The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy

by Robin Bielman

  But not today.

  Today he worried about the proposal he’d sent to Marco. He needed his investment. Needed to make this new endeavor a reality if he had any hope of returning to vet school. But more than that, for helping to secure his family’s financial well-being.

  Like a certain doctor, he had plans for his future.

  Fourteen months ago…

  Dear Nicole,

  Jenna rode George all by herself today. The kid is a natural with animals and I couldn’t help but think that our kids would have been, too. Jenna’s joy was contagious, thank goodness, because I’m sad to say Bethany had another miscarriage. She and Cole are such amazing parents that I don’t understand why this is happening to them.

  Then again, I didn’t understand why you got sick, either. I’m dwelling less on that, though, and remembering all our good times. You asked me to do that, and I’ve been slow on the uptake. Whenever Jenna catches me looking sad, she says, “Uncle Mav, turn that frown upside down.” If I don’t listen immediately, she takes her little hands, squeezes my cheeks, and tilts the corners of my mouth up. She does the same with her dad and mom. Although less with Bethany because Beth is strong like you were, and focuses on the one amazing child she is blessed with instead of dwelling on her losses. To keep from thinking too much about the bad stuff, I’m watching and learning and spending every waking hour to make the ranch better.

  One day, things will be different. They have to be, right?

  Miss you like crazy,

  Maverick

  Chapter Fourteen

  Three days until the wedding

  Dr. Weaver wanted her in Boston.

  Dr. Weaver wanted her in Boston.

  DR. WEAVER WANTED HER IN BOSTON!

  Kennedy read the email one more time to be sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. She had an in-person interview on Tuesday. Six days from today. One hundred and forty-four hours.

  She did a happy dance, then called Ava to tell her the news. Her sister didn’t answer, so she texted, Have good news! Call me! When Ava didn’t call back right away, Kennedy ran out of the room to search for Andrew.

  She was bursting with excitement and in such a hurry that she shut the door behind her without taking the key, and she bumped into someone in the hallway.

  The someone being Elle.

  “I’m so sorry!” Kennedy said as the pitcher of lemonade in Elle’s hand slipped out of her grasp and crashed to the floor, spraying them both with pale yellow liquid before it landed with a thud.

  The two stared at each other in shock.

  They looked at the floor and the clear plastic pitcher lying in a puddle on its side surrounded by several matching cups.

  They glanced back up…at the wet marks on their shirts…and laughed. They laughed so hard they slid to the floor, seated across the hall from each other, to…Kennedy wasn’t sure to do what, but the moment seemed bigger than them walking away from each other.

  “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I was in a hurry and not watching where I was going.”

  “It’s okay. I was on my way to one of my bridesmaids’ rooms. We were going to add some vodka for a little cocktail hour.”

  Kennedy leaned over to gather the cups and right the pitcher. “I’ll get you a new pitcher and cups and deliver it.” Right after she found a mop to wipe up the spill so no one slipped and fell.

  “That’s nice of you, but…” Elle said sincerely. “Mind if we just sit here for a minute?”

  It sounded like Elle had something on her mind, and they were alone in the hallway, so Kennedy didn’t see why not. “Okay.”

  “I’ve seen you around, but I know you weren’t invited to the wedding,” she said.

  Kennedy should have read Wedding Crashing for Dummies or at least googled what to do in this type of situation. She never shied away from confrontation, though, and prided herself on being a straight shooter—until this week at least—and she felt this accidental run-in had happened for a reason.

  “I’m Kennedy. It’s nice to officially meet you.”

  Name recognition shined in Elle’s green eyes. “You’re Reed’s friend and ex.”

  “Yes, but please don’t be upset with him. He didn’t know I was coming.”

  “Why are you here?” Her voice wobbled. “Wait. Don’t answer that. I’m not sure I want to know.” She looked down at her lap. “He’s been distant since his bachelor party and I’m afraid…” She lifted her head. “Are you why?”

