ARKANSAS WEDDINGS: THREE-IN-ONE COLLECTION

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  No way. She planned on spending Mother’s Day weekend with Chance. And even if she wasn’t, there was no way she’d spend it with a bunch of Holy Rollers.

  “We’ll see.” She set the dish on the porch and headed to her apartment. “Lunch, guys,” she shouted. “I’m going to get plates.”

  Drills and saws stopped buzzing. Men descended ladders and scaffolds and hurried to the porch.

  “Y’all are all invited to a picnic at the church next Saturday. My sister’s helping with the cooking.”

  Shell ducked into the safety of her apartment, tempted not to go back, but she had to take the crew plates to eat on.

  She knew how the religious nuts worked. Come to our yard sale. Come to our picnic. Suck people in and make them feel obligated. Then before they knew it, they were in church. She’d fallen for it as a kid and her mother had let her go. Anything to get Shell out of her hair.

  Shaking her head, she focused on steeping the cold brew tea bags in the pitcher.

  But Shell wasn’t good enough for church either. She didn’t fit in. The church kids’ parents didn’t want their little angels hanging with the likes of her.

  “Do you know who her mother is?” Sylvie Kroft’s whispers echoed through the entire congregation.

  A tap sounded on the door. “Hey, need some help?”

  Her chest tightened. Her home. A boundary Ryler had never crossed, even during their relationship.

  “Um, sure. Come on in.” She stacked paper plates, napkins, and plastic forks on the table.

  His huge frame made her living room seem small. Masculinity overtook everything despite the feminine, flowery decor.

  “If you can take these, I’m in the process of making sweet tea real quick.”

  “Now you’re talking.” He grabbed the stack of paper products but paused in the doorway to her bedroom.

  Crossing another boundary. “Excuse me?”

  “Sorry. Couldn’t help but notice what a neat freak you are. I never even make my bed and you’ve got everything just so. How long does it take to arrange all those frilly little pillows?”

  “I like my surroundings neat.” The only thing she could control. She had to get used to seeing him daily, without her heart threatening to flutter out of her chest. Become immune to him. If that were possible. “After work, would you like to come by and have coffee with me?”

  “Having coffee was how it all started with us.” Knifelike words delivered in a stone-cold tone. “This time around, let’s keep it business only. Just business.”

  Even though he’d misunderstood, his rejection stung. “Exactly what I had in mind. Listen, I don’t like being uncomfortable around someone I work with. So, I thought maybe we could become friends.”

  “Friends?” He frowned. “I guess we could give it a try.”

  “Good. I’m tired of the tension.” Sucking in a relieved breath, she removed the cold brew bag from the pitcher. She dissolved the sugar in hot water and dumped ice in.

  Grabbing Styrofoam cups, she carried the pitcher out, only to have Ryler take it from her.

  The men stood in a pack around the lasagna, ready to pounce.

  Ryler stuck two fingers in his mouth and delivered an earsplitting whistle. “Hey, ladies first. She made us sweet tea.”

  No one had ever called Shell Evans a lady. It sounded kind of nice. Except that Ryler knew she wasn’t a lady. And he wanted nothing to do with her.

  Ryler entered the post office. Laken pushed aside a stack of envelopes, ready to wait on customers. The whir of the air conditioner kicked on.

  “Hey.” She flashed him a genuine smile. “I’m glad you stopped in today.”

  “Lots of mail?”

  “No. I wanted to ask you something.” She disappeared for a moment, then handed him three envelopes. “Hayden and I are having a few friends over for dinner Saturday night and we wanted to invite you. You can bring a date if you want.”

  The perfect chance to spend time with her and meet her husband. “What’s the occasion?” He sifted through his mail.

  “Just newlyweds settling down after three months and having our first dinner party. Actually, a backyard barbecue.”

  “Let me guess. You invited Shell and you want me to round out the twosomes?”

  “I said you could bring a date.” She grinned. “And I told Shell the same thing.”

  His gut sank. “Is she bringing anyone?”

