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“It’s okay. What’s going on?”
He glanced down at me, his summer blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “Romance, ma’am. Clay likes his grand gestures.”
My heart stalled. That should have been my first clue that Clay had never been for me.
His brow wrinkled as if he just realized who he was talking to. “Shit. I’m sorry.”
I curled my fingers into his vest instinctively before I immediately smoothed it. “It’s all right.”
His nostrils flared and the friendliness slipped out of his eyes. “No, it’s not. It was thoughtless. I just can’t keep all the people straight. You’d think I would be better at it with how many people are in my damn family.”
We were squashed together near one of the doors of the atrium as all one hundred plus of the guests flowed out to the front of The Lodge.
His hand slid along my waist to pull me out of the crush. I glanced up at him and my breath stalled at the way he looked down at me.
Was that…somethingin his gaze?
No, that was silly. It was just my wounded ego talking.
Finally, there was a dent in the crowd, and I moved back. “Thanks for the assist.”
He dropped his hand from my hip. “I’m part of the surprise, so I need to get out there.”
“Oh, of course. Sorry to keep you.”
“Pleasure was all mine, ma’am.” Then he disappeared down a side path.
I brushed my hair over my shoulder and squared my shoulders as I followed the stragglers out to the front of the building. People were congregating on the lawn between The Lodge and a small copse of trees.
There was a gorgeous arbor set up with more of Rachel’s theme of simple tulips and daisies. These were a mix of bridal white and the more springtime colorful splash of deep purples and pinks. A swath of white and pink ribbons were tied to the top and floated in the light breeze.
People were gathered around the arbor as Clay had finally put Rachel down and they both stood under it with matching smiles. Even from where I was, I could see the way she turned her face up to him, her expression one of pure joy.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat.
Had I ever looked up at someone like that? I didn’t think so. Not even a quarter of that pure, honest love had ever been in my heart let alone shining off my face.
A sharp whistle had me swiveling my head toward the field. A gorgeous gray gelding stood in the field with Beckett in the saddle. For the second time today, my breath stalled out.
“Stand back, people!” His voice lifted above the laughter and the conversation as he made way for the tractor slowly pulling a bus hitched to it.
It was hot pink with a white racing stripe that ended in a flourishing script touting: The Boozie Bus.
Rachel shrieked and threw herself into Clay’s arms. He swung her around with a laugh.
As the bus came to a stop, I noticed that there had been many modifications done on the vehicle. The windows raised slowly in one complete piece and an awning slid out to create shade. When it finally opened, Laverne, Rachel and Willow’s aunt, popped up wearing a matching pink apron over her wedding finery. “Anyone ready for a drink?”
In the midst of the crowd of people who were delighting in the outdoor drinks, I noticed Reid was speaking with Maple again.
Intensely.
I slipped around the groups of people who were enjoying the drinks from the bus and from the waitstaff who were making the rounds now that the reception had changed venues. Clay and Rachel had disappeared into the bus to check out what had to be her wedding present.
The fact that Clay had given her a hot chocolate version for their engagement left me angry and sad at the same time. Not even for the grand gesture, but that it was simply perfect for her.
Not a diamond.
Not a statement necklace with a dollar figure attached like our usual circles gossiped about to prove their station.
