Across the cab, he smirked. “You look like you’re in a hurry.”
She glowered, more frustrated with herself than anything. “Just drive.”
When they arrived at the ranch fifteen minutes later, Lily was waiting for her.
“I’m so sorry,” Kayla said, approaching her friend.
“It’s not your fault.” Lily smiled, looking much calmer than Kayla and far more put together. “So, take a deep breath and shake it off before we get started with the rehearsal.”
Kayla did as she was told, taking the opportunity to roll her head from side to side, too, in hopes of working out the kinks. She blew out a long breath. “Okay, I’m good.”
“Excellent.” Lily slipped her arm through Kayla’s as they started toward the open area behind the house where a massive tent would be constructed tomorrow to host the big event. “Besides, God has a reason for everything.”
Kayla knew her friend was right, however the fact that Lily’s gaze suddenly moved from her to Jude wasn’t helping.
“Before we get started with the rehearsal—” Jude stepped in front of them, halting their progress “—we need to create the proper atmosphere.” He winked at her then. “Don’t you agree, Kayla?”
She ignored the unwanted heat creeping into her cheeks and broke free of Lily. “Yes, absolutely. Setting is always important, even in rehearsals.”
Noah came alongside Lily. “Just what are you up to, Jude?”
“Kayla, why don’t you keep an eye on these two?” He pointed between the bride and groom before turning his attention to his other brothers. “Daniel, Matt and Andrew, come with me.”
The brothers followed him without question, continuing into his shop.
Excitement bubbled inside of Kayla. “Where are you planning to do the actual run-through?”
Lily looked at her suspiciously. “Right over there.” She pointed to the large clearing where some portable floodlights illuminated the bench seating that was already occupied by Clint, Hillary, Carly, Lacie and the kids.
Kayla grinned at the happy couple and motioned in that direction. “Shall we then?” Glancing behind her, she saw the men were already out the door with the arbor and heading in the same direction.
They reached the benches as the brothers bypassed them and settled the tarp-covered arbor on the ground. Jude had told her during their ride out here that he’d temporarily attached boards to the bottoms of the arbor’s posts, running from front to back on each side to give it more stability on the grass. Once it was moved to its permanent home, it would be set into the ground with concrete.
“Thanks, guys.” Grinning, Jude rubbed his hands together in anticipation as he moved beside Kayla. “Ready?”
She nodded, then turned to address Lily and Noah. “Jude and I didn’t know what to get you guys for a wedding present. So, since you two are kind of hard to buy for, we decided to make you something.”
“Something you could use for the wedding and for many years to come,” added Jude.
Lily watched them, her green eyes wide with delight as she practically bubbled with anticipation.
Kayla peered up at Jude. “I think we should go ahead and give it to them before Lily explodes.”
Laughter filled the cool evening air as she and Jude moved to either side of the arbor. They took hold of the tarp.
“Everybody ready?” asked Jude.
“One,” they all shouted in unison. “Two. Three.”
With that, Jude and Kayla unveiled their surprise.
Lily gasped, her hand promptly covering her mouth. Tears filled her eyes as she read the inscription. “Oh, you guys.” She moved in to hug Kayla and Jude. “This is so beautiful.”
“Like the one you showed me at the bridal shop,” Kayla said.
Her friend shook her head. “It’s better. Because you made it. And that carving... That makes it even more special.”
“That was Jude’s idea.”
“It couldn’t be more perfect,” said Lily.
“You two are quite the team,” added Noah, throwing in a couple hugs of his own.
Kayla glanced at Jude. Despite everything, they had, indeed, come together to create something Noah and Lily would cherish both now and in the future.
But being a team involved more than a common goal. Trust had to be built. One had to know that the other would be there when they needed them, that they had their back and wouldn’t tear them down in order to make themselves feel better.
As everyone moved in to inspect their handiwork, Jude put his mouth near Kayla’s ear.
“You done good.”
Shivers skittered down her spine as she gazed into his eyes. “Right back atcha.”
* * *
Noah’s wedding day had finally arrived, and Jude would be glad when it was over.
His big brother would be the third member of the Stephens family to get married in the last thirteen months. Throw in Matt and Lacie’s announcement last night that they were expecting a baby in May, and all this wedded bliss was getting to be too much for Jude.
Waiting for the morning’s second pot of coffee to brew, he found himself bombarded by thoughts of Kayla. He’d witnessed a side of her this week that had him shuffling through old memories, trying to recall if he’d ever seen that kind of insecurity in her before. He continued to come up empty-handed, though, which only served to drive him nuts, wondering what had happened in the past seven years.
And then last night came along, bringing with it a glimpse of the old Kayla. The one who knew what she wanted and refused to let anything stand in her way. The one who confidently stood before his entire family to present Noah and Lily with a heartfelt gift. It had made him proud to be at her side. Did she have any idea how gorgeous she was? How her turquoise shirt highlighted her chestnut eyes? And the way her long, silky hair spilled down her back had him longing to run his fingers through it.
