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CHAPTER ONE
PULLING A RUNNER
RUBY
I love my dress.
In the front, it’d almost be proper, with a high neckline, long sleeves, and a fitted A-line skirt, if it weren’t for the sheer peekaboo bohemian lace and the cutout in the back that dips low. But my veil is a contender for being the showstopper. Longer than my dress, the sheer tulle is edged with lace and attaches to my low bun of artfully arrangedcurls, courtesy of Lydia, the stylist who’s been doing my hair since I was thirteen.
Since the day I tried it on, I’ve imagined my veil blowing behind me as Junior and I run hand-in-hand to the old-fashioned car that will be waiting for us outside, the Wasatch Range standing proudly in the distance.
There’s a knock on the door and my mom peeks her head in. She gasps when she sees me and my cousin Kess. “Oh girls, you look gorgeous.”
“Thanks, Aunt June,” Kess says, smiling. “So do you.”
“Oh thank you, love. I’ve got your dad with me, sweetheart,” she says to me. “Is it okay if we come in for a minute?”
“Of course, I was hoping you’d get here soon.”
My mom steps in and my dad follows, stopping in front of me and carefully kissing my cheek.
“Absolutely breathtaking,” he says.
“Thanks, Dad.”
My mom sniffles next to me and when I reach out and squeeze her hand, her lips wobble as she smiles.
“My baby,” she says.
“No tears. We promised.” I laugh.
“I know. I know.” She dabs her nose with a tissue and laughs too. “But it’s hard not to with you looking like a dream.” She straightens and exhales like she’s shaking it off. “I’m sorry we got hung up.” She holds up a set of keys. “You are looking at the proud owners of a Class A, 35-foot motor home! Love, light, and sunshine, baby!” She laughs again as I stare at her in shock.
Most of the time, hippie parents are cool, but…
“What?” I stand up. “But, how? Can you afford that?”
She waves me off and leans into my dad who gazes down at her like she hung the moon.
“Junior gave us a little wedding gift too,” she says. “Isn’t that nice?”
“What do you mean, Junior—”
“We’ve worked out a little arrangement, one that will make everyone happy, I think,” Dad says, grinning at me.
I stare at them for a few seconds and then head for the door.
“Honey, where are you going?”
But I’m already down the hall and outside, watching my step as I keep my dress and veil from touching the ground. I hurry past the caterers starting to set up and am out of breath when I reach the room on the side of the stables where Junior and his groomsmen are getting ready.
Something about this is not sitting right with me.
“You really ready to be married, Junior?”
I stop short of knocking when I hear Mitch needling Junior through the door.
“It’s only for a year,” Junior says.
