Needing Him

by Kennedy Fox

  Flowers and lace, along with other decorations, are stacked and scattered around the house. It looks like a wedding threw up in here. As Mama reminds Jackson and John of what else she wants to be done, Alex and I stand by the door.

  “How’s River holding up?” I ask, knowing how much she’s working and taking care of the baby all while planning their wedding. They live on the property, so Mama is around to help out with Riley a lot, but River still has to commute an hour to and from work.

  “She’s doing good but wearing herself out. Her parents and best friend are staying at the B&B, and she feels obligated to entertain them. Between that and Riley, she’s overextending herself.”

  River and I work at the hospital together, and lately, she’s been pulling double shifts. Even though she works on the pediatric floor and I work in the emergency room, we cross paths often because the hospital isn’t very big. The last time we spoke, she swore that she’d relax the few days leading up to the wedding, but I knew that was a lie.

  “So much for a mini vacation beforehand.”

  “Exactly. She’s going to need to go back to work just to catch a break.” He laughs.

  Mama interrupts our conversation. “And you two boys can work on hanging more of those lanterns. The tree looks bare out there, and we’re trying to set a mood.”

  After we’ve been given our reminder list of bitch work, Alex and I head out the door. Dylan follows, not paying too much attention because he’s too caught up in his cell phone to care, probably texting Jessica, the girl he also met in Key West last year. Since she moved here from Ontario, it’s become serious.

  John and Jackson are busy stringing lights through dozens of extra lanterns Mama had. Before long, there are about one hundred of them on the ground with lights inside, and we stare with wide eyes. Mama wasn’t kidding about wanting more lanterns, but this amount seems like it will light the whole damn town. Hell, the fire department might come out. Moving the ladder closer, I climb up and start hanging them on the hooks that Jackson and John are busy nailing to the bark. Alex and Dylan form an assembly line to hand them to me one by one.

  “Are you nervous?” I ask Alex as I grab a lantern from his hand.

  “I’m just ready to make it official and make River a Bishop. Something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. Can’t imagine her not being in my life now. It’s crazy when you find the person you’re meant to be with, and you just know she’s your other half.”

  “Don’t be getting all sappy on me, geez,” I tease him with a smile just as I hear my sister yelling our names from the back porch.

  “We’re over here,” Alex yells back.

  In the distance, I can hear Jackson and John laughing with Courtney, and they’re heading this way. As soon as Courtney sees Alex, she runs toward him and pulls him in for a big hug.

  “So happy for you! So happy River will finally be my sister,” she continues. “Now the rest of you need to go find a woman and have babies too. I need more sisters and nieces and nephews.”

  “Shut up. You’re sounding like Mama more and more every day, which is scary as hell,” I tell her, pulling her into a hug. “You look good, Court. Like you’ve been kicking Drew’s ass for the past six months.”

  She chuckles. “I have. After carrying three babies, he deserves a good ass kicking.”

  For a moment, she stops and looks around at the tent and all the decorations and gets a little emotional. “Reminds me of my own wedding. Seems just like yesterday.”

  “And now look at ya; baby sister’s all grown up being a mom and a wife,” Jackson pipes in, and she stops him with a death glare before he can continue teasing her.

  “Oh, I picked up all your tux rentals from the shop when we got Drew’s. They’re inside,” Courtney adds. “Anyway. I should probably go check on Mama and Aunt Charlotte and make sure the babies are still doing okay.”

  “You’re really going to make sure they haven’t eaten Drew up and spit him out,” Jackson adds.

  Courtney flips him off and continues on her way.

  Time flies, and I don’t realize how late it is until it starts getting dark. We work on the rest of the tasks we were given until Mama yells from the back porch that it’s dinnertime. Before we go inside, we plug in the lights to see our handiwork in action. The trees twinkle and glow with lights, and I get what Mama was saying about setting the perfect romantic mood—it’s perfect.

  “Wow. River is gonna love this,” Alex says, standing back with his arms crossed over his chest.