He snagged a mug from the cupboard beside the sink, then slammed the door with a little too much force. Why did she have to look so good? And why had her truck picked last night of all nights to break down? He’d have been fine if she’d just shown up. Instead her slightly sweet, slightly floral fragrance wrapped around him as they drove, reminding him of another time when she would have been his date. Even when he and Noah returned later to Granger House to start her vehicle, her aroma lingered in the cab of Jude’s truck, teasing and tormenting him all the way back to the ranch, and then even as he slept.
He filled his cup and grabbed a cinnamon roll from the foil pan on the stove. That was one of the benefits of Dad’s relationship with Hillary Ward-Thompson. Her daughter, Celeste Purcell, owned Granny’s Kitchen, a diner in town where they made some of the finest cinnamon rolls in the country. Light and fluffy, oozing with cinnamony goodness...
Seemed Hillary was always eager to drop a pan or two by the house. Either that or Dad was going into town to pick some up.
Dawn illuminated the horizon as Jude stepped outside onto the deck. Steam billowed from his mug. The air was crisp and the sky clear. A welcome sight after the unexpected storm that had blown through overnight. But this morning held the promise of a beautiful autumn day.
Across the drive, he saw Dad and Hillary exit the barn, talking and laughing. As always, Hillary was stylishly dressed, save for the black rubber boots his father had given her this past spring. Now she could join him as he moved around the ranch without having to worry about messing up her fancy footwear.
Beside her, Dad wore his usual denim work shirt along with Wranglers, work boots and his well-worn beige felt Stetson. The couple presented quite a contrast, that’s for sure. And even though Hillary was the antithesis of Jude’s mother, this seemingly mismatched couple made a good pairing, like bacon and maple syrup.
Jude watched as the old man reached for Hillary’s hand and held it as they walked tow
ard him, oblivious to his presence. So much for Dad’s claim that they were only friends. Not that Jude and his brothers hadn’t already figured it out. They just weren’t sure if their father was trying to convince them or himself.
Hillary was the first to spot him as they started up the steps of the deck. “Good morning, Jude.”
Dad promptly let go of her hand. “Son. I didn’t see you there.” He looked as nervous as a teenage boy who just got busted by his girlfriend’s father.
And Jude couldn’t pass up the opportunity to mess with him. “Obviously.” He grinned.
The old man cleared his throat. “When are those people supposed to be here to set up the tent?”
“Seven thirty.” Jude glanced at his watch. Seven ten. “So anytime.” They’d be followed by decorators and caterers...
“This is going to be a busy place, that’s for sure.” Hillary didn’t appear to be the least bit rattled. “Poor Lily’s going to have a tough time staying away.” She paused for a moment. “I have a pan of cinnamon rolls I need to run down to the cabin. Perhaps I’ll ask her if there’s anything she’d like me to do.”
“Yeah, you’re good at bossing people around.”
Hillary’s brow lifted, her laser focus honing in on his father. “One does not make it to the top of the corporate ladder without knowing how to take charge.” Until a few years ago, she’d been a high-ranking executive at one of the world’s largest oil companies.
“Oh, you certainly know how to do that, woman.”
She simply grinned, no doubt proud of her reputation. “Jude, I meant to tell you, that arbor you and Kayla made for Noah and Lily was absolutely stunning.”
His smile evaporated, his heart sinking. “Oh, no. I forgot about the arbor.” He set his mug on the nearest horizontal surface and hurried down the steps. “The storm.”
While Kayla had insisted they move it back inside his shop, he’d argued that it would be just fine next to the building. Now he could only pray he was right.
Determined steps propelled him up the gravel driveway and past his shop. A cow bellowed in the distance, something he was likely to do, too, if anything happened to that arbor.
He yanked up the sleeves of his gray Henley as he rounded the corner, then came to an abrupt stop.
A few feet away, the arbor lay on the ground, misshapen, with one side collapsed. The storm had blown it over.
Why hadn’t he listened to Kayla?
Because he’d been eager to take care of her truck and hadn’t anticipated bad weather.
Staring down at the dilapidated mess, he scratched a hand through his hair. This was not good.
A low growl escaped him as he knelt for a closer inspection. Some of the cedar had split around the screws. Slats were crooked and a couple were broken. Kayla was going to be heartbroken. Not to mention angry. He could only hope she’d place the blame on him, where it was due, and not try to shoulder it herself.
Better yet, he’d just fix it before she found out.
He pushed to his feet and turned just in time to see her moving toward him, a horrified look on her face.
“What happened?”
“Storm blew it over.”
Her eyes welled with tears, panic creased her pretty brow. “What are we going to do?”
“Fix it before the bride and groom find out. Where’s Lily?”
“She’s still back at the cabin. I’m supposed to call her when the coast is clear.”
“What?”
“It’s her wedding day. Noah isn’t supposed to see her before the wedding. He needs to be out of the way when she comes to check on the setup crew.”
“All right. Dad can handle that. It’ll give him something to do.” Again, he surveyed the arbor. “In the meantime, I need to have this fixed by the time they get that tent set up.” It was supposed to serve as the altar, after all.
Movement had his gaze flitting toward the drive. “Great. Here comes the setup crew now.”
Kayla continued to fret. “I should have insisted we put it back in the shop last night.”
