“Well, I was going to propose to Mallory this week,” he admitted.
I choked on the chip and Wolfe had to pound me on the back before I could breathe again. “What do you mean you were going to propose? You never told me that!”
“I know. Joe left me a family ring, though , and even gave me his blessing, in the form of a letter. I’ve been holding onto it, carrying it everywhere with me, but the timing hasn’t been right. But I finally decided to do it this week, on Friday night, and then you guys had to plan your wedding this week . ” H e sounded defeated.
“So do it anyway,” Wolfe suggested.
“I couldn’t do that. Rainey would have a fit,” Luke argued.
“Actually, I think it would be perfect. If you do it at our reception, all your closest friends will be there. Rainey would love it,” I promised, only a tic nervous that she wouldn’t like the idea. B ut I felt like I knew her well enough to say she would enjoy it.
“If you’re sure,” Luke hedged.
“Absolutely . ”
“Do it!” Wolfe raised his beer and we clinked the bottles together.
Hours later, we were too drunk to stay out any longer. We took a cab to our hotel in downtown Portland and rode up to the fourth floor. We were in our room for less than ten seconds before we all passed out.
The next morning, I woke up on the floor with an extreme headache, but I made it to the bathroom before I blew chunks. I splashed water on my face afterward, taking note of the way my stomach felt and tucking the information away for future reference. I’d never been so drunk in my whole life. No one should ever consume that much liquor.
I wiped my face with a hand towel and went out into the room, collapsing into a chair by the window. Luke was face-down on one of the beds and Wolfe occupied the other. They were both still fully clothed and I stifled a laugh until I realized I was wearing my clothes from last night, too. I swiped my phone off the table and decided to text my fiancé e .
Good morning, Beautiful.
Hey babe. The girls are treating me to a spa day. How was your night?
I looked around the room, noting the beer bottles and half-full cups of Jager.
Fantastic.
I bet. Are you going to pick up a tux today?
Yeah, I’ll text you when we get back into town. I love you.
I love you, too. See you later.
I smiled. It was like once she let her guard down, she was this whole other person, one not afraid to be close to someone else and let them in. It was a good change of pace.
I wondered what would have happened if I had gone after her to LA all those years ago, when she left after high school. As much as I wanted to say we would end up right where we were today, I knew I couldn’t be sure. Rainey had been different then: self-conscious, shy, and about to face the biggest challenge of her life, her leukemia. Everything I loved about her was due to the fact that she had changed over the years; she’d grown up. Who could say that we would have stayed together if we had gotten together back then?
For now, though, I was grateful for every second I had with her. And I couldn’t wait to see her tonight. It hadn’t even been a full day and I missed her like crazy. I was, in every sense, addicted to Rainey. She had so quickly become my whole reason for being. I lived to make her happy.
I stepped out into the hallway to make a call before Luke and Wolfe got up. I wanted to surprise Rainey with something that was sure to make her even happier.
***
When the guys finally woke up, we dragged ourselves out of the hotel and got some breakfast. The diner was a favorite of mine, and I ordered an extra-large cup of coffee.
Luke requested water and toast, his signature hangover meal, and I was amazed by Wolfe’s appetite. He ordered eggs, bacon, pancakes, fried potatoes , and a tall glass of milk. Luke almost gagged when the waitress brought us our food.
“How can you eat that much?” I asked Wolfe, who dug in to his meal with fervor.
“What do you mean? This isn’t a lot . ” H e frowned.
My eyes went wide. I could put away some food, but even on a sober day I couldn’t eat a meal that hearty. And he was claiming it wasn’t a lot?
“I’m a growing boy,” he mumbled with a pat on his stomach and then washed down a forkful of pancake with milk.
Luke, I noticed, kept his head down and munched on his toast silently. Either he didn’t want to hurt Wolfe’s feelings or he didn’t want to be nauseated by the sheer volume of food Wolfe ate. Once we had all finished, we left a hefty tip for our server and went out to the truck.
“I’ve got to get a tux,” I explained to them.
“Sure. There’s a shop downtown that should be able to get you one on short notice,” Luke said as he climbed in the driver’s seat.
I pulled open the door behind his and jumped in. “Sounds good.”
Wolfe grunted his approval from the passenger seat and we were off.
I found a sleek black tux that wouldn’t need any alterations. The vest was a faded pink color, which was similar to one of the colors Rainey mentioned she wanted to be our wedding colors. If it didn’t match the way she wanted, I would just not wear it, I decided. It was in really good shape and the shop didn’t want much money for it , so it wouldn’t be a huge loss if I had to ditch the vest for the day .
Luke and Wolfe found cheap tuxes that were the same deep black as mine and rented theirs. I could have rented mine, too, but I really wanted to keep the tux as a reminder of my marriage to Rainey. The shop owner suggested they each wear a plain black vest, so they didn’t have any conflicting color schemes. He also threw in a white vest and tie for me, just in case the salmon-colored vest didn’t work out.
We thanked him and then drove out of Portland to the small town of Casper that I had called home for my entire life. The scenic drive was filled with lots of green from the pine trees and shrubbery. As we came down the hill into downtown Casper, I had to smile at the freshly planted flowers that lined Main Street. It made the town look all the more picturesque and perfect.
