Nuptials in Nevada: An At the Altar Story

by Barton, Keira K.

  “Aren’t you afraid you won’t like the guy at all? Marrying a stranger is a huge risk!” They had met for lunch, and their plates had long been cleared. Adriana started chewing on the end of her straw nervously.

  “I’m not worried about liking the guy. The woman who will decide if we’re a match has a one-hundred-percent success rate and a PhD backing her up. But more than that, I trust her. There’s just something about her that’s so pure and wholesome. Plus, she’s a professional. If it does all go south, there are ways out of it.”

  Adriana’s face relaxed, and she put her hand on top of Scarlett’s as she looked her straight in the eyes. “You know I just want you to be happy. I’ve seen how miserable you’ve been the past year. I support you—no matter what. If it’s the worst decision of your life and it all comes crashing down, I’ll be here. If you end up having five red-headed babies and your happiness is immeasurable, I’ll still be here. Commiserating or celebrating, I’m your girl.”

  Scarlett turned her hand over so she could squeeze her friend’s. “You have no idea how much your friendship means to me. I don’t know how I would have made it through the past few years without you. Thank you for being so supportive.”

  * * *

  Grace Lake, Idaho, was a quiet little town, and while Beau didn’t come back for the excitement it had to offer, he couldn’t believe how dramatic his visit home had been. He and Josh had arrived in the early hours of the morning on the Fourth, but that hadn’t kept them from enjoying the day’s festivities with his family.

  He’d entered the local rodeo, just for fun, and also so his parents could actually see him ride for once. Beau tried to choke down the emotion that pressed up in his throat thinking about his dad’s face when he’d successfully jumped off his bull after eight seconds. He’d run to the gate where his dad was waiting, climbed over, and they’d just smiled at each other until one of them—he couldn’t remember which—finally pulled the other in for a hug.

  Beau thought he had a great relationship with his parents—even after the blow-up two years ago—but he couldn’t deny that it had been a little strained, and that he’d missed their unwavering support. That hug had been important. His family wasn’t really the hugging type, but when they did embrace, it was significant.

  After the rodeo, Beau and Josh had gone back to his parents’ for a late barbecue in their backyard. Friends and family Beau hadn’t seen in quite a while came to visit him and they’d had to drag out the chairs from his mom’s kitchen table so there would be enough places for everyone to sit. They’d all been standing around the fire pit, watching the kids cook marshmallows for their s’mores, when his dad’s scanner had gone off.

  Most of the time, the things that came over the scanner in Grace Lake were pretty minor, so no one thought much of it. But as the information was relayed through, everyone became increasingly nervous when they realized what was happening. A child was missing. The rest of the night was a blur. Beau, his dad, and some of the other men at the party ran around town gathering as many men as possible to help search for Cash Nelson, the child who had been missing since that morning, and they’d gone to work looking for him. Not one of those men planned on sleeping until he was found.

  Which was why he was now standing in his friend Drew’s barn—sleep deprived and hungry—unsaddling the horses and putting away the tack. Like the hero he was, Drew had come riding in with the kid after an incredible night of survival. Drew was at the hospital with his wife now, getting his head injury examined.

  Beau heard a loud creak and looked over at the tall barn doors. Sunlight was streaming in through the crack between the doors, making it hard to see who had slipped inside. His eyes tried to make out the shape walking toward him, but all he could see was the person’s silhouette.

  “Hey, Beau. Need any help putting the horses up?” Maybe he couldn’t see the face, but there was no mistaking the voice. It was Drew’s little sister, Lily.

  “Actually, I think I got everything put away, but the horses could use a good brushing. They worked hard last night. Especially Cinnamon.” Cinnamon was Drew’s horse, and she’d basically saved Cash and Drew’s lives last night. Beau handed Lily a brush from a bucket by the stall gate and nodded at the bay mare.

  “Yeah, Drew probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her. Maybe I’ll bring an apple to her later. She deserves some kind of reward for her bravery, don’t you think?”

