Page 109 of The Wedding Ranch
“Well, too bad. I’m your sister and you can’t just stick your head in the sand. Look, this whole family was brokenhearted when we lost Valerie and Ronnie Dwayne, and you know what… that is never, ever going to change. Even if you fall into complete and utter happiness it doesn’t erase a thing from the past. It’s okay. No one is keeping score. Forgive yourself. Forgive Jeff. Make Lorri forgive herself and Jeff too. Live, Ryder. You’re almost back. I love it. It makes my heart so happy.”
He saw the hope in his sister’s eyes. “I missed her. Lorri, I mean. In a good way.” It felt wrong even saying it.
“That’s the healthiest thing I’ve heard you say in a long, long time.”
“What would people think?”
“They’d never know, and who cares. It wasn’t their loss to deal with.”
“It scares me to death.” He walked back over and sat at the table. “I can’t go through that kind of grief again.”
“I know.” She placed her hand on top of his. “It’s okay. We’re moving forward. On all of it. The past… well, it was part of the journey. It wasn’t our final destination. No telling where the future turns will take us.” She cleared her throat and tapped the envelope she’d placed on the table. “I brought something to show you.”
“That it?” He glanced up. “Was wondering what that was.”
“It’s perfect timing actually.” She slid the thick stack of paper out of the envelope then swept the first few pages from the top and set the others aside. “These are a few pictures from the Tuggle wedding.”
“Oh yeah.” He reached for them, but she tugged them back.
“Before you look at these—it’s not your imagination, Ryder. What you think you’re feeling with Lorri. There’s something to the two of you together. Everyone saw it that night on the dance floor.”
The words hung there between them.
Finally, he took the glossy sheets from her.
Diane leaned in. “Reece brought these pictures over late last night so I could help her pick out the whittled-down set to share with the bride and groom in their keepsake album. She was so excited to show me these. Not for the couple, but for us. You look so happy. I couldn’t wait to bring them over.”
He looked at the striking black and white photography. At first it didn’t even register that it was him in the picture with thebeautiful woman. She was all he could see. Her face glowing in the twinkle lights. His hand balancing hers. Her hands were so soft. Her body warm as they swayed to the music in unison. As delicate as a breeze.
“That’s joy, Ryder. In both of your faces. Look at how relaxed you two are, your hands, posture, the tilt of her jaw and lift in your smile. There’s something there that no one can deny.”
He pulled the picture closer, then stood, turning away from his sister as he studied it. The song played in his mind. Reliving the rush of his heart, his palms dampened.
All the feelings came rushing back.
Ryder looked at Diane. “Right before this was taken, I’d accused her of crashing the wedding, and tried to kick her off the property.” He snickered.
“You were jealous.” She was enjoying teasing him about that.
“I was not.”
“Yes, you were.”
“Maybe,” he conceded, “but honestly I think the motivation was more that I thought she’d broken a confidence. She knew how important the event was to the kids. You know I’d die before I’d let Reece and Ross down. I can’t believe I told her about it.”
“That’s not like you at all, but it turned out fine.”
“Thank goodness. I couldn’t have forgiven myself if I’d done something to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard on.”
“Don’t worry about them. They’ll make it on hard work and gumption. It’s in our Bolt DNA.”
“We do have that.”
“Welcome back, little brother. Your heart is doing more than just pumping blood. You’re appreciating life again.”
“Stop being dramatic.”
“No.Youstop.” She snatched the picture from him with her fingertips. “You can’t tell me there’s not something to this. Those two people are not fighting.”