  Jackson pats him hard on the back. “Holy shit, dude. This party’s gonna be the shit! Did you invite any single ladies?”

  Alex shakes his head. “I have no idea who’s showing up to this shindig. I think Mama invited three hundred people— basically the whole damn town.”

  “I’m calling dibs on the first hot one I see,” Jackson claims while Alex laughs.

  “You would.” I roll my eyes.

  As we walk toward the house, I can’t help but think how Alex is really getting married to the woman he loves. He’s grown up so much over the past year, I can hardly believe he’s the same guy who went out and got pissed drunk the night River thought she was in labor. She called me hysterically because she couldn’t find him, and I ended up driving over to help her through the Braxton Hicks contractions. None of us would’ve thought the youngest brother would be the first to get married, but I couldn’t be happier for all three of them.

  Chapter Two

  EMILY

  “Please?” Kiera bats her eyelashes, folding her hands in a begging hold. “Don’t make me go alone.”

  Leave it to Kiera Young, my friend from my early college days, to master the sad puppy eyes, lower trembling pouty lip, and sweet, high-pitched baby voice to get what she wants.

  “I’m not going to know anyone!” I protest for the fifth time since we’ve been FaceTiming.

  “Which is perfect!” she exclaims. “This will be a chance to meet new people! The Bishop family is like the family, Em. They own a huge ranch on thousands of acres of land, passed down for generations, and they know everyone, which could be good for you.”

  I wrinkle my nose in disagreement. “How so?”

  “Well, unless you want to be a nun for the rest of your life, it could help you branch out and network. It’s important to know people in these small towns, Emily. You’re not in Houston anymore,” she reminds me, though she doesn’t need to.

  Moving from a large city high-rise to a one-bedroom condo hasn’t been easy, to say the least. Not to mention I can’t get Chinese delivery at midnight anymore or even my sugar-free Vanilla Latte from Starbucks that used to be a block away.

  “So you’re saying to crash this wedding to network and meet people?”

  “You won’t be crashing, because you’ll be my plus one!” The smile on her face gets bigger when she realizes I’m starting to crack. “Also, there’ll be lots of single men. The youngest brother is getting married, but that still leaves three single Bishops. Well, except Jackson.”

  I roll my eyes and smirk. “Trust me. I have no desire to invade your property.”

  She pinches her lips and scowls. “Anyway…” Clearing her throat, she continues, “So will you go with me or not? I don’t want to show up alone like a big loser, especially if Jackson brings a date or something.”

  Her breathing always quickens when she talks about Jackson Bishop, her friend since she was in preschool—and I know that’s because she wants to be much more than just that to him. She’s had a crush on him for years, but as she explains it, Jackson doesn’t settle down with anyone.

  “You should bring a date, Kiera! He needs to see you’re not just waiting around for him, and hell, maybe it’ll even make him jealous, and he’ll realize what’s been right in front of him the whole damn time.” I’ve told her this before, but I know she won’t listen.

  “It won’t matter anyway. Jackson and Tanner were best friends in high school, and they’re still f
riends, which means I’ll always be off-limits to him.” Tanner was her high school sweetheart and one of Jackson’s best friends growing up. Even though that was close to ten years ago and shouldn’t even matter anymore—another thing I’ve reminded her of—she refuses to listen. “That’s even if he likes me that way,” she continues. “Half the time, I can’t even tell. He’s like one of those fifty cent mood rings.”

  “Cheap and plastic.” I snort.

  She rolls her eyes and scowls. “No. Unpredictable and always changing.”

  I sigh, deciding not to add any more of my thoughts on the situation. Jackson has been the star in her sex dreams for as long as I can remember, but until they both get the sticks out of their asses and confess their true feelings, they’ll continue this back and forth emotional roller coaster.

  “Alright, fine. I’ll go.” I cave. Kiera’s family and the Bishops are close, so I know she has to attend regardless, but at least this way I can keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t drink herself stupid and do something else she’ll regret.

