Wedding at Poker Flat
Page 1
Table of Contents
Wedding at Poker Flat
Copyright
Wedding At Poker Flat: Poker Flat Series, Book 5 Summary
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Read on for Kendra and Wade’s love story...
Read on for Cole and Lacey’s adventures on Last Chance Ranch...
Also by Lexi Post
About Lexi Post
Wedding at Poker Flat
Lexi Post
Wedding at Poker Flat
Poker Flat Series Book #5
Copyright © 2018 by Lexi Post
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.
For information contact Lexi Post at www.lexipostbooks.com
Cover design by Bella Media Management
Formatting by Bella Media Management
Cover photo: Killion Group, Inc.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-949007-07-7
Excerpt of Cowboys Never Fold © 2015 by Lexi Post
Excerpt of Christmas with Angel © 2015 by Lexi Post
Wedding At Poker Flat: Poker Flat Series, Book 5
By Lexi Post
Wade Johnson wants to make their wedding perfect for his bride-to-be. The problem is, “perfect” doesn’t exist at Poker Flat.
Kendra Lowe, former professional poker player and owner of Poker Flat Nudist Resort, is more than ready to marry her almost perfect cowboy, but when her mother arrives a week early, she’s unprepared for the emotions and baggage that come with her—from her mom’s blunt ways, to old memories, to her parents’ coming divorce.
Wade has finally convinced his fiancé to tie the knot. Unfortunately, there are more knots that need to be untied first. Luckily, the misfit band of employees at Poker Flat are determined to help him get her to the altar…one way or another.
Gun-shy after her first beautiful wedding ended in a demoralizing marriage and harsh divorce, Kendra’s hoping this one will be anything but perfect. As hard as it is for her to accept, some things are simply out of her control. It’s very clear that this wedding will depend more on her family, friends, and if love truly can conquer all. If it can, it’s even stronger than she is.
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Acknowledgments
For Bob Fabich, Sr., my very own protector and biggest supporter. And for my sister Paige Wood, whose advice is so important to my books—stories, covers and all.
A huge thank you to Bette Read for the names for Donna’s dogs, and to Alison Pridie and Emily Kirkpatrick for naming Donna’s husband. Also, thank you to Lisa Fishback for naming Wade’s niece.
A special thank you to fellow author and good friend Tiffani Lynn for all her help with my summer of cowboys.
As usual, I owe a lot to my fantastic critique partner, Marie Patrick, whose weekly phones calls always make me smile.
And to my prepub crew, Lisa Fishback, KC Crocker and Carolyn Derrico, a huge thank you for all your help.
Author’s Note
Wedding at Poker Flat was inspired by Bret Harte’s short story, The Outcasts of Poker Flat, first published in 1869. In Harte’s story, four members of Poker Flat society—a gambler, a prostitute, a madam, and a drunk—are banned from the western settlement when a sudden urge to be virtuous overtakes the citizens. On their way to the next settlement, the outcasts stop to rest at the base of the high mountains they will need to cross, but as it’s November, it is quite cold. An innocent couple, a young man and his fiancée (a tavern waitress), descends from the mountain tops and rests with them. The young man idolizes the poker player and tells him they are going to Poker Flat to marry. The outcasts recognize the goodness of the two young people and adjust their behavior so as not to taint them. As the odd group converse, a blizzard buries them in snow. In the end, none, outcast nor innocent, survive.
What if the poker player was a woman and the young man a full-grown cowboy and they fell in love and decided to get married? Can the poker player truly leave behind her humble beginnings? Can the cowboy truly love such an unconventional woman? And will their band of outcasts help or hurt? It all depends on how strong love is.
Chapter One
Wednesday
Kendra Lowe absently reached for her ringing phone. “Yes.” Her mind was on the profit and loss statement on her computer screen. Closing Poker Flat for five days for the wedding would hurt their bottom line.
“Sorry to bother you, boss, but I have a woman up here at the garage claiming to be your mother.”
“What?” She glanced at the time. It was almost one in the morning.
“I didn’t know I’d need a security clearance just to see my own daughter.” Her mother’s voice came through Mac’s phone loud and clear. “Remind her she invited me to her wedding.”
“Did you catch that?” Her security guard’s tone held quite a bit of sarcasm, and she couldn’t blame her.
“Yes, I did. Bring her down. I’ll meet you.”
“You’ve got it.” Mac ended the call.
She looked at the small calendar on her desk. The wedding was still over a week away on Thursday. Her mother was supposed to arrive on Monday.
What the hell was she supposed to do with her mother with guests still at Poker Flat?
Quickly, she hit the keyboard and pulled up the reservations. “Well, damn.” Scanning the list of rooms on the resort one more time, she closed it out and rose. Out of habit, she unclipped her dark hair, jammed the brown cowboy hat on her head then grabbed up her sweatshirt and strode out of her office, toward the floor-to-ceiling glass double doors of the log and stucco main building.
