Fortunately for Anastasia, the next five days turned into a mind-numbing blur of activity. Between helping with wedding-related projects and organizing her trip to L.A. on Sunday, she had very little downtime. She caught glimpses of Mac during the week and they only exchanged brief comments.
That was a good thing, because every damn time she felt as if she’d been stabbed with a dull knife. When her sister Charmaine arrived on Wednesday from Dallas, Anastasia gave her a condensed version of her history with Mac and made Charmaine promise not to discuss it again, especially in front of their mother. Evelyn was overjoyed about the opportunity in L.A. and had mentioned several times that Anastasia had dodged a bullet by getting away from that cowboy Mac Foster.
Anastasia didn’t feel as if she’d dodged anything. Love had hit her hard. The promise of a new and exciting job was great, but so far it hadn’t lessened the pain of giving up Mac. She had to take it on faith that eventually she’d know for sure that she’d made the right decision.
Georgie and Vince’s wedding day dawned clear and crisp. Amazingly, Anastasia had been getting up early every morning that week. Without a riding lesson, she’d expected to go right back to her night-owl pattern. Instead she kept waking up at sunrise as if her body rhythm yearned to keep in sync with Mac’s.
Georgie had slept in her old bedroom the previous night as a nod to the tradition that the groom shouldn’t see the bride until the ceremony. The men were heading out ahead of the ladies, with the exception of Ed, who had volunteered to lead the contingent of women.
The old Victorian wasn’t even slightly soundproof, so Anastasia could tell that Georgie was up and Charmaine was not. She decided to walk across the hall and see how Georgie was doing.
Georgie answered her knock looking uncharacteristically flustered. Her honey blond hair was tangled and her bed looked as if she’d been wrestling the sheets all night. She stared at Anastasia. “You’re up! I can’t believe you’re up.”
“It seems to be my new thing, greeting the dawn. How are you?”
“Can you believe it?” She moved away from the door to let Anastasia come in. “I’m nervous. I love Vince so much, and I’ve been living with him since June so I know all his bad habits and he knows mine. We’re perfect for each other. Why should I be nervous?”
“Because today you’ll give your word, so there’s no going back, at least not for a person like you, who takes these things very seriously.”
Georgie gazed at her and nodded. “That’s it. This is serious.”
“And there’s the baby to consider.”
“You know?” Her eyes widened.
“Georgie, I’m sure everyone knows. You quit drinking wine! You love a glass of red wine with dinner. And then the wedding date is, like, immediately. What else would people think?”
Her sister’s grin was sheepish. “I suppose that’s true. But nobody’s mentioned it.”
“They won’t. Bickford folks might be nosy but they won’t say anything until you decide to make the announcement.”
“What announcement?” Charmaine appeared in the doorway rubbing her eyes. Without makeup she looked much younger than twenty-seven. Her salon-lightened hair was the platinum color of a child’s and she kept herself skinny so she’d fit into designer clothes.
Georgie gazed at her. “If I tell you, you have to promise not to screech. I don’t want Evelyn to know.”
“She wears earplugs so she won’t hear me, but I promise not to screech if you tell me you’re pregnant.”
“What? Does everyone in the world know?”
“You are?” Charmaine raced over and gave her a hug. “I was just being a smart-ass! That’s awesome! Boy or girl?”
“We’ve decided not to ask.”
Charmaine sighed. “Which means I have to go with yellow baby outfits. Except I predict it’ll be a girl. Girls run in the family. I hope it’s a girl. Maybe she’ll play dolls with me and have tea parties since neither of you losers ever would.”
“Speaking of parties,” Anastasia said, “it’s time to get this one started, especially with only one shower up here.”
“I’m first!” Then Charmaine slapped her forehead. “Except I can’t be first. The bride should be first.”
Georgie laughed. “Go ahead, Charmaine. You can be first.”
“Nope, nope, nope. You can be first, but don’t dawdle, okay?”