  “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her? She might agree to be your date.”

  He pointed at her. “I knew you were up to something.”

  “Who me?” She shrugged innocently. “Collin and his new lady will be there. I haven’t met her. Have you?”

  “Aha. This whole thing is actually a setup to get your brother to bring his lady friend to meet you. And it’s less pressure on him—and her—if you have several people over.”

  She propped her hands on her hips. “How’d you get so smart?”

  “Let’s just say I’ve dealt with a few women in my life. I know how they think.” Except Laken seemed different. Could her motives be pure?

  “So, will you come?”

  “Sure. Sounds great.”

  Spending time with Shell would cost him. Especially if she brought a date. But spending time with his sister—priceless. “See ya then.”

  “Do I need to bring anything?”

  “Just Shell.” She grinned.

  Shaking his head, he left. Why not? Maybe he’d ask Shell—since they were friends and all. Who was he kidding? No sane man would want to be friends with Shell. Still if he asked her, then he wouldn’t have to deal with her showing up with a date.

  Seven miles of highway passed while he rehearsed asking her.

  As he pulled into the drive, the words still weren’t flowing.

  Shell stood in the front yard, inspecting a truckload of glass as the workers carefully unloaded it. Her plunging neckline held everyone’s attention. Despite his gaze riveting on the shadowy depths, he wanted to tell the rest of them to keep their eyes to themselves.

  She signed off that nothing had arrived broken or damaged. Reluctantly, the workers returned to their jobs, and the truck pulled away.

  Staring at her clipboard, she turned toward the house.

  He cleared his throat. Now or never. “Shell.”

  “Hmm.” She stared at her clipboard for several more seconds before looking up.

  Forcing his gaze to stay on her face and not drift downward, he swallowed. “Are you going to Laken’s Saturday night?”

  She scrunched her nose. “I don’t know. I’m not sure why she asked.”

  “I think she’s just being nice, trying to help us not feel like such outsiders.”

  “But she and I weren’t really friends growing up. I mean—she lived in a nice neighborhood and I lived in a trailer park.” She frowned. “She invited you, too?”

  “I thought we might go together.”

  “Together?” One eyebrow lifted.

  Chapter 3

  Unless you have a date?” Ryler’s insides twisted.

  The power tools buzzed to life. The compressor hissed, followed by the ka-thwack of a heavy-duty nail gun. Shell jumped. “What happened to just business? They might think we’re dating or something.”

  “Just trying to implement that friends thing you mentioned, and I’ve never been one to care what anyone else thinks. Besides, I think Laken was trying to set us up.”

  Shell’s fingers tightened on the clipboard. “Really?”

  “Now, don’t go getting all mad. This way, she’ll give up. If we come together and she sees there’s nothing going on, she’ll chalk us up as just friends. Which is what we are.” Yeah, right. “Besides, I hate walking into a place where everybody knows everybody, and I don’t know a soul.”

  “I guess that would be okay.” Turning her attention back to her clipboard, she hurried to the house as if she couldn’t wait to get away. But she’d said yes.

  Spending time with S
hell, under the guise of friendship. What was he thinking? All he wanted to do was rekindle their past relationship. To kiss her, hold her, and love her. But she was done with him. Maybe spending time with her in a working relationship and as a friend would be better than the last several months without her.

  Or pure torment.

  Shell scanned her wardrobe. Nothing without a plunging neckline. And he was business only. Then why had he asked her to go with him? Did he really want to be friends? She hadn’t meant real friendship—just an easy working relationship.

  Not that it mattered. She pulled out a sleeveless purple blouse, and buttoned it higher than usual, then wiggled into her least faded jeans. Turning a circle in front of the mirror, she evaluated the outfit. Not come hither, but not dowdy either. She slipped on her favorite low-heeled gold sandals. As she finished her look with gold hoop earrings and a matching necklace, she heard the crunch of tires on gravel.

