by Nathan Jones
He left the rancher behind with the horses and moved over to settle on the ground next to his friend, rubbing absently at the bruise on his chest. “Doing okay?”
She nodded, still staring at nothing. “It's just after these last few days of terror, it's hard to believe it's over now.” She shivered. “Now we go back to the ranch and return to business as usual? Aside from Jared being bedridden for the next few weeks, and recovering for months after that probably.”
“Well there's your wedding, right?” Skyler asked as brightly as he could, considering the subject. He didn't like to dwell on the girl he'd pinned his hopes on marrying someone else, but it was better than her being so melancholy. “You said the plan was once Randall was dealt with, and he has been.”
Lisa perked up at that, even smiling tentatively. “That's right! I can head back and let Mom know to begin the preparations. Think tomorrow is too early?”
He was definitely the wrong person to ask that. “After what you told me earlier, I'd say it's just about right,” he said.
She sobered. “I'm glad you'll be here for the wedding. I just hope I can be there for yours, too.”
He barked a wry laugh. “When exactly would that be, and with who?”
“Probably pretty much any eligible young woman back in New Emery,” his friend said, nudging his shoulder teasingly. “I get you went out looking for me, but I'm still surprised you didn't settle down years ago. Even back before I left, girls would've been tripping over themselves to get at you if they hadn't known we were so close.”
Skyler felt his face flushing. “Come on, don't tease me.”
Lisa gave him a look like he was crazy. “You come on. You're super cute, you had the ranch, Trapper is a legend, and you were following in his footsteps. Half the girls I knew back then secretly had a crush on you, and more than a few tried to subtly flirt with you. Not that you noticed. Then of course there's Tabby . . . I hoped so badly you two would-”
She cut off, seeming to notice his misery at the mention of their friend back home, lost to him forever. Her expression became sympathetic as she continued briskly. “Anyway, all the stuff that made girls pine for you five years ago is even more pronounced now. Adalia certainly seemed interested.”
He snorted bitterly. “Was that before or after I got her kidnapped by a gang of murderers and rapists?”
His friend opened her mouth, hesitated, and then shook her head in defeat. She rested a gentle hand on his shoulder as she stood. “Come on, let's get back to the ranch. We could all use some rest.”
That was certainly true enough.
Chapter Sixteen
Big Day
Skyler slept for the next twenty hours straight.
The sleep wasn't entirely peaceful, since even though he knew the threat was mostly dealt with he still found himself starting awake more than once, thinking that the members of Randall's gang who'd left were back for revenge. Still, after the last few restless days it was a luxury to just sprawl in the comfortable guest bed and let oblivion claim him for as long as his body needed.
It was the heady smell of coffee and pancakes cooking that finally stirred him from his comatose state. He stumbled out of his room into the open space that served as the kitchen and dining/living area, to find Lisa and Aunt Vicky busily cooking breakfast. The sun was up outside, shining cheerfully on what looked to be a beautiful day.
Aside from the fact that Lisa was getting married to someone else today; he had the sudden urge to turn around and got back to sleep.
Before he could, Vicky spotted him. “Look who's back among the living!” she called cheerfully. “Mind giving Bob a hand with the livestock until breakfast is ready? We really need to get them out grazing again after days being cooped in a barn. Especially a half-burned one.”
That was just the start of what turned out to be, unsurprisingly, a whirlwind day.
Along with repairing the barn and getting the animals settled back into their usual routine, there were preparations to be made for the wedding, which was planned for one in the afternoon: a yard needing cleaning and prettying up, decorations to set up, tables to move and chairs to arrange, food to prepare.
Jeb had heard about the bandits being dealt with and come around yesterday to resume his job, which had been a blessing considering everything that needed to be done. At the end of the day Vicky had sent him back to town with invitations for the family's friends there, while Bob had gone around to the other ranches and nearby homesteads, particularly the Ruiz family's, to invite them all to the blessed day.
