Page 76 of River Legacy
“You’d best believe it.” They’d reached the church. Ryder took her hand as he saw Brand at the door. The huge church was already full, standing-room only, but the doors were all open and chairs had been placed in the lawn next to the church clear out to the edge of the old town cemetery.
“Tilly saved you two seats at the front,” Brand told them. “How did you get out of door duty?”
Ryder just smiled. “Now I’m Mother’s favorite.”
His brother slugged him in the arm. “Get in there. It’s about to start.”
“I hope they keep it short,” he said under his breath, and they walked to the front where his sisters were waving impatiently for them. “And it begins.”
Ryder had to admit, his mother made a beautiful bride. He’d never seen her so happy, he realized because all his life she’d been struggling to run the ranch and work through her relationships—especially the one she battled almost daily with Holden McKenna. They had fought over water, land and methane wells. They had butted heads for years. No wonder so many people had turned out to see how this ended.
The wedding was both beautiful and blissfully short. Everyone cheered at the end and threw rice as the happy couple made their way out to the fairgrounds with everyone following in their vehicles.
“Why are they honking their horns?” Vicky asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
“They’re happy, and it’s a way to congratulate the happy couple.”
“I thought maybe they’d already started drinking,” she said jokingly.
“I’m sure there is some of that as well,” he said with a laugh. He glanced over at her, surprised by how happy she looked. Weddings apparently did that to some people. Or maybe it was even the idea of love ever after.
“Well, what do you think of the families?” he asked. “You got to meet them all. Even Holden’s youngest son Duffy drove up from the oil fields of Wyoming for the wedding. And Bailey and the sheriff were there. Her book full of the secrets of the people who live in the Powder River basin cameout yesterday. I heard it’s a bestseller.” He shook his head.
“It was so fun to meet Tilly’s husband Cooper and the baby. Did you know they named her River?” Vicky said. “It’s cute and so appropriate for where they live.”
Ryder wasn’t so sure about that. He couldn’t help but think about all the razzing he used to get because his name was different, but then again times had changed. Seemed all the kids had unique names. But River for a girl?
“Holly Jo is sweet, huh?” Vicky said. “And that boyfriend of hers, Gus? You can tell he loves her. It’s so adorable.”
“I adore you,” he said and reached over for her hand. The traffic was backed up for miles on the way to the fairgrounds. He didn’t mind. He liked sitting in the warm cab of his pickup with this woman.
She smiled at him. “And your sisters, I love them. Oakley was a lot quieter today than I expected. I asked her if she was all right, and I realize she was just busting at the seams to tell me something.”
Ryder wanted to laugh at how quickly Vicky had picked up the local expressions.
“Oakley is pregnant with twins!Twins!Isn’t that wonderful?”
“That is,” he said, hoping the pregnancy went well. She’d always wanted kids, and he knew that she and Pickett had struggled some.
“Birdie might be pregnant too,” she whispered. “I guess it’s top secret. I’m not sure even Brand knows yet.”
Ryder shook his head. “Love is certainly in the air.” He’d also seen their ranch manager Deacon Yates with Elaine. They looked very close. He wouldn’t be surprised to hear wedding bells in the near future and couldn’t be happier for them.
Once at the fairgrounds, music echoed off the mountainside, the scent of barbecued beef and roasted pork filled the air, and lines began to form. Tables had been set up out in the arena and ranch hands tapped the kegs of beer and were filling cups.
There was a roar of excitement along with the music. He put his arm around Vicky. “We have a long night ahead. You ready for this?”
“I want to experience it all,” she said, grinning at him.
“And we shall,” he promised as they joined the crowd.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The horseback ride was a little later than Ryder had planned. They’d stayed at the wedding reception until the sun came up—and they weren’t alone. Everyone said it was the best party ever. He had to agree.
At some point his mother and Holden had sneaked away, but not before she’d sought him out and pulled him aside.
“I have something for you,” she said and pressed a small velvet box into his hand.