My life until that point had been filled with little appreciation for the people and places around me, but as we passed the dozen or so shops, I gave up a silent thanks for everything this town had taught me over the years. Small - town life wasn’t for everyone, and I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to stay here, but I knew that wherever Rainey wanted to spend her last days, that’s where we would be. She had the final say, since she was the one who would eventually be on a deathbed.
When we pulled into the driveway of the house Luke and Mallory shared , the girls were nowhere to be found. I knew they wouldn’t be back for a while yet, either. Behind us and right on time, a delivery truck pulled into the drive.
“What’s this?” Luke asked, staring at the vehicle with apprehension.
“I ordered something special for Rainey,” I explained. I went over to the truck and told the driver what I wanted done in the backyard. He and another guy started unloading dozens of flowers from the truck. “I’ve got to run over to the hardware store and get a few things. Can you guys supervise the delivery?”
Luke looked at me. “Of course. Where are all these flowers going?”
“Just have them set up around the outer edges of the space. The guys delivering the chairs should be along shortly. We want six chairs on either side of a wide aisle. All the chairs should face the back edge of the yard and leave a space big enough in front of the chairs to accommodate a ten - by - ten alter,” I directed them.
“Got it,” Wolfe called as he followed one of the delivery guys around to the back of the house.
“Anything else?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, actually. I’m going to need some help to build an arch. It’s another surprise for Rainey. You up for the job?”
“You know it . ” H e pounded my outstretched fist and we parted ways.
I jumped in his truck and kicked it in gear, turning out of the driveway and heading toward the hardware store. Ra
iney wanted a perfect wedding and I was going to make damn sure she got it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Rainey
On the drive back to town, after I’d been thoroughly pampered and beautified, we dropped Ember off at home. She still had several days of school left, and I didn’t want her to miss any more days. She would come over Friday night to be at the wedding Saturday.
Mallory’s cell rang when we were just a few miles out of Casper.
“Hello?” she answered, balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder as she drove. She glanced warily at me. “Umm, yeah, I can do that. No, it’s no problem. I’ll see you tonight. Bye . ” S he pressed end and dropped her phone in the cup holder.
“What was that about?” Gabby asked from the backseat.
“Change of plans. We are staying at Wolfe’s house now and the guys are staying at my place.”
“Why?” I asked, mildly curious.
“I’m not sure. Something about they wanted to make sure things are set up properly or something. Domineering men . ” S he rolled her eyes.
I wasn’t exactly thrilled to stay at Wolfe’s place, and I was positive Gabby would throw a fit, but to my surprise, she just nodded her agreement and stayed quiet.
I assumed Baker didn’t want me to feel overburdened with any of the organizing, so he decided to take over and keep me as stress free as possible. He was so sweet. He gave up a lot of time at work for this wedding, as did all our friends, but I knew how much this week off would cost him.
“So have you guys decided on a honeymoon?” Gabby asked me.
“Umm, not really. We were just in Vegas and I know he won’t be able to take much more time off work, so it’ll probably be like a night or two somewhere. No big deal,” I said.
“Baker has all the time off in the world,” Gabby started.
“Gabby!” Mallory chastised her and shook her head at her.
“What do you mean he has all sorts of time off?”
Both of them were silent.
“Tell me now or the wedding is canceled,” I threatened, feeling like a total bridezilla and not caring one bit.
“Okay, but don’t get mad,” Mallory finally relented. “Baker sold the bar.”
“He did what? Why wouldn’t he tell me?” It was so unlike him to keep something like that from me. I was torn. Part of me was excited that we could be free of the bar for the next several weeks, but the other part of me was upset that he hid it from me.
“I’m not sure. He probably didn’t want you to feel guilty, in case you pushed him away again when he went to LA,” Gabby suggested.
He sold it before LA? That meant he was even more serious about me than I could fathom. While I was stuck in my own childish tantrum, he had been planning a future for us. And that certainly explained why he had a huge wad of cash in Vegas. As disappointed as I was that he didn’t tell me, I decided to see if I could mess with him about it and maybe lure the truth out of him.
I grinned and explained my little plan to the Mallory and Gabby, who wholeheartedly agreed.
By the time we got to Wolfe’s house, we were all feeling devious. The guys were all waiting for us and Baker gave me a huge grin as I walked up to him.
“Hey , gorgeous,” he greeted me. “I missed you.” He enveloped me in his arms and I felt the familiar tingling of contentment in my body, a sure sign that we were doing the right thing.
“Hey, yourself. Did the chairs come?”
“Yep. We’ve got everything handled,” he promised. “Have you decided where we’re going to have our rehearsal dinner? I was thinking somewhere local so that we don’t have to travel much. I’ve spent more time lately on the road or in a plane than I have just staying in one spot. I’m tired of being busy.”
He gave me the perfect opening. “I have, actually. I figured it would be cost effective to have the rehearsal dinner at The Landing, and it wouldn’t cost much, since you’re the boss. We could get cheap meals for everyone and then we wouldn’t have to empty our pockets for a dinner for our friends,” I suggested with a smirk.
