Cattleman's Courtship. Carolyne Aarsen

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      “Really?” Trista angled her a curious glance. “And how did that go?”

      “I was working. That’s how it went.” Cara’s stomach reminded her again that she hadn’t eaten anything since the banana she gobbled down on the way to work this morning. “Why don’t we go eat in my uncle’s office so the front doesn’t smell like a deli.”

      “Did you see Nicholas at all?” Trista asked as she followed Cara down the hall to the back office. “Did you talk to him? I heard he went to the hospital with you and your aunt.”

      “We’re not talking about Nicholas, okay?” Cara said, keeping her tone firm, just in case Trista didn’t get the hint.

      “Changing subject, now.” Trista unwrapped her sandwich. “How’s your uncle doing?”

      “He wants to come home already, but the doctor wants to keep an eye on him for a while.”

      “You doing okay, jumping back into large animal after treating puppies and guppies at your last job?” Trista asked with a grin.

      “It’s a nice change of pace.” Cara took another bite and sighed with satisfaction. “No one makes sandwiches like Hortons. Thanks a bunch for doing this.”

      “I had an ulterior motive,” Trista said, popping a pickle in her mouth. “I had stuff I needed to talk about without your aunt or uncle around. Anita told me Bill is gone on a call, so I hoped I could catch you alone.”

      “Sounds mysterious,” Cara said, pushing an errant onion back between the slices of bread.

      “Not so mysterious.” Trista finished her sandwich, balled up the paper and tossed it in the garbage can. “I’m getting married.”

      Cara almost choked. “What? When?”

      “A couple of weeks.”

      This time Cara did choke. Trista bounced across the room and pounded her friend on the back.

      “What’s the supersonic rush, girlfriend?” Cara gasped as she reached for her water bottle, struggling to gain her breath and composure.

      Trista rubbed the side of her nose, then sighed. “Well, I’m pregnant.”

      Cara almost coughed again and was about to say something when her friend held up her hand.

      “Before you say anything, you need to know that this isn’t, well, wasn’t a regular thing.” Trista was blushing now and Cara was still speechless. “It just, well, happened. And we were talking about getting married anyway, so this just hurries up the process.”

      Cara sat back, still trying to absorb this information.

      “Lorne’s a great guy,” Trista hastened to explain. “And I know he and Mandy used to be engaged, but that was different because she never liked his parents and they never really liked her.”

      Which sounded exactly like Nicholas’s father, Cara thought.

      “…but I love him and I know he loves me and I know we’ll be happy together.”

      “That’s good, I guess,” Cara said, wishing she could be more enthusiastic about the situation.

      Trista’s smile trembled a moment and her eyes shone as if with tears. “I wish you could be happy for me. I know I’m happy in spite of how things are going.”

      Cara got up and gave her dear friend a quick hug. “If he makes you happy, then I’m happy for you.”

      “He will and he does,” Trista said, her eyeblink releasing a tear. She brushed it away and sniffed lightly. “I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone, and he’ll be a great husband and a fantastic dad.”

      Trista’s enthusiastic defense of Lorne created a genuine smile in Cara.

      Trista sniffed again, then looked back at Cara. “So now, I’m wondering how long you’re sticking around?”

      Cara felt a peculiar warmth as she guessed exactly where this was going. “I guess long enough to be at your wedding.”

      “So will you stand up for me at my wedding?”

      Cara’s smile blossomed. “Of course. For all the times you stood up for me when I first came here and for all the times you stuck up for me, yes, my dear friend, I will stand up for you.”

      Trista laughed aloud. “I’m so glad. You know your being here is an answer to prayer.” Then a horrified look crossed her features and she held her hand up. “Not that I think your uncle’s heart attack is an answer to prayer, but the fact that you’re here and that you’re not leaving and—”

      “I know what you meant,” Cara said with a melancholy smile as her own emotions veered from a tinge of jealousy to genuine pleasure. “And I would be honored to be your maid of honor.”

      Trista heaved a satisfied sigh. “I’m so, so glad. I know the wedding is sudden, but we both knew we wanted to get married and figured why waste time on a long engagement, which worked out perfectly because that means you’re here for the wedding and everything seems to be falling into place…and I should stop talking so much, shouldn’t I?” Trista gave a short laugh as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “You know I always talk a lot when I’m nervous and I was so worried you’d say no.”

      “Why would I do that?” Cara tossed her own sandwich wrapper in the garbage can and leaned back to smile at her friend.

      Trista flapped her hand, as if erasing the question. “Nothing. I’m just babbling.”

      “You can stop babbling. I will do all that is in my power to be the best maid of honor ever.” Cara couldn’t stop a quick glance at the clock, figuring she could spare Trista a few more minutes. After all, they had a wedding to plan.

      “What’s the first thing you need my help on?” Cara asked.

      “Lorne and I decided we wanted an outdoor wedding so tomorrow night we’re checking a place out.”

      “An outdoor wedding.” Cara sighed, thinking of the plans she had made. Her plan had also been an outdoor wedding on a hill overlooking the mountains on Nicholas’s ranch. “Where did you have in mind?”

      Trista gave her hair another twirl. When she looked down, avoiding her gaze, a trickle of premonition chilled Cara’s neck.

      “Nicholas said we could get married at the ranch.”

      Her words fell like stones. No. She couldn’t plan someone else’s wedding at Nicholas’s ranch.

      “And one other thing,” Trista said, clearing her throat. “Lorne asked Nicholas to be his best man.”

      “Trista—”

      “It’s not a setup,” Trista rushed to say. “Honestly. I knew you wouldn’t be crazy about the idea and you can turn me down if you want, but I really, really could use your help and I want you to be my bridesmaid. СКАЧАТЬ