Solar ground lights lit the desert pathways outside as well as the circular dirt area for golf carts when guests came in for meals or events. The area directly outside was empty, everyone in their casitas or at each other’s depending upon their preferences.
Hopefully, none of them would go out for a midnight stroll and drop into the main building like one pair had last night. The last thing she needed was for her mother to stare in horror at a pair of naked guests.
She leaned on one leg and watched the dull yellow lights of a golf cart crest the other side of the ravine and slowly wind down the switchback path that led to a tiny stream at the bottom. It would be a while before they crossed the bridge at the bottom and made it up to the main building.
She hated waking Wade up in the middle of the night, but there was no way around it. At least the new signal booster made it possible to have service now and she could call instead of having to drive over. It still didn’t reach all of the resort, but enough. She pulled out her phone.
“What’s wrong?” His deep voice on the other end settled her nerves far better than any drink could.
Just another reason why she loved him. “Sorry I had to wake you, but my mother just arrived.”
“Now? Today?”
She could envision his warm brown eyes widening. “Those were my thoughts exactly, but it’s really her. Mac’s
bringing her to the main building. She’s going to have to sleep on our couch tonight.”
The momentary silence was telling. “No casita available?”
It wasn’t really a question. “No.” She didn’t want her mother in their space either. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the woman. She just didn’t have a lot of respect for her. She had no backbone. Oh, she talked a good game, but when push came to shove, she always caved.
A heavy sigh sounded over the phone. “I guess there’s no help for it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
She smirked. That was so Wade. “I know you are.” He was the one who insisted she invite her mother. Actually, he’d asked her to invite both her parents but she drew the line at her mom. “Too bad we couldn’t put her in the massage room, but I’m sure there are early morning appointments.”
“And that wouldn’t be very comfortable for her.”
“What about Jorge’s office? That has a nice big comfy couch in there. Far bigger than ours.” The lights across the ravine had disappeared, which meant her mother was on her way up. “Do you know if any trail rides are scheduled tomorrow morning?”
“Hold on, let me check.” The sound of her fiancé’s bare feet on the tile floor came through the phone before he pulled out the chair in their home office. “I thought the plane ticket you sent was for next week.”
“It was.” Which is why she was more than just a little confused. “I don’t think it’s even arrived yet.” What was she going to do with her mother for a week? Poker Flat was a nudist resort and last she knew, her mother wasn’t a nudist. Actually, she sincerely hoped that hadn’t changed. That was a sight she really didn’t want to—
“We’re in luck. No rides tomorrow at all. Looks like the horses have the day off. I’ll get dressed and run our extra set of sheets and a blanket over there. If you can grab a pillow from the linen room, she should be set for the night.”
And that was another reason she loved him. He was one step ahead of her half the time. “I will. Thank you.” She headed back down the hall to the laundry area.
“You know you’ll owe me one.”
She laughed, knowing exactly what he had in mind. “And I’ll be happy to ‘pay’ up.” She grabbed their last new pillow all wrapped in plastic and turned out the light. “I’m looking forward to it. The sooner the better.” As she entered the lobby again, a glow of lights appeared near the ridge. “I have to go. She’s here.”
“Remember.” Wade’s voice held amusement.
Her heart warmed. “I know. You’re all-in. See you soon, Cowboy.” She ended the call and put her phone in the back pocket of her jeans before taking a deep breath.
As the golf cart pulled in front of the main doors, she strode forward, her cowboy boots loud in the empty building. Pushing one large glass door open, she smiled. Truth be told, she was excited to see her mother again. It has been a few years.
“There she is. The queen.” Donna Lowe grabbed the side of the golf cart and unfolded herself from the seat with a grunt. “That was a long ass freakin’ ride.”
Ignoring the usual complaint, Kendra stepped forward. “Hi, mom.”
Her mother, who was more than a few inches shorter than her, finally focused on her and gave her a brief hug, her rose perfume filling the air. When she stepped back she squinted. “Did you get taller?”
“No, I’m the same height I was when I saw you last.” Her mother’s normally white hair was dyed a dark red now, but she had two inches of roots showing on either side of her part. She had it cut like a bob, but it was not well done and needed a good combing. Her eyebrows, which had been drawn on, were crooked and very large, making her look somewhat surprised.
The button-down shirt she wore to cover her own large chest was wrinkled and revealed more cleavage than a woman of her age should, but it was still a step up from her usual clothing. Her striped leggings made her skinny legs look even smaller. With her waist as big as her chest, people who didn’t know her might think she would topple over like Humpty-Dumpty.
Her mother wiped her hands on her shirt as if they were sweaty. “I’m shrinking. That’s what it is.” She turned to Mac, who was seriously tall and fit. Not only that but with her black hair pulled back tight and in her black sweats, she was hard to see at night. “You’re gonna bring my sweeties and the rest of my bags now, right?”
Mac shook her head. “Not until Kendra tells us where you’re staying. Like I said, the resort is full.” Mac moved her gaze to her. “Right, boss?”
