Page 52 of Nashville Cowboy
“We all know everything is for the bride.”
“Then let her parents pay for it.”
“They’re paying for the whole wedding and neither Sadie nor Lincoln would let us help with that.”
“How many songs would you have to write and sing to help pay for this dinner?” He actually sounded interested in Jackson’s career for once.
“I’d have to think about that.”
“Well, sure must be nice to prance around and sing and make money.”
“Yup.”
It was a little more complicated than that, not that Hank would understand. In Jackson’s case, he still hadn’t hit his stride as a musician. No matter what he said to Hank, Hank would bring it down to Jackson finding a way to have fun and make money. But it wasn’t always fun to see newer artists pass him by with stellar recording contracts because they had connections. Or a better management team who pushed for them. A star-making producer. Or maybe just more talent. There was a hell of a lot of “business” to show business and he’d found that out the hard way.
Sometimes he wished everything could be as simple as life on a ranch, where hard work equaled a direct reward.
“We’ll be late if we don’t head out now,” Jackson said, moving toward the door and grabbing Hank’s truck keys from the Longhorn-shaped hook by the entrance.
He’d been tasked to pull Hank away from the ranch and down the hill into town. Mima, Eve, and everyone else would meet them at Trinity Church and after that they’d all make their way to the Wild Rose for dinner.
They arrived in time to see Mima and Eve just ahead of them, walking toward the entrance of the chapel behind Sadie and Lincoln. Eve wore a short dress that hit well above her knees, a tight denim jacket over it, and some fancy cowgirl boots. Her hair was down, and she threw her head back, sharing a laugh with Mima. She saw him walk in, and her grin went even wider.
“Hank!” Eve walked right past Jackson with outstretched arms to his father. The man worthy of her smile. “I haven’t seen much of you lately.”
Over Hank’s shoulder, Eve shared a conspiratorial wink with Jackson. Ha. She thought this was funny making it seem that she hadn’t even noticed him.
“If it ain’t the most beautiful vet in all of Texas,” his father said, giving her a hug. “You’ll sit with me at dinner tonight, darlin’. No one else deserves you.”
“She’ll sit with me, son,” Mima said. “I need my right hand.”
While that love fest went on, Jackson walked past them to the chapel. It was just his luck that like so many structures in Stone Ridge, the building was exactly the same from the outside. White clapboard building, steeple, and belfry. Big, welcoming sign that spelled out:
Stephens and Carver wedding this Saturday
Sadie and Lincoln
He broke out in a cold sweat as he walked up the steps again for the first time in eight years. There was a memory in each step.
Catching up with Lincoln, he clapped him on the back. “Tell me they’ve at least renovated the inside.”
“No such luck, brother. Same old hard pews which are hell on a rancher’s back. All the extra funds go to help the poor. Pastor June is very insistent on that.”
“Don’t worry, Jackson,” Sadie said. “I have a different color theme.”
He hooked a finger at his chest. “Worried? Me?”
A differentcolortheme. Why sure, that ought to do it. Might make more of a difference if he could remember their color theme, but he’d been far less interested in any of the wedding details than he’d been in his bride. She’d tortured him by making him stay away for a week before the wedding, so their honeymoon night would be special. Ironic.
A few minutes later the pastor directed everyone to their places. Bridesmaids and groomsmen lined up, he and Eve sent toward the very back since they’d come in last just before Sadie and her father.
“This isn’t awkward at all,” Jackson said as he and Eve waited for the procession to begin. “Everyone is watching us.”
“It will be over soon,” Eve said quietly, not looking at him.
He rolled his shoulders. “I don’t mind being paired with you. Just wish it were anywhere but here.”
“That makes two of us.”