  “Yay! Oh my God, thank you!” She squeals so loud I have to cover my ears.

  “On one condition…” I interrupt. “You dance with one guy at the wedding who isn’t Jackson.”

  She twists her lips for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

  “Who’s under forty,” I add, knowing my friend way too well. She’ll dance with an old guy and say it counts.

  Huffing, she relaxes her shoulders. “Fine.”

  I smile, victoriously.

  “Same goes for you then. You have to dance with a guy under forty.”

  “But I don’t know anyone,” I remind her. “I’m not going to dance with a random guy so he can feel me up on the dance floor.” Not to mention I have a strict no dating rule. Ever since my douchebag ex cheated on me, I have no desire to date. My only focus right now is on my new job and starting fresh.

  “I’ll pick a good one for you…promise.” She grins before checking her watch. “Okay, I really have to go. We’re supposed to get another trailer of horses in this afternoon, so I better get ready.” Kiera’s a horse trainer, one of the best in the state, which is why it’s always hard for us to get together. Between both of our chaotic work schedules, we have to plan our chats in advance.

  “Okay, see you soon!” I smile, excited I’ll be hanging out with her again.

  We hang up, and I click on my calendar app to write in the date. Crap. That’s next weekend.

  Kiera looks like she’s dressed up for the Grammys instead of a country wedding. Can’t say I’m really surprised though. She’s already gorgeous with her strawberry-blonde hair updo and striking long legs, but she puts in extra effort knowing Jackson will be there.

  “Are you going to a weddin’ or a funeral?” Kiera frowns as soon as she sees my dress.

  “Nice to see you too,” I deadpan, opening my door wider for her to step inside.

  She rolls her eyes and smiles, wrapping her arms around me for a quick hug. “You look beautiful, as always, but you can’t wear black to a wedding.”

  My brows tighten. “Why not?”

  “Because you just can’t. You need a bright and colorful cocktail dress. Something that shows off your curves and chest.”

  “I’m not a show horse.” My shoulders tense. “Plus, this dress is comfortable.”

  “Yeah, so is wearing a muumuu. Doesn’t mean you wear it out in public.” She grabs my hand and leads me down the hall to my bedroom. “I know you have some good stuff in here between all your scrubs.” She goes through my closet like it’s her life mission to find me the perfect dress. I’ve attended dozens of charity events for my dad, and each event meant a new dress because heaven forbid high society see me wearing the same thing twice. I don’t mind getting dressed up, but between my work hours and lack of social life, I only wear them when I absolutely have to.

  “This dress has gotten me plenty of free drinks, thank you very much,” I tell her proudly as I reach around the back and unzip it.

  “Probably because men feel sorry for your loss.”

  I snort, letting the fabric fall to my feet. “Fine. What do you suggest then?”

  She pulls a few hangers and shows me the options. “Okay, these three have my approval. As long as you’re okay with not wearing a bra.” She shrugs.

  “Great,” I respond dryly.

  After contemplating, I pick the dark blue dress with a sweetheart neckline and red belt. I pair it with my favorite red heels and a red clutch.

  “Am I decent now?” I turn and ask Kiera who’s watching me.

  “Hell yeah. That’s more like it.” She grins, wagging her brows.

  I roll my eyes at her and walk down the hall. “Let’s go, Juliet.”

  She links her arm through mine. “Too bad Romeo is an idiot.”

  “Especially if he can deny you in that dress. Or at least I think it’s a dress. The lack of fabric makes it questionable.” I stuff my phone in my clutch and grab my keys before we head out the door.

  “Testing his willpower is my favorite game.” She smirks. “And him hooking up with random chicks is his.”

  “You two are so fucking weird.” I open the door to her car and slide in. “How is it possible you two haven’t drunk banged yet?”

  “Considering Jackson likes to drink, it’s a mystery to me too.”

