by Dylann Crush
Chyna put her hands to her sides, palms flipped out to mimic the penguins. “Not so much meandering, just have them walk a straight line down the aisle.”
“You know penguins have a natural waddle to their stride, right?”
The pressure from Zina’s hand tightened on his arm.
“They look drunk though. Can’t you get them to waddle a little less?” Chyna demonstrated. Hands still at her sides like wings, she executed a graceful straight walk down the center of the aisle.
This had gone on long enough. The woman was beyond demanding now; her request was ridiculous. He opened his mouth to tell her just where she could shove the idea of his penguins non-waddling down the aisle. Before he could say a word, Zina clamped her hand over his mouth.
“We’ll practice with the penguins to see if we can straighten their gait. Right, Alex?” Her eyes had taken on an almost maniacal shine. Like if he didn’t play nice and agree with her, she might nip off his nose or something.
Clearing his throat, he reached up to move her hand away from his mouth and twined his fingers with hers.
“That’s right.” The smile he forced on his lips felt strained. “I’ll see what I can do to de-waddle the birds.”
Zina bit back a grin. He could tell she was about to lose it by the way her chest moved in and out, like she was trying to breathe without laughing.
“Very well.” Chyna let her hands drop. “Now let’s do the whole ‘kiss the bride’ and let me see how you manage to get yourselves back down the aisle.”
Alex lifted a brow, and Zina linked her arm through his again. “She doesn’t really mean for us to kiss, right?” he asked.
“No. Just turn around and we’ll walk down the aisle. Slow, though.”
They let their arms drop as they turned toward the front and then linked arms again.
Chyna had moved to the side, where she was trying to wrangle the penguins into a line to walk back down the aisle.
“I told you, we haven’t practiced that part yet.” Alex stepped toward her, passing his nieces, who still posed as bridesmaids.
“What do you do to get them to move?” Chyna asked.
“We’ll work on it. I’ll have it all pulled together by the time you come back for the real rehearsal.”
“Stupid birds. No wonder you can’t fly.” She practically spit out the last word.
“Fly. Fly. Fly.” The mimicked cry came from where Izzy stood. Her hands were still clasped in front of her, holding one of the scraggly last-minute bouquets Lacey had shoved in all of their hands.
How had he missed it? Hadn’t she learned before not to bring the damn bird around? The pesky parrot in question poked his head out of the bag hanging from Izzy’s shoulder.
“No.” Alex made a move to stop him as Shiner Bock emerged from the bag and clambered up Izzy’s arm.
“Fly. Fly. Fly,” the damn bird called. Then he spread his wings and drifted from Izzy’s shoulder to land on top of Chyna’s head.
The scene unrolled as if in slow motion. As Chyna’s hands grappled for him, he spooked, sailing back to Izzy, something hot pink in his grip.
Holy shit. Alex turned in horror to find Chyna with her hands on top of her head. The bird had stolen her hat.
Zina leapt toward Izzy, tossing her bouquet to the ground as she reached for the bird. Izzy must have freaked out because she whirled away from Zina and tried to run. But she tripped over the twine they’d used to mark the edges of the tent. Izzy screamed and clutched at her arm. Char yelled as her daughter went down.
All Alex could do was watch the scene unfold, massive disaster after massive disaster. Before the dust began to settle, one thing became sufficiently clear.
He was fucked.
twenty-seven
“It’s going to be okay.” If she said it enough times, it was bound to come true. That’s what Zina kept telling herself as she muttered those five little words over and over again. They were in the emergency room, waiting to see if Izzy’s arm was broken or just sprained. After Chyna’s hat had been rescued from Shiner Bock and returned, the woman had retreated to her rental car and sped out of Ido so fast she left skid marks on the pavement.
Lacey had been admitted for observation due to high blood pressure, and Alex paced the small waiting room while they waited for news about poor Izzy. The bird had disappeared. Morty and the other girls had stayed at the scene to try to find him. How could things get any worse?
A few moments later Zina remembered why she never, ever asked that question. Lacey’s face appeared on her phone wanting to video-chat. How the hell was that possible seeing as how Lacey was supposed to be under medical observation in a room upstairs?
“I thought you were admitted for high blood pressure,” Zina said as the video call connected.
“I was. I’m still here. But I just got a call from Chyna and I had to tell someone.”
Zina braced herself for the news. The wedding planner had probably called the whole thing off. Alex’s penguins would go back to the aquarium, the roof of the shelter would never get repaired . . . in a blink of an eye her entire future dissolved right before her.
“Zina?” Lacey barked into the phone.
“What?”
Alex shifted on the orange vinyl bench next to her. He’d been sick with worry over his niece. Zina stood and moved toward the door in an attempt to give him some space and also gain a little privacy. She didn’t want her world to crash in on her in the waiting room of the Swynton Memorial Hospital.
“She said she’d never been more humiliated or mistreated in her entire life.” Lacey’s furrowed brow told Zina everything she needed to know. She may as well hang up now and not put herself through hearing the rundown of how they’d all failed. “Zina? Are you paying attention?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. Alex had no idea his niece brought the bird to the rehearsal. He’s sorry. I’m sorry. Everyone is so sorry.”