Baker had the decency to look horrified. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” he started.
“Why not? I think it’s perfect. A night on the water will help to relax everyone, too,” I explained. “I really want to do it there, Baker . ”
He sighed. “The thing is, Rainey … ” H e looked around at our friends who surrounded us, the guys looking sheepish and my girlfriends looking like the cat that ate the canary. “Honestly, the food isn’t that good.”
Food? The man was a piece of work.
“Well , that’s okay,” I replied sweetly. “It will just mean a lot to me to have all of us together in your bar.”
Behind him, Luke coughed and Wolfe averted his eyes. I had Baker right where I wanted him.
“Rainey, I sold the bar!” he blurted, eyes on the grass. When he looked up at me, I had to hide my smile.
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” I gave him my saddest eyes and frown. I tried my best to look hurt.
“I’m so sorry,” he began. “I should have. I didn’t know how to tell you, though. And then we were in Vegas, and it hardly seemed the appropriate time to say anything. Then the proposal and we were on a plane back here. There hasn’t been enough time,” he rushed his words together.
I turned away from him and covered my mouth with my hand to stop the giggles that were bubbling up . I couldn’t stop my shoulders from shaking, though.
“Rainey! Please don’t cry , baby. I’m so sorry . ” H e whipped me around and wrapped me up in his arms so my head was buried in his chest.
I gripped his shirt in my hands, drawing deep breaths to try to stop laughing, but I had a hard time and my breathing was erratic and short. Baker rubbed my back and made shh sounds at me in a soothing tone, which only set me off on another round of giggles.
It wasn’t until Baker really looked at the people around us that he realized something wasn’t right. Wolfe and Luke stood side-by-side, arms folded over their chests a few feet away with huge grins. Mallory and Gabby were on Luke’s left, with a hand covering their mouths, but it was obvious they were smiling, too.
Baker gripped my arms and pushed me away from him so he could look at me. “What the hell…?”
I let out my pent-up laughter and gave him a big smile. “Gotcha!”
His hands dropped from my arms and he stared at me, incredulous. “This was a joke?”
“Of course it was! You really think I would be upset about you selling your bar? I’m not that controlling, Baker . ”
He finally got over his stupor and shook his head, trying to hide the upturn of his lips. I winked at him and then walked into the house with Mallory and Gabby following close behind. I heard howls of laughter from Luke and Wolfe and the three of them wrestled a bit before they joined us inside.
I sat at Wolfe’s dining room table, smiling over the last time I had been here and Wolfe had been encouraging to me.
Gabby sat next to me looking uncomfortable. “So why don’t you ask your brother to walk you down the aisle, Rain?”
“Well, he’s always so busy and this is completely last minute, so I didn’t ask him because I thought it would put some strain on his schedule. I’ll ask him to come see me after the wedding, and he can pick the time and not feel rushed or anything.”
“There is a bit of a rush, though, isn’t there?” Mallory asked from her spot in the kitchen where she leaned against the counter.
“I know…” I searched for the right words to convey how I felt. “I just didn’t want to bother him.”
“He deserves to know,” Gabby said gently as she put a hand on min e .
“He will. I’ll tell him,” I promised. “I will.”
They both seemed appeased about Dallas for the moment and then the guys walked in, interrupting our conversation and covered in dirt from their wrestling session. Mallory got each of them a beer.
Baker walked over to me and p
ut his hand on my shoulder. “So where do you really want to have the rehearsal?”
“Oh, I’m not picky. Anywhere you choose is fine,” I said agreeably.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Baker
Friday proved to be a trying day. Rainey’s mother called at seven in the morning, refusing to attend the wedding. I felt so bad for Rainey, who was calm and polite on the phone, but obviously stressed out.
“Mom, I’m not going to make you come, but it would be really nice if you did.”
“You never even told me about your leukemia. Imagine how I felt, finding out from the gossips in town about it! I’ve never been more embarrassed in my life!”
Rainey had her phone on speaker, so I could hear every word. I was amazed that her mom could be so selfish and self-centered. Rainey was the one suffering.
“I know, Mom. I should have told you. I’m sorry,” she apologized. This was a side of Rainey I’d never seen. She wasn’t the feisty woman I knew and loved; she was submissive and quiet. As much as I hated to see her this way, I knew that she had adapted her personality to her mother’s, so that she would piss her off with what she said. It was so sad. I wrapped an arm around Rainey’s shoulders for support.
When she got off the phone with her mom, Rainey was drained. I suggested she go back to sleep for an hour and then she could be more relaxed for the day. She had finally convinced her mom to come to the wedding, although I wasn’t sure it would be a good idea, considering her mom’s drug and alcohol problems. Rainey assured me it would be okay and then went back to sleep.
The rehearsal went smoothly and we even managed to convince Rainey to do it outside the restaurant instead of at Mallory’s house. I wanted her to be as surprised as possible when she walked down the aisle. We had the dinner at The Roadhouse, a nearby restaurant with a great food selection and plenty of room for the wedding party, not that it was overly large.
Broken Dreams (Broken Series) Page 13