  “Since I’ll more than likely be sitting on the sidelines tonight, I’ll be observing to see once and for all if he’s into you or not. You two have danced around each other for so long, you’ve made the rest of us dizzy just watching.”

  “You’re dizzy? How do you think I feel? One second, he’s all protective and sweet, and the next, he’s cold and distant. He’s worse than a chick on her period.”

  “He’s worse than a chick, period.” I laugh. “Too bad he doesn’t have an identical twin brother you could date instead. Oh, wait…” I tease, glancing over at her red cheeks.

  “Identical in looks, opposite in personality,” she retorts. “And John is like a big brother to me. There are no feelings like that at all.”

  We chat the entire forty-five-minute drive to Eldorado. She briefs me on the Bishop clan and tells me stories of growing up with the Bishop brothers and their sister, Courtney.

  “You’ll love Court. She’s sassy and bold.”

  “Like you.” I grin.

  “Who do you think taught her?” She chuckles, turning into a gravel driveway with a huge sign that reads Circle B Ranch. “She and her husband have triplets, and Alex and River have a little boy.” She continues filling my head with information that I’m probably going to forget later.

  “So are you saying I’m going to end up at the kiddies’ table?” I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously.

  She bursts out laughing as she finds an open place to park. “Nah. I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

  For some reason, I have a hard time believing her.

  We walk down the path toward the huge oak tree where the outdoor ceremony will be held. White chairs are lined up and a beautiful arch decorated with flowers is at the front. There’s a huge white tent on the other side, and people are crowding in everywhere.

  “Wow…” I take in the view and how gorgeous everything looks.

  “No one throws a party like the Bishops do,” Kiera says matter-of-factly as we walk closer.

  Since it’s April and early spring in Texas, it’s already warm out, but luckily, it’ll cool down soon. It’s almost five, and the sun will be setting in a few hours.

  Kiera starts introducing me to some of the guests sitting near us. She acts like a tour guide, knowing everyone and their business. She whispers their secrets to me and tells me which guys are single.

  The ceremony music begins, and everyone shuffles to their seats.

  “That’s Mama Bishop,” she whispers. “John’s escorting her down and behind them is Scott Bishop, the dad.”

  “How can you even tell them apart?”

  S
he glances over at me and smirks. “John’s much more serious. Jackson’s hair is a little longer, too.”

  “He’s pretty good lookin’,” I whisper, admiring his chiseled and neatly trimmed jawline.

  “If you dated John and I dated Jackson, that’d be perfect!” she whisper-shouts and gazes at me like the heart-eyes emoji. “We could have a double weddin’ and get pregnant at the same time. Then our kids would grow up together and be best friends.”

  I furrow my brows, wondering how she went from zero to a hundred in less than three seconds. “Slow it down, Juliet. I’m not waiting for your Romeo to get his head out of his ass to get married. Although considering my luck with men, you two might actually beat me to it.”

  The woman in front of me glares back at us with a loud shushing noise, and Kiera giggles.

  The girl has it bad. She needs to get laid and over Jackson Bishop ASAP. In fact, now that I’m single and starting fresh in a new town with a new job, I just might make it my mission to find Kiera a man. Someone who will actually give her the time of day and appreciate everything she has to offer.

  We sit in silence as the wedding party continues to make their way down the aisle. I look up front and see all the men looking amazing in their black suits. They’re all wearing black cowboy hats, except the groom is wearing a white one. Cowboys don’t usually do it for me, which is ironic since I was born and raised in Texas, but I grew up in the suburbs of a big city. The guys I dated were from well-known families my father approved of, but they never lasted. However, these cowboys standing at the front of the aisle are looking pretty damn good right now.

  Everything about the ceremony is beautiful. The weather is perfect, and the decorations are simple yet stunning. The bride and the entire wedding party are gorgeous. My little black heart even melts when they read their own vows, which causes everyone—including the wedding party—to wipe their eyes. When the bride and groom finally kiss, there’s no doubt how much they care for each other. Everyone erupts in cheers, then it’s over and time to party.