  “Absolutely.” Beau paused for a moment as he stroked the other horse with a brush. “So, Lil, with all the excitement last night, I didn’t get a chance to ask Drew about his wife. Her name is Taryn, right?” Beau was genuinely curious how his old friend had gotten married so quickly.

  “Yep. She’s amazing. I honestly don’t know how Drew got so lucky. She feels like another sister to me already, and it’s only been twenty-four hours since they came home from their wedding.” Lily shook her head in disbelief, but the smile on her face reflected unmistakable happiness. She was obviously thrilled for her brother.

  “Wait. What do you mean, came home from their wedding? Weren’t you there?” Beau was slightly confused. After Beau had spotted Drew and Taryn from across the street at the parade the day before, his mom had told him that Drew hadn’t even been dating anyone. Then he’d shown up to the parade with a wife, and now the whole town was talking about it. Had the wedding not taken place in Grace Lake?

  “Oh, yeah. Drew signed up for this matchmaking service called Matchrimony. He met Taryn at the altar. They never dated before they got married.” Lily shook her head again, this time in disbelief. “I still can’t believe he didn’t end up with some homely looking girl who had thirty-five cats.”

  Beau laughed. “That does sound crazy.” And he wasn’t just talking about maybe ending up with some cat lady. He couldn’t believe his friend had met and married someone on the same day. People just didn’t do that anymore.

  “Yeah, but they seem perfect for each other. They should be back soon. Do you want to hang around for a while? Get to know her a little bit?” Lily wouldn’t meet his eyes when she asked. He had a sneaking suspicion that she’d always had a bit of a crush on him. He’d been around with Drew a lot when she was younger, and the thought made him smile. She was like a little sister to him, so he didn’t feel the same, but he still cared about her feelings.

  “I wish I could, Lily, but I’m beat. I need to go home and sleep for a few hours. Then my friend Josh and I have to hit the road. We have a rodeo to get to in Oregon, and we’re already behind schedule. I have to ride tomorrow, and I need some rest if that’s going to happen.” Beau patted the horse he’d been brushing and rubbed his hand under her chin.

  “No worries. I understand.” Lily climbed over the stall gate and tossed the brush she’d been using into the barrel. She looked down at her feet as she wiped her hands on her pants.

  Beau couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips watching her act so uncomfortable around him. The only women he’d been around in the past two years were the ones who were bold enough to approach him first—none of them would do so if they were this shy. It was amusing. He opened the stall gate and squeezed through, then closed it behind him. He picked the horse hair out of the brush he had been using while he thought about how he could talk to Lily without making her even more uncomfortable. He tossed the brush in the bucket and took a step closer. Her head was still down.

  “I really wish I could stay longer, but I have to go. Thanks for your help with the horses. Tell Drew congratulations on the marriage!” He was surprised that she still wouldn’t meet his eyes as he walked past her to the barn doors, but he didn’t know what else to say. After he turned to leave, he heard her voice. It sounded smaller than usual.

  “No, thank you. I know Drew will appreciate that you took care of them, since he couldn’t.” The emotion in her voice was unmistakable, and Beau wanted to turn around and ask her what was wrong.

  If he wasn’t worried that it would fuel her crush, he wo
uld lift her chin with his finger to see if she was crying. From the way her voice sounded, he had a strong suspicion that she was, but he didn’t want to do anything to make her think that he cared about her as more than his friend’s little sister. He couldn’t deal with that right now. His conversation with Josh was still on his mind, and he didn’t want to have something else keeping his mind busy. He was exhausted and needed some sleep, and it would never happen if he was worried about breaking yet another girl’s heart.

  Four

  Adriana gasped as Scarlett walked out of a dressing room at a small bridal boutique in old Hollywood. It was a good sign that Scarlett had finally found the right dress, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up. They had spent all morning and most of the afternoon dress shopping, and Scarlett was sure she had tried on no fewer than fifty gowns. It wasn’t that she was picky…okay, she was picky, but she wanted everything about her day to be perfect. This would be the very first chapter of her new life, after all.