  “No,” Kennedy answered quickly. She didn’t want Elle to doubt Reed’s faithfulness for a second. “We’re friends, that’s all.”

  Elle sniffled. “Okay. I’m hoping it’s just cold feet, then. I’m not the best at sharing my feelings, and the last couple of weeks, I know I’ve been clingier than Reed likes. Than anyone would like.”

  Over the years, many patients had talked to Kennedy, confided in her about things that were easier to share with a stranger than a family member or friend. Every person had a right to their feelings, and Kennedy never judged. Her coworkers, especially the attendings, told her it was one of the things that made her a good doctor. People felt comfortable talking to her.

  “Is there a reason why?” she asked.

  Elle let her eyes close for a moment. She had thick, dark eyelashes. A friendly oval-shaped face. A long side braid and a cute off-the-shoulder blue top, even with lemonade on it. “There is. Or was. It’s not an issue anymore, and so I thought things would go back to normal, but they haven’t.” She met Kennedy’s concerned expression with equal parts shame and apology. “There’s something I’ve never told him and I should have.”

  Kennedy stayed silent, hoping Elle would continue.

  “He thinks I kept calling him the night of his bachelor party because I didn’t trust him. But that wasn’t the reason at all. It’s true I’m insecure now and then, like when he wanted to invite you to the wedding and I said I wasn’t comfortable with it. But aren’t we all a little bit? Relationships are hard and precious, and occasionally my confidence wavers.” She ran a finger over her engagement ring. “Reed’s bachelor party was supposed to be a day on the golf course, but then his brother changed the plan and I panicked. I panicked because I was worried something might happen to Reed.”

  “Like an injury?”

  “Or worse.” Elle waved her hand like she was being ridiculous. “The thing is, my mom was engaged before she met my dad. On the night of her fiancé’s bachelor party, my mom got this terrible feeling. She knew something was wrong and she was right. He died in a bar fight.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “When she met my dad and they got engaged, she worried that if he had a bachelor party, he’d die, too, so he didn’t have one.”

  “Why didn’t you tell Reed this? I’m sure he would have understood.”

  “I don’t know. The day of golf seemed safe to me, and I didn’t want to ruin the tradition for him. But then when his brother changed the plan, I couldn’t bring myself to spoil it for him. So that night I kept calling to make sure he…he was still alive. Naturally, he thought I was checking up on him, and I was, just not for the reasons he believed. I planned to tell him the next morning, but we’re staying in different rooms, and family arrived, and I just didn’t get around to it.”

  “Elle.” Kennedy touched her arm. “You need to tell him. This is an easy fix. He’ll understand, and then you’ll both feel better.”

  “I feel so silly.”

  “You’re getting married! Of course you’re not going to be rational all the time.”

  A small smile brightened Elle’s face. “He’s asked me more than once to tell him when things are bothering me. It’s caused problems before and I’m afraid he’s going to…going to walk away. Decide I’m not worth the effort.”

  “You are.” Kennedy considered herself a good judge of char
acter, and she liked Elle. A lot. The warm, kind vibes Elle gave were impossible to ignore. “And so is Reed. Secrets are hard to share sometimes, but if it impacts your relationship, you have to. You have to trust Reed will love you more because you’re being vulnerable.”

  “Thanks, Kennedy. I am lucky to be marrying him.”

  “You definitely are, and I say that as a compliment to you, too, because I never thought he’d get married. That you’ve captured his heart is a big deal. He’ll never let you down, Elle.”

  “You’re right. And I plan to keep his heart safe and sound for the rest of my life.”

  “I’m happy to hear that.” Kennedy wanted nothing more than for Reed to be loved, and Elle had just reassured her of that.

  “I’m sorry for not inviting you to the wedding. I truly am. Will you please join us on Saturday?”