Jeb had also been instructed to purchase food and drink in town for the celebration, and sent with a couple of the Hendricksons' horses to lug it all back. In spite of the short notice, it was shaping up to be quite the event.
Along with prettying up the ranch came Aunt Vicky's insistence that they all pretty up themselves as well. Bob and Skyler were given stern instructions to wash up, shave, and dress in their best clothes. Then she dragged them into Skyler's room, out of the way of all the bustling preparations from her friends busy in the kitchen and living area, to give them both haircuts.
Bob went first, which reassured Skyler that Vicky still had the deft hands that had often cut his hair back when they'd lived together at the ranch. Once she was satisfied with how her husband looked she shooed him back to work, while Skyler settled down on the chair.
“Been a while since I've had a proper haircut,” he said sheepishly.
She teasingly flicked at one of his shaggy locks. “You don't say. But there's a handsome man under there somewhere.”
“Just don't shave me bald looking for him,” Skyler joked. But in spite of his best efforts, more of his melancholy came through than he'd intended.
Vicky paused, moving around in front of him, and the irrepressible smile for her daughter's wedding that she'd worn all day faded to solemn sympathy as she looked down at him. She dropped into a crouch, resting a hand on his knee. “I can understand this might not be the easiest day for you.”
He forced a smile he didn't feel. Couldn't, even if he was happy for his friend. “I'm fine, really.”
She wasn't buying it. “It's okay to have mixed feelings about this,” she said gently. “Things didn't go like you planned. Like even Lisa planned, for a long time.” She gave him that same sympathetic look he remembered from when he was a kid, the one that invited him to open up to her.
His mom had always been a great shoulder to cry on, and Lisa had been the friend he could talk to about anything. Aunt Vicky had been somewhere between a mom and a friend, a shoulder he could cry on who offered a different perspective.
So he found himself opening up to her in a way that surprised him. “You know when you guys were still in Utah, I thought me and Lisa would be together. Then she left. Then I came looking for her, but by the time I finally found her it was too late . . .”
“And never the twain shall meet,” Vicky said quietly, patting his hand in comfort.
That hurt more than Skyler was prepared to deal with at the moment. He looked away, making his tone as light as he could. “Well they shouldn't even be on the same twain twack.”
The petite woman laughed in spite of herself, then slapped his chest with the back of her hand. “Dangit, Sky, we're having a serious conversation here.” She looked at him sadly. “You know I'm glad that my daughter's found someone who makes her happy, and Jared's a good man. But part of me is still a bit sad that it couldn't have been you. You know I rooted for the two of you.”
“I know,” he said, thinking of all the embarrassing conversations his mom and Vicky used to have back at their ranch in Trapper's valley, whispering about his and Lisa's marriage when they grew up as if it was a foregone conclusion. “You would've been a great mom-in-law.”
Tears sprang to her dark eyes, so much like her daughter's. “Dangit, Sky,” she said again. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, with surprising strength in that tiny frame. But then, he'd always known she
was one of the strongest women he'd ever met. “You know I love you, kiddo.”
“I love you too, Aunt Vicky.” He gently disentangled himself, clearing the sudden lump in his throat. “I don't want to keep you. The bride's probably got a thousand things she needs her mom's help with.”
“True,” she said with a little laugh. She looked up at him, smiling tremulously. “Thank you for being here for her. It means more than you think.”
He nodded, and she briskly moved back behind him to get to work on his hair. “Back to our previous subject, you know you look nice even with longish hair. Let's just take the roguish edge off, huh?”
They fell silent, the air filling with the peaceful sound of scissors at work. A few minutes later Vicky dusted him off with a cloth, then offered him a hand mirror. “What do you think?” she asked.
“I think I look a lot less like a drifter,” he said, turning his head from side to side. “Almost worth the trip up from Utah.”
She laughed, then made for the door. “Come on, still a million things to do.”