  On second thought, he might be all business, but let him struggle with the view. She undid the top two buttons and grabbed her purse. Sprinting out to meet him, she slowed to a walk. Don’t appear too anxious. The only thing she was anxious about was getting this evening over with. Why had she agreed to go?

  Because deep down, she hoped to surpass “just business.” To reclaim what they’d once had. To let her guard down and allow herself to love him. To know he loved her in return. But stuff like that didn’t happen in real life. Not in hers, anyway.

  “Hey.” She climbed into the truck.

  His gaze stayed firmly on her face. “Glad you could make it.”

  A prick of disappointment jabbed her stomach. Was he really immune to her charms? And why did it bother her so much for Ryler not to be interested anymore? She’d broken up with him. He was her past. Not her future.

  He pulled onto the highway as silence vibrated between them. Flicking on the signal, he turned left at the intersection.

  “If I got my directions right, the house isn’t very far after Doc Baker’s veterinary clinic. We should be getting close. I bet that’s it.” He pointed to a rustic house with a long porch across the front and a ramp leading up to it.

  Several vehicles were already in the drive. Who were the other guests? Shell had been so preoccupied with one particular guest, she hadn’t really thought about the others.

  They got out of the truck and strolled toward the house. The door opened and a man she didn’t know greeted them.

  “You must be Ryler and Shell?” The man extended his hand. “Hayden Winters, Laken’s husband. Glad y’all could make it. Everyone else is already out back.”

  Hayden ushered them into the cozy living room with dozens of family photos displayed on the walls. They followed him through the kitchen, equipped with unusually low cabinets, to the sliding glass doors.

  A large deck spanned the back of the house, and it had a ramp similar to the one in front. Charcoal and lighter fluid flavored the air. Shell scanned the group already there. Adrea, the preacher, and Collin Kroft. Her heart lodged in her throat. A redheaded woman, a man she didn’t know, and a vaguely familiar brunette woman.

  Laken’s gaze lingered on Shell’s blouse for just a moment. “I’m so glad y’all made it.”

  Shell stiffened as Laken greeted her with a hug.

  “This is Shell Evans and Ryler Grant. You both know my brother, Collin.”

  Too well. Complete, total jerk.

  “This is his friend, Jill. Adrea and Grayson said they’d met y’all. Now this part gets complicated.” Laken gestured to the sandy-haired man. “Mark is Grayson’s associate pastor and Adrea’s brother. His wife, Grace, is Grayson’s twin. Shell, you probably remember Grace from school and when we attended Thorndike.”

  Grace. How could she have forgotten?

  A round of hellos and nice-to-meet-you’s echoed through the crisp spring air.

  So, Grayson had followed in his father’s footsteps and Grace had carried on the tradition by marrying a preacher.

  Great, dinner with not one but two preachers.

  Hmm. Scurry to the bathroom and make clothing adjustments or give them a little test. See if these Bible-thumpers could keep their eyes aboveboard. Shell smirked.

  “So, Shell.” Collin’s lips pursed, forming a thin line, and he kept his gaze on her face as he handed her a red plastic cup. “I hear you’re overseeing the work at the old Darden-Gifford place.”

  “When we finish, it’ll be a happening bed-and-breakfast.”

  He turned to his redheaded companion. “Jill is an architect. She’d love the place.”

  “Oh, how nice.” Small talk with Collin grated on her nerves. But the Collin she knew couldn’t possibly be any more comfortable than she was with the two preachers. That knowledge brought a smile to her lips.

  “I need some big strong men to move the picnic table off the deck to the yard.” Laken clapped her hands to be heard above the chatter. “And some ladies to help carry all the fixin’s outside.”

  All of the women trickled inside, but Shell didn’t hurry to help. She wasn’t a lady and surely Laken had enough assistants. As the men tackled the table, Collin stayed by her side.

  Her insides twisted as she sipped from her cup. Sweet tea.

  “You know…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I owe you an apology. I treated you badly in the past.”

  She choked and spluttered.

  “You all right?” Ryler called.