  “Oh, uh…” She’d love to accept the invitation, but she’d lost track of the various characters Andrew had played and dragged her into. She didn’t want to get caught in a lie at the wedding…

  “Please.” Elle got to her feet, so Kennedy picked up the pitcher and cups and did the same, careful to avoid the puddles of lemonade. “Having you there would mean a lot to Reed. And me.”

  “Elenore Carson!”

  Kennedy and Elle looked down the hallway to the man sticking his head out of a door.

  “We were about to send the wedding police after you! Get your butt in here!”

  “On my way!” Elle turned back to Kennedy. “That’s my brother and man of honor.”

  “I’ll grab you a new pitcher. And thank you, I’d love to attend the wedding.” Bottom line, she really did want to be there. She’d just cross the identity crisis line when she got there.

  “Wonderful. Please feel free to bring a guest, too. And you’re welcome to join us now if you want.”

  “I think I’ll let you celebrate without me. I was actually on my way to track down a friend when I bumped into you.”

  “Oh, right. Of course. Tall blond guy, right? He and my brother have been talking a lot,” Elle added with a smile. “And don’t worry about the lemonade.” Elle took the pitcher and cups from Kennedy’s hands. “I’ll grab it if you don’t mind letting someone know about the spill on the floor.”

  “Deal.”

  Kennedy planned to wipe up the spill herself, but she ran into Cole and he said he had it. He also had a master key to her room and opened the door for her so she could change her shirt.

  Then she went in search of Andrew. She found him on the second floor veranda enjoying—you guessed it, lemonade. Small platters of bruschetta and cheese, crackers, and red grapes were also set out. She made herself a plate and poured herself some lemonade before joining him and the two women who looked captivated by everything he said. It took super-human strength not to immediately drag him away to share her job news, but going on looks alone, one of the women had to be Elle’s mom, and Kennedy didn’t want to be rude.

  “This is my best friend Kennedy,” Andrew said, no Aussie accent. And yay for finally telling the truth.

  The women introduced themselves. It was Elle’s mom. Her name was Bea and the other woman was Bea’s best friend, Melanie.

  “Andrew was just telling us about his job as a water slide tester,” Bea said.

  “Oh?” Kennedy choked on a grape.

  Andrew patted her on the back. “You okay?”

  She swallowed and gave the universal sign of “okay” with her hand. Not another persona!

  “As I was saying…” Andrew smiled at the women, charming them so much with his winning grin that it didn’t matter what came out of his mouth. “Every time an amusement park or hotel or other tourist locale adds a waterslide, they need a quality control person to make sure that it’s both safe and fun. And that’s where I come in. I check on things like how much water is in the slide and how long it takes me to slide down. Then I write up a report, outlining any concerns or safety issues.”

  “What a fun job!”

  “It is. And I’ve lost my trunks in the water only a few times. And not from sliding, if you get my drift.”

  Kennedy rolled her eyes.

  Bea and Melanie laughed.

  “Would you mind if I borrowed Andrew for a minute?” Kennedy asked, taking his arm and leading him away. Once they were alone she said, “I got the interview!”

  He lifted her feet off the ground in a brotherly hug. “That’s fantastic! When is it?”

  “Tuesday.”

  “So you’ll fly out Monday? Stay overnight?”

  “Yes. Dr. Weaver is going to have someone make the arrangements and email me the itinerary.” Clouds played peek-a-boo with the sun, but at the realization there was a very good chance she’d be moving across the country, her face grew warm.

  “Do you need to head home sooner?” Andrew asked.

  “No, we can stay. I actually just ran into Elle, and we had a nice chat.”

  “Do tell.”

  She gave a summary of their conversation. “So, once she talks to Reed, I think he’ll feel better, and staying to see them get married would be great.”

  Andrew kissed her cheek. “Awesome! Now, how about you and I head into town for a celebratory cheeseburger and fries? You’re one step closer to your dream job, and I’m damn proud of you.”