  “Well, turn around and look in the mirror!” Adriana urged.

  “Okay, okay. I just don’t want to be disappointed again.” Scarlett was just about sick of trying on dresses and didn’t know how many more times she would be able to change before giving up for the day.

  “I promise, you won’t be!” Adriana was standing there with her hands clasped together below her chin, her knees bouncing, and a giddy grin on her face.

  “I can’t do it,” Scarlett said.

  “Yes! Yes, you can! Here, let me give you a countdown. Three! Two! One! Turn around!” Adriana followed the final word with a little squeal, and Scarlett turned toward her friend and the mirror in dramatic fashion.

  Then Scarlett let out a gasp of her own, and her hand involuntarily flew up to her open mouth. “Oh, my. It’s…perfect.”

  “I knew you would love it!” Adriana rushed over to inspect the dress up close. “The buttons are exactly what you wanted, all the way down the back. And the fit is just impeccable. I don’t even think you’ll need alterations. It’s like this dress was made for you, Scarlett!”

  The tears in Scarlett’s eyes were unexpected, and she was a little startled to look at her face in the mirror and see the raw emotion there. She was excited to get married, but she hadn’t realized just how much she’d been looking forward to it. Over the past few years, she’d mostly convinced herself that it was never going to happen, but in the last couple of months, it seemed all that buried longing had resurfaced.

  “Oh! You’re going to make me cry! Scarlett, you are the most stunning bride I have ever seen. Your future husband is a lucky, lucky man.” Adriana wrapped her arms around Scarlett and gave a her a quick, but powerful hug. Adriana was small, but she was feisty and strong.

  Scarlett tried not to let out the most unattractive harrumph as Adriana nearly squeezed the life out of her. “I hope he feels the same way,” Scarlett admitted when Adriana finally released her.

  “He would be absolutely crazy not to. Not only is he getting a gorgeous, talented, and rich actress for a wife—” Adriana winked at her. “—he’s getting a kind, genuine, and loving woman too. You really are the total package, and this dress is just the pretty bow on top.”

  Heat rushed to Scarlett’s cheeks. She wasn’t used to such bold compliments. Well, that wasn’t true, but she wasn’t used to people offering them to her with such sincerity, and it was touching. She put a hand over her heart. “Thank you, Adriana. Now you have to help me figure out a way to tell my mom!”

  Adriana made a terrified grimace, and both of the women laughed out loud. “Well, for starters, you won’t want to be wearing that when you go see her. Why don’t you get dressed, and we’ll discuss this over dinner? I’m sure you’re starved from all that changing.”

  Scarlett nodded emphatically and lifted the full skirt of her gown. She glanced in the mirror one last time at the way the bodice hugged her curves, the bright white color contrasting with her auburn hair. I’m going to be a bride! It still didn’t feel real, but it definitely would after she told her parents.

  At that thought, a gaping hole formed in her stomach, and she was afraid eating dinner wouldn’t do anything to fill it. She hoped to God that they wouldn’t throw the fit Scarlett was envisioning, but she’d always heard that history has a way of repeating itself, and if she knew her parents at all, she knew they wouldn’t take the news in stride. She hoped they’d prove her wrong.

  Her hands shook a bit as she dressed, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the fear of breaking the news to her parents or the fear of marrying a stranger. Maybe it was from her hunger—her belly was telling her to think about tacos, but her heart was demanding that she address the feelings she was having. Usually when she felt dread like this, it paralyzed her, and she didn’t go through with even the best laid plans. But this time, she wouldn’t give in to it. She closed her eyes and gathered up every ounce of resolve she had. She gulped down the fear and looked into the mirror in the small dressing room. Her eyes were clear and full of purpose. For once in her life, the path she was walking down felt like the right one, and any obstacle that stood in her way seemed small compared to the courage that welled up in her chest. She had never felt so sure about anything, which was strange, since this was the riskiest choice she would ever make.