“I never dawdle.”
“You’re right. Anastasia’s the one who can get in there and start sketching in her mind and forget where she is.”
“I do not!”
Both Georgie and Charmaine turned to her, eyebrows raised.
“Well, maybe sometimes.”
Charmaine nodded. “Often. In any case, I’ll be second. What about your dress, Georgie? Does it need ironing?”
“It might.”
“I know mine does, and I’ll bet Anastasia’s does, too. I’ll set up the ironing board in my room. Anastasia, go fetch your dress. Chop, chop, everybody! We have a wedding today!”
Smiling, Anastasia went to get her dress out of the closet. Later on she’d have to deal with seeing Mac, which might be difficult. But hanging out with her sisters while they all got ready—that was going to be big fun.
Two hours later as all three of them walked the short distance to Ed’s stable, Anastasia longed for her sketch pad. Their outfits were practical yet gorgeously retro. Georgie was in white, while Charmaine and Anastasia had matching outfits in aspen yellow, but the design was virtually the same.
Ankle-length split skirts showed off lace-up riding boots. The bodices of the dresses were flatteringly snug but high-necked, and each sister wore a jaunty hat over her upswept hairdo. Georgie had a veil, which she’d pull forward for the ceremony but left up for the ride into the canyon.
The other women riding with them had assembled in the stable yard and applauded as they approached. Of course Ida was going, and so was the mayor’s wife, Inez, along with Ike’s wife, Raina. Steve and Myra Jenson had chosen to stay behind and make sure the reception was under control. Sue Bryson would ride out with them, though. She was excited about Georgie’s wedding but she also looked forward to watching her husband, Frank, conduct the ceremony.
Ed had spent the week contacting nearby ranches for loaners so he’d have enough mounts for everyone attending the wedding. Technically, either Sue or Frank should have ridden Jasper because they owned him, but they’d graciously allowed Anastasia to do that while they both took borrowed horses. Georgie was on Prince, and Charmaine had been given Skeeter, the horse she’d ridden the first time she’d been out on the trail.
The big bay wasn’t the prettiest horse in the group, though. Anastasia wondered if Charmaine, who usually paid great attention to her appearance, would object, especially because each of her sisters had a handsome mount. She didn’t say a word, and Anastasia realized how much her previously self-centered sister had evolved.
The ride into the canyon was merry. Some of the women hadn’t been on a horse in a while, and no doubt they’d have aches and pains tomorrow, but they all seemed to be having the time of their lives being part of this adventure. They repeatedly thanked Georgie for coming up with such a creative venue, and she gave all the credit to Vince.
For Anastasia, the canyon would always hold memories of Mac. Without his help she wouldn’t be part of this wedding procession. Come to think of it, without Mac there wouldn’t be a wedding in the box canyon. Georgie would have had the ceremony in Sadie’s because of Anastasia’s fear.
But he was largely an unsung hero because no one knew that she’d been terrified of horses until Mac had taught her not to be. She and Georgie were the only ones who realized what a miracle he’d accomplished in less than a week. But if she announced it during the reception, an idea that had crossed her mind, he would hate that.
The steady stream of c
onversation made the ride seem short and Anastasia was surprised when they reached the narrow trail leading up to the box canyon. Half the people in the group had never seen it, although they’d heard descriptions. Obviously they were eagerly anticipating their first glimpse.
“I’m checking off two items on my bucket list today,” Ida announced. “I’ll see this canyon everyone’s talked about, and I’ll watch Georgie and Vince get hitched. It’s a twofer.”
“Same here,” Inez said. “Since I’m old enough to be Georgie’s grandmother, I’ve known her since she was a bitty thing. And here I am going to her wedding in a canyon I didn’t know existed until six months ago.”
“That’s right,” Sue added. “I know we’re all a little bummed about the documentary being postponed, but think of how far we’ve come, thanks to Vince and his friends. It’s about time we celebrated our progress, and this is the perfect occasion.”