That was an understatement. The following hours were a blur of frantic activity until somehow, just before one, the yard had been transformed into an idyllic setting perfect for a wedding. Aside from the fact that the groom was bedridden; even though he was one of the stars of the show, he wasn't strong enough to do more than attend the ceremony. After which he'd probably need to sleep through the party everyone else had for him and his new bride.
The guests all crowded into the main room of the house, craning to watch and listen through the door into Jared's room. It was quite the turnout, although the cynical part of Skyler couldn't help but reflect that for a party, this place was packed to the rafters. But when his friends had been facing death at the hands of cutthroat bandits, nothing but crickets.
A friend in need was a friend indeed, he supposed. Better not to let it spoil the mood.
A couple people with skill on the fiddle began playing a solemn wedding march as Uncle Bob walked Lisa down the “aisle”, the crowd parting to make room for them. And Skyler had to admit that, impromptu ceremony under less than ideal circumstances or not, the bride looked absolutely gorgeous. She was in a simple white gown, soft brown hair a shimmering wave down her back beneath a circlet of braided flowers. Skyler would've expected the breathtaking sight to be too painful to bear, but with her radiant smile all he could see was his oldest friend on the happiest day of her life.
Lone Valley's pastor officiated, solemn and dignified in spite of being jammed into a tiny room with four other people. He was a good speaker, amusing and entertaining where appropriate, and even making a few wry references to how with the trouble with the bandits, Jared's and Lisa's devotion to each other had already been tested and proven stronger than ever.
Finally, it was time to get to the big event itself. Skyler had heard enough variations of the ceremony to not exactly be hanging on every word, although his attention was drawn uncomfortably to the pastor when he got to the, “are there any who oppose this marriage? Speak now, or forever hold your peace,” part.
He was aware of Bob and Vicky studiously not looking at him, while Jared was eyeing him warily and Lisa's gaze was somewhere past his head, nibbling her lower lip. Seriously? He rolled his eyes at his friend when her gaze finally darted to his, and she hid a smile and glanced back at the pastor, who cheerfully continued on to the vows.
Lisa's were eloquent, sweet, heartfelt, and obviously carefully thought out, eyes full of love as she gazed down at the man she'd chosen to spend her life with. Jared's were a bit more halting, but no less heartfelt.
Then it was time to kiss the bride. Although considering the groom was still bedridden, it was his wife who leaned down to kiss him. Even though Skyler was happy for the two, and had no greater hope than that they'd have a wonderful life together, he still had to look away from that, jaw tightening.
Unfortunately, he ended up looking right at Aunt Vicky, only to find her staring back at him. The look she gave him was hard to read, other than that it seemed sympathetic. Then she looked back to her daughter and new son-in-law as everyone began clapping and cheering, and the two broke the kiss.
Thankfully, the parents of the bride wasted no time briskly ushering everyone outside for the festivities, giving the new couple a few minutes of peace and quiet. Vicky swept Skyler in with her own children and led them to the main table, seating him directly across from the bride; not exactly the most comfortable place, but he'd grin and bear it for her sake.
As everyone settled into their seats, Bob stood and held up his hands for attention. “Thank you for taking the time to come be here with us!” he said, smiling around at the crowd. “We'd like to express our sincere gratitude at the chance to be surrounded by kith and kin on this momentous day.”
Skyler looked down at a hand tugging his sleeve. “What's kith mean?” Bryant whispered up to him.
He looked back at Lisa's brother solemnly. “Well it sounds a bit like kine, so it probably means cows,” he whispered back. A bit farther down the table Jeb snorted, but didn't say anything.
The boy's brow furrowed. “I know what kin means, so . . . Dad said we're grateful to have cows and family around us at Lisa's wedding?”
The ranch hand laughed outright this time, raising one hand in an attempt to turn it into a cough. “Aren't you?” Skyler asked, fighting his own smile.
Bryant glanced between them, then scowled. “You're teasing me. What does it really mean?”
He ruffled the boy's hair, earning a fiercer scowl. “It's just a fancy word for friends.”