  * * *

  Beau held his cell phone up to his ear. The ring while he waited for his call to connect seemed louder than usual. His heart was pounding just as wildly as it did right before he mounted a bull in the shoot, and his palms were sweaty. It’s just Drew. Get it together, man. He was used to pep-talking himself—bull riding had developed that trait in him.

  “Hello?” Drew’s voice was familiar and soothed Beau’s nerves, but only slightly. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but the loneliness that had settled in his heart since his talk with Josh when they were leaving Jackson a few weeks ago had been like an unwelcome guest that he just couldn’t get rid of. And now it was affecting his rides. He hadn’t gotten a score since his hometown rodeo appearance on the Fourth of July, and nothing besides his mind being so preoccupied could explain it.

  “Hey, Drew. It’s Beau. You got a minute?”

  “Yeah. I just finished lunch. I was about to head out, but I can spare a couple of minutes. What’s up? Is everything okay?” Being a bull rider, that was always the first question the people in his life asked when he called. It was a dangerous sport, and everyone who cared about him seemed to be worried, even after all this time. He never told anyone that he hadn’t been “okay” since his first time on a bull—they didn’t need to know about all his pain. Bull riding wasn’t a cake walk. He was always hurting, but it wasn’t a big deal anymore.

  “My timing is usually pretty good,” Beau joked. Drew’s laugh at that remark sent away most of his nerves, and he felt a little less awkward about the questions he was about to ask.

  “I know this is going to seem out of the blue, but I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how you and Taryn met.” Beau ran his free hand through his hair.

  “Sure! It’s kind of a crazy story, actually. Do you remember my mom’s sister Eileen? She’s come to Grace Lake a few times to visit us. I think you met her.”

  “Oh, yeah. I definitely remember her. She’s hilarious. She always gave me a hard time about my hair in high school. She didn’t like how long it was.” Beau laughed, remembering the silver-haired woman. It had been several years since he had seen her, but she was hard to forget.

  “Well, she’s a nurse in Florida, and one of her patients used this service called Matchrimony to meet someone who was serious about getting married. After seeing how happy he and his wife were, she thought of me and called to suggest that I sign up.”

  Matchrimony—that’s the name of the service. Lily had mentioned it to Beau, but he couldn’t remember it for the life of him.

  “At first, I was offended, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. With my mom as sick as she is, I knew I wouldn�
��t have time to date, and I knew I needed someone to help me take care of her. But more than that, I knew I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I had spent eight years running from a connection with anyone, and I was tired of it. It was easier for me to jump into a relationship with the guarantee that we would be married than it was for me to start dating someone and risk it not working out. I know that sounds backwards, but I’ve never really thought the same way as everyone else.” Drew wasn’t scrambling to explain away his decision—he seemed proud of it. Beau was surprised.

  “Wait. Your mom is sick?” Maybe that’s why Lily seemed so sad when I was there, he reasoned. After he asked the question, Beau vaguely remembered his mom saying something about it, but he’d been so caught up in his own life that he hadn’t really remembered. He felt like a bad friend.

  “Yeah. Breast cancer. It’s the worst. She’s going through hell.” Beau could hear the worry in his friend’s voice, and his stomach knotted. He’d been so selfish, he hadn’t even considered what his friend’s family was dealing with.

  “I’m so sorry, man.” The expression felt horribly inadequate, but Beau didn’t know what else to say.

  “Me too, but it’s honestly more painful to try to talk about it. Did you have any other questions about Taryn?” Drew asked, obviously wanting to steer the conversation away from his mom.

  “Uh—yeah. Lily said you met her at the altar. Is that true?”

  Drew chuckled. “Yeah, man, it is. I know it’s insane, but it’s working out better than I ever dreamed.”