“And this is the perfect place.” Ed had been leading the procession with Anastasia and Georgie bringing up the rear. “Ladies, have you ever seen anything prettier than this?” He moved aside so the women could emerge from the narrow trail into the clearing.
At the chorus of exclamations, Anastasia turned back to Georgie. “I think they like it.”
“Vince has good taste.”
Anastasia smiled at her sister. “I know he does. He chose you.”
“Thanks.” Georgie’s cheeks turned pink. “Remind me to do something nice for Mac. He was a huge part of making this possible.”
“You know what? I have the perfect thing. I promised him a sketch, and if you’d mat and frame it for me, then—”
“Consider it done.”
That was the last private conversation she had with Georgie. They emerged into the open meadow to discover it had been transformed. The guys had outdone themselves.
They’d created an arched trellis large enough not to be dwarfed by participants on horseback. They’d positioned it so that it framed the waterfall beyond. If a wedding venue had ever been more beautiful than this, Anastasia couldn’t imagine how.
Someone, no doubt Travis, had hauled in a compact sound system. The moment the women appeared, harp music filled the canyon. Harp music. Anastasia would never have thought of it, but the sound was perfect, as if angels hovered overhead blessing this ceremony.
The guests arranged themselves in a row in front of the trellis with a pathway in the middle. As the wedding march began, Charmaine straightened in the saddle and rode down the path to take her place to the left of the arch. Anastasia followed and spared a glance for the tall man on Cinder to the right of the groom on Storm Cloud.
Mac looked gorgeous in his Western-style tux, as she’d known he would. He smiled at her, and her heart stumbled. What was she doing, leaving such a man?
Throughout the ceremony, which made her cry, she thought of Mac and all that he’d done. If she could be two people, one part of her would stay with Mac and the other half would work for Kathryn Abernathy in L.A. But she was only one person, and her choice was clear.
After the ceremony she rode out with Mac. “You look great,” he murmured, “as if you’d been born riding a horse.”
“You’re exaggerating, but thank you.” The sound of his voice made her heart pound.
“I’m not. You’ve claimed your birthright. I hope you keep riding. It might not be easy, living in California, but—”
“I’ll keep riding. I want to do it for myself, but I also want to keep it up as a tribute to you.”
“Nah, I don’t need a tribute.”
“You do, Mac. You really do. I—”
Travis took that moment to organize the troops and get everyone lined up to head back. Although technically Anastasia should have been either ahead of or behind Mac, the order got scrambled. She didn’t come face-to-face with him again until they’d returned to town and were gathered at Sadie’s.
The reception was informal enough that they could have avoided dancing with each other, but suddenly he was there, pulling her out onto the floor. One dance, and then we’ll kiss good-bye. And oh, what a dance it was.
They’d been great partners before they’d become lovers, but now the communication between them was complete, as if they were connected by an invisible wire that telegraphed their movements. She’d never felt so alive as they spun and circled. They cleared the floor as clapping and whistling filled her ears.
But the music ended, and Mac drew her over to a corner of the room, away from the crowd. They were both breathing hard and he paused before trying to speak. He cupped her face in both hands. “Knowing you has been one of the highlights of my life.”
“Don’t say it like that. You make it sound as if we’ll never see each other again. We will. I’ll be back for visits.”
He smiled. “But essentially you’ll be gone, as you should be. I want that for you. I want all your dreams to come true.” Then he kissed her softly, almost reverently.
When she tried to pull him into a more intimate embrace, he stepped away and shook his head. “I’ll never forget you, Anastasia Bickford.”
Then the party crowd closed in and they were separated. He never asked her to dance again that night. It was over.
• • •
Winters were milder in Southern California than they were in the Texas Panhandle. Anastasia had known that intellectually, but with Thanksgiving only a week away, she missed the threat of snow. Walking to work from the bus stop, she passed a group of tourists. They were all wearing shorts and T-shirts in the middle of November. Weird.