  With a cough, she retrieved enough breath to respond. “Fine.”

  Collin sighed. “You’re worth much more than you realize, Shell. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  Her eyes stung. “You don’t know anything about me,” she snapped. “What? Are you a preacher now, too?”

  “No, but I did become a Christian a few months back. Obviously, I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m trying to be a better person.”

  The low moan of a dog’s howl echoed in the distance. A symphony of barks and yaps joined in.

  She turned away and watched the men heave the table into place.

  Thankfully, Ryler came to her rescue. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Fine, my tea just went down wrong.” She linked her arm through his, grateful for his presence.

  With a confused frown, Ryler turned to Collin. “Where’s Brady tonight?”

  Clearing his throat, Collin’s gaze flew to an approaching Jill. “He’s staying with Hayden’s parents.”

  “Who’s Brady?” Jill threaded her fingers through Collin’s.

  His jaw clenched. “My son.”

  Jill’s eyes widened. “You have a son? You’re divorced?”

  “Actually, we never married.”

  “I guess you planned to tell me all this at some point?” Jerking her hand out of Collin’s grip, Jill crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I’d like to go now.”

  Jill stalked around the side of the house, with Collin and Laken scurrying after her.

  Laughter bubbled up inside Shell. Any minute, she’d lose the battle.

  Ryler felt for Collin, but if he didn’t want trouble with his date, he shouldn’t have hit on Shell. His own brother’s date. But Collin didn’t know that part.

  His stomach twisted. What kind of man was Collin? What kind of brother?

  He’d certainly gotten a rise out of Shell. Had they been involved in the past?

  What kind of family was this? Ryler ran a weary hand through his hair. What he wouldn’t give to be able to sneak inside and check out all those family pictures he’d seen in the living room. Were there any of Martin Kroft Sr.?

  “Hey. Where’d you go?” Shell elbowed him.

  “Nowhere.”

  “There for a minute, I’d have sworn you were in another galaxy.”

  “I guess I didn’t expect you to know almost everyone here. I guess y’all went to school together?”

  “Unfortunately.”

  “What’s Thorndike?”

  “The church in Searcy, where Grace and Grayson’s dad preac
hes.” She gazed off in the distance, obviously distracted by memories. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but a frown marred her forehead. “I attended for a short time. So did Laken and Collin.”

  Didn’t see that coming. Shell in church?

  “Did Collin say something to upset you?” Nice way to ease into it.

  “Actually he apologized for something that happened a long time ago.” She sighed. “Something best forgotten.”

  “Let me guess.” Ryler’s teeth clenched. His insides tightened and heat scalded his airways. “He broke your heart.”

  Her sarcastic laughter crackled with tension. “No. But he wanted to. I was dating his best friend and Collin made a play for me.”

  His hands balled into fists. Why did Collin’s audacity make him so angry? Ryler didn’t have any claims on Shell. He didn’t want any claims on her.

  Or did he?

  Ryler worked at keeping his tone even. “Not hitting on your buddy’s girl is an unspoken rule between friends.”

  “Collin sort of went by his own rules.”

  “But he apologized. Seems kind of odd.” Why did he feel so protective of her? At the beginning of their relationship, he’d set out to use her just as Collin had.

  “Says he’s a Christian now.” She rolled her eyes. “He gave me this big song and dance about how he’s changed, but I’m not falling for it.”

  Laken rounded the side of the house. “Two guests down. So much for our first successful party.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” Hayden drew her to his side. “Burgers are ready. Who wants cheese?”

  At least Laken didn’t play any games. He grinned. Other than matchmaking anyway.

  Ryler pulled into his driveway and killed the engine. Though he’d already dropped Shell off, her perfume still lingered in the cab.

  The black Lexus sat across the street at Collin’s.

  Despite the warning flares in his veins, Ryler jogged over.

  The porch light illuminated Collin sitting on the top step. “Know anything about woman troubles?”

  His brother—the traitor. He’d better be talking about Jill.

  “I guess I complicated things for you tonight.”