Page 8 of Hot Times in Heart Falls, Vignettes Vol 3

Seize the Moment

Weddings are always fun, and family weddings even better. But with everyone high on matrimonial fumes, and her entire family working hard to convince she’s up next in the wedding department, Petra needs a distraction. Someone she doesn’t know and will never see again for a decidedly non-getting-hitched end to the evening.

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Another stranger in Heart Falls for only a night, Aiden’s perfect for some physical, happy-hormonal party-time. A knight-in-shining armour who kisses like a god? One night is all Petra needs.

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Featuring: Petra Sorenson, Zach & Julia Sorenson and the entire Sorenson family, and introducing Aiden Skye

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Timeline: This scene is set in September during the final pages of The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love the day of Julia and Zach’s second wedding. (First wedding in Vegas they don’t remember—it’s complicated.)

1

Petra

As far as weddings went, Petra had to admit this one was pretty awesome.

It wasn't only the venue, although the location didn’t hurt one bit.

The vista to the west of Red Boot ranch was full of rolling foothills gliding up to the dramatic heights of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. The late September weather was perfect, and the sky overhead was a robin egg blue so bright it almost hurt her eyes.

The arbour where Petra’s brother, Zach, and his almost wife for the second time, Julia, stood exchanging their vows was also over-the-top perfection with garlands of flowers and greenery woven through the wooden trellis. The entire setting was something out of a spectacular movie set.

But the real reason today was knocking her socks off were the people. When it came to family lotteries, she had won.

Of course, sometimes with all her siblings older than her—four sisters and then Zach—Petra sometimes had to work really hard to find alone time.

But today, as the wedding moved on from the vow exchanges to a delicious dinner and then dancing, there wasn't much about her world that Petra would change.

“Guess we'll be doing this for you someday soon,” brother-in-law one teased as he danced her around the floor.

“You guys have all got the marital bliss thing down pat, so someday, but not yet.” Petra smiled at him. Her sister had made a good match and the two of them had already created a passel of kids. “For now I’m happy to be the solo Sorenson. It's up to me to come up with wild and crazy things to set you all gossiping on the family chat.”

He grinned and twirled her, amusement there as if he knew she would never do anything scandalous. “Well, once we're back home, I'll have to introduce you to some of the single guys in IT at the shop.”

Petra hurried to reassure him she had no need of matchmaking skills, but obviously with wedding fumes in the air, there was no stopping it.

Brother-in-law number two spun her on the dance floor and made an offer of a similar nature. “Pat’s a really good guy. He was divorced about four years ago, so he’s not on a rebound or anything. He was asking about you.”

She eyed Ronan hard. “Why would he have been asking about me?”

He had the grace to look a little sheepish. “Might've been showing off some family pictures and you were in there.”

Good grief. “Pictures from when?”

Yes, he definitely grimaced this time. “Hawaii.”

If they hadn't been dancing, Petra would've pinched the bridge of her nose. “Let me guess. You were taking pictures of the kids being adorable and doing cannonballs into the pool, and I happened to be suntanning somewhere in the vicinity.”

“Swore I cropped you out,” he insisted. “I wasn’t trying to show you off. Just so proud of my family, and that means you as well.”

Truth was Petra knew he meant every word.

Even when brother-in-law number three informed her he had met the best group of people at the local rec center, and had she ever considered getting involved in Tai Chi? Petra knew the meddling came from a place of love.