“Listen. She was pissed. So incredibly pissed. I mean, I’ve been mayor now for over a year and have dealt with some pretty angry constituents, but this woman could put all of them to shame. She used four-letter words I’ve never even heard of.”
If Lacey was trying to make Zina feel even worse than she already did, it was working. A weight like a ton of bricks, no, make that a ton of bricks encased in a ton of concrete, wedged in her chest. “I wish it had gone differently, I really do.”
“But that’s just it. She said despite all of the issues with the penguins being too waddly, the dirt being too dirty, and the bird being too damn birdy, she absolutely loves the venue.”
“Huh?” Zina’s heart skipped a beat. Then another. “Did you just say she loves it here?”
“Yes.” Lacey’s head bobbed up and down. “She said she’s going to recommend us to another wedding she’s got coming up. But this one’s a bride who wants a western theme. Can you imagine? Horses and a chuck wagon dinner for five hundred guests.”
The weight pressing down on Zina’s chest doubled, then tripled as she imagined trying to talk everyone in town into loaning their horses to a fake western wedding setup. “I don’t know about that, Lacey. How far away is that wedding?”
“Oh, it’s not until next spring. But we’re getting there. Ido is really creating a name for itself in the destination wedding business. Isn’t it fabulous?”
“Fabulous,” Zina agreed. What else could she do? She wasn’t about to argue with Lacey that she was in over her head. Wouldn’t do any good. The most she could hope for was that when the western wedding world descended upon Ido, she’d be squared away in her newly repaired building, far away from what surely would become another incredible fiasco. “I’ve got to go. We’re still waiting to hear if Izzy’s arm is broken.”
“Oh, that poor sweet little girl. Find out what her favorite kind of ice cream is. I’m going to send over a care package
later, okay?”
“Will do.” Zina disconnected and made her way back to Alex. Char had taken the seat next to him. She must have news.
Alex reached for her hand as she joined them on the bench. “Izzy’s arm is broken but it’s a clean break.”
“How’s she doing?” Zina asked.
Char smiled, a welcome change from the worry and fear she’d been carrying with her since they arrived at the hospital. “She’s asking for a pink cast and wants to know if the penguins can somehow sign it for her.”
“That must mean she’s not in too much pain.” Zina relaxed against Alex’s chest. One less thing to worry about.
“She’ll be okay. I don’t know what she was thinking trying to have that bird with her.”
Alex hung his head. “Yeah, that might be partly my fault. She said she missed Shiner Bock, so I told her she could visit him if she helped with the wedding run-through.”
“Did you tell her she should stuff him in that bag and make him part of the wedding party?” Char asked.
“Well, no. But I still feel a bit responsible.”
“Good,” Char said. “It wasn’t your fault, and you have nothing to apologize for.”
“Then why’s that good?” Alex looked up.
“It’s good because that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say you feel responsible for something.” Char stood while Alex appeared to let that statement settle in. “Now why don’t the two of you get out of here? I’m sure Gramps could use some help finding the bird. And you know the pain of a broken arm won’t be anything compared to a broken heart if Shiner Bock doesn’t come back.”
“Way to make a guy feel good.” Alex reached out and pulled Zina to her feet next to him. “Let’s head back to party central, shall we?”
The last thing Zina wanted to do was go back to the warehouse. All she wanted was a few moments alone to figure out how to get through this wedding once and for all. Playing bride and groom had stirred up something inside her. Something not altogether unpleasant, but something she wasn’t prepared for or interested in dealing with now. Maybe not ever. But she pasted a happy-go-lucky smile on her face anyway. Alex needed her.
“I’ve got to get back and check on the dogs before I help you look for the bird.” That would give her time to catch her breath and provide a much-needed break from Alex. He wasn’t the problem so much as what he represented. Walking down the aisle earlier had brought possibilities into focus. Crystal clear focus. And Alex was in the center of it all. She’d never imagined herself getting married, tying her fate to someone else’s for the rest of her life.
Especially not someone like Alex, who seemed to crave adventure. He never stayed in one place long enough to make any kind of promise or see anything through. But maybe he was changing. If his sister thought so, it might be happening.
The last thing Zina wanted to do was get her hopes up, but that’s exactly what she’d been doing all along. Ever since that night they found the puppies. She’d been unintentionally letting her guard down, letting Alex in, little by little until it hit her smack-dab in the center of her chest. She liked him. Really, really liked him. Maybe even loved him.
As they walked into the early afternoon heat, she turned slightly so she could take a good look at the man who’d stolen her heart. The afternoon sun glinted off the scruff on his chin. He’d slid his shades in place when they walked outside, so she couldn’t get a read on what he might be thinking. He tightened his grip on her hand when he caught her staring.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just thinking.”
“Oh, don’t do that.” His lips parted into a teasing grin.
“What? Think?”