There she went, blaming herself again. But he wasn’t about to let her get away with it. Not today.
He took a step closer. “This is not your fault, Kayla, so don’t even go there. You asked me to put it in the shop, but I said it would be fine. So, if you want to blame anyone, blame me.”
Eyes wide, she simply blinked. Finally, she nodded.
“All right. I’m going to get someone to help me move this into the shop while you show the crew where to put up the tent.”
Chapter Eight
The late-afternoon sun was warm as Kayla waited for the wedding to start, feeling more nervous than she’d been at her own wedding. Then again, her wedding had been a small affair, with only her mom and Shane’s family in attendance. Shane had said he’d rather spend the money on the honeymoon than the wedding, so that’s what they’d done. Little had she known he’d be spending most of that money on drinks. It was the first time she’d seen him inebriated. Though definitely not the last. She’d never forget him looking at her with glassy eyes, his speech slurred as he announced that she was no fun and he never should have married her.
Of course, in typical Shane fashion, he’d apologized profusely the next day, promising it would never happen again. If she had a dollar for every time she’d heard that, she’d be a wealthy woman.
Instead she’d allowed him to rob her of her dignity and self-confidence. Never again would she let someone wield that kind of power over her.
Straightening, she shook off the memory and drew in a deep breath laced with the fragrance of off-white roses, blush peonies and eucalyptus from her bouquet. Standing at the side of the wedding tent, she was able to glimpse its incredible transformation. Yards of flowing white fabric had been draped from the ceiling and adorned with rustic chandeliers, swags of greenery and string lights.
Toward the back, tables and chairs had been set up for the dinner and reception that would follow the ceremony, while what appeared to be the entire town of Ouray now sat in the rows of white chairs at the opposite end of the tent, awaiting the bride’s entrance.
The front of the tent had been left open, affording a glorious view of the mountains that backdropped the ranch. If everything went according to plan, Lily and Noah would say I do as the sun disappeared behind the peaks.
And there, front and center at the end of the aisle, was the arbor, repaired and upright once again, looking even more beautiful than before, draped with greenery and tiny LED lights. The perfect focal point and makeshift altar. Thanks to Jude.
She pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to quell the excitement that, at the moment, seemed a little overwhelming.
Turning, she shared a smile with the beautiful bride who, contrary to Kayla, appeared the epitome of calm. Lily looked stunning in her simple sheath dress. Since she wanted to keep things somewhat casual, she wore her long reddish-blond hair down, curled, with the sides pulled back and held by a fingertip-length lace veil that wouldn’t detract from the dress.
Kayla gave her another once-over. “You are going to knock Noah’s socks off.”
Dressed in an ivory satin A-line dress with a deep plum sash, Lily’s seven-year-old daughter, Piper, peered up at Kayla. “What does that mean?”
“It means your mommy looks gorgeous.”
“You’re looking pretty amazing yourself,” said Lily.
Kayla bit the corner of her lipstick-covered lip. Surprisingly, she liked the way she looked, too. Especially the way her waist-length hair had been braided and twisted into a romantic low bun. Very feminine. And a far cry from her favorite overalls.
“Let’s just pray I don’t trip in these heels.” Kayla noted her strappy nude-colored dress sandals.
They shared a giggle before Lily gave her a more serious look. “I still can’t beli
eve I’m doing this. I said I’d never marry again. Yet—” she raised a hand “—here I am. About to walk down the aisle to the man of my dreams.”
“A cowboy, no less.”
Lily’s smile grew wider. “And a very handsome one at that.”
“You’ve both been through a lot.” Lily had felt the sting of betrayal, and Noah’s wife had passed away shortly after miscarrying their first child. “But God works in mysterious ways. I mean, who would have thought that your little vacation with the kids would lead you to this?” Kayla gestured from the ranch land outside to inside the wedding tent.
Her friend shivered with glee. “I know.” She reached for Kayla’s hand. “And I can’t help thinking He’s brought you here for a reason, too.” Lily had been singing the same song ever since Kayla told her about her history with Jude.
“I agree. A new place, a new job... You’ve allowed me the fresh start I wanted.”
Lily frowned. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
“Lily, I’m trying to reclaim my life. For me and my baby. The last thing I need is a man to distract me from that goal.”
“Distract, no. But someone to come alongside you, partner with you, lift you up...”
In Kayla’s world, that kind of man didn’t exist. She’d allowed herself to be beaten down. To be taken advantage of and made into a shell of the person she once was. She wasn’t about to make that mistake again.
The wedding planner interrupted them. “Ladies, it’s time.”
Kayla hugged her friend. “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day.”
Lily squeezed her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
With notes of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” flowing from an acoustic guitar, Kayla started down the aisle. Nerves continued to knot in her stomach, but she ignored them, smiling as she put one foot in front of the other.
Noah waited at the front with Jude and Colton by his side. Yet Kayla found herself fixated on Jude. How handsome he looked in his gray suit. And the smile he sent her had her stomach twisting even more. For a moment, she dared to wonder. What if she had stayed in Ouray all those years ago or even come back? Perhaps she would have walked an aisle like this, but as Jude’s bride.
Reunited in the Rockies Page 8