“Then why not just say that?”
Skyler shrugged. “It's a wedding, you have to talk all fancy.”
A few minutes later there was a hubbub as Lisa came outside and was ushered to the place of honor. At which point the reception continued about how others Skyler had attended usually had, with food being passed out while people took turns toasting the new bride and groom.
Most of the toasts, unsurprisingly, revolved around wishes for Jared to have a swift and complete recovery, with more than a few expressing their hope that Lisa's family would be able to restore the ranch to its former peace and prosperity now that the threat was past.
Skyler felt a bit awkward about the fact that everyone else at the table, even solemn Bryant, stood to say a few words. Lisa was his oldest friend, but it was hard to think of what to say. And he wasn't sure she even wanted him to, given everything between them.
But finally, after Tess Longley finished her own toast, he bit the bullet and stood, looking around at the assembled guests. “Just as a quick introduction, I'm a friend of the Hendricksons from Utah. So I've been blessed to have Lisa as a friend for as long as I can remember. It's wonderful to be here during one of the biggest events of her life, to see her so happy.”
He smiled and raised his glass to her, noting the tears shining in her eyes. “May every day of your marriage be better than the one before.” There was a murmur of approval as everyone joined in the toast.
There were a few more toasts after that, then there was a lull as everyone dug into the food. That was a mixed blessing for Skyler, who now had to enjoy the awkwardness of being seated across from the bride in the sudden silence. So he decided he'd probably better fill it. “Feel bad for Jared, having to miss his own wedding reception.”
“I know, I wish he could be here too.” His friend paused, making a face. “Although to be honest, he's not the biggest fan of big crowds, especially if he's the center of attention. If you asked him he'd probably tell you sleeping through this is just fine with him.”
Somehow, Skyler wasn't surprised to hear any of that. “Well you'll just have to celebrate hard enough for the both of you,” he teased.
She grinned back. “Oh, I plan to. This may not be how I've planned my wedding since I was a little girl, but it's exactly what I want.”
He tipped his glass in salute to that, and the tension eased as the family joked and tal
ked together.
The food was good, of course. Easily the best meal he'd had since coming to the ranch, and that was saying something. Then Aunt Vicky brought out a couple chocolate cakes, stacked on a delicate platform to resemble a wedding cake.
Lisa gamely cut out the first slice on her own, then disappeared inside to share it with her husband. She reappeared with frosting on her nose, to general cheers and clapping, and then Bob got to work cutting all the guests a piece.
After that was dancing. Skyler once again felt bad for his friend, since for the first dance she should've had with Jared she led out her dad instead. She danced with Bryant next, then little Connor who stood on her shoes and laughed the entire time, and even Jeb.
Skyler felt awkward not knowing anyone, and doubted the wisdom of asking the bride for a dance. He let Aunt Vicky draw him out to the floor, then Mrs. Longley. Then he settled back in his seat.
Lisa joined him after a few minutes, looking flushed and happy. “Done already?” she teased. “I can see a bunch of eligible young ladies eyeing you hopefully.”
He hadn't noticed, and honestly he wasn't really in the mood for dancing with complete strangers; he might've asked Adalia, but none of her family had shown up. So he just shrugged. “Honestly after the last few days, an excuse to be off my feet isn't the worst thing.”
“No arguments there,” she said, making a face. “I'm just so glad it's finally over.”
After a slightly awkward pause, his friend cleared her throat. “So I noticed you haven't given us a wedding gift.” Her tone was light, but there was a serious root to it.
He felt his face flushing. “Actually, I had an idea for one. We've got pigs on our ranch, so I was thinking of how I could get a couple up here for you.”
“It would be glorious to have bacon.” She laughed, then sobered and continued in a gentle voice. “But I wasn't fishing for presents, Sky. If you really want to give me a great wedding gift, tell me you'll fix your boneheaded mistake and go home and try to patch things up with Tabby.”