Alex nodded. “Yeah, isn’t that what got everyone into trouble in the first place? Lacey thinking about how she could change Ido, then me thinking about how I could fix your roof, then you thinking about . . .” He stopped and turned slightly toward her. “Well, damn, I don’t know what you’ve been thinking about.”
She tapped on his chest with her pointer finger. “I think plenty, I just don’t need to share my thoughts with the world.”
“What are you thinking about now?” He gripped her finger and brought it to his lips.
Her stomach twisted and turned like a wet dishrag being wrung out to dry. She’d never be able to tell him what she’d actually been thinking. “I’m just wondering if we’re still on for that early night tonight.”
“Of course. Right after we find Shiner Bock and de-waddle the penguins.”
Zina took a step toward the truck and he followed. “Lacey said Chyna loved everything. I expected her to cancel the whole wedding but it sounds like we’re officially a go.”
“Shoot. I forgot I’ve got to run Gramps over to Water’s Edge today. They had an opening come up so I scheduled a tour.”
Zina took in a slow, calming breath. She and Morty had talked about this. He didn’t want to go to a home and she didn’t blame him. “You know he’s really been bonding with Herbie. I noticed working with the dogs has made a difference in his attitude. Have you picked up on that at all?”
“If you mean have I noticed he’s not as grumpy and eager to bite my head off every day, then the answer is yes.” He twined his fingers with hers and let their hands swing between them as they crossed the lot.
“When my brother came home from his last tour, he wasn’t the same. I tried everything to help him: therapy, meds, trying to talk to him about it, giving him space . . .” Her heart twinged as she remembered how hollow her brother had seemed when he returned. Like a shell of the man she’d grown up with, he wasn’t the same.
“That’s too bad. I remember him as being a total baller on the football field.”
“He was.” A shiver ran through her as she thought of how different Zeb was now than he’d been in his glory days as a high school football star. He wouldn’t go near the stadium now. It was too unpredictable. He needed to be in familiar surroundings where he could anticipate the activity level at any given moment.
Alex squeezed her hand. “He’s lucky he had you looking out for him. I know you had to leave the Army to take care of him. He’s fortunate he had someone like you to help him.”
“He’s family. That’s what family does . . . we help each other out.” She hadn’t meant to be so obvious, but even after laying it out like that, she wasn’t sure Alex had picked up on the similarities in their situations.
He stopped a few feet away from the truck. “I see what you’re trying to do here.”
“Really? What’s that?”
“Compare Zeb to Gramps. You were willing to put your own life aside for him and come back to take care of him. You’re saying I ought to do that for Gramps.”
“No, that’s not what I’m trying to—”
“It’s different. Your brother survived something no one should have to. He came back with a medical diagnosis of PTSD. Look, my grandfather is a good man and you’re right, he doesn’t deserve to get shoved into some home. But he’s lived a full life. It’s a totally different situation, not like comparing apples to . . . oh hell. I’ve got to go.”
“But—”
His quick kiss to her cheek silenced her protest. What happened? Was he so set on leaving that he couldn’t even consider what might be best for his own family?
“I’ve got to find Shiner Bock and get Gramps to that tour. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
She nodded. What else could she do? If Alex didn’t want to stay, she certainly couldn’t make him. All she could do was try to protect her heart because it was already breaking at the thought of having to let him go.
* * *
* * *
Alex banged his head against the headrest of the truck once, then twice, trying to either knock some sense in or knock some bullshit out. Either way, he’d be better off than where he’d been
earlier that afternoon. When he’d shut Zina down and bailed on her. At least they’d found the bird while he was at the hospital. One bright spot in an otherwise dark string of events.
Gramps cleared his throat in the passenger seat. “You okay over there?”
“Yeah.” Alex let his frustration seep out on a long sigh and tried to gloss over any emotion. “You sure you don’t like it here? That one bedroom seems like a perfect option.” Plenty of natural light, no steps to contend with. A walking path right outside the front door.
“I told you, I’m going home.”
“Gramps, it doesn’t work like that. If Char and I don’t think you’ll be able to take care of yourself, we can’t let you move back to the ranch on your own.”
“I’m not asking for permission.”
Alex groaned. Great, that’s all he needed. He’d come home with the intention of helping Char. Now he was going to leave her with an even bigger mess on her hands. “What makes you think you’re well enough to live in the middle of nowhere on your own?”
“I won’t be on my own.”
“Really? You planning on renting out a room to someone I don’t know about?”
“I talked to Zina. I’m going to adopt Herbie.”
“Herbie the pit bull?” Alex studied his grandfather’s profile. The older man seemed calm, not pissed off like he’d been when Alex first came back to town. “Zina said that was okay?”
“She said as long as he had a home to go to I could take him. Water’s Edge won’t let me bring a dog, so I don’t have a choice but to go to the ranch. I don’t know why you think you have a say anyway. It’s my life. I can do what I want with it.”
“It doesn’t work like that, Gramps.”
“Why not? I’ve been talking to her brother, too. Zeb said he’d like being out in the country, so I’m going to see if he wants a place to live rent-free. I don’t see you asking me for permission to do anything. That’s how you live your life.”