But she’d eventually get used to the climate and she loved her job. Working in the film industry had inspired her in ways she’d never have imagined. Everyone was friendly and she often went out for drinks or a meal with her new buddies.
But there were also evenings when she took the bus home to her little apartment and found herself dragging out her portfolio and looking through her old sketches. Inevitably she ended up with pictures of Mac lined up along the cushions of her couch.
Although she’d tried like hell not to miss him, she still did. He might be impatient with her if he knew how much she still longed to be in his arms at night. Yet that was a hopeless fantasy. Her work was here and he would hate living in the middle of a big city.
Georgie had called her the previous night to ask if she could make it home for Thanksgiving. No trail rides had been scheduled for that weekend, and the town had decided to have a community dinner at Sadie’s so they could celebrate the revival of Bickford. Anastasia had told Georgie she’d think about it.
The plane fare would be outrageous at this late date, but she had the money. Her hesitation was all about Mac. Much as she wanted to see everyone, including him, it was bound to be awkward. Maybe she’d wait until Christmas, after they’d both had more time to get over each other.
That decision made, she walked into her little cubicle and found on her computer a Post-it from Kathryn, who wanted to see her first thing this morning. She left her messenger bag on the desk and headed off to Kathryn’s lavish office. The receptionist buzzed her in immediately.
Glancing up from her computer, Kathryn smiled. “Hey, there. How are you?”
“I’m good, really good. Those sketches you wanted should be done in—”
“I’m not worried about the sketches. You always meet your deadlines. Have a seat. I wanted to ask about something else.”
“Sure.” Anastasia treasured the easy relationship she had with Kathryn. They’d bonded from the beginning and that connection had only grown stronger.
“When I first met you, I was struck by the sparkle in your eyes and lately I don’t see it so much. Are we working you too hard?”
“Heavens, no. I love it here.”
“I’m glad, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s not right in your world. I realize I’m getting personal,
but I miss that sparkle.”
Anastasia stared at her as she wrestled with her thoughts. Kathryn was more perceptive than she’d given her credit for. Talking about the issue wouldn’t change anything, but if Kathryn had picked up on it, then she deserved an explanation.
“I left someone in Texas I really care about.” She paused to take a deep breath. “But we agreed it had to end. I’m not quite over him, I guess. I’m working on it.”
Compassion shone in Kathryn’s eyes. “There’s no chance he’d move here?”
“None. He’d be miserable in L.A. He’s bought a cute little house in Bickford, and that’s where he belongs. He’s a cowboy and he needs the wide-open spaces.”
“And you love him.”
“Yes.”
“And he loves you enough to let you go so that you can follow your dream.”
“Yes.” Anastasia’s throat hurt but she was not going to break down in Kathryn’s office.
“Do you realize how rare that is?”
She swallowed. “Kind of.”
“Anastasia, you’re a special person and it sounds as if you’ve found another special person who loves you. Why are you working so hard to get over him?”
“Because we can’t be together!” Maybe Kathryn wasn’t so perceptive, after all.
“Of course you can. You’re so creative that I’m amazed you haven’t applied that creativity to this situation. I can help by freeing up your schedule. Pack more hours into four days so you can take three off and fly back to be with him. Some projects you might even be able to work on remotely from Bickford.”
“I could?”
“Absolutely. You have an incredible work ethic so I know you’ll get the projects finished. You’ll spend a lot on airfare, but what’s money for, anyway?”
Anastasia sat in stunned silence as the possibilities unfolded like a flower in her mind. She could be with Mac. She could be with Mac.
“Oh, Anastasia. Your sparkle is back.”
CHAPTER 27
Something was going on. Mac wasn’t sure what, but Georgie and Vince were involved in whatever it was and they weren’t talking. He had a bad feeling that they planned to embarrass him with some kind of speech of gratitude during the Thanksgiving celebration at Sadie’s.
Wild About the Wrangler Page 28