She nodded. “We are, but I’m sure mom is tired, so we can put her in Jorge’s office for tonight. In the morning, Lacey can work her magic I’m sure.”
“Office? What? You expect me to sleep on a desk or something?” Her mother frowned, clearly expecting the worse. “Why can’t I stay with you?”
“I’m afraid all I have is a small couch and Jorge’s office has a big comfy one. Wade has already gone over there and made it up for you.”
Her mother crossed her arms over her ample bosom. “The groom. I want to meet this man. I didn’t inspect your last fiancé before that marriage and look how that worked out.”
Her chest squeezed at the reminder of what an idiot she’d been. “Very true. I’m sure Wade will answer any questions you have tomorrow. I think we should get you settled in.”
“To an office. Nice way to treat your mother.”
Kendra ignored her mother’s mumbled words. She had no doubt her mom would be thrilled with the accommodations once she saw them. “Mac, why didn’t you just bring her bags down on the cart?” She’d noticed there was only one bag on the back.
Mac glanced at her mother. “Because we’re going to need the wagon to get them all down here.”
“What?” She looked at her mom. “What did you bring? The kitchen sink?”
Her mother’s lips formed a slow, smug smile. “I would have if I could have cut the pipes.”
Airlines charged per bag. Her mother didn’t have that kind of money. In fact, she couldn’t have received the airline ticket yet, since it had just been mailed two days ago. “Mom, how did you get here?” Even if she took the bus, a cab ride to Poker Flat would have been over a hundred dollars from the Phoenix station.
Her mother shrugged. “I drove.”
She widened her eyes. “Drove? You and Fred bought a second car?” Could the man who produced her have gotten his act together after all these years?
Her mother laughed. “Not even close. I took the car, everything I could fit in it and all the money in our account. I’ve left your father. I’m going to live here while the divorce goes through. Aren’t you happy?”
In complete shock, it took her a moment to notice the vibration in her back pocket. Turning away from her mother’s triumphant smile, she answered the phone. “Yes?” Her voice came out in a whisper.
“Kendra, what’s wrong?” Wade’s voice on the other end had her heart clicking into a more normal rhythm. Only he had the sixth sense when it came to her emotions.
Taking a few steps away from her mom, she kept her voice low. “Mom just informed me she’s divorcing Fred and plans to live here until it goes through.”
Wade’s low whistle on the other end reassured her he understood exactly how impossible the situation was. “That’s a big pile of shit to deal with at this early hour in the morning. Just bring her over here, and we’ll hash it all out later.”
“Right.”
“That’s awfully rude.” Her mother’s voice carried as it always did. “It’s the middle of the fucking night and she has to take a phone call? I thought this was a nudie resort. Why do you have sweats on?”
Mac’s low tones floated over. “Because staff are not allowed to go nude while working.”
“That seems weird. You’d think everyone would be nude here.”
Kendra took a deep breath. “We’ll be right there.” Ending the call, she spun around and strode toward her mom. “Okay, let’s get you to bed.”
>
“Who was that? Don’t they know it’s the middle of the night? I’ve been driving for hours just to see you and you take a call? What’s wrong with this generation?”
She ignored her mom’s complaining, something she’d learned to do at an early age. “Mac, I’ll take it from here. You can grab another golf cart.”
“Will do.” Her crazy-fit female security guard wasted no time jumping onto another golf cart and beating a hasty exit. Kendra didn’t blame her.
Finally, she turned back to her mom. “If you’d like to climb back in, I’ll take you over to the stable manager’s office. It’s a whole separate building and has everything you’ll need including a full bathroom.”
Her mother stepped up into the passenger side of the cart still grumbling. “Now you’re putting me in a stable. What do I look like, Mary Magdalene? I’m not pregnant. I’m not fat either. Things just shifted. It’s called post menopause and it will happen to you, too. Just wait. Hey, what about my stuff? Is that amazon going to bring them?”
She turned the cart on and pressed the pedal. “Not tonight. I want to get you a real room, so you can have your own space. There are no trail rides scheduled tomorrow, but I’m sure Jorge and Crystal will need to use the office at some point.”
Her mother grabbed a hold of the side of the cart as they went over a rock. “So now I’m an inconvenience?”
“Of course not. We just weren’t expecting you until next week. Every guest room is booked right now. It’s winter and high season for tourists.” She glanced at her mom. “I wanted to make as much money as possible so I can afford to feed all our wedding guests.” That her mother would get.
“That’s my girl. You take after me, you know. Your father couldn’t keep a nickel in his pocket if it was stuck in there with chewed gum. But me—” Her mother’s smile became devious. “I know how to stretch a penny and save. What your father doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Her stomach lurched. She didn’t want to know, but her gut told her she would soon be learning all the torrid details. She was torn about her mother’s announcement. Half of her was damn proud of her. Fred had always treated her mother like crap. She’d even stopped calling him dad at the age of nine because she couldn’t stand the thought that they were related in any way.