  …

  They sat in a corner booth of The Couch Potato. The restaurant and bar reminded her of a modern-day saloon, given the dark wood but contemporary chandeliers, tables, and chairs. The sleek bar gleamed under the lights. Two bartenders, one male and one female, wore cowboy hats. Servers were dressed in denim attire more trendy than country.

  “Don’t look now, but Tall and Hunky times two are coming our way,” Andrew said.

  “Hey, Kennedy, mind if we join you?”

  She turned her head to find Hunter with a ready smile and hand already held out to Andrew. “Hi, I’m Hunter,” he said.

  Trailing behind Hunter with a decidedly less happy look on his face was Maverick.

  “Andrew,” her best friend said, scooting over as he spoke.

  “We saw you sitting here and, since there’re no other tables available, we thought you might not mind company.” Hunter slid into the booth beside Andrew.

  Which left the spot beside her for Maverick, his thigh brushing hers as he scooted in. “We?” he said.

  “Ignore my brother. It’s been a helluva day.”

  “Is everything okay?” she asked at the same time Andrew said, “You aren’t twins, are you?”

  Hunter shook his head. “I’m two years younger and much friendlier. But you’re not the first person to ask that. And once we down a couple of beers, everything will be A-OK.”

  A waitress appeared, eyeing Maverick like he was the chocolate sauce on her vanilla ice cream. “Hi, Maverick. Hunter. Are y’all ready to order or do you need a few minutes?”

  “Hi, Lys. A cheeseburger and fries for me,” Maverick said.

  “Make that two,” Hunter said.

  Kennedy shared a look with Andrew and said, “We’ll have the same.”

  When asked what they’d like to drink, they all settled on beer. “So how do you two know each other?” Hunter asked her.

  “Andrew and I have been friends since high school.”

  “Nice.” He glanced at Andrew. “Did you go to the same college, too?”

  “I did. Transferred from a junior college, though.”

  “What do you do now?”

  “I’m an actor.” He gave Kennedy a quick wink. On the way here, she’d asked him not to assume any more personas. She’d hit her max, especially now that they were invited guests to the wedding.

  “That’s cool. Have you been in anything I might’ve seen?”

  “Your brother’s in trouble now,” Kennedy said quietly. “Andrew can t
alk about acting for hours.”

  “Must be tough for you,” Maverick said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When do you get to talk?”

  “Ha ha. I am a good listener, too, you know.”

  “I do know. I’m just giving you a hard time.” He also gave her little flutters. Everywhere. He smelled like good old-fashioned soap and man, but he looked like a Hollywood movie star with his finger-combed light brown hair and chiseled jaw. And he had that air of mystery about him that made a girl want to know everything going on in his head.

  Kennedy had uncovered some of his secrets, but she wanted to know more. The country air was definitely messing with her sensibilities.

  “So what happened today?” she asked.

  The waitress dropped off their beers, and he took a healthy drink before saying, “Some of the trees needed attention, that’s all.”

  “If I’d known, I would have helped.” She meant it. She’d enjoyed being among the trees and imagining how fun and festive it must get at Christmastime.

  “Those hands”—Maverick dipped his head toward her hands wrapped around her beer glass—“are meant for more important things than trees.”

  She took the compliment to heart, studying her fingers, her short, clear polished nails, and the skin that often dried out because of the constant hand washing. “I miss it,” she admitted.

  “The ER?” Maverick asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Was there a reason you didn’t stay at the hospital where you did your residency?”

  “My ex and future brother-in-law is a doctor there.”

  “Got it.”

  “The asshole doctor?” Andrew said, overhearing them. “He was never good enough for our Kennedy. She absolutely dodged a bullet.”

  “I did,” she agreed.

  Their food arrived, and the conversation turned to regular, superficial stuff. Kennedy happily let Andrew and Hunter do most of the talking. Sitting so close to Maverick, catching the rise and fall of his chest beneath his black T-shirt, feeling warmth emanate from his strong body, and noticing that he ate two fries at a time had her a little off-balance. She wasn’t sure she could form a complete sentence that sounded neutral.