonesome Branch. Do some fishing for bream or catfish. Maybe even take a dip in the swimming hole if the weather cooperated.

Desire revved inside him at the thought of her in—or out of—a bikini.

When she reached the arbor, her gaze met his. She smiled and suddenly all he could think about was getting the wedding over with and getting his arms around her on the dance floor.

The rest of the wedding procession barely registered with him until it was time for him to hand Pierce the ring. He watched as Pierce slid it onto Grace’s finger. He saw the way they looked at each other and he had to admit it did look like love.

But then this was the easy part of a marriage—when everything about the relationship was new and exciting. Before the ties didn’t bind. Before hard times and resentments started pulling a couple apart.

Riley didn’t see himself ever vowing to love anyone or anything for forever. Yet, when the happy couple were pronounced man and wife and Pierce kissed his bride, Riley hoped with all his heart that marriage worked this time for Pierce and Grace. And mostly for his five-year-old niece, Jaci.

Riley had dreaded coming to this wedding, but now that it was nearly over, he had to admit he’d never seen his brother happier. Even more of a shocker, Riley was looking forward to the rest of the evening. He was downright excited about getting to know Dani better.

For all the roving around from ranch to ranch and from state to state that he did, could it be that he was the one in a rut?

No. He was a born wanderer and he liked it that way.

But if he was ready to settle down, he’d be looking for a woman who had it all together. He’d be looking for a woman like Dani.

“THAT’S GOOD. LET’S get one more shot before we lose that sunset. Just the women this time. Esther, Grace, Dani and our little flower girl.”

Not the words Dani had hoped to hear. The air was cooling off as the sun made its final descent, but the Texas humidity had not let up. She could feel herself starting to wilt like a rosebush in a heat wave.

The wedding had been beautiful and touching and perfect in every way, but the photographer was getting a bit carried away with his after-ceremony wedding-party shots. Dani was not the only one growing restless. Jaci kept sneaking away from the group only to be tugged back by one of the adults.

“If we move a few yards to the left, we can—”